Easy Homemade Breadsticks are so easy to make! They are soft and delicious with a garlic parmesan butter on top. Easy Homemade Breadsticks make the perfect side for any meal!
The Yeast for Easy Homemade Breadsticks
I always use Instant Yeast (Quick Rise Instant Yeast or Rapid Rise Yeast). It is a little more forgiving than Active Dry Yeast. So if you are new to yeast, use Instant Yeast and you cannot screw it up.
With Instant Yeast it is instant. Meaning you can just add it into the other ingredients and it will rise. I still always proof my Instant yeast, just like you need to do with Active Dry Yeast. The reason I do this, is to make sure the yeast is fresh still so my breads will rise (this is proofing).
To proof the yeast, you need warm water and sugar (honey works too). The sugar feeds the yeast and helps activate it.
To proof your yeast, add your sugar and warm water to the mixing bowl. When I say warm water I usually go off of the temp I would have let my little kids shower in, maybe a bit hotter- you can wash your hands comfortably in it.
The great thing about Instant Yeast is the warm temperature can be off a little bit and it won’t affect the yeast – with Active Dry Yeast the water temperature matters- this is why I LOVE Instant Yeast- so much easier to work with!
Next, add the yeast in with the warm water and sugar and let it sit for about five minutes! The yeast will start to bubble and grow and get foamy! Once you see the foamy top you are ready to go! You just proofed your yeast and your bread will rise!
Making the Breadsticks
Now you know how to proof your yeast, so it’s time to make the Easy Homemade Breadsticks!
Once your yeast is proofed and ready to go, you add in the rest of your ingredients-just salt and flour! I told you they were easy!
I use my dough hook and it mixes the dough right up in no time. You can do it by hand, it is just a little more work!
After you have added your flour, let the mixer do the hard work of kneading the dough. I let it mix and knead on med-high speed for a good 3-5 minutes.
You will know when it’s done when the dough is soft and smooth. By hand it may take a little longer. If doing it by hand you will need to lightly flour a surface and knead the dough until it is smooth and soft (this can take up to 10 minutes).
How Much Flour? (It’s not an exact amount)
How much flour do you add? You have to watch the dough, adding a little at a time.
I usually start out with half of what a recipe calls for, then slowly add it in, watching for the right “feel” of the dough.
You will know you have added enough flour when the dough starts to pull away cleanly from the bowl but is still slightly sticky (see my clean sides of the bowl above). Slightly sticky means your finger may stick but you won’t have clumps of dough stick to your finger!
After you have mixed it and kneaded it in the mixer (or by hand), cover the dough with a clean kitchen towel and let the dough rest and rise.
Mine usually takes about 45 minutes depending on the temperature in my kitchen. If my kitchen is warmer it is usually a little faster. Watch for the dough to double in size, and you will know it is ready to roll out into breadsticks.
Rolling Out the Dough
While the dough is rising, I line my baking sheet with parchment paper.
I use a half sheet pan and it fits 12 breadsticks perfectly (which is this recipe).
The breadsticks will bake perfectly and there is pretty much no clean up. If you are not using parchment paper to line your baking sheet, grease your pan.
On a lightly floured surface, I roll my dough out to a rectangle…nothing exact but about 8x12ish (I have never measured it, so this is totally a guess). The dough is about 1/4 inch thick.
I cut it width wise (short way, not long way), in to 12 equal-ish size strips.
I then take each strip, fold it in half and twist. Line up the breadsticks on your baking sheet.
Cover with a kitchen towel and let rise again until doubled in size. (About 45 minutes but it will depend on the temperature in your kitchen.) Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. TIP: If you set your pan by the oven, near the heat, they raise faster!
Baking Easy Homemade Breadsticks
After they have doubled in size, put them in your oven and bake them for 10-12 minutes, or until they start to get a little golden brown and are done to your liking.
While they are baking I prepare my butter spread. I use my Garlic- Basil Parmesan Spread. You can also just brush them with butter and sprinkle garlic salt, garlic powder and parmesan cheese on them.
Once the Easy Homemade Breadsticks are done baking you will want to get the yummy butter on them right away.
These will store in a zip top bag and can be reheated by wrapping them in a moist paper towel and heating them in the microwave for about 15 seconds.
Hope you enjoy! Try these breadsticks with my Cheesy Potato Soup!
If you liked this recipe please take the time to leave a comment and a star rating below! Also, don’t forget to follow me on Pinterest, Facebook and Instagram!
For some other delicious easy yeast dough recipes try my Easy Garlic Knots, Easy NO FAIL Dinner Rolls, my Easy Homemade Bread Bowls and my Easy Homemade French Bread or try my cute Heart Shaped Breadsticks for a special occasions!
The Easiest Homemade Breadsticks are easy to make and soft and delicious! The perfect side for any meal!
Here are some products I used to make this recipe!
“As an Amazon Associate I earn on qualifying purchases.”
Here is the half sheet pan I use for all of my baking!
Check out the latest posts from the Butcher’s Wife!
- Greek Chicken
- Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup
- White Chicken Enchiladas
- Yummy Carrot Cake
- Creamy Baked Chicken
- Easy Peppermint Dip
The Easiest Homemade Breadsticks
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups warm water about 110 degrees
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp instant yeast
- 1 tsp salt
- 3 1/2- 4 1/2 cups flour see notes
Parmesan Garlic Basil Butter Spread
- 1/2 cup butter
- 2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese *grated green bottle kind works great
- 1 tsp garlic powder *or more to taste
- 1/2 tsp garlic salt *or more to taste
- 1/2 tsp dried basil optional
- 1/4 tsp onion powder *or more to taste
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, add the warm water, sugar and yeast. Wait for the mixture to get foamy, about 5 minutes.
- Add in the salt, and 2 cups of flour. Mix with the dough hook, adding in a little flour at a time until the dough starts to pull away from the side of the bowl and is slightly sticky. Let the mixer knead the dough for about 3-5 minutes until soft and smooth. If you are mixing it by hand, keep adding the flour until its slightly sticky but not sticking to the bowl too much. Knead for about 5 minutes until the dough is soft and smooth.
- Cover the dough with a clean kitchen towel and let rise for about 45 minutes, or until the dough has doubled in size.
- While the breadstick dough is rising, line a baking sheet/jelly roll pan with parchment paper, a baking mat or grease your pan. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.I use a half sheet pan that measures about 18×13 inches.
- Once the dough has doubled in size, on a lightly floured surface roll out your dough into a rectangle, about 8×12 in size, or 1/4 inch thick.
- Cut the rectangle into 12 equal strips, width wide (short way).
- Take each strip, fold it in half and then twist it together. Line up the breadsticks on your baking sheet. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rise again until they are doubled in size.
- When they have doubled in size, place them in your oven and let them bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown on top.
- After they have baked and are taken out of the oven, brush them right away with the Garlic Basil Parmesan Butter spread or you can just use plain butter and a sprinkle of garlic powder, garlic salt, and parmesan cheese on each breadstick.Enjoy! These will store in a zip top bag and can be reheated by wrapping them in a moist paper towel and heating them in the microwave for about 15 seconds.
Notes
- You will know you have added enough flour when the dough starts to pull away from the bowl but is still slightly sticky. You should be able to work with it without it covering your hands and you don’t have to scrape it off. You may need to use a little bit of flour to work with it and that is ok…that is the kind of sticky you want!
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should only be used as an approximation.
