Quick to make, these divine homemade breadsticks prove that making yeast dough from scratch is easy. The result is delicious breadsticks in under an hour!

Easily one of the most oft-made bread recipes around here, these breadsticks have been a staple for nearly two decades. Easy, fast, and SO YUMMY!

Five breadsticks on wood board.

Homemade Breadstick Dough

The dough for these homemade breadsticks is extremely straightforward and easy.

It can be made in a stand mixer with a dough hook or can easily be made by hand (with an old-fashioned bowl, spoon, and hand-kneading).

The breadstick dough is resilient and pretty much foolproof. Leave it to rest/rise right in the bowl it was mixed in.

Breadstick dough rising in Bosch mixer.

Cutting and Shaping the Breadsticks

After the dough has rested for a few minutes, pat it into a thick rectangle, about 16-inches by 7-inches or so.

Use a pizza cutter to slice the dough into 1-inch strips.

Breadsticks cut in strips on counter.

Give each breadstick a little twist (optional, but I always do it) and place on a half sheet pan that’s been slathered with butter (as noted in the recipe).

I usually get anywhere from 14-16 breadsticks out of the recipe.

Sprinkle the breadsticks with seasonings. I like to use a garlic seasoning blend (lots of options at the store for this: Johnny’s garlic spread, Spice Islands Garlic and Herb).

If you don’t have a pre-mixed blend, you can use dried oregano, dried basil, or Italian seasoning.

Risen breadsticks on buttered half sheet pan.

Let the breadsticks rest and rise until noticeably puffy and then bake until golden.

You can brush with butter right out of the oven, if desired.

Brushing butter on homemade breadsticks.

You won’t believe how easy and delicious these breadsticks are.

Most of the time, we double the recipe because it’s hardly any extra work for double the breadstick goodness (and the kids devour the leftovers for snacks and lunches).

They are our go-to side dish for everything from Instant Pot pasta to creamy soup.

They are fabulous!

Baked pan of breadsticks with salad in background.

A Fan Favorite

With over 500 5-star reviews, this homemade breadsticks recipe has become a beloved favorite of many!

Judy says: Love love love this recipe. So quick. So convenient. So YUMMY! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Lauren writes: These came out amazing….I’m on my second batch my husband demanded I make another batch this week as well. Definitely a hit! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

KD writes: Just tried this recipe tonight! This will be a hit for my movie nights. So soft and fluffy and VERY easy recipe to follow! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Maegen says: Made these last night and they turned out amazing. We doubled it and put butter, cinnamon, and sugar on half for dessert. We will be using this recipe again for sure! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Breadstick in half on wood board.

FAQs for Divine 1-hour Breadsticks

Can I make these ahead of time?

Yes, you can shape the breadsticks, place on the pan, cover and refrigerate for up to 12 hours before baking.

Can I make this dough by hand instead of in a stand mixer?

Yes.

What kind of herbs do you use?

I usually use a garlic/herb seasoning or Johnny’s garlic seasoning. You can also use dried basil, oregano or Italian seasoning.

Buttered breadsticks in towel on wood board.
Five breadsticks on wood board with marinara sauce.

Divine 1-Hour Breadsticks

4.71 stars (611 ratings)

Ingredients

Dough:

  • 1 ½ cups warm water
  • 1 tablespoon instant yeast
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 3 to 4 cups (426-568 g) flour (see note)

Butter and Topping:

  • 3 tablespoons butter, melted (for the baking sheet)
  • Dried herbs, garlic salt and grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions 

  • In an electric stand mixer fitted with the dough hook (or in a large bowl by hand), mix together the water, yeast, sugar, salt and one cup of the flour.
  • Continue adding the flour until the dough just clears the sides of the bowl; knead for about three minutes. It should be soft and slightly sticky without leaving a lot of residue on your fingers.
  • Let the dough rest in the bowl for 10 minutes.
  • While the dough rests, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Spread the melted butter onto large, rimmed baking sheet (about 11X17-inches).
  • On a lightly greased countertop, pat the dough into a long rectangle, about 16-inches by 7-inches or so. Cut the dough every 1-inch (more or less) into strips with a pizza cutter.
  • Twist each strip slightly and place about 1/2-inch apart on the baking sheet. Sprinkle lightly with dried herbs of choice, garlic salt and Parmesan cheese.
  • Let rise for 20 minutes (you can cover with greased plastic wrap, if desired, I usually go without). Bake for 15 minutes until golden.

Notes

UPDATE: The original recipe bakes at 375 degrees but I’ve found I like to bake them at 400 degrees to get them more brown on top.
Types of Flour: for the flour, over the years, I’ve made them most often with white whole wheat flour. They are a bit heartier and slightly more dense but still delicious. They are also spectacular with bread flour. Or just regular unbleached all-purpose flour. My favorite combo (seriously, I’ve made these so many times) is about 10 ounces bread flour and 9 ounces white whole wheat flour. Magical.
Flour Amount: keep in mind that even with the weight and cup measures given, with all yeast doughs, I never use the flour amount called for in the recipe as a hard fast rule. Because humidity, temperature, altitude and a multitude of other factors can impact how much flour you need in your yeast doughs, I always judge when to quit adding flour by the texture and look and feel of the dough rather than how much flour I’ve added compared to the recipe.
Yeast: this tutorial on yeast may help identify how a perfectly floured dough should be. For this recipe, the dough should be soft and just slightly sticky without leaving a crazy amount of dough residue on your fingers.
Serving: 1 breadstick, Calories: 89kcal, Carbohydrates: 16g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 2g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 5mg, Sodium: 133mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 1g
Follow @MelsKitchenCafe on Instagram and show me the recipes you are making from my blog using the hashtag #melskitchencafe. I love seeing all the goodness you are whipping up in your kitchens!

Recipe Source: adapted from my sister-in-law, Erin W.

Eight pictures showing the start-to-finish steps of making breadsticks.