Sourdough Breadsticks
Crave-worthy sourdough breadsticks with a tangy taste, fluffy texture, are made easily with pantry staples. This easy straightforward recipe brings together a crispy crust, chewy crumb, and vibrant flavors.
Sourdough breadsticks are a great recipe for beginner sourdough bakers to try! The recipe is easy to make, the dough is simple to work with, you can practice your shaping skills without worrying about perfect scoring or being fancy, and they taste delicious.
Other great sourdough recipes:
New to sourdough? Read my Ultimate Guide to Sourdough for Beginners to answer all the questions you have!
Ingredients you need to make this recipe
This is just a list of ingredients and information about them. For the full recipe amounts and directions, please scroll down to the recipe card below.
- Active Sourdough Starter: The active sourdough starter is the heart of this sourdough breadsticks recipe, bringing a tangy flavor profile to the breadsticks. It also acts as a natural leavening agent, helping the dough rise and giving it a distinct sourdough taste. You can use sourdough starter discard with about 2-3g of yeast as a substitute.
- Unsalted Butter: Adds richness to the dough. Its fat content gives these breadsticks a tender crumb and enhances their overall flavor.
- Sugar: Sugar adds sweetness and aids in browning during baking. Its natural sugars contribute to the bread’s flavor profile, balancing the sour flavor of the sourdough starter.
- Water: Water plays an important role in hydrating the flour and forming the bread dough. The amount of water you use affects the dough’s consistency and hydration level.
- Kosher Salt: Salt enhances the overall flavor of bread by providing balance and contrast. It also helps to regulate the fermentation process. If you don’t have kosher salt, you can use sea salt (affiliate link).
- All-Purpose Flour or Bread Flour: The choice between all-purpose flour and bread flour will determine the texture of the breadsticks. All-purpose flour will give you breadsticks that have a softer texture, while bread flour results in breadsticks that have a chewier crumb.
- Minced Garlic: Minced garlic infuses a robust, savory garlicky flavor to the breadsticks. Adjust the quantity based on your preference for garlic intensity. If fresh garlic is unavailable, garlic powder can be used. I recommend starting with 1/2 a teaspoon.
- Italian Herb Seasoning: Italian seasoning adds a medley of Italian herbs to this sourdough breadstick recipe to enhance the overall aroma and taste of the breadsticks. Alternatively, you can use dried herbs like oregano, basil, or thyme separately for a more tailored flavor.
How to make breadsticks with sourdough
This recipe is very simple to make! Here is a brief overview of the recipe to give you an idea of how it works. For the full set of directions and measurements, please make sure you scroll down to the recipe card below!
Prep work:
- Feed your sourdough starter and let it rise at room temperature until it doubles in size with bubbles on the surface and sides of the jar.
Mix the dough:
- In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, combine your active starter, melted butter, sugar, water, salt, and flour.
- Knead the dough by hand for about 10 minutes or until you get a smooth dough. You can use a stand mixer with a dough hook on medium speed for 8-10 minutes.
Bulk Fermentation:
- Let the dough rise to about 50-70% during bulk fermentation at room temperature or in a warm place. This will take about 6-7 hours.
Shaping:
- Transfer the breadstick dough to your work surface that has been dusted with a little flour.
- Using a pizza cutter or bench scraper, divide the dough into 12 equal pieces, each weighing approximately 80g.
- Roll each piece of dough into a 6-7 inch log shape and then place them on parchment paper-lined baking sheets.
Final Proofing:
- Cover the shaped breadsticks with a damp towel, clean tea towel, or loosely with cling film.
- Let them rise until they become puffy and rise by about 30%. This will take 1-2 hours depending on how warm your kitchen is.
Baking:
- Preheat your oven to 400°F.
- Remove the towel or plastic wrap from the dough. Place the baking pan in the oven.
- Bake the breadsticks in the preheated oven for 20 minutes or until golden brown, rotating the pan halfway through baking to ensure even browning.
- While baking, prepare the garlic butter by melting 4 tablespoons of butter, Italian seasoning, and crushed garlic in a small saucepan.
- Remove the fluffy breadsticks from the oven and brush each of them with warm garlic butter. Enjoy!
