Soft Garlic Butter Breadsticks (Printable version)
Soft golden breadsticks topped with melted garlic butter and parsley
# What you need:
→ Dough
01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 cup warm water (about 110°F)
03 - 1 ½ tsp instant yeast
04 - 1 tsp sugar
05 - ¾ tsp salt
06 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
→ Garlic Butter
07 - 3 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
08 - 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
09 - 1 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
10 - ½ tsp salt
# How To:
01 - In a large bowl, combine the warm water, sugar, and instant yeast. Let the mixture sit until foamy and bubbly, about 5 minutes.
02 - Add the all-purpose flour, salt, and softened butter to the yeast mixture. Stir until a shaggy dough begins to come together.
03 - Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead by hand for 7–8 minutes, or use a stand mixer with a dough hook for 5 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic.
04 - Place the kneaded dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap, and let it rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
05 - Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
06 - Gently punch down the risen dough to release air. Divide it into 12 equal portions. Roll each piece into a breadstick shape about 7–8 inches long and arrange them on the prepared baking sheet with space between each.
07 - Loosely cover the shaped breadsticks with a kitchen towel and let them rest and puff up for 20–30 minutes.
08 - Bake the breadsticks in the preheated oven for 12–15 minutes, until the tops are lightly golden brown.
09 - While the breadsticks bake, whisk together the melted butter, minced garlic, salt, and chopped parsley in a small bowl.
10 - As soon as the breadsticks come out of the oven, generously brush each one with the garlic butter mixture. Serve warm alongside marinara sauce, soup, or salad.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The dough comes together with just a bowl and your hands, no fancy equipment needed, and the kneading is honestly therapeutic after a long day.
- That moment when you brush melted garlic butter over the golden tops and watch it soak in is pure kitchen magic that never gets old.
02 -
- If your yeast does not foam after five minutes in the warm water, throw it out and start with fresh yeast, because dead yeast means flat breadsticks and there is no fixing it later.
- Do not skip the second rise or the breadsticks will be dense and chewy instead of soft and pillowy, which is the whole point of making them from scratch.
03 -
- Knead the dough until it passes the poke test, meaning when you press it with your finger the dent springs back slowly, which tells you the gluten has developed enough for that fluffy interior.
- Brush the garlic butter on while the breadsticks are steaming hot so it soaks in rather than sitting on top like a greasy film.