This simple recipe for Copycat Olive Garden Breadsticks makes buttery, garlic-scented, and chewy breadsticks that are utterly addictive!
Yield:
12 breadsticks
Tessa's Recipe Rundown...
Taste: Buttery and garlicky, AKA amazing!
Texture: These breadsticks have a bit of a golden crust but are soft and fluffy inside yet chewy throughout.
Ease: Really easy! Homemade breadsticks may sound intimidating but there’s only a handful of ingredients and I’ve included step-by-step photos so you know exactly how to make them.
Appearance: Mouthwatering.
Pros: Have Olive Garden breadsticks at home whenever you want!
Cons: These are dangerously addictive.
Would I make this again? Mhmmm.
So it’s almost 8am on this Friday morning and I realized I had schedule this post to go live at 3am, like I always do with my posts, but had completely forgotten to write anything before my “recipe rundown.” I didn’t write anything really to introduce you to these copycat Olive Garden Breadsticks or anything else at all. Whoops. Blogger fail. In over four and a half years of blogging, I don’t think I’ve ever done this before so that’s good at least.
It has totally been one of those weeks. I’ve been making the dumbest mistakes. If you follow me on Twitter, you may have seen I dropped a tin of cinnamon rolls upsidedown on the ground. Yesterday I made chocolate cupcakes and didn’t love how they turned out, so I baked another batch. The second batch somehow tasted like dirt. Yet despite all these little fails, I’ve been feeling really creative and inspired and have been brainstorming fun things to do next year. Where there’s a will, there’s a way. Hopefully I don’t hurt myself in the process.
The dough recipe only has six ingredients! Get your ingredients and your stand mixer fitted with the dough hook ready to go. You can make this dough by hand, just get ready to knead for about 10 minutes.
Mix your wet ingredients in the bowl of the mixer and add some of the flour. Turn the mixer on low and add the remaining flour, mixing until incorporated.
Increase the speed to medium and knead the dough for about 7 minutes.
The dough should be smooth and elastic after kneading. This dough is such a breeze to work with!
Form the dough into a ball and place in a lightly oiled bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm, draft-free place for about 1 1/2 hours, or until doubled in size.
Once doubled, your dough is ready to be portioned and formed into breadsticks!
Divide the dough into 12 equal portions. This is made easy and precise with a scale, each portion should weigh 2 ounces. You don’t have to use a scale but it makes things easier!
Roll each piece of dough into a 7-inch log shape. The logs don’t have to be perfect, they’ll puff up a bit during the second rise.
Cover again with plastic and let the dough logs rise until doubled, about 1 hour. Bake in a 400°F oven for 12 minutes, or until golden brown.
As soon as the breadsticks come out of the oven, brush with melted butter and sprinkle with the salt and garlic powder mixture. Serve warm. Be careful, these are ADDICTIVE!
This simple recipe for Copycat Olive Garden Breadsticks makes buttery, garlic-scented, and chewy breadsticks that are utterly addictive!
Ingredients
For the dough:
1cupplus 2 tablespoons warm water
1 1/2teaspoonsinstant yeast
2tablespoonsgranulated sugar
3tablespoonsunsalted butter, melted
1 3/4teaspoonssalt
16ounces(about 3 1/3 to 3 1/2 cups) bread flour
For the topping:
2tablespoonsunsalted butter, melted
1/2teaspoonkosher salt
1/4teaspoongarlic powder
Directions
In the bowl of a standing mixer, combine the water, yeast, sugar, and butter. Add in the salt. Attach the dough hook to the mixer and begin to gradually add the flour on low speed. Increase speed to medium and knead the dough for about 7 minutes, or until it is smooth and elastic.
Remove the dough to a lightly oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rest in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 1/2 hours.
Divide the dough into 12 (2 ounce) portions. Roll each piece of dough into a 7-inch log. Place the dough logs on nonstick baking mat or parchment-lined baking sheets, cover, and let rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Bake for about 12 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from oven and immediately brush with melted butter. Combine the salt and garlic powder and sprinkle evenly over breadsticks. Serve warm.
Recipe Notes
*When it comes to bread baking, weighing your flour will always ensure the best and most consistent results. If you like to bake, consider investing in a kitchen scale if you don't already have one, it makes a big difference!*Want to prep the dough ahead of time? Check out my free Make Ahead Baking Guide and follow the directions for making yeast dough in advance!
Course:
Side Dish
Cuisine:
American
About Tessa...
I share trusted baking recipes your friends will LOVE alongside insights into the science of sweets. I'm a professionally trained chef, cookbook author, and cookie queen. I love to write about all things sweet, carb-y, and homemade. I live in Phoenix, Arizona (hence the blog name!)
