I stole this recipe for Olive Garden Breadsticks from thefoodcharlatan.com who stole it from readableeatables.com. These breadsticks are restaurant treat at home! Yeast, sugar and water start this recipe. Flour is added in small increments to make the dough soft. After letting the dough rise it is cut into breadstick shapes. The dough is left to rise a second time before being brushed with melted butter and sprinkled with salt. Once baked, the breadsticks are brushed with more butter and garlic powder. The final result tastes just like restaurant breadsticks!
“If drumsticks are for playing drums, you would think that breadsticks would be for playing bread, wouldn’t you? “Would you like some breadsticks?” “No, thank you, I don’t play bread. I play drums. Perhaps I’ll have a drum roll.”” – George Carlin, Comedian (see more quotes in the Quotes tab)
Pour 1 ½ cups warm water into a large measuring cup with 2 tbsp sugar and 1 tbsp yeast, and let it sit and froth for about 10 minutes.
In a large mixing bowl add 1 tbsp salt, 2 tbsp softened butter and 2 cups of flour. Pour the yeast mixture into the bowl.
Mix the dough on low. Using the dough hook, add the rest of the flour ½ cup at a time (3 cups total), until dough scrapes the sides of the bowl clean.
Mix the dough about 5 minutes on medium speed, until it is soft and easy to work with. Place the dough in a greased bowl.
Let the dough rest in the bowl, covered, until doubled in size about 1 hour. Then transfer the dough to a floured surface.
Roll the dough out into a long log, spray a knife with cooking spray and cut the dough into 12 – 14 pieces. Roll those pieces into about 6 inch long snakes. Spray 2 large cookie sheets with cooking spray. Lay the breadsticks out on the cookie sheets, leaving about 2 inches between each one.
Let rise at room temperature until doubled (or rise in 170 F oven for 15 minutes).
Once risen, brush the breadsticks with 1 ½ tbsp melted butter and sprinkle with salt. Preheat the oven to 400 F and bake 12 – 14 minutes or until golden brown. While baking, combine 1 ½ tbsp metled butter with 1 tsp garlic powder. When the breadsticks are golden brown, remove from the oven and brush with garlic butter.
Serve the breadsticks warm!
Olive Garden Breadsticks
Ingredients
Dough
- 1 ½ cups warm water
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp yeast
- 1 tbsp salt
- 2 tbsp butter softened
- 4 – 5 cups flour
Topping
- 3 tbsp melted butter divided
- Sea salt
- 1 tsp garlic powder
Instructions
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Pour water into stand mixer with sugar and yeast, and let it sit and froth for about 10 minutes. Add salt, butter and 2 cups of flour. Mix the dough on low. Using the dough hook, add the rest of the flour ½ cup at a time, until dough scrapes the sides of the bowl clean. Mix the dough about 5 minutes on medium speed, until it is soft and easy to work with.
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Let the dough rest in the bowl, covered, until doubled in size about 1 hour. Roll the dough out into a long log, spray a knife with cooking spray and cut the dough into 12 – 14 pieces. Roll those pieces into about 6 inch long snakes. Spray 2 large cookie sheets with cooking spray. Lay the breadsticks out on the cookie sheets, leaving about 2 inches between each one. Let rise at room temperature until doubled (or rise in 170 F oven for 15 minutes).
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Once risen, brush the breadsticks with 1 ½ tbsp melted butter and sprinkle with salt. Preheat the oven to 400 F and bake 12 – 14 minutes or until golden brown. While baking, combine the rest of the butter with 1 tsp garlic powder. When the breadsticks are golden brown, remove from the oven and brush with garlic butter.
Recipe Notes
My cooking time was closer to 20 minutes; I started with 10 minutes then kept adding time by 2 minute increments.