Olive Garden Breadsticks
The ultimate comfort food, Olive Garden Breadsticks are fluffy, warm, and irresistibly delicious. With a buttery garlic glaze and soft texture, these homemade delights will have everyone craving more. Perfect for dinner or as a savory snack, you'll want to make them tonight!
Equipment
- Baking Sheet
- Oven
- Mixing Bowl
Ingredients
- 1.5 cups warm water
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon instant or rapid rise yeast
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 2 tablespoons butter (softened)
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons butter (melted and divided)
- 0.5 teaspoon sea salt (to taste)
- 0.25 teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- Start by preparing your ingredients. In a stand mixer, pour the warm water and sprinkle in the sugar and yeast. Allow this mixture to sit for about 10 minutes. You should see bubbles forming on the surface, indicating that the yeast is active and ready to work its magic.
- Once the yeast is frothy, add in the salt, butter, and 2 cups of the all-purpose flour. Begin mixing on low speed until combined. You want to create a smooth mixture before adding any more flour.
- Gradually add the rest of the flour, half a cup at a time. Continue mixing until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl and forms a cohesive ball. This should take about 5 minutes on medium speed. The dough should be soft, slightly sticky, and easy to work with.
- Once the dough has come together, transfer it to a lightly floured surface. Knead it for a minute or two to develop the gluten, which will give your breadsticks their wonderful chewiness.
- Next, roll the dough out into a long log and cut it into 12 to 14 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a rope about 6 inches long. This step is where you can get creative with the shape; they don’t have to be perfect!
- Spray two large cookie sheets with cooking spray to prevent sticking. Lay the breadsticks on the sheets, leaving about 2 inches of space between each one to allow for rising.
- Turn your oven to 170 degrees Fahrenheit and place the cookie sheets inside. This warm environment is perfect for helping your breadsticks rise. Allow them to sit for about 20 minutes, or until they have doubled in size.
- Once the breadsticks have risen, remove them from the oven and brush them with 1 and 1/2 tablespoons of the melted butter. Sprinkle the surface with sea salt for that classic flavor.
- Now it’s time to preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. This high temperature is key to achieving that beautiful golden brown color.
- Bake the breadsticks for about 12 to 15 minutes. You’ll know they are done when they are a lovely golden brown. As they bake, combine the remaining melted butter with the garlic powder.
- Once the breadsticks are golden brown, take them out of the oven and immediately brush them with the garlic butter mixture for an additional burst of flavor. Serve warm and enjoy!
Notes
- Tip 1: Be sure to allow ample time for breadsticks to rise, about an hour, so they are fluffy.
- Tip 2: The closer the oven rack is to the element the more golden brown the top will be, so if you want them golden brown move your rack up one level.
- Tip 3: Make sure you use sea salt for the garlic butter as this is key to getting that Olive Garden taste.
- Tip 4: This recipe does make quite a few, so if you do have leftovers and need to store them allow them to cool completely. Then wrap them in foil and again in plastic and store them in the refrigerator.
- Tip 5: Wrap the breadsticks in foil to protect the crust. This will keep the crust from burning but allow the inside to reheat. If you reheat it without wrapping it in foil first, the breadsticks will be hard. Bake in a preheated oven at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for about 5 minutes to warm them up.