Homemade Cheesy Garlic Breadsticks Recipe

I perfected my Garlic Breadsticks with a simple trick that creates airy, cheese-studded sticks with irresistibly crisp edges.

As I pulled the golden, cheesy garlic breadsticks from the oven, my heart warmed with the smiles of my family gathered around the table. It was a Saturday night, filled with laughter, love, and the delicious aroma of home.

I still remember the little fight over who grabbed the first stick. I called it my Garlic Bread From Scratch moment, even though it wasnt perfect, the mozzarella cheese bubbled and the garlic hit just right.

This Cheesy Breadsticks memory is why I keep making them on messy weeknights when we need something simple and silly. Theyre messy, gooey, and impossible to eat politely.

Ingredients

• All purpose flour: provides carbs and a bit of protein, gives chewy, kinda soft structure.
• Active dry yeast: tiny fungus that makes dough rise, adds slight yeasty flavor.
• Olive oil: healthy fats, adds moisture and flavor, helps browning and texture.
• Butter: rich in saturated fat but gives golden crust and buttery, savory taste.
• Garlic: pungent, adds savory punch, has antioxidants and helps balance richness.
• Mozzarella cheese: creamy melt, provides protein and calcium, makes bread stretchy and gooey.
• Parmesan: salty, nutty flavor, concentrated cheese punch with extra savory depth.
• Parsley: fresh herb, tiny vitamin C and color boost, lightens heavy flavors.

Ingredient Quantities

• 3 1/2 cups (420 g) all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
• 1 cup (240 ml) warm water about 110 F
• 2 1/4 teaspoons (7 g / 1 packet) active dry yeast
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon fine salt
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 tablespoons (56 g) unsalted butter, melted
• 3 cloves garlic, minced (or 1 1/2 tsp garlic powder)
• 1 1/2 cups (150 g) shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 cup (50 g) grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley (or 1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes)
• 1/2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning (optional)
• 1 tablespoon cornmeal or semolina for dusting (optional)

How to Make this

1. Stir the warm water (about 110 F), sugar and yeast in a bowl and let sit 5 to 10 minutes until foamy, if it doesn’t foam your yeast might be dead so start over.

2. In a large bowl whisk together the 3 1/2 cups flour and 1 teaspoon salt, make a well and pour in the foamy yeast mixture plus 2 tablespoons olive oil, mix until a shaggy dough forms.

3. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead 8 to 10 minutes until smooth and slightly springy, add a little flour if it’s crazy sticky but don’t overdo it.

4. Put the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel and let rise in a warm spot until doubled, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

5. Preheat oven to 425 F and line a baking sheet with parchment or lightly dust with 1 tablespoon cornmeal or semolina, this gives a nice crunch.

6. Punch the dough down, roll it on a floured surface into roughly a 12 x 9 inch rectangle, it’s okay if it’s uneven, real life not perfect.

7. Mix 4 tablespoons melted butter with the minced garlic (or 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder), 1 tablespoon chopped parsley and the 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning if using; reserve about 1 tablespoon for after baking. Brush half the garlic butter over the dough.

8. Sprinkle 1 cup of the mozzarella and 1/4 cup of the Parmesan evenly over the brushed dough, fold the dough in half lengthwise to enclose the cheese, pinch the long seam closed and cut into 10 to 12 strips.

9. Twist each strip a couple times, place seam side down on the prepared sheet about 1 inch apart, brush tops with the remaining garlic butter, then sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella and 1/4 cup Parmesan and a little extra parsley.

10. Bake 12 to 16 minutes until golden and cheese is melty, brush once more with the reserved butter right out of the oven, let cool a few minutes and serve warm.

Equipment Needed

1. Large mixing bowl (for proofing the yeast and mixing the dough)
2. Measuring cups and measuring spoons (for flour, water, sugar, salt, etc)
3. Instant read thermometer to check the water is about 110 F
4. Whisk and a silicone spatula or wooden spoon for combining ingredients
5. Work surface and a bench scraper or just clean hands for kneading and shaping
6. Baking sheet plus parchment paper or cornmeal/semolina for dusting
7. Pastry brush for the garlic butter
8. Rolling pin and a sharp knife or pizza cutter to roll and cut the strips

FAQ

Homemade Cheesy Garlic Breadsticks Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• All-purpose flour: use bread flour (same weight 420 g) for a chewier, taller crumb, or swap up to half with whole wheat (replace up to 210 g) but add 1-2 tbsp more warm water cause whole wheat soaks more and the sticks will be a bit denser.
• Active dry yeast: use instant yeast (same weight, 7 g, stir into dry ingredients no proofing needed) or rapid-rise yeast (same amount). If you have no yeast, try 2 tsp baking powder and bake right away for a quick, more biscuit-like breadstick.
• Mozzarella: substitute provolone, fontina, or Monterey Jack (use about 1 1/2 cups, they melt similarly), or toss in some sharp cheddar for extra flavor.
• Unsalted butter: use salted butter (cut the dough salt by ~1/4 tsp), or replace the melted butter with extra virgin olive oil for a lighter, more Mediterranean taste, but it wont be quite as rich.

Pro Tips

– Weigh the flour or spoon and level it dont just scoop. Using the 420 g measurement makes a big difference vs cup-to-cup. If the dough seems super sticky add flour a tablespoon at a time, but aim for a slightly tacky dough not a dry brick.

– Bloom the yeast in warm water (about 110 F) and be patient. If it barely foams give it another 5 minutes or try a fresh packet. Also dont use water hotter than 120 F or you can kill the yeast.

– Shred your own mozzarella from a block and pat it dry. Pre-shredded cheese has anti-caking stuff and holds extra moisture so your twists can go soggy or ooze. Toss the shreds lightly in a tablespoon of flour if they clump when you fold the dough.

– Preheat the oven and the baking surface well. If you can preheat a baking sheet or use a pizza stone for 20-30 minutes you get a much crisper bottom. Keep an eye the last few minutes so the cheese browns but doesnt burn, and brush with reserved butter right out of the oven for max flavor.