Like one of the other people who left a review, I had a hard time incorporating the flour into the wet mixture.
It was VERY crumbly. Also, my very old Sunbeam Stand Mixer (and it’s pathetic dough hooks) had a hard time mixing the dough. The dough got caught up in the beaters where they click in. I had to stop using it and mix it in by hand.
Even still, I didn’t like the consistency of the dough….but I went ahead and covered it to see if it would rise.
It did not.
I did level the dough off when measuring but next time, I will weigh it.
And hope that it turns out!!
PS
What temperature do you usually like the water to be at?
On the internet, I read that it was 100°F.
Also, I’m not sure which type of yeast I used – if that might have made a difference in its not rising.
Sorry to hear of your issues, Kelly! Were you able to finish baking them? If so, how did they turn out? It definitely sounds like too much flour was added. Or is it possible you live in a climate where less flour was needed? Warm water is typically 110-115°F. You might be interested in reading our article about the difference in Active Dry Yeast vs Instant Yeast, though you can use either with this recipe. How long did you end up mixing the dough by hand for?
I didn’t end up finishing them since the dough didn’t rise. I searched the internet for the temperature that the water should be (I read: 100°), I used my old Sunbeam mixer, which I’ve never used for bread before (unless there is a hand mix option for the recipe) as I don’t like the dough hooks. I used the least amount of flour that the recipe calls for. When it became too much work for my mixer, I proceeded to mix by hand – I’d say at least 7 minutes total (including the time it was mixed electronically). I’m not sure what type of yeast I used as someone had given me some in a bag. I’ve been keeping it in my freezer. Maybe it needed to come to room temperature?? I want to try this again…but I’m afraid I’ll just be wasting ingredients.
hmmm…I would double check that your yeast is fresh. You can find more details in the article I included in my last comment. I’d increase the water temp to 110-115°F as well. If you’d like to mix by hand next time, I’d suggest mixing for about 10 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic. I’d also suggest starting out with 3 cups (381 grams) of bread flour, then slowly adding in the remaining amount so you can keep an eye on it. Tessa lives in Phoenix, AZ, and I live in Michigan, so neither of us bake at high altitude. Reducing the amount of flour may be key for your breadsticks to turn out perfectly. I really hope you give this recipe another try, they are incredible when they turn out! Please let me know how it goes if you do. Good luck!
Hi Brendan! In the first paragraph of instructions, it says “In the bowl of a standing mixer, combine the water, yeast, sugar, and butter. Add in the salt…” Hope that helps!
They came out great. I actually got 13 instead of 12 and they were still a bit big (I think I inadvertently went a little heavy on the flour). Still Delicious!
Absolutely amazing. I made this for a holiday get-together and everyone was wishing I had made a double-recipe. (And I brought 2 other types of bread that they also enjoyed, but this was the one they couldn’t get enough of.)
The recipe is perfect as is. The only thing I changed was I mixed the butter, sea salt, and garlic powder together when I melted the butter to brush on the breadsticks in the final step.
Don’t change a thing about this recipe. Serve it with some dipping sauce if you like, but the recipe itself is perfect as it is!
Put this recipe in your regular rotation, especially if you’re serving pasta or will be going to a potluck that will have pasta. Or: take some sauce and these breadsticks and make everyone wish there was also some pasta!
Hi Chris! To make ahead, bake as the recipe instructs and then let the breadsticks cool completely before freezing. We like to freeze them on a baking sheet until solid before removing to a ziptop bag so that they don’t stick together. We haven’t tried reheating in a microwave, though you’re welcome to try! We suggest reheating in a 300°F oven until warmed through when you’re ready to enjoy 🙂
Super easy and taste just like Olive Garden. I added 1/4 tsp of thyme to the salt-garlic mixture which added a nice touch. Also, in case anyone else runs into this problem, I had only active dry yeast on hand (as opposed to instant) so I just added 1.25x yeast as what the recipe called for and it didn’t seem to change anything. And I recommend kneading by hand! I’m not very strong so it took me about 15 minutes, but it’s oddly cathartic.
I completely agree with you that kneading dough by hand is incredibly relaxing, baking is definitely its own type of therapy! Glad you enjoyed these breadsticks, love your addition of thyme!
I made these today. So delicious!! And easy! I used the no-knead method. (Stretch and fold the dough for 30 sec and then let rest. Do this 3 times during the first rise)
Definitely making these every week. Yum! Thank you!
These were fantastic! I was sure they were going to come out wrong – I didn’t have enough time for both full rises, I only had AP flour, and I had to cook for 5 extra minutes to get them golden brown – but they came out perfectly for dipping in some homemade Zuppa Toscana!
