Bread Machine Breadsticks (Soft & Chewy)

This bread machine breadsticks recipe is very easy and produces fantastic homemade breadsticks. The breadsticks are perfect to eat with Italian meals as they taste great with baked ziti, lasagna, etc. You can also serve breadsticks as side dish topped with butter, hummus, etc. Be aware that our recipe does not make hard breadsticks. Rather, it produces a soft & chewy breadstick.

Delicious Homemade Breadsticks

Recipe Sections

• Ingredients
• Instructions
• Helpful Tips

Since some restaurants like to use their pizza dough in order to make their own breadsticks, I decided to turn Bread Dad’s Bread Machine Pizza Dough into a recipe for breadsticks. The bread machine does the hard work such as mixing the ingredients and kneading the dough. You just need to do the easy things such as shaping the dough and sticking it in the oven. You can also turn these bread machine breadsticks into a fun family baking project by having your kids help you to roll the dough into breadstick “tubes” before putting them in the oven.

Shaping Method (Option 1) – Roll Out Dough

Since this recipe is done in a bread machine, it is simple & easy to make. It takes me only about 10-15 minutes to prepare and clean-up (excluding the time that the bread machine mixes & kneads the dough).

Ingredients – Bread Machine Breadsticks Recipe

• 1 1/4 Cups – Water (warm) – 296 milliliters
• 2 Tablespoons – Olive Oil – 30 milliliters
• 3 1/2 Cups – Flour (all-purpose flour or bread flour) – 420 grams
• 1 Tablespoon – White Granulated Sugar – 13 grams
• 1 1/2 Teaspoons – Italian Herb Seasoning (optional) – 3 grams
• 1 Teaspoon – Salt – 6 grams
• 2 Teaspoons – Bread Machine Yeast – 6 grams
• 1 Teaspoon – Large Crystal Salt (to sprinkle on top of the breadsticks before baking) – 6 grams

Servings – 16-24 breadsticks (depending on the size of each breadstick – large, narrow, etc.)

Equipment –  Measuring cup & spoons, flexible spatula, oven mitts, large cutting board, baking sheet, oven… and of course, a bread machine!

Slice Dough into Thin “Strips” or Roll Dough into “Tubes”

Instructions – Bread Machine Breadsticks Recipe

• Place the water, olive oil and then the rest of the ingredients into the bread pan. You can make a little indent on top of the flour in order to avoid the yeast falling into the water (until the machine starts). Do not combine the salt with the yeast (as the salt can kill the yeast). Place the yeast & salt in separate parts of the bread pan.
• Place the bread pan (with ingredients) into your unplugged bread machine and then plug in the machine.
• Put your machine on the Dough setting and press the start button. In our Sunbeam bread machine, the kneading & rising on the dough setting takes about approximately 1:30 hours.
• When your bread machine has finished, unplug the machine & pour the dough onto a cutting board. Wear oven mitts when handling the bread pan as it may be hot. However, first sprinkle some flour on the cutting board (before you pour the dough) in order to help prevent the dough from sticking to the cutting board.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Shape the breadstick dough by either cutting into thin strips or rolling into thin tubes. See the tips section below for more information on how to shape your breadsticks.
• Place the dough breadsticks onto a nonstick baking sheet. Cover them loosely with plastic wrap, wet thin towel, etc. to keep dust off & to prevent the dough from drying out. Let the dough rise for 30 minutes on the baking sheet. The dough should roughly double in width during this time. FYI – In the winter, colder temperatures can cause yeast growth to slow and the rise might take 60+ minutes. See the tips section below for more information.
• After the dough has risen and before you put the baking sheet in the oven, use a small pastry bush to coat the top of each dough breadstick with a thin layer of olive oil. Then sprinkle some large salt crystals (i.e. sea salt or coarse kosher salt) on top of each dough breadstick.
• Place the baking sheet in the oven for 12-15 minutes.
• Remove from the oven when finished and let the breadsticks cool for 1 or 2 minutes on a cooling rack.
• For best results, serve & eat while the breadsticks are still slightly warm.
• Please read the tips section below to avoid common bread machine problems.

If you liked this recipe, please leave a comment below & give us a 5 star rating. Jump to comments

Want my recipes sent to your inbox? Join Bread Dad’s recipe newsletter

Tips – Bread Machine Breadsticks Recipe

• The tips below are designed to help bread machine “novices” and those who haven’t touched their bread machine in years.
• Click on this “print recipe” link if you want to print out this recipe. It includes all of the recipe’s ingredients and instructions. However, the recipe print function does not include our tips section. Please read the tips section in order to avoid common recipe problems.
• This recipe is part of Bread Dad’s series on easy Bread Machine Recipes such as banana bread, French bread, sourdough bread and multigrain bread.

