No dinner is complete without a side of Gramma’s soft, fluffy, and perfectly plump homemade breadsticks. They are easy to make, with just six simple ingredients! These breadsticks are best enjoyed warm and lightly buttered alongside soups, stews, and pastas.
Ingredients
- Yeast – this recipe requires active dry yeast for perfectly plump breadsticks.
- Water – use warm water, not too hot and not too cold or the yeast will either die or not activate.
- Sugar – sugar helps feed and activate the yeast. It also helps with the moistness and texture of the breadsticks.
- Oil – canola oil adds a bit of fat, moisture, and flavor to the bread.
- Flour – all-purpose flour works best in this recipe. No need for bread flour!
- Salt – for taste.
Active Dry Yeast vs. Instant Yeast
Active dry yeast is a granular dried yeast that has to be added to warm liquid (like water or milk) with a small amount of sugar to rehydrate and activate the dormant yeast. The yeast will consume the sugar and “bloom”, forming a frothy layer on the water. This is the first stage of the proofing process for making yeast dough. Active dry yeast will require a longer rise/roofing time than active dry yeast.
Instant yeast–also called “quick-rise”, “rapid-rise,” or “bread machine” yeast–is a more finely granular yeast that does not have to be added to a liquid to be active. It can simply be added to other dough ingredients, much like salt or sugar. Instant yeast results in shorter rise/proofing time than active dry yeast.
Tips for Making Perfect Breadsticks
- Make sure the yeast activates – this recipe calls for active dry yeast, which has to be dissolved in warm water to activate. Good yeast will form bubbles in the water when it activates. If you don’t see bubbles, you’ll need to check that your yeast is still fresh. If it is not expired, check the water temperature (next tip below), as it can affect yeast activation.
- Water temperature – water temperature is very important for yeast doughs. If the water is too hot, it will kill the yeast. If the water is too cold, the yeast will not activate. You need lukewarm water for proper activation. We use the wrist test (like how you check the temperature of a baby bottle). The water should just be slightly warm when applied to the inside of your wrist.
- Kneading time – kneading time is also crucial for a good batch of breadsticks. The time listed is a suggestion, and it may take anywhere from 3 minutes to 10 minutes, depending on the dough. Kneading is more about feel than time. The dough is done when it is no longer sticky and is smooth and elastic. Be careful not to overwork the dough, as it will make the bread tough and dense.
- Hand kneading – we recommend hand kneading over using a stand mixer to avoid over-kneading the dough. It is much easier to overwork the dough when using a stand mixer. By using your hands, you’ll have a better feel for the change the dough undergoes during the kneading process.
- Add extra flour slowly – the dough will need the full 2 cups of all purpose flour. However it may need a little extra during the kneading process. If the dough is sticky, add flour 1-2 tablespoons at a time to avoid adding too much. Gently work it into the dough and add more as needed until the dough is smooth and elastic.
- Flour your hands – when you first turn the dough out it will be a little sticky. To avoid it sticking to your hands, coat your hands periodically in flour.
- Use a baking mat (optional) – use a silicone baking mat to prevent the bottoms of the breadsticks from cooking quicker than the tops. I personally like a little crispier bottom and stick to just the baking sheet. Up to you!
How to Make Breadsticks
Mix lukewarm water and yeast together in a medium bowl. Let the mixture sit 5 minutes. A small foamy layer should form, indicating that the yeast has activated.
Mix in the sugar, salt, and oil and stir until incorporated.
Add 2 cups of flour to the mixture and mix until loosely incorporated. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead the dough until the flour is incorporated and the dough is smooth and not sticky, 5 to 7 minutes. If the dough is sticky, add a small amount of flour (1-2 tablespoons at a time) to the dough and work it into the dough. Repeat until the dough is smooth and elastic–It should slowly bounce back when pressed.
First Rise: Lightly mist the bowl with cooking spray. Return the dough to the greased bowl and cover with a clean dish cloth. Leave in a warm, dry place to raise until the dough has doubled, anywhere from 1 to 1½ hours.
Divide the dough into 8 roughly equal sized balls. Roll the balls out on a clean surface into medium-length breadsticks (9-10 inches). This can be done by using your palms to roll the dough up and down along the surface, while applying pressure to the dough and moving your hands from the center of the dough ball outward in a small up-down/circular motion.
Prepare the baking sheet by either lightly misting with cooking spray or lining with silicone baking mats.