I’ve made another version of this recipe many times before but wasn’t in love with it – made it last night (added a good spoonful of garlic powder to dough when mixing) and they were SO good! The dough was so dense that I thought they’d be tough but they weren’t! They were light and fluffy and so good, we at them all!! I might have to make a double batch next time! Hahah – thanks for the recipe!
Yes it’s me again. As if this recipe needed another review, let alone another review from me but I have made this so many times, and in so many variations and for so many dishes that I kinda consider myself an expert so here are all the things I have done with very little difference in the final delicious results!
1 or 2 tablespoons of sugar (great either way)
Substitute olive oil or canola oil for the butter (some or all, dough seems less sticky with oil)
Add garlic, and\or onion powder and other seasoning to the recipe (awesome)
Let the dough rise longer (accidentally found this out) both times, for extra fluffy bread sticks! Cooking time may need a little less 10 minutes seems to be my magic number.
Hamburger buns, pigs in a blanket, rolls, and my favorite pizza crust! Ok I promise this is my last entry on this recipe!
You are definitely our expert on this recipe! It’s so much fun reading through all the different ways you’ve experimented with this dough, and we are THRILLED at how much you love it! Thanks so much for all of your comments, Jay 🙂
Hi Lexi! The bread flour helps make these breadsticks nice and chewy, though you can use all-purpose flour, the texture will just be a little different.
Turned out extremely well. When you think of a breadstick that you would get at a expensive restaurant, this is what you would expect. I won’t ever be using a different recipe for breadsticks.
Alright I made this into 3 pizza crusts tonight! And this has been my BEST crust to date! I put the water, yeast, sugar, salt and butter into my bread machine. Stir and let sit while I sift and weigh the flour. Add flour, set to dough and in 1 hour and 20 minutes it’s ready to turn out and divide into your crusts (I did 3). I shaped my 3 balls and then let rise for another hour. Then I floured a piece of parchment paper (for each crust) and shaped the crust. Then topped and put it on my preheated pizza stone (460) for 12 minutes! Just in case anyone is looking to try it .. It seems I prefer the ease of the bread machine over doing it by hand! Thanks again for this amazing multifunctional recipe! Have a great night! And don’t forget… Under his eye!
i’ve made it like a million time and my family and i are obsessed with it.I’m twelve and i just love baking and cooking.I also wanted to ask if i could double the recipe to yield 24 bread sticks instead of 12??
I haven’t had Olive Garden in a long time, so I can’t compare, but these came out awesome and super soft. Be sure to not under-knead the dough. I put them relatively close on the pan, so they ended up being super soft pull-apart sticks. I suspect these will also make a good Texas Roadhouse style rolls if you shape them into squares and add a little more sugar. Next time I will do an overnight fridge rise for the first proofing since it builds more flavor.
Hi there! As this is one of our older recipes on the site, it actually is listed in cups (did you mean to post on a different recipe?). We are slowly updating our recipes to include weight measurements though as it ensures accuracy for everyone.
Hi Lisa! Thanks for asking, I just added that to the Recipe Notes! Check out our free Make Ahead Baking Guide and follow the directions on yeast-based doughs 🙂
I did not believe these would taste EXACTLY like OG breadsticks but they DO!!!! And the recipe is so easy…the dough is perfect after the 7 mins in the mixer…not sticky…rolls easy. The only thing we did differently is to use regular salt because the kosher salt was a little too chunky for us. These things are amazing! I never post online but had to let you and your readers know these truly taste exactly like them and I have my OG dressing to dip them in too! Thanks so much!
Well done with this recipe! I have made this 5 times in the last few weeks with the same consistent results each time. This is because I have weighed each time. Actually I am sifting the flour into my bowl on the scale (don’t ask, because I don’t know why). In any case this bread comes out amazing every time. I am doing home made hamburger buns, and pigs in blankets tonight with the dough. I’m sure it’s gonna be great!
Just an update on the pigs in a blanket. I will never buy another hotdog or hamburger bun again! Thank for such an amazing bread recipe! I’m just sorry I was so late to the party!
Emily @ Handle the Heat
— July 23, 2021 at 2:13 pm
We always suggest using unsalted butter vs. salted as written in this article: Salted Vs. Unsalted Butter. It’s not ideal to use salted butter, but it should turn out ok as long as you substitute correctly. To substitute, a general rule is to reduce 1/4 tsp of salt per 1/2 cup (115g) of butter. Hope that helps!
I’m baking it right now for the second time. But both times my dough is always so dry and crumbly looking. Is it because I used measuring cups and not a scale?
