Garlic breadsticks bake up soft, buttery, and golden, finished with a generous brush of garlic butter. An easy yeast dough delivers pillowy texture and rich flavor that tastes straight from a restaurant!
A Quick Look At The Recipe
This is a brief summary of the recipe. Jump to the recipe to get the full details.
Prep Time
35 minutes
Cook Time
15 minutes
Total Time
50 minutes
Servings
16 breadsticks
Difficulty
Easy to intermediate—great if you’ve made yeast dough once or twice before.
Calories *
138 kcal per serving
Technique
Bloom yeast, mix and knead dough, rise, shape, bake, and finish with garlic butter.
Flavor Profile
Soft, fluffy breadsticks with rich butter and savory garlic flavor.
* Based on nutrition panel
I made these with dinner last night and they disappeared immediately. The rise times were spot on, and brushing the butter after baking made them taste exactly like restaurant breadsticks. My family already asked when I’m making them again. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Lauren
Why You Will Love These
- Soft, fluffy texture with a golden exterior. The dough bakes up tender with just enough structure to hold all that butter.
- Straightforward yeast dough. No complicated techniques—just classic bread fundamentals that work.
- Garlic butter done right. Brushing after baking keeps the flavor bold and the breadsticks soft.
- Perfect for sharing. These are made for pasta nights, soups, or just pulling apart while they’re still warm.
Table of Contents
Making breadsticks from scratch can feel intimidating, but this recipe is exactly the kind that builds confidence. If you’ve made pizza dough or dinner rolls before, this will feel familiar—and if you haven’t, it’s a great place to start.
If you enjoy baking bread at home, you might also love my classic sandwich bread recipe or faster options like same day sourdough bread when you’re short on time.
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Warm water (110–115°F): The temperature matters here—too hot can kill the yeast, too cool will slow the rise.
- Active dry yeast: Blooming it first ensures it’s alive and ready to work. You can also use instant yeast; no blooming required.
- Granulated sugar: Feeds the yeast and helps with browning.
- All-purpose flour: Creates a soft, fluffy crumb that’s perfect for breadsticks.
- Unsalted butter: Used both in the dough and for brushing—this is where richness comes from.
- Garlic powder & dried oregano: Simple seasonings that give classic garlic breadstick flavor without overpowering.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Variations for Garlic Breadsticks
- Add cheesy flair: Sprinkle freshly grated Parmesan cheese or mozzarella over a batch right after baking so it melts into the butter.
- Experiment with shapes: Twist the dough into garlic knots for a fun variation and serve alongside easy marinara sauce!
- Use fresh garlic: Swap garlic powder for finely grated fresh garlic, mixed into the melted butter just before brushing.
- Make them herby: Add dried basil, parsley, or Italian seasoning to the butter topping for extra aroma. For a bolder herb-and-garlic vibe, you’ll also love this rosemary garlic bread.
Professional Tips
- Aim for soft dough. The dough should feel slightly tacky but not wet—adding too much flour will make dense breadsticks.
- Respect the second rise. That short rest after shaping gives you lighter, fluffier breadsticks.
- Butter after baking. This keeps the garlic flavor strong and prevents scorching.
How do you make garlic breadsticks in the oven?
Use these instructions to make perfect garlic breadsticks every time. Further details and measurements can be found in the recipe card below.
Step 1: Bloom the yeast. In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk the sugar and yeast into the warm water. Let sit for about 10 minutes, until foamy and active (photo 1).
Step 2: Form the dough. Add 3½ cups of the flour, the salt, and the melted butter. Stir until a shaggy dough forms (photo 2).
Step 3: Knead until smooth. Knead by hand for about 10 minutes, or with a dough hook attachment, on medium speed for 5 minutes, adding only enough remaining flour to create a soft, slightly sticky dough that pulls away from the bowl (photo 3).
Step 4: First rise. Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, turning once to coat. Cover and let rise for 1 hour, or until doubled in size (photos 4 & 5).
Step 5: Divide the dough. Punch down the dough and roll it into a long log. Cut into 16 equal pieces, each about 1½ inches wide (photos 6 & 7).
Step 6: Shape the breadsticks. Roll each piece of dough into a 7–8 inch rope and place on parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart (photo 8).
Step 7: Second rise. Cover and let the breadsticks rise for 30 minutes, until slightly puffy (photo 9).
If making ahead, shape the dough and refrigerate overnight, then let rise slightly before baking.
Step 8: Bake until golden. Brush with 1 tablespoon melted butter and sprinkle with half the salt. Bake at 400°F for about 15 minutes, rotating pans as needed, until lightly golden brown (photos 10 & 11).
Bake on lined cookie sheets using parchment paper or aluminum foil for easy cleanup.
Step 9: Finish with garlic butter. Brush hot breadsticks with remaining butter and sprinkle with garlic powder, oregano, and remaining salt. Serve warm (photo 12).
Recipe FAQs
Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. Freeze fully cooled breadsticks tightly wrapped for up to 1 month.
