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Tessa’s Recipe Rundown
Taste: Buttery and garlicky, AKA, heaven!
Texture: A lightly golden crust hides the soft and fluffy interior, with the perfect amount of chew.
Ease: Homemade breadsticks may sound intimidating but there’s only a handful of ingredients. You can do this!
Why you’ll love this recipe: Better than the restaurant, and super impressive.
I cannot tell you how positively tantalizing these breadsticks smell while baking.
As someone who went to culinary school and has studied the science of homemade bread, I’m not afraid to admit there’s nothing very fancy about this recipe.
In fact, it only has 7 ingredients. No complicated resting or rising periods. It’s about as simple as it gets.
And yet, it transports me back to being a kid going to Olive Garden as a special treat, only to fill up entirely on breadsticks.
This homemade breadsticks recipe is about 1,000x better than the restaurant version. I promise, your whole family will go crazy for this copycat recipe at Sunday night dinner. Especially when paired with a rich soup or sauce for dipping!
These were sooo good, my kids said better than Olive Garden. As someone that thinks that restaurant is over rated and I can make better pasta at home, I’m so excited to have a recipe to top their breadsticks. Thanks so much for the great recipe!
You don’t need any fancy skills, equipment, or know-how to nail this recipe. You do need to be forewarned…
These breadsticks are positively irresistible!
Delicious!! I never review any recipes, but this one definitely deserves it. These were so simple to make, soft and chewy, and perfect for dipping in soup. Will be making these often!
Key Recipe Ingredients
Bread flour: Its higher protein content helps develop gluten, creating taller, well-rounded breadsticks with a chewy, fluffy texture.
- Swap: Use the same amount of all-purpose flour. Keep in mind that your kneading time will increase to properly develop the gluten, and your breadsticks may turn out more soft than chewy.
Instant yeast: Also called rapid-rise or quick-rise yeast, this can be added directly to the other ingredients without proofing separately.
- Swap: Substitute active dry yeast at a 1:1 ratio. Add it directly to the dry ingredients, but expect the dough to take about 20% longer to rise. To speed things up, you can instead dissolve the yeast in the warm water with a pinch of the recipe’s sugar. Let it sit for about 5 minutes, until bubbly, before adding it to the other ingredients. Learn more about the different types of yeast and how to substitute them here.
Sugar: Adds a little sweetness, helps feed the yeast, and contributes to a softer texture. Do not omit or reduce.
Butter: Adds richness and tenderness to the dough.
Warm water: Helps hydrate the flour and activate the yeast. Be cautious your water isn’t too warm or you’ll kill the yeast (about 100–110°F).
Tessa’s Tips for Perfect Breadsticks
- Use the right water temperature. Be sure to use water that is not too hot. Hot water will kill the yeast and prevent the breadsticks from rising. 100-110°F is perfect.
- Don’t skip the sugar. There’s a little in these breadsticks to help activate the yeast, tenderize the breadsticks, and make them a little softer. Don’t skip the sugar! I promise you won’t find the breadsticks sweet. Learn more about sugar’s role in baking here.
- Measure the flour correctly. Be sure to measure your ingredients correctly. When measuring by volume (using cups), it can be super easy to accidentally over-measure ingredients, especially flour. To avoid dense or dry breadsticks, I highly recommend using a digital kitchen scale, but if you don’t have one, use the spoon-and-level method.
How to Tell When Dough Is Risen
- After kneading, shape the dough into a ball.
- Place in a lightly oiled mixing bowl. I like to use glass and take a picture so I can see how much it’s rising later.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, foil, or a clean kitchen towel. Let the dough rise in a warm, draft-free location. Ideal rise temperatures are between 80°F and 90°F. Lower temperatures will require more rising time.
- The dough is done rising when it’s about doubled in volume and passes the “ripe” test. Gently stick two fingers in the risen dough up to the second knuckle and then take them out. If the finger marks remain, the dough is ready for shaping. If not, cover and let the dough rise longer until it is.
How to Shape Breadsticks
- Once the dough is risen, press it down to deflate it slightly.