Using a digital scale for recipes is a game changer for sure! If your dough is turning out dry and crumbly, that does sound like you might be using too much flour. I’d suggest at least trying the Spoon & Level Method I discuss in my article How to Measure Flour if you can’t get a digital scale. Hope that helps!
My 5 year old made these with a little assistance. Her first bread recipe that she made almost by herself. I helped by demo how to do it. They were amazing.
I’ve never made bread flour! The bread flour helps make these breadsticks nice and chewy, although you can use all-purpose flour instead. The texture will just be a little different. Enjoy your breadsticks!
Thank you for answering last question so promplty! I did double mixture, it worked but a bit tough on my old Kitchen aid……I had to stop a few times as I was smelling possible smoke , lol. Anyway resorted to a bit of hand kneeding, all good. Next question (sorry just not much of a baker)…….can I let rolls rise longer then the one hour? Perhaps two? Will it affect anything?
I wouldn’t go for much longer than what the recipe calls for. If dough rises for too long, it affects the taste and texture of the finished product, and they might even collapse in the oven.
I made these and they were great…..so I am going to make them for a dinner party. But I need to make two batches. Can I double recipe or is that too much to knead in the mixer ?
All depends on how hot your kitchen is, but the last rise time states about 1 hour until doubled in size. Honestly, these reheat pretty well in the oven! To make ahead, bake as the recipe instructs but shave a few minutes off the baking time and then let the breadsticks cool completely before freezing. I like to freeze them on a baking sheet until solid before removing to a ziptop bag so that they don’t stick together. Reheat in a 300°F oven until warmed through when you’re ready to enjoy!
This recipe is very good and easy for my lazy arse. The first time the dough didn’t rise enough when resting so the dough was kind of flat, the next few times I’ve made it though were very good. My siblings eat it up every time I make it.
Oh wow, I didn’t quite believe when people said these were addictive but my girls and I couldn’t stop eating them! I had to use all purpose flour as that is all I had otherwise I followed the recipe exactly. Thank you 🙂
YAY! I’m so glad you and your girls loved this recipe, Zuhal! Next time, try it with bread flour and see if you can tell the difference texture-wise! I really think it makes these breadsticks nice and chewy! 🙂
What I’d recommend doing is freezing them, although you do still have to bake them for a bit-shave off a few minutes off the baking time, then let them cool completely before freezing (freeze on a baking sheet until solid, then remove to a ziptop bag so they don’t stick together). Reheat in an oven until warmed through! It might be a great option for you to make these on a weekend and freeze to easily have them during the week!
These are great! I’ve made them twice now and they’ve been a big hit. My partner asked why I hadn’t been making them all along, haha. Something about my oven means they don’t get golden on the top, just the bottom, so it can be hard for me to tell when they’re done. I’m not sure if it’s user error or what, but I’ve managed to get them out of the oven at the right time so far! Thanks so much for sharing this, I didn’t realize how easy it would be to make such great breadsticks!
Hi Lindsay! So glad you both love this recipe! As for your oven, what type of sheet pan are you using? Is it light or dark colored? I highly recommend avoiding any dark colored or coated pans. Here’s a link to an article I wrote about it! https://www.handletheheat.com/best-baking-pans/ I’d also recommend getting an oven thermometer if you don’t have one-maybe your oven isn’t holding the correct temperature or your top heating element isn’t working? Hopefully this helps! Definitely reach out with any more questions!
Really good. I maybe should have pulled them from the oven about 2/3 minutes earlier? Made a olive oil based dipping sauce to go with it. Yummy Wish I could post a pic here.
I never ever leave comments, so this is a big deal. These are hands down the best breadsticks I have ever eaten, let alone the best breadsticks I have ever made. I measured the flour in the scale, and followed recipe exactly. These are the softest breadsticks I have ever had. Perfect texture. Perfect flavor. Their softness makes them even better than Olive Gardens. I had a very very hard time limiting the amount I ate. Thanks for this recipe! It is my favorite!
Delicious! I made these with half all purpose flour and half whole wheat/spelt blend and they turned out fantastic . Tasted exactly like the real thing!
I made these yesterday for the first time and was pleasantly surprised by just how tasty they turned out! And not only that, but they were super easy to make and work with. They actually taste like those heavenly Olive Garden breadsticks we all know and love, and the texture is spot-on too! They’re light and fluffy with a slight crisp on the top and bottom. The dough felt AMAZING and you don’t have to be a bread expert to make and shape it.
