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!
Be sure to follow me on Pinterest for more scrumptious bread recipes!
4.92 from 122 votes
How to make
Copycat Olive Garden Breadsticks
Yield:12breadsticks
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!
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!)
Olive Garden breadsticks are my favorite!!!!
That’s mainly the only reason I go to Olive Garden.
But I’m sorry, on your recipe you have 3 cups (16 oz) of bread flour…
But 3 cups is not the same as 16 oz…. So which one is it? 3 cups or 2 cups (16 oz) ???
Hi Emily, every single cup of any dry ingredient does not always weigh 8 ounces. In fact, flour often weighs almost half of that per cup. I’ve slightly adjusted the recipe to more accurately reflect this after weighing a cup of bread flour in my kitchen and getting 4.7 ounces, slightly more than this guide dictates: http://www.thekitchn.com/weight-conversions-for-flour-sugar-and-other-common-baking-ingredients-171316
Hi Rachel, so sorry these didn’t turn out! I know how disappointing that can be. It sounds like you may have used too much flour in the dough. Did you weigh the dough or measure with cups? Shortly after publishing this post I realized there was a small error from the conversion calculator I used to determine the flour’s volume measurement in cups based off the weight of the flour (which is what I used to make this recipe), which I adjusted as soon as I noticed on the same day. I really recommend weighing out your flour when baking, as noted in the headnote of this recipe, because it really helps to guarantee the best and most consistent results. Hope that helps you figure out what could have gone wrong.
I made this last week and they turned out great I’m making them again right now but this time I put in 1/2 tea garlic will let you know the results
mix the dough smelled great
I made these last night and they turned out amazing! AND…I have to confess I probably did everything wrong. (i.e. I used regular flour, I rushed the rising process with a warm oven by almost an hour, and I put them too close together on the baking sheet so they were touching after the second rise). So that’s how good this recipe is…If I can do it all messed up and still get amazing breadsticks you know it’s a ‘keeper’!!! >)
Speed method- Make the dough as directed using a metal or glass bowl. Bring a small saucepan of water to a simmer and set the bowl with dough in it on the sauce pan. Make sure you oiled the bowl as directed and oiled the top of the dough and placed plastic wrap over it directly on top of the dough, not across the top of the bowl ( helps keep the warmth in). Let it sit for about 20 minutes, or doubled in size. Reheat the sauce pan of water to boiling and heat your oven to the WARM setting. Roll your dough out as directed and put the sheet of breadsticks and the pan of boiling water in the oven. Let it sit until almost doubled, then remove both pans and heat the oven the rest of the way, keeping the bread sticks warm. Cook as directed.
Makes super soft, light and fluffy, breadsticks in a fraction of the time! I started the recipe at 5 and my family finished eating all the breadsticks by 7 if that tells you anything. Less than 1.5 hours for fabulous breadsticks hot from the oven!
Uhmmm, just want to say that you are missing the alfredo sauce (recipe) that used to be served with the breadsticks at Olive Garden. Now, we have to request the alfredo sauce separately and I’m not sure that we don”t pay extra for it. Little serving dishes of sauce for each person makes it OK to double dip, LOL. I think there is a low fat recipe available on the net. Good breadstick recipe!
Thank you sooo much for sharing. We don’t have Olive Garden in Germany, but I have been in the US and tried them and was really glad I was able to serve these to my family here. I made them quite a few times and everybody just loves them. Thank you!!
Hi! Just follwed your recipe and it turned out well. My breadsticks were just as you described- it was soft yet chewy throughout. I didn’t get the golden crust though- my bread was done before it has the chance to brown at the top. (The bottom was a different issue however, it was really browned but not bitter thank goodness. And it was really crunchy which I really liked)
Anyway, is it supposed to be a bit sweet? I can definitely taste the sugar on my batch. Next time, I’ll halve the sugar on the dough.
I only made half the recipe btw because those breadsticks are huge to my liking. I made 12 1-oz pieces instead and it was perfect for us. Thanks for the recipe!
It seems that I cann’t see some pictures from your website, maybe something wrong with my net, but it is very good tip for making bread, I like baking, thanks very much
I’d like to make these for a family dinner. Do you know how well they will hold up/taste if I make them the day before and reheat? Or could I make the dough the day before and bake the next day? Thanks!
I made a batch of these the other day and before I could even have 1 my husband and kids at them all! I turned around and made a second batch so I could have one and they turned out super amazing!! Just curious if you’ve baked then froze them or how I would go about freezing for next time so I can make a few batches at a time!! Thank you for your input!!
Fabulous, Brooke! For these, just shave a few minutes off the baking time then let them 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 🙂
I’m new to your site and I have tried a few recipes so far. They are all great, including this one. My family loved them and gobbled them up. My husband was so impressed!
Made the bread sticks turned out wonderful. Thank you for making my kid happy she enjoyed her spaguetti Alfredo and meatball paired with your bread stick recipe ! Watch the oven tough I felt the dough undercooked and left them 2 more mins in the oven..almost made a mistake..thankfully breadsticks were rescued just in time LOL.
Hi, I’m just getting into making bread at home and am currently waiting for my first rise on this recipe. Was curious if this is something that can be frozen and used a few at a time? Or do you have to make the whole batch?
Delicious. Easy. I wouldn’ t ever consider making bread sticks but these, all done in my mixer with no hand kneading…. were amazing! Paired with lasagna rolls and copycat Olive Garden salad and dressing. Perfect dinner it’s a keeper. Thinking these would be good with cinnamon sugar too!
Our local store just started selling Olive Garden brand dressing and croutons so I can replicate their Salad perfectly. I also can perfectly replicate their Zuppa Toscana soup. I was so happy to find this recipe because frankly on a tight budget I can make the entire meal for under $20 vs $75 plus tip when I take my family to the O.G. (Dont worry, I still go there on special occasions but the nearest one is a 2 hour drive). With your recipe, my meal was complete and the family DEVOURED the breadsticks. ThanK you so much! Brava!!!
This is a great blog. I love eating and making bread myself. I have been looking for different bread recipes like this one. Thanks for sharing . I’m so excited to try this. Certainly it will be great. I love using my bread machine. After try this one , I will try your other bread recipes for my bread machine. I am looking forward to your other recipes:)
I have been making these at least once a week since I found this recipe. The dough is very easy to work with and very forgiving. My kitchen stays hot in the spring summer and fall thanks to the TX heat so sometimes the dough will get huge during the first rise but in the end they always comes out great. Thanks for the great recipe!
I am an experienced baker (50 + years so far) and am increasingly using scales to weigh ingredients such as flour. Especially in bread making, weight matters than volume.
Hi Tessa, I’m new to your blogging site and I love that you have copycat recipes, but I would have liked to have the Alfredo recipe included with the bread sticks 🙁 I hope to try these soon.
I would like to make these for my daughters wedding. I need to make about 250. Can I make them a head of time and warm them up as needed? If so, how far in advance can I start to make them and freeze them
This weekend I tried the copycat olive garden breadsticks for a first time and now the whole family love them! They can be a perfect choice for a picnic outside the city or just for an afternoon with the kids in the garden.
I have made these several times and I change them up alot lol I love them just the way your recipe is wrote BUT me being a HUGE garlic fan has to add more and more somewhere in a recipe lol Try these with roasted garlic OMG bread Heaven! Thanks for the recipe it is almost fool proof has turned out every time i have made them!
