These garlic breadsticks are made with a soft yeast dough, then brushed with melted butter, fresh garlic, garlic powder, and salt, and finished with grated parmesan and parsley right out of the oven.

They’re pillowy inside with a golden, buttery top.

Make them for pasta night, soup suppers, or any dinner that needs bread on the side.

I put out a bowl of warm marinara for dipping, and they go perfectly with anything from these soup and sandwich pairings.

If you’re planning a cozy dinner with bread on the side, these are worth bookmarking too:

Ingredients You’ll Need

Bread flour gives these a bit more chew, but all-purpose works fine. Fresh garlic in the butter makes a big difference, so don’t rely on powder alone.

Ingredients

1 cup (240 ml) warm water (about 105 to 110°F)
2 1/4 teaspoons (1 packet) instant or active dry yeast
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
3 cups (375 g) all-purpose or bread flour, plus more as needed
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (for topping)
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon flaky or coarse salt
1/4 cup finely grated parmesan
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
Warm marinara sauce, for dipping

Directions

In a large bowl or stand mixer, stir together the warm water, yeast, and sugar.
Let it sit for 5 minutes until foamy on top.
No foam means the yeast is old or the water was too hot, so start again before wasting flour.
Add the softened butter, salt, and 2 1/2 cups of flour and mix until a dough starts to form.
Add the remaining flour a few tablespoons at a time until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
It should feel soft and slightly tacky, but not stick to your fingers.
Knead for 5 minutes in a stand mixer with the dough hook, or 7 to 8 minutes by hand, until smooth and elastic.
Poke it with a finger, and if it springs back slowly, it’s ready.
Place it in an oiled bowl, cover, and let it rise for 1 hour until doubled.
Punch down the dough and divide it into 12 equal pieces (about 55 grams each if you have a scale).
Roll each piece into a rope about 7 inches long, keeping it an even thickness.
Place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet about 2 inches apart.
Cover loosely with a towel and let them rise again for 30 to 45 minutes until puffy.
Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) during the second rise.
This second rise is what makes them soft and fluffy, so don’t skip it even if you’re short on time.
While they rise, warm the melted butter with the minced garlic in a small pan over low heat for 2 minutes.
You just want the garlic fragrant and softened, not browned (browned garlic tastes bitter).
Stir in the garlic powder.
Brush the breadsticks lightly with some of the garlic butter.
Bake for 12 to 15 minutes until golden brown on top and lightly browned underneath.
Rotate the pan halfway through if your oven browns unevenly.
As soon as they come out, brush generously with the rest of the garlic butter.
Sprinkle with flaky salt, parmesan, and parsley while they’re still hot so everything sticks.
Let them cool for 5 minutes on the pan.
Serve warm with marinara for dipping and enjoy!

Important Recipe Notes

Check your water temperature. Around 105 to 110°F is right. It should feel like a warm bath, not hot, since hot water kills yeast.
Don’t add too much flour. A slightly tacky dough bakes into soft breadsticks. Too much flour makes them dense and dry.
Butter twice. Brushing before baking helps them brown, and brushing again after gives you that glossy, garlicky finish.

Keep the garlic from burning. Warm the butter gently and keep it off the heat once fragrant. Burnt garlic turns the whole batch bitter.
Make the dough ahead. After kneading, cover the dough and refrigerate it overnight. Let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before shaping.
Storage. Keep cooled breadsticks in a zip-top bag at room temperature for up to 2 days.
Freezing and reheating. Freeze baked breadsticks for up to 2 months. Wrap them in foil and reheat at 350°F for 8 to 10 minutes, then brush with a little more garlic butter.

How to Serve, Store & Customize This Recipe

Serving:

Serve the garlic breadsticks warm, piled in a basket lined with a cloth napkin to keep them soft.

They’re perfect with spaghetti, lasagna, salads, or tomato soup. Warm marinara or alfredo sauce makes a great dip.

Storage:

Store leftovers in an airtight bag at room temperature for up to 2 days. They’ll firm up slightly (that’s normal).

Wrap in foil and warm them in the oven to bring back the softness, since the microwave makes them chewy once they cool.

Customization:

Sprinkle shredded mozzarella on top for the last 3 minutes of baking to make cheesy garlic breadsticks.

Add Italian seasoning or red pepper flakes to the garlic butter for extra flavor. For twisted breadsticks, twist each rope a few times before the second rise.