I highly recommend baking them all together pull-apart style. I baked the whole dozen on one large sheet pan so they were touching each other and this kept the sides really soft. Other than that, just follow the recipe exactly! I did use a kitchen scale to measure the flour as this is really crucial when making any type of bread, so definitely use one if you have it. My husband added grated parmesan to his breadsticks because he loves parmesan and this was obviously delicious as well. But with just the butter, garlic, and salt, these were a dead ringer for Olive Garden’s. Adding this to my recipe box!
As a trained chef and cookbook author, I share trusted baking recipes your friends & family will love alongside insights into the science of sweets. I help take the luck out of baking so you *always* have delicious results! Learn more here.
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This recipe is so good!!! And is so easy to follow and make
Like one of the other people who left a review, I had a hard time incorporating the flour into the wet mixture.
It was VERY crumbly. Also, my very old Sunbeam Stand Mixer (and it’s pathetic dough hooks) had a hard time mixing the dough. The dough got caught up in the beaters where they click in. I had to stop using it and mix it in by hand.
Even still, I didn’t like the consistency of the dough….but I went ahead and covered it to see if it would rise.
It did not.
I did level the dough off when measuring but next time, I will weigh it.
And hope that it turns out!!
PS
What temperature do you usually like the water to be at?
On the internet, I read that it was 100°F.
Also, I’m not sure which type of yeast I used – if that might have made a difference in its not rising.
Sorry to hear of your issues, Kelly! Were you able to finish baking them? If so, how did they turn out? It definitely sounds like too much flour was added. Or is it possible you live in a climate where less flour was needed? Warm water is typically 110-115°F. You might be interested in reading our article about the difference in Active Dry Yeast vs Instant Yeast, though you can use either with this recipe. How long did you end up mixing the dough by hand for?
I didn’t end up finishing them since the dough didn’t rise. I searched the internet for the temperature that the water should be (I read: 100°), I used my old Sunbeam mixer, which I’ve never used for bread before (unless there is a hand mix option for the recipe) as I don’t like the dough hooks. I used the least amount of flour that the recipe calls for. When it became too much work for my mixer, I proceeded to mix by hand – I’d say at least 7 minutes total (including the time it was mixed electronically). I’m not sure what type of yeast I used as someone had given me some in a bag. I’ve been keeping it in my freezer. Maybe it needed to come to room temperature?? I want to try this again…but I’m afraid I’ll just be wasting ingredients.
PS I live in Vancouver Canada.
hmmm…I would double check that your yeast is fresh. You can find more details in the article I included in my last comment. I’d increase the water temp to 110-115°F as well. If you’d like to mix by hand next time, I’d suggest mixing for about 10 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic. I’d also suggest starting out with 3 cups (381 grams) of bread flour, then slowly adding in the remaining amount so you can keep an eye on it. Tessa lives in Phoenix, AZ, and I live in Michigan, so neither of us bake at high altitude. Reducing the amount of flour may be key for your breadsticks to turn out perfectly. I really hope you give this recipe another try, they are incredible when they turn out! Please let me know how it goes if you do. Good luck!
It never mentioned anything about salt or yeast in the instructions.
Hi Brendan! In the first paragraph of instructions, it says “In the bowl of a standing mixer, combine the water, yeast, sugar, and butter. Add in the salt…” Hope that helps!
They came out great. I actually got 13 instead of 12 and they were still a bit big (I think I inadvertently went a little heavy on the flour). Still Delicious!
I think that extra breadstick is just one for the chef to taste-test 🙂 Glad you loved this recipe!
Absolutely amazing. I made this for a holiday get-together and everyone was wishing I had made a double-recipe. (And I brought 2 other types of bread that they also enjoyed, but this was the one they couldn’t get enough of.)
The recipe is perfect as is. The only thing I changed was I mixed the butter, sea salt, and garlic powder together when I melted the butter to brush on the breadsticks in the final step.
Don’t change a thing about this recipe. Serve it with some dipping sauce if you like, but the recipe itself is perfect as it is!
Put this recipe in your regular rotation, especially if you’re serving pasta or will be going to a potluck that will have pasta. Or: take some sauce and these breadsticks and make everyone wish there was also some pasta!
Yay! So happy these were such a hit. Thanks so much for the rave review!
These are so good! Thank you!
Can you make this ahead of time and freeze them? If so, can they be warmed up in microwave or still need to be baked to reheat? Please advise.
Hi Chris! To make ahead, bake as the recipe instructs and then let the breadsticks cool completely before freezing. We like to freeze them on a baking sheet until solid before removing to a ziptop bag so that they don’t stick together. We haven’t tried reheating in a microwave, though you’re welcome to try! We suggest reheating in a 300°F oven until warmed through when you’re ready to enjoy 🙂
Super easy and taste just like Olive Garden. I added 1/4 tsp of thyme to the salt-garlic mixture which added a nice touch. Also, in case anyone else runs into this problem, I had only active dry yeast on hand (as opposed to instant) so I just added 1.25x yeast as what the recipe called for and it didn’t seem to change anything. And I recommend kneading by hand! I’m not very strong so it took me about 15 minutes, but it’s oddly cathartic.