So, I’m lactose intolerant so I decided to make this recipe using Earth Balance buttery spread and they came out beautifully! This recipe is awesome, I only wish I had a kitchen-aid because I spent 20 minutes kneading and now I can’t feel my hands.
I’m in the midst of making these… so far they have turned out exactly as you said! (I’ve had problems in the past with dough rising, while the rising process was taking place I went grocery shopping.)…I was so excited when I came back to see the dough had risen beautifully. It brought a smile to my face. Thanks for a great recipe!
I weighed my 16 oz of flour out to make sure it was accurate and put it all in. Bad idea. The dough is dense and was very hard to knead. Next time I will use less and add more while it’s kneading of necessary.
The first time I tried these I don’t think I kneaded it long enough and they were pretty dense so I decide to try again and what a difference. I also added less flour than in the recipe because I kneaded by hand and figured the extra flour I used would make up for it it. They were so good. My 7 year old absolutely Ioves them too. Thank you for the wonderful recipe.
These were amazing and I made them in under an hour and a half by letting the dough rise in my oven set to 100 with some hot water in a pan below. I used all purpose flour and the texture was so fluffy and light. I measured my flour by weight. I also used olive oil instead of butter for the topping.
this was FABULOUS! 1st time I measured and they were heavy..second time I weighed and they were PERFECT! Wish I could post a picture! They looked resteraunt style! THANK YOU!
Make the dough in my bread machine through the first rise. Shaped and did second rise. Baked to perfection. Used bread flour, as I always have on hand for bread making and pizza dough. Great recipe, making again tonight.
I too made the dough and my bread machine and let it rise took them out to shape them and let them rise a second time they were absolutely perfect. when shaping them make them long mine turned out great but they were fat and short. I’ve tried many times the copycat these breadsticks this is the first time they’ve ever turned out.
Made these tonight, they were just lovely. Well written recipe, thanks for posting.
Also, after reading through these comments…you deserve some sort of internet award for your restraint. I’d have posted a snarky reply to half of these keyboard warriors.
My son can’t digest garlic powder, but is OK with fresh. If I wanted to use fresh garlic in this recipe as a substitute, when and where should I add it in? Thanks for your help!
Wow. Just wow. I followed your directions 100% and they turned out amazing! My husband and son were blown away! Weigh the flour, use bread flour. Will make again, many times.
Your recipe notes say to measure by weight, but your recipe measures by volume. Is there a version of this recipe that uses baking weights (such as grams) instead of volumes?
This is a great recipe. Delicious and soft. They have turned out perfect every time. Weighing the flour has made all the difference. I use my bread machine to mix and knead on the dough setting, it rises, I shape and give it an extra rise of 45-60 minutes and bake. We have even used our grill to bake them when it’s to hot for the indoor oven.
SO GOOOOOD. literally didn’t think this would come out good, but it’s so soft and after it’s warm, it’s so soft and chewy and perfect. Honestly I almost cried, this is a masterpiece.
These are GREAT! They taste wonderful. Thank you so much for the recipe.
I made a double batch for my sister’s birthday, par baked them, then froze so I could take them straight from the freezer and into the oven to save time on the day of her dinner.
I’m making more today and can’t wait!
Thank you so much for the recipe.
I made it but by hand. It came out great except they were to big. They tripled in size But maybe I let them Sit too long. Other than that they were great!
Great recipe for garlic breadsticks! They really are quite similar to olive garden’s.
Other notes: My breadsticks weren’t really browned at the 12 minute mark, so I gave them a quick brush with the topping & popped back in for another minute to help get the nice color.
I would also love to see a video on how to consistently shape a breadstick. My first few were wonky but I got better at shaping towards the end.
Oh my God…These were amazing. I ended up with 14 – 2 oz bread sticks. My 2nd rise lasted a little longer then stated but I had time before dinner, so no big deal. They turned out light, airy, and delicious! I will add that I will cut the salt on the topping, 1/4 tsp for both garlic powder & salt in my future. My 3rd bread recipe from you and I’m a BIG fan! Thank you!
Made these for my wife who worked at Olive Garden during college and loves their breadsticks. She loved them and our two and four year old loved them too. We were surprised they they tasted so alike the real thing! Great recipe and better than going out to dinner with the Kids!
I look forward to trying this recipe, right now!!! I love to bake and have several good recipes including chocolate pie, but the recipe can no longer be found, I saved it and love to eat it!
I need to make gluten free breadsticks. I purchased Pillsbury Best gf flour. It says you can substitute it 1:1 for regular flour in making bread, muffins, rolls, etc. Do you have any experience with fluten free flour substitution and this recipe?
Made these tonight to go with our spaghetti. They were a hit!! Made our meal a little more special and I didn’t have to run to store to buy breadsticks or garlic bread.
I just pulled these out of the oven, spread the melted butter on, sprinkled them with the salt and garlic powder. I finished off 2 of these right in a row. OMG!!! THE BEST. It is very hard for me not to go eat the rest. I looked at 2 other web sites that offered breadsticks, but when I looked at the ingredients and mixing directions I realized they copied the recipe from you Tessa. As they say “Imitation is the sincerest form of Flattery.”
Tasty, but found the dough quite dense and unmanageable (used 3⅓ cup of the flour). I’m guessing it’s due to a difference between Canadian bread flour and American, that’s the only reason I can think of.
I made these last night and they were absolutely amazing! Soft and delicious!! We all thought they were spot on with what you get at Olive Garden!!! Yummmmm!!!
I too didn’t have the patience to let the bread rise and used all purpose flour no bread flour in the Pandemic. rose for about 45 min total and made the sticks and then let them rise again only long enough for oven to warm. These are Addicting for sure. Was also delicious with a sprinkle of parmesan cheese on top as well.
I made these vegan just by substituting vegan earth balance butter for the normal butter, and my non-vegan parents loved them! They taste almost exactly like the Olive Garden ones too.
Absolutely amazing! Dare I say better than olive garden.. Only problem is now my family wants me to make them all the time! Luckily they’re pretty darn easy! Thank you so much for the recipe, this is a keeper!
hmmm, I’m an experienced baker, but mine came out looking nothing like the ones in the photo. Good enough breadsticks that are simple to make, but nothing like Olive Garden.
These are amazing and super easy to make! I started making them after dinner and they were ready for an evening snack! It’s super warm in our house right now so they inflated like balloons but I added 4 extra minutes to my timer and they turned out incredible! Thank you!
The fluffiest little breadsticks ever!! Made a full batch, but I froze the other half to use at a later date. I followed the recipe to a T, and they baked up perfectly! Will definitely become a new staple in my house.
This was amazing and exactly what I imagined it to taste like. I have tried a few other recipes and this one is hands down the one I am repeating in my house! It was also easy for me to cut the recipe in half and only make 6 breadsticks for the two of us.
Amber – you can knead this by hand. You are just looking for the same results: smooth and elastic. Further down in the comments I added how to use a food processor instructions. They turned out great.
I have made this recipe twice now. This is my favorite bread stick recipe by far. Tastes exactly like the olive garden bread sticks, and is pretty simple and forgiving for inexperienced bakers(like me). I love how they taste and my family does too! i recommend trying this recipe out for sure.