Second rise: Place the breadsticks on a prepared baking sheet and let rise for another 20 minutes, until slightly puffy. While the breadsticks rise, preheat the oven to 375℉.
Bake the breadsticks uncovered for 12-14 minutes, or until just lightly golden on the top. Be careful of over-baking, as the bottoms will darken quite a bit faster than the tops. If the tops begin to darken too quickly, loosely tent with aluminum foil.
Remove the breadsticks from the oven and lightly coat with butter. Immediately transfer to a serving plate to prevent the breadsticks from continuing to cook. Enjoy with your favorite dipping sauce or as a side to a bowl of soup or pasta!
How to Store
- Store – To keep these breadsticks fresh, transfer to a Ziploc bag. Be sure to squeeze out as much air as possible. Store at room temperature for 1-2 days or in the refrigerator (my personal favorite!) for up to 5 days. Breadsticks will go stale very quickly at room temperature because there are no preservatives!
- Freeze – you can also freeze breadsticks. Tightly wrap baked and cooled breadsticks in plastic wrap and transfer to a Ziploc freezer bag. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw frozen breadsticks on the counter for a few hours or in the fridge overnight. You’ll have to eat the breadsticks fairly quickly, as thawed breadsticks go stale in just a few days.
What to Pair with Homemade Breadsticks
- Pasta – our go-to pairing is with any kind of pasta–spaghetti, linguine, fettuccine, penne, farfalle, etc.–twirled into pesto, marinara, alfredo, or bolognese. It’s a classic!
- Soups – chicken and gnocchi soup, fall minestrone soup, gluten-free chicken noodle soup, creamy chicken tortellini soup, summer minestrone soup, or chicken butternut squash soup are perfect companions.
- Stews – like sweet potato and peanut stew, pork with cider, beef stew.
- Chili – try our turkey chili or white chicken chili with cream cheese
- Dipping sauce – healthy marinara or pomodoro sauce are favorites.
Frequently Asked Questions
Nope. We stick to all-purpose flour and have never used bread flour in this recipe or any other bread recipe and have had fantastic results.
1-2 days at room temperature or up to 5 days in the refrigerator.
Canola or olive oil are perfect for using in breadsticks.
Let us know what you think about this recipe for Gramma’s homemade breadsticks by dropping a comment and/or rating below on the recipe card. Also, please consider sharing to social media if you loved this recipe. We really appreciate it!! 💕
Check out more bread recipes!
Gramma’s Homemade Breadsticks
Ingredients
- â…” c lukewarm water
- 2¼ tsp active dry yeast (1 package)
- 1 Tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- ¼ c canola or olive oil
- 2 c unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for kneading
Instructions
- Mix lukewarm water and yeast together in a medium bowl. Let the mixture sit 5 minutes. A small foamy layer should form, indicating that the yeast has activated.
- Mix in the sugar, salt, and oil and stir until incorporated.
- Add 2 cups of flour to the mixture and mix until loosely incorporated. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead the dough until the flour is incorporated and the dough is smooth and not sticky, 5 to 7 minutes. If the dough is sticky, add a small amount of flour (1-2 tablespoons at a time) to the dough and work it into the dough. Repeat until the dough is smooth and elastic–It should slowly bounce back when pressed.
- First Rise: Lightly mist the bowl with cooking spray. Return the dough to the greased bowl and cover with a clean dish cloth. Leave in a warm, dry place to raise until the dough has doubled, anywhere from 1 to 1½ hours.
- Divide the dough into 8 roughly equal sized balls. Roll the balls out on a clean surface into medium-length breadsticks (9-10 inches). This can be done by using your palms to roll the dough up and down along the surface, while applying pressure to the dough and moving your hands from the center of the dough ball outward in a small up-down/circular motion.
- Prepare the baking sheet by either lightly misting with cooking spray or lining with silicone baking mats.
- Second rise: Place the breadsticks on a prepared baking sheet and let rise for another 20 minutes, until slightly puffy. While the breadsticks rise, preheat the oven to 375℉.
- Bake the breadsticks uncovered for 12-14 minutes, or until just lightly golden on the top. Be careful of over-baking, as the bottoms will darken quite a bit faster than the tops. If the tops begin to darken too quickly, loosely tent with aluminum foil.
- Remove the breadsticks from the oven and lightly coat with butter. Immediately transfer to a serving plate to prevent the breadsticks from continuing to cook. Enjoy with your favorite dipping sauce or as a side to a bowl of soup or pasta!
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