Bread and Yeast Goods/ Cookies

Crispy Breadsticks (Grissini)

July 1, 2022

Classic crispy Italian bread sticks, also known as grissini in Italian, are great as a snack or served on the side of any meal. These are simple to make and taste just like they came from a restaurant!

Crispy Breadsticks / Grissini

Grissini breadsticks are one of those things I had to make over and over again until I got the recipe just right. The ingredients, the thickness and length of each strip of dough, the temperature and baking time, the saltiness—they all make a big difference when making grissini. But it was all worth the hard work because I’m about to share with you a delicious restaurant-quality breadsticks recipe.

Crispy Breadsticks / Grissini

How to make grissini breadsticks

Making homemade breadsticks is much simpler than you might think!

  1. Make the dough. Using a mixer fitted with the dough hook, mix all ingredient on low speed until well combined, 2-3 minutes. Increase mixer speed to medium-low and mix for another 5 minutes.
  2. Let the dough rise. Cover the mixing bowl with plastic wrap and let sit for one hour at room temperature.
  3. Preheat your oven to 375°F/190°C. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
  4. Shape the breadsticks. Divide dough into 24 pieces, each weighing about 25g (1 oz). Roll each piece into a log that is roughly 10-inches long 1/4-1/2 inch wide, depending on how thick you want them. Keep in mind that the breadsticks will expand during baking. Place on prepared baking sheets, allowing sufficient space between each stick. If you like, brush them with olive oil and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese or sesame seeds.
  5. Bake. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until light golden and crisp. While the first batch is baking, cover the other baking sheet with plastic wrap until it’s ready to go into the oven.

Note: For parmesan breadsticks, reduce the salt by half and add 3 tablespoons of freshly grated Parmesan cheese to the dough.

Bread flour or all-purpose flour?

I’ve been making homemade breadsticks mostly with bread flour, but I tested the recipe with all-purpose flour and they tasted amazing! The texture isn’t quite as bready, but I like both versions.

Shaping grissini breadsticks

I usually split the dough into pieces and shape each one individually into a strip, however there is another trick if you prefer: lightly flour the work surface and shape the dough into a square, about 10×10-inches. Cut the dough into 1/2-inch wide (or thinner) strips. You can roll each strip with your fingertips for a rustic look or just leave it as is.

When shaping the strips, their size and how long or thick they are is totally up to you. I like them a bit thicker than the very thin Italian ones, but this recipe will work for either. Still, I suggest not making them thicker than 1/2-inch. If you choose to make them very thin, you’ll need to bake them for less time than the recipe suggests, just until they’re golden.

Note: Make sure the strips of dough are as equal as possible in size so that they bake evenly.

Crispy Breadsticks / Grissini

More of my favorite bread recipes

  • No-Knead Bread: A delicious, rustic white bread that requires no kneading at all.
  • Focaccia: Crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.
  • Garlic Knots: There’s so much garlic flavor in these fluffy garlic knots.
  • Perfect Challah: Lightly sweet, soft, fluffy, and fairy-free.
4.84 from 24 votes
Crispy Breadsticks / Grissini
Breadsticks (Grissini) Recipe
Prep Time: 30 mins
Cook Time: 25 mins
Rising time: 1 hr
Total Time: 1 hr 55 mins
YIELD: 25 breadsticks
 

Classic crispy Italian bread sticks, great as a snack or on the side of any meal These are simple to make and taste just like they came from a restaurant!


Ingredients
  • 2 3/4 cups (380g) bread flour or all-purpose flour*
  • 1 teaspoon instant dry yeast
  • 3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon (195 ml) warm water
  • 1/4 cup (60 ml) olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons (30g) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons fine salt
Optional:
  • Olive oil , melted butter, or water, for brushing
  • Sesame seeds or Parmesan cheese , for sprinkling
Instructions
  1. Using a mixer fitted with the dough hook, mix all ingredient on low speed until well combined, 2-3 minutes. Increase mixer speed to medium-low and mix for another 5 minutes. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let sit for one hour at room temperature.
  2. Preheat oven to 375°F/190°C. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

  3. Divide dough into 24 pieces, each weighing about 25g. Roll each piece into a log that is roughly 10-12 inches long, depending how thin you want them, and 1/4-1/2 inch wide. Keep in mind that they will expand during baking. Place on prepared baking sheets, allowing sufficient space between each stick. If you like, brush them with oil or water and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese or sesame seeds.