I’ve made this recipe three times now – 1st time with all wheat AP flour, 2nd with half Unbleached AP- half wheat AP flour, and now in the process of my third time, but with Bread Flour. Very easy recipe to follow with fantastic results! I am expecting the bread flour to be the best version although with AP flour these were still VERY good! My PSA though would be to WATCH YOUR STAND MIXER!! It WILL dance all over and possible OFF your counter during the 7 Minute kneading process. My first go at the recipe I just HAPPENED to stay right there next to it cleaning up a flour mess I had made earlier but normally if I read to mix for long periods of time like that I would have walked away — the PRO of a Stand Mixer IMHO! But luckily I didn’t because it would have ended up on the floor and my heart broken along with a my mixer!! Otherwise LOVE this recipe 🙂 With a little planning ahead, these are worth the 2.5 hour wait if you ask me.
To use a food processor replace step 1 with below. This recipe is almost too large for my 16 cup FP but it turned out great. Light, fluffy and crispy. If you have a smaller one you’ll have to do 2 batches. FYI – I don’t own a mixer.
1) Make dough in food processor (~2 minutes)
a) Use rule of 130 to determine water temperature since FP will heat the mixture. Subtract the room temperature from 130 to come up with desired water temp. For a 78° room: 130 – 78 = 52° water temp.
b) Very lightly coat FP bowl with oil (optional)
c) Add flour, yeast, sugar and pulse
d) Add butter and salt and pulse
e) Start processor and slowly add in water until dough ball forms and then just a little more. Probably 15 to 30 seconds after water is all in. If dough is sticky, add a tad of flour and pulse. If crumbly, add tad of water and pulse.
Made these breadsticks last night, and they were amazing. Yes, the are very addictive!!!
Followed the recipe which was super easy, and the results were better than the breadsticks at the. restaurant. Made some home-made salted butter with home-roasted garlic in it. Brushed that on after baking and the results were deliciousness!
Made this today to go with vegetable beef soup. I didn’t think they would turn out because dough felt grainy but they are excellent. Garlic butter makes them the best.
Next time will use 1/2 bread dough 1/2 all purpose. Put 4 ice cubes in oven bottom when I put them in, make crust more crusty
I never rate recipes but I absolutely had to rate this one. This was perfect! I can’t tell you how many different breadstick recipes that I’ve tried. They all seem like they would be the same, right? Same ingredients basically. But these were amazing! I always get dents and doughy breadsticks, no matter how long I bake them for. This one was not the case. These were light and fluffy! I didn’t even use bread flour, and I’m sure they would be so much better if I did use bread flour. These are perfect brushed with dill garlic butter sauce!
I didn’t have bread flour on hand so I used AP, and I just used a heavy 1/3 cup (plus the 3) instead of weighing. For the adults I went the extra mile and roasted garlic bulbs, and folded the cloves in the center before rolling into shape. They turned out amazing, thanks for the recipe!
My mother in law had 14 kids and was an awesome baker. She told me never let oil and yeast touches on i put the warm water the yeast and sugar in and let the yeast work with sugar for 10 minutes . The new if I think gets a lol but bubbly add some flour then the oil or butter . That’s a secret to successful baking and how the dough feels
Please comment on freezing bread dough such as this. I’m never sure if it’s a good idea or not. Also, please tell me how to turn of the reply section to a comment I made months ago. I still get copies of new comments, it’s getting a little tiring.
You mention that we should weigh the ingredients, but then you don’t give the weights in your recipe. I can offer this:
DOUGH:
Water 265.5 g
Instant yeast 4.7 g
Sugar 25 g
Butter 42.5 g
Salt 10.5 g
Flour 452 g
TOPPING:
Butter 28.3 g
Kosher salt 3 g
Garlic powder 1.6 g
Thank you for sharing such a great recipe. You are right, these are addicting! The only thing different I did was add homemade pizza seasoning to the dough. The house smelled like a bakery. Delicious!!
How can I keep the sticks so that they can be warmed and served the next evening? I have to prepare 80 for a wedding.! Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
I’ve made these so many times and they turn out delicious every time! I have made them into rolls and knots as well as the bread sticks and my family and friends all love them!
I only had ap flour, still came out delicious! My son ate five! This is the perfect solution to pandemic problem of missing restaurants and needing to save money! Thanks!
Excellent result. They freeze well, too. Multiple uses as I used some as hot dog buns. Using my Stand Mixer I put all the dry ingredients in first, then added everything else and followed the directions from there. Delicious. I’ll be making these often. Thank you for the post.
Fantastic! Absolutely delicious. Everyone asks for them now. As Tessa says, weighing is the best so they all turn out similarly sized. I actually go back after they are cooled and do a double dose of brushed butter and salt/garlic powder. Then wrap loosely in aluminum foil and put in warming drawer until ready to serve with dinner. They are served soft and warm and extra delicious! Thank you again, Tessa! Another WINNER!
These are absolutely perfect! I didn’t measure the dough when dividing very well, so I ended up with 10 extremely puffy breadsticks, they may look more like hot dog buns -lol! But the taste absolutely perfect, these are the closest to Olive Garden at home that I have ever made! Thank you for this great recipe.
These are SO good!! I definitely recommend weighing out the flour, as it’s easy to pack too much in if you’re just scooping straight into your measuring cup (which would lead to dense or tough dough). I had to knead these for a little longer than 7 min (maybe 8 in the mixer and then about 2-3 on the counter). If they spring back too quickly when you try to roll them out, leave the dough alone (covered) for a few minutes so that it can relax. That will make the rolling much easier!
Overall, perfect as written!
I made this last night. I added an entire packet of instant yeast (2.25 tsp) and measured my flour by volume (420 g – 3.5 cups). Other than that I didn’t make any changes. These came out so good. I mean seriously, I think these are better than Olive Garden.
I made this last night. I added an entire packet of instant yeast (2.25 tsp) and measured my flour by weight (420 g – 3.5 cups). Other than that I didn’t make any changes. These came out so good. I mean seriously, I think these are better than Olive Garden.
I love this recipe! I make the dough in the bread maker and then shape it and let it rise again on a pan. Last time I made it I actually weighed the flour instead of just using 3-1/2 cups of it and the breadsticks turned out sooo perfect!
Hey, I have a suggestion to make for this recipe. For the flour measurement, I think it would be better to clarify you’re using 16 ounces in WEIGHT, not fluid ounces. I ended up initially using 16 fl oz (2 cups), and corrected it later, but regardless it’s super misleading since none other ingredients use weight measurements.
It may be even more helpful to provide gram measurements for all of the ingredients. I’ve listed them here so it’s easier:
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (266 g) warm water
1 1/2 (5 g) teaspoons instant yeast
2 tablespoons (25 g) granulated sugar
3 tablespoons (43 g) unsalted butter, melted
1 3/4 (10 g) teaspoons salt
about 3 1/3 to 3 1/2 cups (454 g) bread flour
I also cut out the ounce measurement to be more consistent and less confusing. I hope this is helpful!
First time out, they came out great. We topped it with olive oil, Italian seasoning and kosher salt. Also, after 5 minutes in the oven, we topped it with mozzarella cheese (chopped).
First attempt – Amazing result. Fantastic recipe. Thank you!
The dough: Absolutely perfect. I adapt this as my bread recipe.