• Shaping Method 1 – For a more uniform length & look to your breadsticks, you can use a rolling pin to flatten the dough until it is about 1/2 inch thick. Slice the flattened dough vertically into thin strips about 1 inch wide and then slice the dough horizontally in order to make thin rectangles about 6-8 inches long. Place the breadstick “strips” on a nonstick baking sheet.
• Shaping Method 2 – Break off small chunks of dough about the size of an egg. Roll the dough “eggs” with your hands until they are narrow tubes about 6-8 inches long and 1 inch wide. Place each rolled breadstick on a nonstick baking sheet. FYI – This shaping method is often a fun baking project to do with your kids. Have them roll & shape the dough… just be prepared for some interesting looking breadsticks!!
• Of course, please feel free to make your breadsticks longer, shorter, wider or skinnier. Create the “perfect” breadstick based on your family’s preferences.
• Remember that the dough will double in width as it rests on the baking sheet. The yeast is still working and causing the breadsticks to become nice & airy. However, this means that you need to roll or slice the dough into tubes/strips that are 1/2 of your desired breadstick final width (i.e. 1 inch wide dough tube should equal roughly a 2 inch wide finished breadstick). However, don’t worry if the breadsticks come out wider than you expected, they will still taste delicious!
• FYI – My kids & I think it is more fun to create breadsticks by rolling them out by hand. The breadsticks might be a little misshapen after your kids get through rolling the dough… but they will taste great and your family will enjoy discussing this baking “adventure” over dinner.

• Sprinkle a little flour on your hands if the dough is sticking to your hands when you are working with the dough. This will help to reduce the stickiness.
• Bake the breadsticks to your level of desired “crispiness”. You can bake the breadsticks so they have a soft white crust or leave them in the oven a little longer so they have a brown crunchier crust.
• Rotate the baking tray about halfway through the baking cycle if you want a more uniform browning of the breadsticks.
• Optional – I like to use Italian seasoning herbs in order to give my breadsticks a more unique & Italian flavor. You can buy bottled Italian herb seasoning at most supermarkets and it consists of dried herbs such as basil, oregano, rosemary, thyme, etc. However, you can make breadsticks without the use of any herbs or you can replace the Italian seasoning herbs with your family’s favorite individual herb (i.e. rosemary).

• Do NOT use cold water (or super hot water) to make this recipe or the yeast may have trouble growing properly. Yeast is sort of like Goldilocks – it doesn’t like things too hot or too cold.
• The ideal temperature for liquid ingredients used when making bread dough is around 100-110 F. Cold liquids (such as water & milk straight from the refrigerator) will slow yeast growth and liquid ingredients that are 140 F or above can kill yeast.
• You can use all purpose flour or bread flour in order to make bread machine breadsticks. Bread flour will give you a slightly airier dough but it is generally more expensive than all-purpose flour. I generally use all purpose flour when making quick homemade breadsticks.

• Always use FRESH ingredients (e.g. bread flour and yeast) for the best results. Ingredients that have been sitting in the pantry for months can become stale or pick up weird smells & flavors.
• Try to keep your ingredients (e.g. flour) in airtight food containers in order to extend their shelf life. Airtight containers protect ingredients from moisture (in the air), pests, dust, etc.
• Old flour (when not stored in an airtight container) can absorb a lot of moisture from the air. This extra moisture throws off recipes and can lead to overly wet dough, etc.
• If you liked this restaurant-style “bread”, you should also try Bread Dad’s recipes for pizza dough (with Italian herbs), whole wheat pizza dough, calzones, Italian bread, Italian herb bread, rolls, garlic bread, etc.
• If you enjoyed shaping bread machine dough into breadsticks, you might also like to try my Bread Machine Bagels recipe. It is another bread machine “shaping” adventure!

• Many bakers like to make an indent in the top of the flour in order to hold the bread machine yeast in place (looks sort of like a small flour volcano with a yeast crater). This is done to prevent the yeast from falling into the liquid ingredients (and activating prematurely) and/or coming into contact with the salt until the bread machine is turned on.
• This recipe uses bread machine yeast (instant yeast). It does NOT use active dry yeast.
• Bread machine yeast and instant yeast are not the same as active dry yeast. Bread machine yeast and instant yeast are added directly to the recipe’s ingredients. In contrast, active dry yeast must be activated in water/milk before being added to a recipe’s ingredients. If you try to use active dry yeast for this recipe, it is much less likely to work properly (as the recipe instructions & leavening time is based on the use of bread machine yeast). Examples of yeast that can be used for this recipe include Fleischmann’s Bread Machine Yeast, Fleischmann’s Instant Yeast, Saf Instant Yeast, Red Star Instant Yeast, etc. You should not use active dry yeasts for this recipe such as Fleischmann’s Active Dry Yeast, Red Star Active Dry Yeast, etc.