  4. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until light golden and crisp. While the first batch is baking, cover the other baking sheet with plastic wrap until it’s ready to go into the oven.

  5. Allow breadsticks to completely cool on a wire rack. They will keep in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Recipe Notes

*I prefer using bread flour because it provides more structure for the dough, but you can use all-purpose if that’s what you have on hand.

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57 Comments

  • Reply
    Kathleen Stickel
    June 12, 2017 at 5:27 pm

    Outstanding recipe! Thank you for perfecting the recipe. It’s everything thing you described and more. It’s definitely a true Italian breadstick, just like my Italian grandmothers used to make.

  • Reply
    Susan
    June 19, 2017 at 9:13 am

    Hi, Just curious – you don’t mention a temperature for the liquid. I’m assuming not cold, correct?

    • Reply
      Shiran
      June 20, 2017 at 3:45 am

      Yes, the water should be warm to the touch.

    • Reply
      Richard
      May 17, 2020 at 10:24 am

      The ideal dough temperature is 26c so if you do the following sum it will give you the required water temp

      Double 26 = 52 then minus the flour temp gives you the water temp

  • Reply
    Albert Bevia
    January 16, 2018 at 12:34 pm

    Love these type of crunchy brearsticks, this is a great recipe with easy to follow directions…great stuff

  • Reply
    David R Campbell
    March 16, 2018 at 3:38 pm

    Just made these. Excellent! Thank you for the recipe.

  • Reply
    Katarina
    April 10, 2018 at 12:38 pm

    These were great! Do you have any suggestions for other flavours?

    • Reply
      Shiran
      April 11, 2018 at 9:57 am

      I only tried it with chopped fresh thyme (about 2 tablespoons), and they were great. You can add chopped fresh rosemary or a few crushed garlic cloves.

  • Reply
    Ida
    September 16, 2018 at 1:49 pm

    Really tasty — I did slightly modify the recipe by first ensuring the water was at 120 degrees, and mixed it with the yeast before blending with remaining ingredients. Not sure if that changed the proof but it had a nice snap on the outside and just bread-y enough on the inside. Great flavor!

  • Reply
    Heather
    January 11, 2019 at 9:55 pm

    Wonderful taste and texture. Used all purpose with Parmesan mixed in and brushed with olive oil and sprinkled with more Parmesan.

  • Reply
    Missie Bender
    February 3, 2019 at 11:24 pm

    This recipe is excellent! I brush the tops with olive oil and sprinkle with Maldon salt before baking … delicious!
    I made them as gifts over the holidays and everyone loved them. I just made them again and served them at a dinner party over the weekend. …rave reviews from all.

  • Reply
    Cleo
    February 15, 2019 at 5:35 pm

    Hi there, I’m really looking forward to try this recipe. I’d like to know if it will still be possible to make them by hand without a mixture? Thanks!

    • Reply
      Shiran
      February 21, 2019 at 5:31 am

      It is possible, it would just take some extra work 🙂

      • Reply
        anupriya agarwal
        March 16, 2020 at 8:52 am

        Made it today -very easy to make and they came out yum!

    • Reply
      Yarrow Morgan
      March 27, 2019 at 8:32 pm

      I’ve done it by hand and it was great. I used black pepper and kosher salt. Yum

      • Reply
        Mindy
        July 26, 2020 at 2:49 am

        Hi, may I know whether the dough is supposed to rise. I have left it out for more than an hour but it doesn’t seem to have risen.

        • Reply
          Shiran
          July 27, 2020 at 4:38 am

          It should rise, but not a lot, so it might be ok!

        • Reply
          Tyler
          November 22, 2020 at 7:43 pm

          Since so little yeast is used in the recipe, I would recommend mixing the yeast with the warm (not hot) water and sugar. Stir a bit and let sit for about ten minutes and make sure there is a foamy layer. Now you know your yeast has come to life!

  • Reply
    Kathy
    March 12, 2019 at 10:28 am

    I made this recipe, following the directions exactly and the dough was very dry. Hard to work with. What am I doing wrong? The breadstick tasted good but didn’t have that pretty smooth look.

    • Reply
      Leslie
      October 9, 2021 at 5:59 pm

      If you weighed the flour, 2.75 cups X 120gms/cup = 330 grams, not 380 as noted. Maybe a typo?

      • Reply
        Talia @ Pretty. Simple. Sweet.
        October 11, 2021 at 4:54 am

        Hi Leslie, I use 140g as my standard weight for a cup of flour:)

  • Reply
    Andrea
    March 12, 2019 at 11:01 pm

    Can I use more olive oil instead of butter?