The topping: I’d double the amounts.
Tip: This bread goes really well with Pizza sauce (the sauce that you make as part of making Pizza, with tomatoes, basil etc.).
Delicious. Exactly like the ones at Olive Garden, maybe even better. The only modification I made was using dough setting on bread maker instead of stand mixer. Thanks for sharing this recipe!
These are absolutely FANTASTIC!
I’ve tried to make these many times with many different recipes. Never have I made them so close or so perfectly. These were absolute perfection. This recipe is going in my recipe file forever- and I’m now sold on your entire blog! Thank you!!!!!
These breadsticks are delicious, when I made them today I got 14 breadsticks out of the dough (Yummy). And after around 20 minutes I went to put them away and saw that only 4 remained. A little later my dad said he had four and was stuffed. So overall this is a great recipe thanks for sharing!
The Reluctant Homemaker — January 14, 2021 at 1:34 pm
These were AMAZING! I did decrease the sugar by about 1/2 teaspoon though and I also decreased the salt a bit. I loved the results. Thanks for sharing!
My family requests that I make these so often! They are light, fluffy, and delicious. Definitely use bread flour instead of any other kind; it makes a huge difference in texture (the signature fluffiness isn’t there when you use all-purpose flour, etc). In my experience baking these, if you’re short on time, you can cut down the first rise to one hour and the second rise to half an hour. I also recommend adding in flour a half cup at a time until the dough is “saturated”– the point where any more flour you add isn’t absorbed into the dough, and just sits at the bottom of the mixing bowl (I usually end up adding about 2.5 cups of flour instead of 3-3.5 cups). Adding a little extra yeast to help ensure a good rise, especially if you are using older yeast, doesn’t hurt either! This recipe is easily one of my favorites– it’s quick, easy, and of course, tastes best fresh out of the oven!
I made these and they came out awesome! I even told my co workers about them. My one question is if i can freeze the raw bread sticks before baking so i can pop them in the oven as i need them? If so how long would they need to thaw out before i can bake them?
These were awesome!!! I even told my co workers about them. One question… Can the raw bread sticks be frozen and then thawed when you want to bake them? If so, how long would they need to thaw before baking?
To make ahead, bake as the recipe instructs 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!
***Not sure if my comment is making on here as it keeps saying its a duplicate and ive already said it before, but I’ve never commented before.So i apologize if my comment shows up a few times***
These were awesome!!! I even told my co workers about them. One question… Can the raw bread sticks be frozen and then thawed when you want to bake them? If so, how long would they need to thaw before baking?
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!
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 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!
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.
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!
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 🙂
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These sound amazing, Tessa! I should make some next time we have pizza. 😀
Isn’t it annoying how some days just snowball? Here’s to staying creative! 🙂
Yum! I love the breadsticks from Olive Garden. Will try out this recipe soon!
These look delicious! Is it possible to use all purpose flour or will that completely change the outcome of the recipe?
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.
Olive Garden breadsticks are my favorite!!!!
That’s mainly the only reason I go to Olive Garden.
But I’m sorry, on your recipe you have 3 cups (16 oz) of bread flour…
But 3 cups is not the same as 16 oz…. So which one is it? 3 cups or 2 cups (16 oz) ???
Hi Emily, every single cup of any dry ingredient does not always weigh 8 ounces. In fact, flour often weighs almost half of that per cup. I’ve slightly adjusted the recipe to more accurately reflect this after weighing a cup of bread flour in my kitchen and getting 4.7 ounces, slightly more than this guide dictates: http://www.thekitchn.com/weight-conversions-for-flour-sugar-and-other-common-baking-ingredients-171316
These paired with my copycat olive garden salad recipe would be heavenly!
I made these over the weekend and they turned out really dense and doughy, even after I baked them for longer. Any idea what I did wrong?
Hi Rachel, so sorry these didn’t turn out! I know how disappointing that can be. It sounds like you may have used too much flour in the dough. Did you weigh the dough or measure with cups? Shortly after publishing this post I realized there was a small error from the conversion calculator I used to determine the flour’s volume measurement in cups based off the weight of the flour (which is what I used to make this recipe), which I adjusted as soon as I noticed on the same day. I really recommend weighing out your flour when baking, as noted in the headnote of this recipe, because it really helps to guarantee the best and most consistent results. Hope that helps you figure out what could have gone wrong.
Welcome Home sent me, but you will keep me!
Welcome Home sent me over.
Welcome home sent me
Doesn’t Olive Garden use olive oil on top? I could be wrong, but I didn’t think it was butter.
I made this last week and they turned out great I’m making them again right now but this time I put in 1/2 tea garlic will let you know the results
mix the dough smelled great
The results in putting in the garlic is great I will make it again
Glad to hear it!
I made these last night and they turned out amazing! AND…I have to confess I probably did everything wrong. (i.e. I used regular flour, I rushed the rising process with a warm oven by almost an hour, and I put them too close together on the baking sheet so they were touching after the second rise). So that’s how good this recipe is…If I can do it all messed up and still get amazing breadsticks you know it’s a ‘keeper’!!! >)
I’m so happy they turned out for you despite the changes you had to make. Thanks for leaving a comment!
Speed method- Make the dough as directed using a metal or glass bowl. Bring a small saucepan of water to a simmer and set the bowl with dough in it on the sauce pan. Make sure you oiled the bowl as directed and oiled the top of the dough and placed plastic wrap over it directly on top of the dough, not across the top of the bowl ( helps keep the warmth in). Let it sit for about 20 minutes, or doubled in size. Reheat the sauce pan of water to boiling and heat your oven to the WARM setting. Roll your dough out as directed and put the sheet of breadsticks and the pan of boiling water in the oven. Let it sit until almost doubled, then remove both pans and heat the oven the rest of the way, keeping the bread sticks warm. Cook as directed.
Makes super soft, light and fluffy, breadsticks in a fraction of the time! I started the recipe at 5 and my family finished eating all the breadsticks by 7 if that tells you anything. Less than 1.5 hours for fabulous breadsticks hot from the oven!
Uhmmm, just want to say that you are missing the alfredo sauce (recipe) that used to be served with the breadsticks at Olive Garden. Now, we have to request the alfredo sauce separately and I’m not sure that we don”t pay extra for it. Little serving dishes of sauce for each person makes it OK to double dip, LOL. I think there is a low fat recipe available on the net. Good breadstick recipe!
thankyou very much
I have a big italian dinner in the spring. I’d like to make these a couple of weeks in advance and freeze them. ANy suggestions?
Yummy… Bread… butter… garlic… I just can’t have enough of them.
These came out great! 2 tbsp. of butter for the topping sounded like a lot, but it’s definitely not. Also I added oregano to the topping. Yummy!
I’ve been using this recipe for a little while now and my family is absolutely in love with it! Thank you for sharing it!
Thank you sooo much for sharing. We don’t have Olive Garden in Germany, but I have been in the US and tried them and was really glad I was able to serve these to my family here. I made them quite a few times and everybody just loves them. Thank you!!
Hi! Just follwed your recipe and it turned out well. My breadsticks were just as you described- it was soft yet chewy throughout. I didn’t get the golden crust though- my bread was done before it has the chance to brown at the top. (The bottom was a different issue however, it was really browned but not bitter thank goodness. And it was really crunchy which I really liked)
Anyway, is it supposed to be a bit sweet? I can definitely taste the sugar on my batch. Next time, I’ll halve the sugar on the dough.