I completely agree with you that kneading dough by hand is incredibly relaxing, baking is definitely its own type of therapy! Glad you enjoyed these breadsticks, love your addition of thyme!
I made these today. So delicious!! And easy! I used the no-knead method. (Stretch and fold the dough for 30 sec and then let rest. Do this 3 times during the first rise)
Definitely making these every week. Yum! Thank you!
Easy to make and very tasty
These are great. Exactly like olive garden’s. I plan on keeping this recipe forever. Nice job!
This is wonderful to hear!
These were fantastic! I was sure they were going to come out wrong – I didn’t have enough time for both full rises, I only had AP flour, and I had to cook for 5 extra minutes to get them golden brown – but they came out perfectly for dipping in some homemade Zuppa Toscana!
Ooo sounds absolutely delicious, Kate! So happy you enjoyed this recipe 🙂
Still not quite doughy enough. I’m not sure if I’m doing it exactly right or not. What can I do to make them more smooth and doughy?
Hi Mark! What do you mean by not doughy enough? Do you weigh your ingredients with a digital scale?
used active dry yeast instead of instant and they were still incredible.
Wonderful! So happy you enjoyed them 🙂
I’ve made another version of this recipe many times before but wasn’t in love with it – made it last night (added a good spoonful of garlic powder to dough when mixing) and they were SO good! The dough was so dense that I thought they’d be tough but they weren’t! They were light and fluffy and so good, we at them all!! I might have to make a double batch next time! Hahah – thanks for the recipe!
Wonderful! So happy you finally found a breadstick recipe you love 🙂 Double batch is a great idea!
Yes it’s me again. As if this recipe needed another review, let alone another review from me but I have made this so many times, and in so many variations and for so many dishes that I kinda consider myself an expert so here are all the things I have done with very little difference in the final delicious results!
1 or 2 tablespoons of sugar (great either way)
Substitute olive oil or canola oil for the butter (some or all, dough seems less sticky with oil)
Add garlic, and\or onion powder and other seasoning to the recipe (awesome)
Let the dough rise longer (accidentally found this out) both times, for extra fluffy bread sticks! Cooking time may need a little less 10 minutes seems to be my magic number.
Hamburger buns, pigs in a blanket, rolls, and my favorite pizza crust! Ok I promise this is my last entry on this recipe!
You are definitely our expert on this recipe! It’s so much fun reading through all the different ways you’ve experimented with this dough, and we are THRILLED at how much you love it! Thanks so much for all of your comments, Jay 🙂
Can all purpose flour work too, or do I specifically need bread flour?
Hi Lexi! The bread flour helps make these breadsticks nice and chewy, though you can use all-purpose flour, the texture will just be a little different.
Turned out extremely well. When you think of a breadstick that you would get at a expensive restaurant, this is what you would expect. I won’t ever be using a different recipe for breadsticks.
Amazing to hear this! Thanks so much for letting us know, Henry!
Alright I made this into 3 pizza crusts tonight! And this has been my BEST crust to date! I put the water, yeast, sugar, salt and butter into my bread machine. Stir and let sit while I sift and weigh the flour. Add flour, set to dough and in 1 hour and 20 minutes it’s ready to turn out and divide into your crusts (I did 3). I shaped my 3 balls and then let rise for another hour. Then I floured a piece of parchment paper (for each crust) and shaped the crust. Then topped and put it on my preheated pizza stone (460) for 12 minutes! Just in case anyone is looking to try it .. It seems I prefer the ease of the bread machine over doing it by hand! Thanks again for this amazing multifunctional recipe! Have a great night! And don’t forget… Under his eye!
Love hearing about all of your experiments, Jay! That sounds absolutely delicious!
i’ve made it like a million time and my family and i are obsessed with it.I’m twelve and i just love baking and cooking.I also wanted to ask if i could double the recipe to yield 24 bread sticks instead of 12??
So awesome to hear you’re making these breadsticks for your family! Absolutely, you can double this recipe 🙂 Enjoy!
I haven’t had Olive Garden in a long time, so I can’t compare, but these came out awesome and super soft. Be sure to not under-knead the dough. I put them relatively close on the pan, so they ended up being super soft pull-apart sticks. I suspect these will also make a good Texas Roadhouse style rolls if you shape them into squares and add a little more sugar. Next time I will do an overnight fridge rise for the first proofing since it builds more flavor.
