If a platter comes out before dinner, it better not have breadsticks on it otherwise I know I won’t eat my dinner. A warm, crispy, herby, garlicky breadstick is irresistible to me and I never know when to stop eating them!
That is exactly the kind of breadstick these are. Super crunchy, garlicky, herby and SO good fresh out of the oven. I know breadsticks can mean different things to different people, but when I say breadstick, I mean the proper hard, crispy kind that you can dunk into a beautiful creamy dip on a cheeseboard.
Obviously you can buy breadsticks from the shops and chuck them on a platter, but homemade breadsticks are just so much better and it’s something that’s easy to overlook. Having a batch of hot breadsticks coming out of the oven when people are over is honestly a game changer. Your whole kitchen smells like freshly baked bread, garlic and herbs before your guests even sit down.
They’re technically supposed to be an appetiser, but bread is always the thing everyone focuses on when they’re at their absolute hungriest, so good luck making these last until dinner haha.
These garlic & herb breadsticks are also really easy to make. They come out fresh, golden and super crunchy, they’re delicious on their own and even better dipped into whatever you’ve got in the middle of your platter.
There is something about making bread from scratch that makes it seem way more impressive than the actual amount of effort involved. These are made with a simple homemade dough, then flavoured with plenty of garlic and herbs before being baked until properly crisp and crunchy.
They are perfect for cheese boards, dips and antipasto platters, or really just eating straight from the tray while they’re still warm. They’re one of those little extras that makes a homemade platter feel SO much better, and the smell of freshly baked bread filling your kitchen is reason enough to make them.
Why Homemade Breadsticks Are So Much Better
Store-bought breadsticks definitely have their place, but nothing really compares to putting warm, freshly baked breadsticks onto a platter or serving as an appetiser for your guests. They’re crisp, fresh and WARM, and although the dip is usually the star these really level things up.
The garlic and herbs make these good enough to eat completely on their own, but they’re even better with a creamy dip, whipped feta, hummus, cheese, olives or basically anything else you would normally put on a platter – personally I have been loving a three-olive dip lately!
Because they bake until properly crunchy, you get that satisfying crispy breadstick texture – no stale breadsticks here. Make a big pile, put them in the middle of the table and watch them disappear before dinner even starts.
A Few Things Before You Start
For properly crunchy breadsticks, try to roll them nice and thin and keep them even in size so they bake at the same rate! Either way, this is a very easy recipe!
Homemade Garlic & Herb Breadsticks Recipe
Below is the full recipe for my homemade garlic & herb breadsticks. They’re crunchy, garlicky, herby and SO good served warm with dips, cheese boards, antipasto platters or just eaten straight from the tray.
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Add the yeast to the warm water in a large mixing bowl and stir to combine. Leave for 5–10 minutes, or until the mixture looks foamy and bubbly on top.
- Add the plain flour, 20g softened salted butter, olive oil and salt to the bowl. Mix everything together with your hands until a rough, shaggy dough begins to form.
- Continue bringing the dough together until it comes together to form a shaggy ball. If the dough feels too dry and won’t come together, add a small splash of water at a time until it does, but it should be pretty dry at this stage. Cover and set aside to rest for 30 minutes.
- After resting, knead the dough for around 5–8 minutes, or until it becomes smoother and more elastic.
- Lightly coat the dough and bowl with olive oil, cover and leave in a warm place for around 45–60 minutes, or until the dough looks noticeably puffy and has roughly doubled in size.
- Once risen, gently press the air out of the dough and give it a final brief knead until you have a smooth ball.
- Using a knife, slice the dough into even strips, then roll each strip between your hands and the bench to create long, thin breadsticks. Try to keep them fairly even in thickness so they bake at the same rate.
- Place the breadsticks onto a lined baking tray, leaving a little space between each one.
- Melt the remaining 10g butter and mix with the minced garlic and Italian herbs. Brush the garlic & herb butter generously over each breadstick.
- Bake at 180°C for approximately 12-15 minutes depending on the size of your breadstick, keeping an eye on them towards the end, until golden, crisp and crunchy. Thinner breadsticks will cook slightly faster.
- Allow to cool slightly so they can crisp up, then serve with your favourite dips, cheese board or platter and enjoy!
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