I only made half the recipe btw because those breadsticks are huge to my liking. I made 12 1-oz pieces instead and it was perfect for us. Thanks for the recipe!
It seems that I cann’t see some pictures from your website, maybe something wrong with my net, but it is very good tip for making bread, I like baking, thanks very much
I’d like to make these for a family dinner. Do you know how well they will hold up/taste if I make them the day before and reheat? Or could I make the dough the day before and bake the next day? Thanks!
These reheat pretty well in the oven! And you can always make the dough ahead of time 🙂
Hi colleagues, good paragraph and nice arguments commented here, I am really
enjoying by these.
I made a batch of these the other day and before I could even have 1 my husband and kids at them all! I turned around and made a second batch so I could have one and they turned out super amazing!! Just curious if you’ve baked then froze them or how I would go about freezing for next time so I can make a few batches at a time!! Thank you for your input!!
Fabulous, Brooke! For these, just shave a few minutes off the baking time then let them 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 🙂
I’m new to your site and I have tried a few recipes so far. They are all great, including this one. My family loved them and gobbled them up. My husband was so impressed!
These were EXCELLENT. I doubled the garlic/salt and butter toppings but other than that the recipe is absolute perfection… nicely done!
Thank you Tessa . My family loves ya! Will try this breadsticks.
Made the bread sticks turned out wonderful. Thank you for making my kid happy she enjoyed her spaguetti Alfredo and meatball paired with your bread stick recipe ! Watch the oven tough I felt the dough undercooked and left them 2 more mins in the oven..almost made a mistake..thankfully breadsticks were rescued just in time LOL.
Hi, I was wondering if I can use this in the bread machine, then bake them when dough is ready?
Don’t see why not!
Hi, I’m just getting into making bread at home and am currently waiting for my first rise on this recipe. Was curious if this is something that can be frozen and used a few at a time? Or do you have to make the whole batch?
Delicious. Easy. I wouldn’ t ever consider making bread sticks but these, all done in my mixer with no hand kneading…. were amazing! Paired with lasagna rolls and copycat Olive Garden salad and dressing. Perfect dinner it’s a keeper. Thinking these would be good with cinnamon sugar too!
Great recipe! Came out even better than OG. Thanks!
Love to hear that! Thanks!
Our local store just started selling Olive Garden brand dressing and croutons so I can replicate their Salad perfectly. I also can perfectly replicate their Zuppa Toscana soup. I was so happy to find this recipe because frankly on a tight budget I can make the entire meal for under $20 vs $75 plus tip when I take my family to the O.G. (Dont worry, I still go there on special occasions but the nearest one is a 2 hour drive). With your recipe, my meal was complete and the family DEVOURED the breadsticks. ThanK you so much! Brava!!!
That’s so awesome, Erin! What a savings 🙂
These are AMAZING!!!!!!! The recipe was easy to follow and the breadsticks came out great my family enjoyed I will be making these again!
Doesn’t the water have to be a certain range of temperature for yeast fermentation? (100 to 110 degrees)
This is a great blog. I love eating and making bread myself. I have been looking for different bread recipes like this one. Thanks for sharing . I’m so excited to try this. Certainly it will be great. I love using my bread machine. After try this one , I will try your other bread recipes for my bread machine. I am looking forward to your other recipes:)
OMG. I made these and my family requested for me to make them again. They are amazing. I highly suggest these.
Glad to hear that!
I have been making these at least once a week since I found this recipe. The dough is very easy to work with and very forgiving. My kitchen stays hot in the spring summer and fall thanks to the TX heat so sometimes the dough will get huge during the first rise but in the end they always comes out great. Thanks for the great recipe!
I just tried it now, it turned out pretty amazing. I’m loving your recipes. Although mine didn’t turned out golden brown, it’s delicious.
I wish you would of posted the correct measurements in cups not weight. I’m an experienced baker and never use a scale.
I am an experienced baker (50 + years so far) and am increasingly using scales to weigh ingredients such as flour. Especially in bread making, weight matters than volume.
Hi Tessa, I’m new to your blogging site and I love that you have copycat recipes, but I would have liked to have the Alfredo recipe included with the bread sticks 🙁 I hope to try these soon.
Thanks
I would like to make these for my daughters wedding. I need to make about 250. Can I make them a head of time and warm them up as needed? If so, how far in advance can I start to make them and freeze them
This weekend I tried the copycat olive garden breadsticks for a first time and now the whole family love them! They can be a perfect choice for a picnic outside the city or just for an afternoon with the kids in the garden.
Amazing! Made exactly except lightly rolled out and cut into sticks.
You’re right – these are addictive!! I wish I could shape them well though, but I will continue to practice 🙂 Thanks for sharing this recipe!!
I have made these several times and I change them up alot lol I love them just the way your recipe is wrote BUT me being a HUGE garlic fan has to add more and more somewhere in a recipe lol Try these with roasted garlic OMG bread Heaven! Thanks for the recipe it is almost fool proof has turned out every time i have made them!
These look amazing! Definitely will try them these days. Thank you for sharing.
So, I’m lactose intolerant so I decided to make this recipe using Earth Balance buttery spread and they came out beautifully! This recipe is awesome, I only wish I had a kitchen-aid because I spent 20 minutes kneading and now I can’t feel my hands.
I’m in the midst of making these… so far they have turned out exactly as you said! (I’ve had problems in the past with dough rising, while the rising process was taking place I went grocery shopping.)…I was so excited when I came back to see the dough had risen beautifully. It brought a smile to my face. Thanks for a great recipe!
Yay!! Hope you enjoyed them, Jess xo
I weighed my 16 oz of flour out to make sure it was accurate and put it all in. Bad idea. The dough is dense and was very hard to knead. Next time I will use less and add more while it’s kneading of necessary.
The first time I tried these I don’t think I kneaded it long enough and they were pretty dense so I decide to try again and what a difference. I also added less flour than in the recipe because I kneaded by hand and figured the extra flour I used would make up for it it. They were so good. My 7 year old absolutely Ioves them too. Thank you for the wonderful recipe.
These bread sticks are SO good!
These are a disgrace to Italy. If you call these bread sticks then you dont deserve to eat italian food.
Just wanted to say WOW!! There is absolutely no reason to be cruel!! May God bless you anyway.
These were amazing and I made them in under an hour and a half by letting the dough rise in my oven set to 100 with some hot water in a pan below. I used all purpose flour and the texture was so fluffy and light. I measured my flour by weight. I also used olive oil instead of butter for the topping.
Can I use a bread machine to mix the dough?
this was FABULOUS! 1st time I measured and they were heavy..second time I weighed and they were PERFECT! Wish I could post a picture! They looked resteraunt style! THANK YOU!
Woohoo!! Weighing can make ALL the difference. Thanks for sharing this xo
Make the dough in my bread machine through the first rise. Shaped and did second rise. Baked to perfection. Used bread flour, as I always have on hand for bread making and pizza dough. Great recipe, making again tonight.
I too made the dough and my bread machine and let it rise took them out to shape them and let them rise a second time they were absolutely perfect. when shaping them make them long mine turned out great but they were fat and short. I’ve tried many times the copycat these breadsticks this is the first time they’ve ever turned out.