    • Reply
      Shiran
      March 17, 2019 at 4:45 am

      Yes, you can. If the dough will be too soft, add a bit more flour.

  • Reply
    Barry Miles
    March 24, 2019 at 12:54 pm

    Made these with my daughter for a school project, and they came out amazing, thank you. She really enjoyed it, simple and effective.

  • Reply
    Paolinos
    June 12, 2019 at 1:22 pm

    I baked them at 190 degrees C for 10 min. and then I lowered the oven to 100 degrees C. for 15 min… They were more crispy

  • Reply
    Mike
    September 25, 2019 at 4:19 pm

    This seriously is the definitive “classic” Italian breadstick. Stick to the recipe and then start to play with things to put in the dough. I plan on doing some dry oregano in dough, and then brush with oil, kosher salt, and bake.

    • Reply
      Allan
      October 30, 2022 at 10:43 am

      I followed this recipe relatively faithfully for a dinner party last night and they went down a storm! More praise than I could ever have expected for breadsticks! I made the dough by hand. Brushed with olive oil, sprinkled on sesame seeds, first batch with grated Parmasan, 2nd with a sprinkle of sea salt flakes. 190° was the correct temperature. I’ll make them again as I’ve been told to!

  • Reply
    Petrina
    October 30, 2019 at 5:01 pm

    If I use salted butter and omit the fine salt, will it be virtually the same? Salt-free butter is so expensive!

    • Reply
      Shiran
      October 31, 2019 at 5:26 am

      It depends on the amount of salt in the butter, so I don’t know how much more salt you’ll need.

  • Reply
    Ian
    November 29, 2019 at 10:19 am

    How long can the dough stay before you bake them?

    • Reply
      Hana the writer
      April 1, 2022 at 1:53 pm

      Deoends on how warm or humid your kitchen us. If warm one hour is ok if a bit cool ace it in an oven and turn it on very low just so it’d create the right environment for a dough to rise. Hope was helpful.

    • Reply
      Tree
      December 6, 2022 at 9:03 am

      I started the dough and then got busy with a meeting online … then punched the dough down twice while finishing the report. Finally got around to shaping and baking the breadsticks after a couple hours and the result was very nice. So, the dough can definitely sit longer than the time in the recipe 🙂

  • Reply
    Hope Firenze
    March 26, 2020 at 4:54 pm

    These bread sticks are the best. Just made the Parmesan cheese version for my Italian father, which claimed they are better than the store bought version. What is the best way To store them to maintain their crispness?

  • Reply
    Abby
    April 18, 2020 at 7:39 pm

    Made by hand as I couldn’t find my my dough hooks. Very easy and yummy

    • Reply
      SVR
      September 25, 2020 at 5:16 am

      Hi Abby – how long did you knead for by hand? Thanks!

  • Reply
    Ben
    April 25, 2020 at 1:33 pm

    I made by hand – using a mixer takes the fun out of breadmaking IMO – and they came out quite nice. Much better than any shop-bought. The only modification I would make is to try to get a more golden crust. I brushed them with olive oil before cooking but that didn’t help. A little sugar in the dough recipe might work (should make the yeast more active too), or perhaps spraying with water or putting a tray of boiling water below them in the oven to provide steam for the first half of the cooking time.

    • Reply
      Hana the writer
      April 1, 2022 at 6:32 pm

      Hi Ben..
      I brushed them with egg white.
      As I added an egg jnto the dough. When I first cracked it I separated a bit of the egg white, beat it and chilled it to use after the dough has risen. It Worked beautifully.

  • Reply
    Krissy
    June 9, 2020 at 3:10 pm

    I’ve made these so many times! They are definitely a favorite in our house. I do have a question though: some times the bread sticks come out with different textures. Some are soft and chewy while others are crisp. I’ve even had a single bread sticks be crisp in some parts and chewy in others! Any ideas on why this is happening? We obviously prefer the crispy texture but I can’t figure it out!

    • Reply
      Tracy Fisher
      December 20, 2021 at 8:35 am

      Can I know how far in advance I can make these and how to store them?

    • Reply
      Hana the writer
      April 1, 2022 at 2:14 pm

      I baked the sticks in a standard oven turned on from top and bottom. My issue is why they didn’t turn golden? Do they turn golden with you? Hope this was helpful.