They’re perfect alongside pasta dishes, stews, your favorite soups, or a simple salad like this roasted vegetable salad. For game-day spreads, pair them with my soft pretzel recipe and a couple dips.
Warm in a 350°F oven for 5–7 minutes or until heated through.
Recommended Bread Appetizers
Yeast Breads
Yeast Breads
Appetizers & Snacks
Yeast Breads
If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave a star rating and let me know how it goes in the comments below! I love hearing from you and your comments make my day!
Garlic Breadsticks
Ingredients
For the Dough
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2¼ teaspoons active dry yeast, 1 packet
- 1½ cups warm water, 110–115°F
- 3½ – 4½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
For the Garlic Butter Topping
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
Instructions
- In a large bowl or stand mixer bowl, whisk together the sugar, yeast, and warm water. Let stand 8–10 minutes, until foamy and active.
- Add 3½ cups flour, salt, and melted butter. Stir until a shaggy dough forms. Add additional flour 1–2 tablespoons at a time only if the dough feels very wet.
- Knead by hand for 8–10 minutes, or with a dough hook on medium speed for 5 minutes, until the dough is smooth, elastic, and slightly tacky but not sticky. The dough should pull away from the sides of the bowl.
- Transfer dough to a lightly oiled bowl, turning once to coat. Cover and let rise in a warm place for about 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
- Punch down the dough and roll into a log. Cut into 16 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a 7–8 inch rope and place on parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing about 2 inches apart.
- Cover loosely and let rise for 25–30 minutes, until slightly puffy but not doubled.
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Brush breadsticks with 1 tablespoon melted butter and sprinkle with half the salt. Bake for 14–16 minutes, rotating pans halfway through, until lightly golden on top.
- Immediately brush hot breadsticks with remaining butter and sprinkle with remaining salt, garlic powder, and oregano. Serve warm.
Notes
- Texture: Dough should feel soft, not dry.
- Flavor Tip: Butter after baking for best garlic flavor.
- Storage: Best enjoyed fresh but reheats well.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this recipe? Rate & comment below!Before You Go
I hope you enjoyed this cozy, buttery breadstick recipe. Be sure to check out my other homemade yeasted bread recipes for more baking inspiration.
I love bread and thank you for giving us a recipe to make in our homes. Thanks for sharing!
Be still my heart! These breadsticks are everything!
And as for the “rut” – yes, that is the way of most creatives, I think! Just keep going, dear… you are getting there :).
I love breadsticks! I’ve never made them at home before because I know I will eat all of them!
Kari
http://www.sweetteasweetie.com
Sending you positive vibes – don’t fret too much about feeling down, we all experience it so you’re not alone!!! Personally after blogging for a year, there are some blogs I really look forward to reading every week and yours is one of them – your bread recipes are some of the most legit floating around the web if you ask me. I hope 2016 gives you newfound creativity!!! <3
We want to see your real life!!! I feel like we all go through blogging ruts at least a little bit – I’ve been feeling creatively stuck recently and only brainstorming when I’ve needed to instead of being struck randomly by inspiration, but it all ebbs and flows over time, right?!
Also, these pictures are GORGEOUS and make me totally want to reach over and grab one…or three…of these beautiful breadsticks. Nothing with garlic butter can be bad! Stick with doing what you love, and the readers will love you back 🙂 <3
First, this recipe is killer. I can’t wait to make it and spice up lasagna night!
Second, I hear ya on the burnout. I think part of it is that we are creatives. We are prone to cycles. But also, I blame someone at a blog conference (I can’t remember who it was, but it was 1.5 years ago), that told me I should be posting the recipes my readers want to see. So I did that. And thus began my 1.5 year unhappiness stint with blogging. A blog used to be my creative outlet. And now it’s my business? No way. I’d rather go back to work and keep blogging on the side for ME.
Anyway, I’m here for you. I should have texting you all of this instead of writing it here in PUBLIC.
xoxoxox
These breadsticks look amazing!! I think your photos are pretty darn good! You should see the photo of my breadsticks… Yours blow mine away. Well done!!
I’m so sorry you are suffering from burn out dear! I know the feeling all too well, and I think it’s something we all go through at one point or another. Before break to help with the burn out, I tried to get three weeks ahead on blogging so I could take a “break” during Christmas and New Year’s. It helped a lot! I hope that you are feeling recharged now that it’s a New Year and now that these garlic breadsticks are in your belly. BTW these breadsticks are AMAZING. Who cares about the photos? I think they look great! 😉 Looking forward to seeing you in a few weeks! XOXO
haha, the recipe title speaks for itself! No convincing here! I think these breadsticks sound (and LOOK) lovely!
Oh these look fantastic! And the photos look pretty good to me! And I hear you on the comparing yourself to others..it’s so hard not to especially in the blogging world..but just remember when you are envying someone someone else is probably envying your work! like me 🙂 keep up the great work! love your blog!