Made these tonight, they were just lovely. Well written recipe, thanks for posting.
Also, after reading through these comments…you deserve some sort of internet award for your restraint. I’d have posted a snarky reply to half of these keyboard warriors.
Thank you for this recipes. I used fresh garlic and parsley in my butter and my guests raved about the bread! Thank you again!
My son can’t digest garlic powder, but is OK with fresh. If I wanted to use fresh garlic in this recipe as a substitute, when and where should I add it in? Thanks for your help!
Do I proof the yeast?
You could try and mix some crushed garlic into some butter and brush it over the top 🙂
Wow. Just wow. I followed your directions 100% and they turned out amazing! My husband and son were blown away! Weigh the flour, use bread flour. Will make again, many times.
I thought Olive Garden used garlic salt?
Your recipe notes say to measure by weight, but your recipe measures by volume. Is there a version of this recipe that uses baking weights (such as grams) instead of volumes?
Thanks.
Easy to make..delisious
This is a great recipe. Delicious and soft. They have turned out perfect every time. Weighing the flour has made all the difference. I use my bread machine to mix and knead on the dough setting, it rises, I shape and give it an extra rise of 45-60 minutes and bake. We have even used our grill to bake them when it’s to hot for the indoor oven.
SO GOOOOOD. literally didn’t think this would come out good, but it’s so soft and after it’s warm, it’s so soft and chewy and perfect. Honestly I almost cried, this is a masterpiece.
Would have been nice to have been able to prnt this recipe instead of having to hand write it.
These are GREAT! They taste wonderful. Thank you so much for the recipe.
I made a double batch for my sister’s birthday, par baked them, then froze so I could take them straight from the freezer and into the oven to save time on the day of her dinner.
I’m making more today and can’t wait!
Thank you so much for the recipe.
These were quick and easy and delicious. They really did taste like the breadsticks at Olive Garden!
I made it but by hand. It came out great except they were to big. They tripled in size But maybe I let them Sit too long. Other than that they were great!
Very easy to make and turned out delicious! Makes 12 large breadsticks.
I have all purpose flour. Will that work instead of bread flour?
Can you make this recipe with regular yeast
These were delicious and the dough was a pleasure to work with! Beautiful at every stage! Will definitely be making these again
Great recipe for garlic breadsticks! They really are quite similar to olive garden’s.
Other notes: My breadsticks weren’t really browned at the 12 minute mark, so I gave them a quick brush with the topping & popped back in for another minute to help get the nice color.
I would also love to see a video on how to consistently shape a breadstick. My first few were wonky but I got better at shaping towards the end.
Oh my God…These were amazing. I ended up with 14 – 2 oz bread sticks. My 2nd rise lasted a little longer then stated but I had time before dinner, so no big deal. They turned out light, airy, and delicious! I will add that I will cut the salt on the topping, 1/4 tsp for both garlic powder & salt in my future. My 3rd bread recipe from you and I’m a BIG fan! Thank you!
What temp. does the water need to be?
About 110 so it doesn’t kill the yeast 🙂
Made these for my wife who worked at Olive Garden during college and loves their breadsticks. She loved them and our two and four year old loved them too. We were surprised they they tasted so alike the real thing! Great recipe and better than going out to dinner with the Kids!
I look forward to trying this recipe, right now!!! I love to bake and have several good recipes including chocolate pie, but the recipe can no longer be found, I saved it and love to eat it!
SUPERB, many thanks, Compliments of the Season, and a Very Happy New Year 2020 in advance.
Do you want hero status amongst family & friends with minimal skill and effort?
Tessa has provided you the key to that world with this recipe.
My kids and grandkids said these were better than Olive Garden. Will make them again and again!
Only one problem Olive Garden bread sticks are vegan. No butter
I need to make gluten free breadsticks. I purchased Pillsbury Best gf flour. It says you can substitute it 1:1 for regular flour in making bread, muffins, rolls, etc. Do you have any experience with fluten free flour substitution and this recipe?
I’m sorry, Wendy, but I don’t do gluten free baking. Gluten is essential to giving bread its structure so I’m really not sure how that would work out.
Absolutely delicious. My family loved them!
Made these tonight to go with our spaghetti. They were a hit!! Made our meal a little more special and I didn’t have to run to store to buy breadsticks or garlic bread.
I just pulled these out of the oven, spread the melted butter on, sprinkled them with the salt and garlic powder. I finished off 2 of these right in a row. OMG!!! THE BEST. It is very hard for me not to go eat the rest. I looked at 2 other web sites that offered breadsticks, but when I looked at the ingredients and mixing directions I realized they copied the recipe from you Tessa. As they say “Imitation is the sincerest form of Flattery.”
Hey! Love all your recipes! Can’t wait to try this one…can I sub gluten free flour? Thanks!
Perfect!
Tasty, but found the dough quite dense and unmanageable (used 3⅓ cup of the flour). I’m guessing it’s due to a difference between Canadian bread flour and American, that’s the only reason I can think of.
I made these last night and they were absolutely amazing! Soft and delicious!! We all thought they were spot on with what you get at Olive Garden!!! Yummmmm!!!
love this recipe. Very easy to make
Absolutely scrumptious! Taste just like the ones at Olive Garden. So easy to make….bet I could use the recipe for other dough stuff?
Absolutely scrumptious! Taste just like the ones at Olive Garden. So easy to make….bet I could use the recipe for other dough stuff?
Absolutely scrumptious! Taste just like the ones at Olive Garden. So easy to make….bet I could use the recipe for other dough stuff?
This is my go-to recipe whenever we have spaghetti or lasagna, or anything else Italian! So yummy and easy to make!
Family’s favorite! Thanks
I too didn’t have the patience to let the bread rise and used all purpose flour no bread flour in the Pandemic. rose for about 45 min total and made the sticks and then let them rise again only long enough for oven to warm. These are Addicting for sure. Was also delicious with a sprinkle of parmesan cheese on top as well.
Mine came out maybe even better than Olive Garden…This is a KEEPER!!!
I made these with all purpose flour because that was all I had and they still turned out amazing. I will definitely make these again.
Absolutely amazing!!
These were spot on, thank you so much!
Really liked these! Super soft and chewy. Definitely a keeper!
I made these vegan just by substituting vegan earth balance butter for the normal butter, and my non-vegan parents loved them! They taste almost exactly like the Olive Garden ones too.
These are so delicious and easy to make! Thank you for the recipe!
Absolutely amazing! Dare I say better than olive garden.. Only problem is now my family wants me to make them all the time! Luckily they’re pretty darn easy! Thank you so much for the recipe, this is a keeper!
Amazing, better than Olive Gardens!! Used all purpose flour instead of bread flour (didn’t have any) and they still came out great!
hmmm, I’m an experienced baker, but mine came out looking nothing like the ones in the photo. Good enough breadsticks that are simple to make, but nothing like Olive Garden.
Perfect recipe for flavorful, soft, chewy breadsticks—thank you so much!
Can you freeze these and pull them out of the freezer as needed?
Delicious! Very easy to make.
this is the best bread ever its so addictive
Great recipe. Doubled it and it still worked perfect. Used olive oil instead of butter to make it vegan. Soft, chewy and delicious. Thanks!
