Bread Machine Garlic Breadsticks (DOUGH Cycle + Oven-Baked)

These bread machine garlic breadsticks are golden on the outside, tender inside, and brushed with a savory garlic butter glaze. Perfect for pairing with pasta, soup, or a simple dipping sauce..

16 breadsticks

Prep Time 40

Cook Time 11

Mix and Rise Time 2

Total Time 2 51

Ingredients

Dough:

1 cup (227 g) water
3 tablespoon (3 tablespoon) instant nonfat dry milk
4 tablespoons (52 g) olive oil
1½ teaspoon (1½ teaspoon) table or sea salt
1½ tablespoons (1½ tablespoons) granulated sugar
3 cups (360 g) all-purpose unbleached flour
1½ teaspoons (1½ teaspoons) instant yeast

Buttery Garlic Glaze:

1 clove garlic - finely chopped
3 tablespoons (42 g) melted butter
½ teaspoon (½ teaspoon) Italian seasoning

Alternate Egg Glaze:

1 large (50 g) egg
2 tablespoons (26 g) olive oil

Instructions

Making the Dough:

Making the Dough:Place 1 cup water, 3 tablespoon instant nonfat dry milk, 4 tablespoons olive oil, 1½ teaspoon table or sea salt, 1½ tablespoons granulated sugar, 3 cups all-purpose unbleached flour, and 1½ teaspoons instant yeast into the bread machine pan.
Select the DOUGH cycle, then START.
Check the Dough: During the first minute, lift the lid and take a peek. Check to see if the paddles are correctly engaged. The dough should start to clump immediately.
Recheck the consistency of the dough 15 minutes into the DOUGH cycle.
If your dough is too wet, add flour one tablespoon at a time. The dough should stick to the side, then pull away cleanly.
Conversely, if the dough is too dry, add 1+ tablespoons of water until the dough looks just right. Learn more about this surprising secret to success with a bread machine here.
End of DOUGH cycle: The dough should be doubled. If not, give it more rise time until it is. Restart the DOUGH cycle and knead for 1 minute to deflate the dough. Stop the machine and turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, shape into a smooth ball, cover, and let rest for 10 minutes.
Shaping the dough: Divide the dough in half and shape it into two balls. Roll out each ball into a 7 x 9-inch rectangle. Let the dough rest for 10-15 minutes.
Cut the dough into 8 strips with a knife or a pizza cutter. Leave the strips straight for a classic look or twist them (hides shaping irregularities) as shown in the pictures in the post. If they resist twisting, let them rest for a few minutes, and try again.
Second Rise: Cover the strips with a tea towel. Let them rise until puffy and almost double in size.
Preheat oven to 500˚F (260˚C).
Glaze: Meanwhile, mix the ingredients for the glaze of your choice. When the breadsticks are ready to bake, brush them with the glaze. Sprinkle with Kosher or sea salt.
Bake: Turn the oven back to 475˚F (241˚C) and bake for 7-9 minutes or until golden brown. You may need to rotate the tray halfway through for more even browning. Watch your rolls carefully. At this high temperature, they can easily over bake if your oven is not calibrated correctly.
Cool and Serve: Brush the breadsticks with butter immediately after the breadsticks come out of the oven. Serve warm.

Notes

Kitchen Tips for Twisted Breadsticks

Don’t over-twist: 2-3 twists are plenty—any more, and they may unravel.
Avoid thick strips: Thicker dough is more likely to untwist while rising.
Press down if needed: If a twist won’t hold, press the whole strip gently with the palm of your hand to reinforce the shape.
Let the dough rest: If the dough resists shaping, walk away for a few minutes. When you return, it’ll be easier to handle.

Heads-up: Avoid doubling this recipe. Most bread machines cannot adequately knead more than 4½–5 cups of flour and may overheat. More details here.

Make Ahead: Dough can be refrigerated after the DOUGH cycle or shaped first and chilled overnight. Let rise until soft and puffy before baking.

Freezing Options:

Unbaked dough: Freeze after the DOUGH cycle or after shaping (before final rise). Defrost in the fridge overnight.
Baked bread: Double-wrap and freeze up to one month. Reheat gently.

Storage tips: Cool completely before storing. Keep unsliced in a plastic bag or bread box. Avoid refrigerating—bread molds faster in humid cold.

Alternative Mixing Methods:

Stand Mixer: Mix until moistened, then knead with a dough hook (speed 2–3) until smooth and elastic (5–10 minutes). Let rise, deflate, and shape as directed.
By Hand: Mix to a shaggy dough, knead on a floured surface until smooth and elastic (10–20 minutes). Let rise, deflate, and shape as directed.

Yeast Notes: Active dry yeast may be substituted. Use about ¼ teaspoon more than instant yeast. Dissolving first is optional.

Nutritional Information