This copycat Olive Garden Breadsticks recipe delivers the same soft, garlicky flavor you love from the restaurant and is simple to make at home.
Breadsticks are even better with a dip — try them with a rich homemade Alfredo sauce.
I promised a copycat Olive Garden Breadsticks recipe, and here it is. If you enjoy Olive Garden flavors, I also have recipes that mimic their salad dressing, Zuppa Toscana, Chicken Gnocchi Soup, a version of Steak Gorgonzola Alfredo, and the Black Tie Mousse Cake — this is a great way to recreate the restaurant experience at home without processed ingredients.
I’ll be honest: I wasn’t excited to tackle yeast bread at first since I often use frozen dough for convenience. But once I got back into it I developed an easy, reliable dough that’s smooth, elastic, and ideal for breadsticks. A helpful trick is to mix initially with a paddle attachment, then switch to a dough hook. That combination encourages the dough to come together and knead properly without sticking to the bowl.
After the dough is made, shaping the breadsticks is the main task. I recommend rolling the dough into one long log on a clean surface and dividing it into the number of breadsticks you want. This recipe yields at least 16 long breadsticks, or about 24 standard Olive Garden–sized sticks if you cut them thinner.
To shape each stick, roll the center of the dough in your hands to get it started, then place it on a dry surface. Roll back and forth with both hands, starting at the center and moving outward, then lift your hands back to the center and repeat. Continue until the breadstick is about 3/4-inch thick. The photos below illustrate this method.
Arrange the breadsticks on a silicone-lined or lightly greased baking sheet about an inch apart. Cover with a towel or lightly greased plastic wrap and let them rise until doubled in size. If you form them the full width of a sheet pan they will be long; cut them to about half that length for the familiar Olive Garden size (roughly 6 inches).
Bake at 350°F for 20–25 minutes or until golden brown. Tip: lightly spray the tops with cooking spray before baking so they brown more evenly and stay moist. The finishing touch is a simple garlic butter topping: melted butter mixed with a pinch of salt and garlic powder. Brush it over the hot breadsticks as soon as they come out of the oven for that signature flavor.
I hope you enjoy these breadsticks — they’re soft, buttery, and perfect alongside soup, salad, or pasta. Save or print the recipe and make a batch for your next meal.
Olive Garden Breadsticks Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cups (414 ml) warm water (110–115°F)
- 2 ¼ tsp (7 g) active dry yeast (one ¼-oz packet)
- 2 Tbsp sugar
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- 1 ½ Tbsp (21 g) butter, room temperature, cut into pieces
- 4 ½ to 5 cups (540–600 g) all-purpose flour (stir, spoon & level)
Topping:
- 2 Tbsp (28 g) butter, melted
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
Instructions
- In a stand mixer bowl with the paddle attachment, stir the yeast and sugar into the warm water. Let the yeast dissolve and bloom, about 5 minutes.
- Add the salt, butter, and 2 cups of the flour. Mix gently to combine.
- With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the remaining flour until the dough is smooth.
- Switch to the dough hook and knead the dough for 10 minutes.
- Place the dough into a greased large bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour.
- Punch down the dough and transfer to a clean counter. Roll into one large log and divide into pieces for the number of breadsticks you want. This makes a minimum of 16 long breadsticks or about 24 standard size if cut thinner.
- To shape each stick, roll the center of the piece between your hands, then place it on the counter and roll back and forth starting at the center and moving outward until the stick is about ¾-inch thick. Keep unworked dough covered to prevent drying.
- Place breadsticks about an inch apart on a silicone-lined or lightly greased baking sheet. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30–60 minutes depending on kitchen temperature.
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly spray tops of breadsticks with cooking spray if desired. Bake 20–25 minutes until golden brown.
- While the breadsticks bake, melt the topping butter, stir in salt and garlic powder. Brush the hot breadsticks immediately after baking. Serve warm. Store leftovers in a plastic bag.
Notes
Sharing this recipe with a link is encouraged. Copying full recipes to social media without permission is prohibited. Content and photographs are copyright protected.
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