I made these last night. They were better than Olive Garden’s! Thank you!
These are amazing and super easy to make! I started making them after dinner and they were ready for an evening snack! It’s super warm in our house right now so they inflated like balloons but I added 4 extra minutes to my timer and they turned out incredible! Thank you!
The fluffiest little breadsticks ever!! Made a full batch, but I froze the other half to use at a later date. I followed the recipe to a T, and they baked up perfectly! Will definitely become a new staple in my house.
This was amazing and exactly what I imagined it to taste like. I have tried a few other recipes and this one is hands down the one I am repeating in my house! It was also easy for me to cut the recipe in half and only make 6 breadsticks for the two of us.
made it twice already. Really tasty. My kids love it
Can I knead this by hand? My mixer doesn’t have a dough attachment
Amber – you can knead this by hand. You are just looking for the same results: smooth and elastic. Further down in the comments I added how to use a food processor instructions. They turned out great.
I have made this recipe twice now. This is my favorite bread stick recipe by far. Tastes exactly like the olive garden bread sticks, and is pretty simple and forgiving for inexperienced bakers(like me). I love how they taste and my family does too! i recommend trying this recipe out for sure.
These are amazing a so simple! A huge hit with my family!
I’ve made this recipe three times now – 1st time with all wheat AP flour, 2nd with half Unbleached AP- half wheat AP flour, and now in the process of my third time, but with Bread Flour. Very easy recipe to follow with fantastic results! I am expecting the bread flour to be the best version although with AP flour these were still VERY good! My PSA though would be to WATCH YOUR STAND MIXER!! It WILL dance all over and possible OFF your counter during the 7 Minute kneading process. My first go at the recipe I just HAPPENED to stay right there next to it cleaning up a flour mess I had made earlier but normally if I read to mix for long periods of time like that I would have walked away — the PRO of a Stand Mixer IMHO! But luckily I didn’t because it would have ended up on the floor and my heart broken along with a my mixer!! Otherwise LOVE this recipe 🙂 With a little planning ahead, these are worth the 2.5 hour wait if you ask me.
To use a food processor replace step 1 with below. This recipe is almost too large for my 16 cup FP but it turned out great. Light, fluffy and crispy. If you have a smaller one you’ll have to do 2 batches. FYI – I don’t own a mixer.
1) Make dough in food processor (~2 minutes)
a) Use rule of 130 to determine water temperature since FP will heat the mixture. Subtract the room temperature from 130 to come up with desired water temp. For a 78° room: 130 – 78 = 52° water temp.
b) Very lightly coat FP bowl with oil (optional)
c) Add flour, yeast, sugar and pulse
d) Add butter and salt and pulse
e) Start processor and slowly add in water until dough ball forms and then just a little more. Probably 15 to 30 seconds after water is all in. If dough is sticky, add a tad of flour and pulse. If crumbly, add tad of water and pulse.
I followed the recipe as is but my dough did not rise. What could be the issue? 🙁
Made these breadsticks last night, and they were amazing. Yes, the are very addictive!!!
Followed the recipe which was super easy, and the results were better than the breadsticks at the. restaurant. Made some home-made salted butter with home-roasted garlic in it. Brushed that on after baking and the results were deliciousness!
Made this today to go with vegetable beef soup. I didn’t think they would turn out because dough felt grainy but they are excellent. Garlic butter makes them the best.
Next time will use 1/2 bread dough 1/2 all purpose. Put 4 ice cubes in oven bottom when I put them in, make crust more crusty
I never rate recipes but I absolutely had to rate this one. This was perfect! I can’t tell you how many different breadstick recipes that I’ve tried. They all seem like they would be the same, right? Same ingredients basically. But these were amazing! I always get dents and doughy breadsticks, no matter how long I bake them for. This one was not the case. These were light and fluffy! I didn’t even use bread flour, and I’m sure they would be so much better if I did use bread flour. These are perfect brushed with dill garlic butter sauce!
My family loved these. Easy to make!!
I didn’t have bread flour on hand so I used AP, and I just used a heavy 1/3 cup (plus the 3) instead of weighing. For the adults I went the extra mile and roasted garlic bulbs, and folded the cloves in the center before rolling into shape. They turned out amazing, thanks for the recipe!
They are AMAZING, and taste just like olive garden.
Turned out great. Used all purpose instead of bread flour and still had great results. Highly recommended
These turned out perfect!! This is my new go-to bread sticks recipe!
My mother in law had 14 kids and was an awesome baker. She told me never let oil and yeast touches on i put the warm water the yeast and sugar in and let the yeast work with sugar for 10 minutes . The new if I think gets a lol but bubbly add some flour then the oil or butter . That’s a secret to successful baking and how the dough feels
Please comment on freezing bread dough such as this. I’m never sure if it’s a good idea or not. Also, please tell me how to turn of the reply section to a comment I made months ago. I still get copies of new comments, it’s getting a little tiring.
You mention that we should weigh the ingredients, but then you don’t give the weights in your recipe. I can offer this:
DOUGH:
Water 265.5 g
Instant yeast 4.7 g
Sugar 25 g
Butter 42.5 g
Salt 10.5 g
Flour 452 g
TOPPING:
Butter 28.3 g
Kosher salt 3 g
Garlic powder 1.6 g
Thank you for sharing such a great recipe. You are right, these are addicting! The only thing different I did was add homemade pizza seasoning to the dough. The house smelled like a bakery. Delicious!!
Best dough I’ve ever worked with. The bread sticks are beautiful and delicious!
How can I keep the sticks so that they can be warmed and served the next evening? I have to prepare 80 for a wedding.! Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
I’ve made these so many times and they turn out delicious every time! I have made them into rolls and knots as well as the bread sticks and my family and friends all love them!
Didn’t work at all. They ended up more like mini loafs than bread sticks. Way too much flour in this recipe
I only had ap flour, still came out delicious! My son ate five! This is the perfect solution to pandemic problem of missing restaurants and needing to save money! Thanks!
I made these and they were awesome! Anyway I can make ahead of time and freeze? Maybe before the second rise/proof?
Better than Olive Garden! All 3 kids approve and always beg for more!!!
So good! My husband said they were better than Olive Garden’s breadsticks.
I made this with ap flour and turned them into garlic knots. I slighty over cooked one batch but will definitely make again!
Can I prepare the dough the day before and bake the following day?
This is my favorite recipe, when ever I make spaghetti or Italian something I make these. MMMM good
Yay! We’re so happy to hear that.
Excellent result. They freeze well, too. Multiple uses as I used some as hot dog buns. Using my Stand Mixer I put all the dry ingredients in first, then added everything else and followed the directions from there. Delicious. I’ll be making these often. Thank you for the post.
You comment its best to bake by weights and then don’t provide the weights…
Hi Lorena.
Weigh the entire dough ball, then divide by 12 to get the weight per breadstick.
Fantastic! Absolutely delicious. Everyone asks for them now. As Tessa says, weighing is the best so they all turn out similarly sized. I actually go back after they are cooled and do a double dose of brushed butter and salt/garlic powder. Then wrap loosely in aluminum foil and put in warming drawer until ready to serve with dinner. They are served soft and warm and extra delicious! Thank you again, Tessa! Another WINNER!
Yay! So happy you enjoyed this breadsticks recipe, Trish!