So glad you enjoyed this recipe, Matt!
I wish you would of posted the correct measurements in cups not weight. I’m an experienced baker and never use a scale.
Hi there! As this is one of our older recipes on the site, it actually is listed in cups (did you mean to post on a different recipe?). We are slowly updating our recipes to include weight measurements though as it ensures accuracy for everyone.
Can you make dough ahead of time and bake later
Hi Lisa! Thanks for asking, I just added that to the Recipe Notes! Check out our free Make Ahead Baking Guide and follow the directions on yeast-based doughs 🙂
I did not believe these would taste EXACTLY like OG breadsticks but they DO!!!! And the recipe is so easy…the dough is perfect after the 7 mins in the mixer…not sticky…rolls easy. The only thing we did differently is to use regular salt because the kosher salt was a little too chunky for us. These things are amazing! I never post online but had to let you and your readers know these truly taste exactly like them and I have my OG dressing to dip them in too! Thanks so much!
Gotta have the OG dressing, yum! So glad you loved this recipe, Kim!
Well done with this recipe! I have made this 5 times in the last few weeks with the same consistent results each time. This is because I have weighed each time. Actually I am sifting the flour into my bowl on the scale (don’t ask, because I don’t know why). In any case this bread comes out amazing every time. I am doing home made hamburger buns, and pigs in blankets tonight with the dough. I’m sure it’s gonna be great!
We’ve done plenty of breadstick testing as well and aren’t made about it! So happy you love this recipe and are using it for other meal ideas!
Just an update on the pigs in a blanket. I will never buy another hotdog or hamburger bun again! Thank for such an amazing bread recipe! I’m just sorry I was so late to the party!
LOVE to hear that! Thank you so much for the positive feedback, we appreciate it!
Can you use salted butter instead of unsalted that’s all they had at the store across the street from me
We always suggest using unsalted butter vs. salted as written in this article: Salted Vs. Unsalted Butter. It’s not ideal to use salted butter, but it should turn out ok as long as you substitute correctly. To substitute, a general rule is to reduce 1/4 tsp of salt per 1/2 cup (115g) of butter. Hope that helps!
I’m baking it right now for the second time. But both times my dough is always so dry and crumbly looking. Is it because I used measuring cups and not a scale?
Using a digital scale for recipes is a game changer for sure! If your dough is turning out dry and crumbly, that does sound like you might be using too much flour. I’d suggest at least trying the Spoon & Level Method I discuss in my article How to Measure Flour if you can’t get a digital scale. Hope that helps!
My 5 year old made these with a little assistance. Her first bread recipe that she made almost by herself. I helped by demo how to do it. They were amazing.
I’m so excited to hear that! How fun 🙂
How can I make bread flour? Or how can I replace it? We only get all purpose flour here.
I’ve never made bread flour! The bread flour helps make these breadsticks nice and chewy, although you can use all-purpose flour instead. The texture will just be a little different. Enjoy your breadsticks!
Thank you for answering last question so promplty! I did double mixture, it worked but a bit tough on my old Kitchen aid……I had to stop a few times as I was smelling possible smoke , lol. Anyway resorted to a bit of hand kneeding, all good. Next question (sorry just not much of a baker)…….can I let rolls rise longer then the one hour? Perhaps two? Will it affect anything?
Thank you again! These are addictive!
I wouldn’t go for much longer than what the recipe calls for. If dough rises for too long, it affects the taste and texture of the finished product, and they might even collapse in the oven.
I made these and they were great…..so I am going to make them for a dinner party. But I need to make two batches. Can I double recipe or is that too much to knead in the mixer ?
Thank you
That should be fine 🙂
This recipe is a fan favorite for my family, its a great side dish for dinner, and heck! even a amazing snack.
haha! I’m so happy to hear these breadsticks are a hit with your family! 🙂
How long can I leave the sticks out before putting in oven? I am having a dinner party and trying to figure out timming . Thank you.
All depends on how hot your kitchen is, but the last rise time states about 1 hour until doubled in size. Honestly, these reheat pretty well in the oven! To make ahead, bake as the recipe instructs but shave a few minutes off the baking time and then let the breadsticks cool completely before freezing. I like to freeze them on a baking sheet until solid before removing to a ziptop bag so that they don’t stick together. Reheat in a 300°F oven until warmed through when you’re ready to enjoy!
This recipe is very good and easy for my lazy arse. The first time the dough didn’t rise enough when resting so the dough was kind of flat, the next few times I’ve made it though were very good. My siblings eat it up every time I make it.
Happy to hear this recipe is a hit!