- Place the dough onto a clean surface (not a floured surface).
- Use a bench scraper to section the dough into 12 equal pieces. Don’t worry if they’re not perfectly equal in size – but if you prefer, you can weigh the entire mass of dough, divide that number by 12, then portion each piece perfectly by weight.
- Roll each piece of dough into an 8-inch log. Don’t worry if they’re not perfectly shaped.
Storage & Make ahead
Storage: These breadsticks are best served warm, right out of the oven, but you can store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. To refresh them, place the breadsticks on a baking sheet and reheat in a 425°F oven for 4 to 5 minutes, or until warmed through. For extra flavor, brush with melted butter and sprinkle with garlic powder and salt before serving.
Freeze: You can freeze baked breadsticks for up to 2 months. Let them cool completely, then transfer to an airtight container or freezer-safe bag. On the day you’re ready to serve, thaw the breadsticks at room temperature for a couple of hours. Place them on a baking sheet and reheat in a 425°F oven for 4 to 5 minutes, or until warmed through. For a fresh-from-the-oven finish, brush with melted butter and sprinkle with garlic powder and salt before serving.
Make Ahead:
- Refrigerator option: Allow the dough to complete its first rise, then shape the breadsticks. Arrange them on a parchment-lined baking sheet, cover well to prevent them from drying out, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. When you’re ready to bake, let the breadsticks sit at room temperature while the oven preheats. If they haven’t doubled in size yet, let them continue rising until they have. Bake as directed in the recipe.
- Freezer option: For longer storage, freeze the shaped dough after its first rise. Arrange the breadsticks on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze until solid, then transfer to a freezer-safe bag or airtight container and freeze for up to 2 months. When you’re ready to bake, arrange the frozen breadsticks on a parchment-lined baking sheet and let them thaw at room temperature. Allow them to rise until doubled in size and a gentle indentation remains when you press the dough with your finger. Bake as directed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Be sure to knead the dough properly so the breadsticks hold their shape and don’t become sad flat sticks. I call for a stand mixer to make easy work of kneading in this recipe, but you can also knead by hand. Be prepared for a bit of a workout, as you’ll need to knead by hand for about 15 to 20 minutes. You can see my full tutorial on how to knead dough here.
These Copycat Olive Garden Breadsticks are not vegan. However, several readers have had success with Country Crock plant-based sticks (avocado oil-based) or using olive oil in the dough and Earth Balance for the topping. If you give anything else a try, let me know how it goes in the comments!
Yes, if you have a large enough mixer (at least 6 quarts). Most home mixer bowls won’t mix such a big batch of dough well enough. If you’re using a 5-quart tilt-head mixer, your mixer may become overheated with that amount of dough. So I recommend simply making a single batch of dough twice.
A side salad
Marinara sauce
Creamy soup, like my Pot Pie Soup
Your favorite pasta dish
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Ingredients
For the dough:
- 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (250 grams) warm water, about 100-110°F*
- 1 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast
- 2 tablespoons (25 grams) granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons (42 grams) unsalted butter, melted
- 1 3/4 teaspoons fine sea salt
- 3 cups (381 grams) bread flour, plus more as needed**
For the topping:
- 2 tablespoons (28 grams) unsalted butter, melted
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- Prepare two baking sheets lined with parchment paper and set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment, combine the water, yeast, sugar, melted butter, and salt. Begin to gradually add the flour while the mixer runs on low speed. Increase speed to medium and knead the dough for about 10-15 minutes, or until it is tacky and very elastic. Add more flour, a tablespoon at a time, if the dough is extremely sticky.
- Remove the dough and place in a lightly oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rest in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour to 1 1/2 hours (the exact proof time will depend on your kitchen environment; the warmer it is, the faster your dough will proof).
- Once doubled in size, divide the dough into 12 portions (use your kitchen scale for accuracy, but it should be approximately 57 grams per piece). Roll each piece of dough into an 8-inch log. Place the dough logs on your parchment-lined baking sheet, about 2 inches apart. Cover, and let rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour to 1 1/2 hours.