OMG!! These were SO good and so easy to make. The family loves them too. Definitely a keeper.
Woohoo!! Thank you so much for the feedback.
Can I use active dry yeast if I don’ t have instant yeast?
Sure! I talk more about the different kinds of yeast in my Beginner’s Quick Guide to Bread if you want to check that out.
I rally love this recipe. I used milk instead of water…..softest breadstick ever!
SO thrilled you enjoyed these breadsticks, Jessica!
YAY! Happy to hear that, Jessica!
I rally love this recipe. I used milk instead of water…..softest breadstick ever!
Good Recipe. I made them twice. I used unbleached all purpose flour. Do they still come out with a soft crust with bread flour?
Yes, I used bread flour and the crust is basically soft.
Mine turned out ugly but delicious! I used a food processor with a dough blade instead of a mixer.
These are absolutely perfect! I didn’t measure the dough when dividing very well, so I ended up with 10 extremely puffy breadsticks, they may look more like hot dog buns -lol! But the taste absolutely perfect, these are the closest to Olive Garden at home that I have ever made! Thank you for this great recipe.
Thrilled you loved this recipe, Karri!
These are SO good!! I definitely recommend weighing out the flour, as it’s easy to pack too much in if you’re just scooping straight into your measuring cup (which would lead to dense or tough dough). I had to knead these for a little longer than 7 min (maybe 8 in the mixer and then about 2-3 on the counter). If they spring back too quickly when you try to roll them out, leave the dough alone (covered) for a few minutes so that it can relax. That will make the rolling much easier!
Overall, perfect as written!
Thank you so much for the kind feedback, Beth!
Bread sticks came out perfect. The only thing I changed: I mixed the garlic powder into the butter, and sprinkled the top with Parmesan cheese.
I made this last night. I added an entire packet of instant yeast (2.25 tsp) and measured my flour by volume (420 g – 3.5 cups). Other than that I didn’t make any changes. These came out so good. I mean seriously, I think these are better than Olive Garden.
I made this last night. I added an entire packet of instant yeast (2.25 tsp) and measured my flour by weight (420 g – 3.5 cups). Other than that I didn’t make any changes. These came out so good. I mean seriously, I think these are better than Olive Garden.
Ah this makes me so happy! What a compliment! So glad you tried this recipe out.
I love this recipe! I make the dough in the bread maker and then shape it and let it rise again on a pan. Last time I made it I actually weighed the flour instead of just using 3-1/2 cups of it and the breadsticks turned out sooo perfect!
So glad you enjoyed these breadsticks!
Hey, I have a suggestion to make for this recipe. For the flour measurement, I think it would be better to clarify you’re using 16 ounces in WEIGHT, not fluid ounces. I ended up initially using 16 fl oz (2 cups), and corrected it later, but regardless it’s super misleading since none other ingredients use weight measurements.
It may be even more helpful to provide gram measurements for all of the ingredients. I’ve listed them here so it’s easier:
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (266 g) warm water
1 1/2 (5 g) teaspoons instant yeast
2 tablespoons (25 g) granulated sugar
3 tablespoons (43 g) unsalted butter, melted
1 3/4 (10 g) teaspoons salt
about 3 1/3 to 3 1/2 cups (454 g) bread flour
I also cut out the ounce measurement to be more consistent and less confusing. I hope this is helpful!
Thank you Vesper!
First time out, they came out great. We topped it with olive oil, Italian seasoning and kosher salt. Also, after 5 minutes in the oven, we topped it with mozzarella cheese (chopped).
Not my favorite breadstick recipe- turned out dry even though I did not over bake them.
Amazing! Absolutely loooved my bread. I kneaded it by hand, but it worked perfectly! Thank you so much for sharing.
First attempt – Amazing result. Fantastic recipe. Thank you!
The dough: Absolutely perfect. I adapt this as my bread recipe.
The topping: I’d double the amounts.
Tip: This bread goes really well with Pizza sauce (the sauce that you make as part of making Pizza, with tomatoes, basil etc.).
So happy you enjoyed these breadsticks!
Can this dough be made in bread machine?
Made these exactly as stated (by weighing flour) and they were perfect! Thanks so much for sharing!
So delish! We made them into balls and stuffed them with mozerella. A little leaked out, but it worked great still!
Wow, that sounds delicious! I’ll have to try that out! Thanks so much for sharing.
Delicious. Exactly like the ones at Olive Garden, maybe even better. The only modification I made was using dough setting on bread maker instead of stand mixer. Thanks for sharing this recipe!
These are absolutely FANTASTIC!
Oh my lord.
I’ve tried to make these many times with many different recipes. Never have I made them so close or so perfectly. These were absolute perfection. This recipe is going in my recipe file forever- and I’m now sold on your entire blog! Thank you!!!!!
I am so thrilled you loved these breadsticks!
Texture was just like Olive Garden. I would add a little more garlic and salt but other than that, spot on!!!
So happy you made these breadsticks!
These breadsticks are delicious, when I made them today I got 14 breadsticks out of the dough (Yummy). And after around 20 minutes I went to put them away and saw that only 4 remained. A little later my dad said he had four and was stuffed. So overall this is a great recipe thanks for sharing!
These were AMAZING! I did decrease the sugar by about 1/2 teaspoon though and I also decreased the salt a bit. I loved the results. Thanks for sharing!
My family requests that I make these so often! They are light, fluffy, and delicious. Definitely use bread flour instead of any other kind; it makes a huge difference in texture (the signature fluffiness isn’t there when you use all-purpose flour, etc). In my experience baking these, if you’re short on time, you can cut down the first rise to one hour and the second rise to half an hour. I also recommend adding in flour a half cup at a time until the dough is “saturated”– the point where any more flour you add isn’t absorbed into the dough, and just sits at the bottom of the mixing bowl (I usually end up adding about 2.5 cups of flour instead of 3-3.5 cups). Adding a little extra yeast to help ensure a good rise, especially if you are using older yeast, doesn’t hurt either! This recipe is easily one of my favorites– it’s quick, easy, and of course, tastes best fresh out of the oven!
So glad you and your family love this recipe!
I made these and they came out awesome! I even told my co workers about them. My one question is if i can freeze the raw bread sticks before baking so i can pop them in the oven as i need them? If so how long would they need to thaw out before i can bake them?
These were awesome!!! I even told my co workers about them. One question… Can the raw bread sticks be frozen and then thawed when you want to bake them? If so, how long would they need to thaw before baking?
To make ahead, bake as the recipe instructs 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!
***Not sure if my comment is making on here as it keeps saying its a duplicate and ive already said it before, but I’ve never commented before.So i apologize if my comment shows up a few times***
These were awesome!!! I even told my co workers about them. One question… Can the raw bread sticks be frozen and then thawed when you want to bake them? If so, how long would they need to thaw before baking?
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!
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 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.
Thank you for the breadstick recipe, so easy to make and so soft and yummy. I will definately make again and again and again
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!
These are the best breadsticks I have ever made!!
Very delicious bread sticks.
My family loved these! Thank you, best breadsticks recipe i have made!
This is amazing to hear! Yay!
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).
Love this
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!
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!
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!
I made these with ham , pepperoni, cheese, stuffed inside, really awesome, thanks
Oh yum, that sounds incredible!!!
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 🙂