Baker’s Schedule
Knowing how long a recipe will take is important for knowing when you need to start, and when you can expect to be finished. Here is how long everything could take:
- Start by feeding your starter and waiting for it to double in size
- Mix dough: 15 minutes
- Bulk Fermentation: 6 to 7 hours
- Shaping: 15 minutes
- Final Proofing: 1-2 hours
- Bake: 20 minutes
In total, this recipe will take about 10 hours.
*NOTE: The timing of this schedule is dependent on the temperature of your house. Dough will proof faster in a warmer house, and slower in a colder house. Watch the dough here, not the clock! For reference, the temperature of my house is 70 F.
Storage Information
Sourdough breadsticks can stay fresh for several days at room temperature if stored in a bread bag, ziplock bag, or airtight container. Make sure they are completely cooled before storing them.
You can also freeze them for up to a month for longer storage.
How to serve these to your family
These soft homemade breadsticks are versatile and can be enjoyed as a snack on their own, dipped in marinara sauce, olive oil, or hummus, or served alongside soups, salads, or pasta dishes.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I give a crunchy texture to my breadsticks?
For an extra crunchy skin, I suggest brushing them with the garlic butter you made before baking.
Can I add whole wheat flour to this sourdough breadstick recipe?
Absolutely! Feel free to experiment with different flours like whole wheat or organic flour to add depth and texture to your breadsticks.
How can I make sourdough discard breadsticks?
This recipe is perfect for sourdough discard. Simply use your sourdough discard with 2-3 grams of commercial yeast in place of an active sourdough starter. This is a great way to reduce waste.
Can I add extra flavor to my breadsticks?
Add extra flavor to your breadsticks by incorporating sesame seeds, poppy seeds, or Parmesan cheese into the dough or on top for added flavor and texture.
Troubleshooting:
This recipe is fairly easy to make, and gives good consistent results. However, sometimes things happen. If yours don’t come out the way you expected them to, check out this guide to help you:
My dough isn’t rising, what’s wrong?
Inactive starter: Make sure your starter is bubbly and active before using it.
Incorrect temperature: Sourdough thrives in a warm environment (around 70-75°F). Try placing the dough in a warm spot or adjust your oven’s proofing setting.
Not enough time: Dough fermentation can take several hours, depending on temperature and starter activity. Give your dough more time before shaping and baking.
My breadsticks are tough, what went wrong?
Overbaking: Reduce the baking time or lower the oven temperature if you realize that your breadsticks are turning out too hard.
Too much flour: Check to see if you added too much flour, making the dough dry and tough. I recommend starting with a slightly wet dough and adding flour gradually until it becomes manageable.
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Sourdough Breadsticks Recipe
Ingredients
Dough:
- 100 g sourdough starter fed and active
- 56 grams unsalted butter room temperature
- 42 grams granulated sugar
- 270 grams water room temperature
- 12 grams Kosher salt
- 500 grams unbleached all-purpose flour or bread flour
Garlic Butter:
- 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- ¼ teaspoon Italian herb seasoning
Instructions
- Feed your sourdough starter and let it rise at room temperature until it doubles in size with bubbles on the surface and sides of the jar.
- In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, combine your active starter, melted butter, sugar, water, salt, and flour.
- Knead the dough by hand for about 10 minutes or until you get a smooth dough. You can use a stand mixer with a dough hook on medium speed for 8-10 minutes.
- Let the dough rise to about 50-70% during bulk fermentation at room temperature or in a warm place. This will take about 6-7 hours.
- Transfer the breadstick dough to your work surface that has been dusted with a little flour.
- Using a pizza cutter or bench scraper, divide the dough into 12 equal pieces, each weighing approximately 80g.
- Roll each piece of dough into a 6-7 inch log shape and then place them on parchment paper-lined baking sheets.
- Cover the shaped breadsticks with a damp towel, clean tea towel, or loosely with cling film.
- Let them rise until they become puffy and rise by about 30%. This will take 1-2 hours depending on how warm your kitchen is.
- Preheat your oven to 400°F. Bake the breadsticks in the preheated oven for 20 minutes or until golden brown, rotating the pan halfway through.
- While baking, prepare the garlic butter by melting 4 tablespoons of butter, Italian seasoning, and crushed garlic in a small saucepan.
- Remove the fluffy breadsticks from the oven and brush each of them with warm garlic butter.
- Enjoy!