It’s better togive mesurments in grams and ml
Exactly like the real deal! So yummy
But how do I shape them like Olive Garden?
How can we do this recipe if we don’t have a mixer? Thanks!
You can make this dough by hand, just get ready to knead for about 10 minutes! Good luck!
Oh wow, I didn’t quite believe when people said these were addictive but my girls and I couldn’t stop eating them! I had to use all purpose flour as that is all I had otherwise I followed the recipe exactly. Thank you 🙂
YAY! I’m so glad you and your girls loved this recipe, Zuhal! Next time, try it with bread flour and see if you can tell the difference texture-wise! I really think it makes these breadsticks nice and chewy! 🙂
Quick question: If the dough has already finished rising, but I don’t want to bake these for another few hours (or the next day) what can I do?
I now have made these 3 times in 3 weeks because the kids can’t get enough!
What I’d recommend doing is freezing them, although you do still have to bake them for a bit-shave off a few minutes off the baking time, then let them cool completely before freezing (freeze on a baking sheet until solid, then remove to a ziptop bag so they don’t stick together). Reheat in an oven until warmed through! It might be a great option for you to make these on a weekend and freeze to easily have them during the week!
I made these with ham , pepperoni, cheese, stuffed inside, really awesome, thanks
Oh yum, that sounds incredible!!!
These are great! I’ve made them twice now and they’ve been a big hit. My partner asked why I hadn’t been making them all along, haha. Something about my oven means they don’t get golden on the top, just the bottom, so it can be hard for me to tell when they’re done. I’m not sure if it’s user error or what, but I’ve managed to get them out of the oven at the right time so far! Thanks so much for sharing this, I didn’t realize how easy it would be to make such great breadsticks!
Hi Lindsay! So glad you both love this recipe! As for your oven, what type of sheet pan are you using? Is it light or dark colored? I highly recommend avoiding any dark colored or coated pans. Here’s a link to an article I wrote about it! https://www.handletheheat.com/best-baking-pans/ I’d also recommend getting an oven thermometer if you don’t have one-maybe your oven isn’t holding the correct temperature or your top heating element isn’t working? Hopefully this helps! Definitely reach out with any more questions!
Really good. I maybe should have pulled them from the oven about 2/3 minutes earlier? Made a olive oil based dipping sauce to go with it. Yummy Wish I could post a pic here.
So happy you tried this recipe!
Made these several times, they are amazing! I put cinnamon/ brown sugar on half for dessert
Ooh love your dessert variation! I’ll have to try that sometime!
Love this
Made this recipe tonight to go with OG Toscana soup…..As good… even better than the real ones at Olive Garden (soup too by the way).
My family loved these! Thank you, best breadsticks recipe i have made!
This is amazing to hear! Yay!
Very delicious bread sticks.
These are the best breadsticks I have ever made!!
Made these twice this week. Sooo good! And quite easy. It does consume some time but it’s well worth it. So much better than frozen breadsticks
SO glad you enjoyed these breadsticks!
Thank you for the breadstick recipe, so easy to make and so soft and yummy. I will definately make again and again and again
I never ever leave comments, so this is a big deal. These are hands down the best breadsticks I have ever eaten, let alone the best breadsticks I have ever made. I measured the flour in the scale, and followed recipe exactly. These are the softest breadsticks I have ever had. Perfect texture. Perfect flavor. Their softness makes them even better than Olive Gardens. I had a very very hard time limiting the amount I ate. Thanks for this recipe! It is my favorite!
I’m so thrilled! So glad you enjoyed these breadsticks.
Delicious! I made these with half all purpose flour and half whole wheat/spelt blend and they turned out fantastic . Tasted exactly like the real thing!
So glad to hear that!
I made these yesterday for the first time and was pleasantly surprised by just how tasty they turned out! And not only that, but they were super easy to make and work with. They actually taste like those heavenly Olive Garden breadsticks we all know and love, and the texture is spot-on too! They’re light and fluffy with a slight crisp on the top and bottom. The dough felt AMAZING and you don’t have to be a bread expert to make and shape it.
I highly recommend baking them all together pull-apart style. I baked the whole dozen on one large sheet pan so they were touching each other and this kept the sides really soft. Other than that, just follow the recipe exactly! I did use a kitchen scale to measure the flour as this is really crucial when making any type of bread, so definitely use one if you have it. My husband added grated parmesan to his breadsticks because he loves parmesan and this was obviously delicious as well. But with just the butter, garlic, and salt, these were a dead ringer for Olive Garden’s. Adding this to my recipe box!
Thanks so much for the kind comment – so glad you enjoyed these breadsticks!