• Bread machine yeast loses its potency over time. Generally, bread machine yeast lasts for only 3-4 months after you have opened the bottle. However, if the yeast is exposed to air & moisture (i.e. the bottle not sealed tight) or exposed to higher temperatures, the yeast will expire even more quickly.
• Once you have opened the bottle that contains the bread machine yeast, the yeast will last longer if you store the bottle in the refrigerator or freezer. Just make sure the bottle is sealed tight (as yeast will deteriorate quickly if exposed to air, moisture and/or heat).
• Make sure to level off the ingredients in your measuring spoons & cups. No “mountains” of ingredients in your spoons & cups!! If you add too much of an ingredient, you can have a baking problem. FYI – I like to level the ingredients in my measuring spoons & cups with the back of a butter knife.
• FYI – Using heavily compacted flour can throw off recipes. Compacted flour has more flour per cup than fluffed flour.

• Cooler home temperatures in the winter can cause rising problems for bread dough. Ideally, your room temperature should be around 75-80 degrees F. Colder winter room temperatures can significantly delay the rise of the dough. You will need to raise the temperature of your kitchen (if you like a cold house in the winter) or find a warm spot for the dough to rise. I often put my dough (covered of course) next to a heating vent in the winter to make sure it is getting enough heat.
• Conversely, dough can rise faster than expected in a very hot kitchen.
• Kitchen humidity can impact a recipe. A winter kitchen tends to be drier due to your heating system drying out the air. In contrast, a kitchen in the summer can be much more humid. This change in humidity impacts baking as flour can soak up humidity from the air. Therefore, you might have to add 1-2 teaspoons of liquid in the winter if the dough is looking too dry. Or you might have to add 1-2 teaspoons of flour in the summer if the dough is looking too wet. If your kitchen is very dry or humid, you might have to add even a little more (but start with 1 teaspoon at a time until you achieve the right consistency). Of course, excessive kitchen humidity or dryness can impact a recipe at any time during the year (not just in the summer & winter)!
• This is one of the reasons that people should store flour in an airtight container if they have already opened the flour package. The flour will pick up extra moisture from the air while sitting in the pantry and this can throw off recipes, spoil flavor, degrade shelf life, etc.

• If you have a problem with a “basic” bread machine recipe, please make sure that you are following the recipe exactly (i.e. using the correct bread machine settings), using the correct amount of an ingredient (i.e. don’t eyeball the measurements versus using a measurement cup or accidentally add a tablespoon when a teaspoon is called for), using the correct ingredients (i.e. bread machine yeast versus regular yeast or bread flour versus all purpose flour), etc. Please don’t “wing” things with recipes.
• If you haven’t used your bread machine in a long time, please buy some new bread machine yeast before making your bread. Old yeast can die or lose its potency and this will lead to bread that does not rise properly. Bread machine yeast may not be viable if it has been sitting in your pantry for years.
• Please read your bread machine manufacturer’s instructions for information on how to use your bread machine safely and effectively. The manufacturer’s instructions will help you to master working with your specific bread machine model.
• Always wear oven mitts when dealing with a hot bread machine, etc.
• For more easy bread machine recipes (i.e. white bread, banana bread, cornbread, whole wheat bread, etc.), please visit Bread Dad’s Bread Machine Recipes section.

If you liked this recipe, please leave a comment below & give us a 5 star rating. Jump to comments

Join fellow bread lovers by subscribing to Bread Dad’s recipe newsletter

Main Recipe Sections

1. Bread Machine Recipes – 90+ recipes for banana bread, soft white bread, sourdough bread, pizza dough, cinnamon raisin bread, etc.
2. 1 lb Bread Machine Recipes – Recipes for small compact bread machines.
3. Bread Recipes – Buttermilk bread, French bread, bagels, Italian bread, soft whole wheat bread, etc.
4. Banana Bread Recipes – 60+ recipes for chocolate chip banana bread, banana nut bread, eggless banana bread, cranberry banana bread, etc.

Related Recipe Sections

1. Grilled Cheese & Panini Sandwich Recipes – Turn your homemade bread into air fryer grilled cheese sandwiches, ham & cheese paninis, etc.
2. Muffin Recipes – Chocolate chip banana muffins, eggless banana muffins, cranberry banana muffins, etc.
3. Quick Bread Recipes – Easy desserts such as pumpkin bread, cranberry bread, sweet potato bread, etc.
4. Cookie Recipes – Soft oatmeal cookies, M&M cookies, etc.

Want Better Bread?🥖 Check out the bread machines that I use. Or explore my Amazon storefront for some of my favorite books & bread making tools.

Reference Sources

1. Wikipedia, Bread Machine
2. Wikipedia, Breadstick

Related Recipes

1. Bread Machine Calzone Dough
2. Bread Machine Italian Bread
3. Bread Machine Pizza Dough
4. Bread Machine Rolls
5. Bread Machine White Bread
6. Bread Machine Whole Wheat Bread

Please leave a comment & recipe rating in the comment box below. Thanks!