- Preheat your oven to 400°F. Bake for 12 to 14 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.
- To refresh, place the breadsticks on a baking sheet, and reheat in the oven at 425°F for 4-5 minutes, or until warmed through. You can also re-brush with butter and sprinkle again with garlic powder and salt, if you wish.
Notes
This post was originally published in 2013 and updated in 2023 with new photos and recipe improvements. Photos by Joanie Simon.
These breadsticks are amazing! I have made them many times.
Tried to get the free beginner’s quick guide to bread, but when I put in my email & clicked the link, it did nothing. How can I get this quide?
Hi Denise! I don’t see on our end that you signed up for the guide – once you’ve entered in your email address, it should take you to a screen that says thanks for signing up and to check your inbox. Can you try again? If it still doesn’t work, try a different browser to see if that helps. If you still experience issues, please email [email protected] for more help.
We LOVE this recipe! I have made these many times now using vegan margarine and they turn out perfectly. At family gatherings, this is always requested as it’s a fav! I’m not vegan either, we just try and have a good balance in our fridge that works for us which includes some plant based items like vegan margarine and almond or oat milk.
tried and loved recipe. it has become a staple in our house.
First time making these and they turned out great! I do need to work on my rolling skill though. Lol
This recipe is a keeper! Just made this bread tonight to pair it with my homemade zuppa toscana soup. The family truly enjoyed the delicious food. Thank you!
Amazing!!! We made them 1.5 oz rather than 2 after the first time. 2 oz was just a bit large. So yummy!!!!!
Olive Garden breadsticks are vegan and these most certainly are not.
Hi Casara! We never claimed that these breadsticks were vegan. Our website does not make vegan recipes; we just make really, really delicious recipes – and this is no exception! You could try making these with a vegan butter and see if it works, but as we have not tried that, I cannot guarantee the results will be as good as the original recipe as written. Feel free to reach out if you have any questions – we are always happy to help 🙂
Wondering if this recipe is doable without a standing mixer?
Hi Elaine! It can be made without a stand mixer, but, like any bread, it’s going to take a lot of kneading by hand and a lot of elbow grease to get the dough to the right consistency (smooth and elastic). If you’re up for the challenge, go for it! Let us know how it goes 🙂
I made these hand-kneaded and it turned out fine! Plus I got a work out. Didn’t have time to let them rise a second time for the full hour but it was okay.
So glad to hear they worked out well, Hannah!
I have never made any sort of bread in my life so the fact these turned out incredible the first attempt is a miracle. These breadsticks taste amazing! They taste just like Olive Garden but at the same time better. Truly delicious!
Hi Lauren! Yay – I’m so happy this recipe was a delicious success – and good for you for tackling your first-ever bread!!! I hope you continue to bake and experiment – it seems like you’re good at it 😉 Please feel free to reach out to our team anytime you have questions – we are always more than happy to help!! I can’t wait to see what else you make! Happy baking 🙂
Can I make this ahead is time and refrigerate the dough before baking?
Thank you
Mark
Hi Mark! We haven’t tested making this recipe ahead, so we cannot guarantee the same wonderful results, but my advice would be to let the dough rise once, shape the breadsticks, and then cover well with plastic wrap (but not too tightly, as they will continue to rise in the fridge, but much slower; you just don’t want the dough to dry out in the fridge!). Pull them out of the fridge a little before you’re ready to bake, and ensure they have had their full second proof. The second proof could take awhile, or not much time at all – it all depends on the ambient temperature in your kitchen (they are fully proofed when an indentation made with your finger into the dough remains). Proceed with the recipe as written. I wouldn’t let the dough sit in the fridge for more than 24 hours (overnight is best). I hope that helps! Let us know how they turn out!
I actually found it easier to let them rise the second time, then cover with Saran Wrap and put in the frig. I let them come to room temperature before cooking.
I made a vegan version of these breadsticks by using olive oil in the dough and Earth Balance for the topping. My family and I loved the breadsticks. My husband said they were the best breadsticks he’s ever had.
So happy you enjoyed these breadsticks, Sonja!!
Delicious!