  • Reply
    liat
    November 3, 2020 at 7:50 am

    Hi,
    Ican’t eat butter.
    Can i replace it with olive oil? I f yes- how much?

    thx, Liat

    • Reply
      Shiran
      November 3, 2020 at 9:04 am

      Yes, you can replace it with 2 tablespoons oil.

  • Reply
    jessica
    November 6, 2020 at 9:44 am

    how many does this serve i need to make around 20 for making a banquet for my family

    • Reply
      Shiran
      November 15, 2020 at 6:50 am

      The recipe makes about 25 breadsticks.

  • Reply
    Nana
    December 24, 2020 at 10:59 am

    These breadsticks are aaaamazing. I’ve been making them for a while now. TO SAVE TIME I roll the entire dough out into the length of breadsticks I want. Then I cut 20-25 strips with a pizza slicer. I lay them down like that on a baking sheet and they puff up into the breadstick shape while baking. It saves soooo much time and the result is the same.

    • Reply
      Hana the writer
      April 1, 2022 at 2:16 pm

      Nana you are a queen 👌🏻👌🏻 Thank You

  • Reply
    Tyler
    December 28, 2020 at 11:32 pm

    I’ve tried this a couple times with all-purpose flour and it doesn’t work (following the recipe exactly). The dough is too dry to develop the gluten in AP flour. I kneaded the dough on and off for a couple hours and couldn’t get it to become smooth and elastic (switching between mixer on low and by hand with several rests). It wasn’t until I added about ¼ cup of water that I started getting even close to a window-pane state. After three hours of kneading by machine and hand I was too tired to carry on and got it very close to window pane. When I finally baked it most of the yeast died off from hours of kneading. The AP flour version definitely needs more water.

    • Reply
      Hana the writer
      April 1, 2022 at 6:42 pm

      Hi Tyler..
      Try adding an egg to AP flour if you don’t have bread flour cutting back a quarter cup of water.
      I did it using AP flour I also cut half the amount of flour used in the recipe and replaced it with whole wheat flour for extra flavor adding a bit more water to quench whole wheat flour.
      Try ground cumin seeds for flavoring.. brushjng the bread sticks with lightly beaten egg white before baking and sprinkle with sesame seeds and nigella seeds. Results? Boy, you can sell these. 😀👌🏻

  • Reply
    Serene
    January 6, 2021 at 5:56 pm

    So tasty! Followed recipe exactly and it turned out perfectly. They crisp up very nicely in the toaster oven after day one. A keeper!

  • Reply
    Xtina
    July 1, 2021 at 9:05 pm

    Hi! Can I use vegetable oil instead of olive oil?

    • Reply
      Talia @ Pretty. Simple. Sweet.
      July 7, 2021 at 2:20 pm

      Hi Xtina, you can substitute vegetable oil but it will slightly alter the end result. The olive oil adds a lovely flavor to these breadstick, so I recommend sticking to the recipe if you can 🙂

    • Reply
      Julia M
      December 24, 2022 at 5:53 pm

      I am in love with these breadsticks! Perfect. Just what i was looking for. Better than store bought.

  • Reply
    Cris
    May 15, 2022 at 2:02 pm

    Best bread sticks ever!! Still crispy after 3 days😋😋

    • Reply
      Talia @ Pretty. Simple. Sweet.
      May 17, 2022 at 8:55 am

      Hi Cris, so happy to hear! Thanks!

  • Reply
    K
    March 2, 2023 at 11:55 am

    How to store them to keep crunchy?

    • Reply
      Stephanie @ Pretty.Simple.Sweet.
      April 5, 2023 at 5:49 pm

      Hello! You can store them in an airtight container or sealed plastic bag like Ziploc. Store these on your counter or wherever you store your fresh bread.

  • Reply
    Hana
    May 14, 2023 at 8:09 am

    A TIP: After dividing dough to 24 balls, cover to rest for 10 minutes then roll each into a short o 3in longs, cover again to rest for additional 10 minutes before you finally got to handle each rolling them out into desired lengths. A small ball could extend to form a 40 cm and more long. 🙂 This method helps in resting dough and making it more flexible. You won’t have to pull out forcefully no matter whatever type of flour you were using as it won’t separate even if you shaped them into pencils like I make them. I always use part fine semolina and sprinkle it with half a teaspoon of paprika. You won’t taste it only it enhances flavor. I made them with various flavors, sage, olives, cumin, oregano. Cumin was/is still my favorite.

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