We all know why you go to the Olive Garden. No, it is not for the fettuccini alfredo or the endless salad. The reason you go to the Olive Garden is for the breadsticks. The soft, chewy, delicious breadsticks.
But did you know that breadsticks are easy to make at home, only require 8 ingredients, and can be ready in under two hours? Even if you have never made yeast bread before these breadsticks are very simple to make.
This post will teach you how to make soft garlic breadsticks step-by-step. Let’s get started!
Note: This article may contain affiliate links, where I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases with no additional cost to you. I only provide links to products that use personally and recommend highly.
Ingredients for Soft Garlic Breadsticks
Homemade breadsticks require only 8 ingredients. We will go through them now:
Warm water – This recipe uses water as the liquid. Make sure it is around 110 degrees for the yeast to activate properly. This means that the water should feel warm but not burning hot. If you are not sure you can check the temperature with a kitchen thermometer.
Yeast – This is one of the most important ingredients! Yeast is a living organism that helps the bread to rise. In the store yeast is dormant but when warm liquid (in this recipe, water) is added it will “wake up” and start producing carbon dioxide gas. This is what creates holes in the bread and gives it its light and fluffy texture.
You can buy yeast in a strip of three single use packages or you can buy it in bulk for a very reasonable price. If you buy bulk yeast then 2 1/4 teaspoons is equivalent to one package. I usually buy “instant” or “quick rise” yeast because it helps the bread to rise faster.
Butter – This is used in the dough and also brushed on top of the breadsticks before and after they come out of the oven. I prefer salted butter but you can use whatever you prefer.
Sugar – Sugar is needed to give the bread a subtle sweetness. Also, it helps feed the yeast so the dough will rise more quickly.
Salt – Salt gives the bread some flavor. I use regular table salt.
Flour – Flour gives the structure to the dough. There are many types of flour, but for this recipe we will use regular all-purpose flour.
Garlic powder and oregano – These add flavor to the breadsticks. They are called “soft garlic breadsticks” after all!
How to Make Soft Garlic Breadsticks
Step 1: Mix the Dough
Stir the warm water, yeast, butter, sugar, and salt together in a large bowl. Add about 3 1/2 cups of the flour and mix well. Stir in enough additional flour to make a soft dough that forms a ball and pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
Step 2: Knead the Dough
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth. Kneading the dough helps develop the gluten. Gluten is a protein that gives structure to the dough. It is what makes bread elastic and chewy.
Everyone has their own way of kneading dough, and you need to find a rhythm that feels good to you. Here are the basic steps:
- Push the heel of your hand into the center of the dough.
- Turn the dough a quarter of a turn.
- Fold the dough in half.
- and repeat…
Add in more flour, a little at a time, to keep the dough from sticking. The dough is ready when it is smooth and elastic. The outside will not be as rough textured as it was, and it should spring back when you poke it gently with your finger.
At first the dough will have a rough texture. 
After kneading the dough will be smoother.
Step 3: Let the Dough Rest
After the dough is relatively smooth cover it with a clean kitchen towel and let it rest on the countertop for 15 minutes. This will help the gluten relax a bit so it will be easier to shape in the next step.
Step 4: Shape the Dough
Divide the dough into 16 pieces. I like to use a dough scraper for this (affiliate link). Using your hands, roll each piece into a 7-inch long breadstick. Place the breadsticks a few inches apart on a greased baking sheet.
Step 5: Let the Dough Rise
Cover the breadsticks with your clean kitchen towel and let rise in a warm place for 45 minutes. The dough is ready when it looks puffy and has almost doubled in size.
Step 6: Bake the Breadsticks
Towards the end of the rising time heat the oven to 400 degrees. When the dough has finished rising brush the breadsticks some melted butter. Bake at 400 degrees for 10-15 minutes, or until the bottoms are lightly browned.
The top of the breadsticks will remain light colored even after they are done baking. This is a good thing because it means that they will stay soft and chewy! Checking the bottoms is the best way to tell if they are done.
Step 7: Brush the Breadsticks again and Sprinkle with Herbs
Remove the breadsticks from the oven and brush again with melted butter. Immediately sprinkle with garlic powder and oregano to taste. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
Serve
Serve these breadsticks warm out of the oven. They are especially delicious with a bowl of homemade soup! Enjoy!
Hope you get to try these soft garlic breadsticks soon. Happy Cooking!
Soft Garlic Breadsticks
Ingredients
Breadsticks
- 1¾ cup warm water (around 110 degrees)
- 1 package instant yeast (about 2¼ teaspoons)
- 2 tablespoons softened butter
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 4¼ cups flour, or as needed
Topping
- ¼ cup melted butter
- Garlic powder, as needed
- Oregano, as needed
Instructions
- Stir the warm water, yeast, softened butter, sugar, and salt together in a large bowl. Add in about 3½ cups of flour and mix well. Stir in enough additional flour to make a soft dough that forms a ball and pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth. Add in more flour, a little at a time, to keep the dough from sticking. The dough is ready when it is smooth and elastic.
- Cover the dough with a clean kitchen towel and let it rest on the countertop for 15 minutes. This will help the gluten relax a bit so it will be easier to shape in the next step.
- Divide the dough into 16 pieces. Using your hands, roll each piece into a 7-inch long breadstick. Place the breadsticks a few inches apart on a greased baking sheet.
- Cover the breadsticks with a clean kitchen towel and let rise in a warm place for 45 minutes. The dough is ready when it looks puffy and has almost doubled in size.
- Towards the end of the rising time heat the oven to 400 degrees. Brush the breadsticks with melted butter and then bake for 10-15 minutes, or until the bottoms are lightly browned.
- Remove the breadsticks from the oven and brush again with melted butter. Immediately sprinkle with garlic powder and oregano to taste. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
- Serve these breadsticks warm out of the oven. They are especially delicious with homemade soup! Enjoy!
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