These Olive Garden-style Gluten Free Breadsticks are soft, chewy and seriously delicious! This recipe is based off my easy to make gluten free pizza dough recipe with a few minor tweaks to the dough before they’re baked and smothered with a brush of garlic butter.
July may not be the most optimal time to run my oven all day (after day, after day…) testing bread recipes, but I’m not mad about it one bit.
I’ve now got a fridge, a freezer and a belly full of these soft and chewy garlic breadsticks (also these cheesy gf breadsticks 😍😍) and I can easily say it’s been a worthy pursuit.
If you happen upon this recipe at a time when it’s too hot to cook or even consider turning on your oven – fair enough! Save it for soup weather or the next time you’re in the mood for a hearty pasta dinner and thank me later.
Altogether, this is a super easy recipe that’s simple, satisfying and genuinely delicious. Look to the notes at the bottom of the recipe card if you need low FODMAP & vegan/dairy free options.
Gluten Free Breadsticks Ingredients You’ll Need
Wet Ingredients
- whole psyllium husk
- water
- apple cider vinegar
- melted butter
Dry Ingredients
- gluten free flour blend
- yeast
- sugar
- salt
The ingredients are similar to what you’ll find in my gluten free pizza dough recipe with a couple small changes: butter (instead of olive oil) and a touch more sugar.
The basic idea here is to add a bit more flavor and richness to make up for the missing pizza sauce.
↳What type of flour should you use?
For ease, you can use your favorite gluten free all purpose flour blend. Most gluten free AP flour blends should work here.
If you’d like a specific flour blend recommendation that you don’t mind mixing yourself, try the one below. I loved the texture and taste of the bread sticks I made with the blend below. Simply combine & use in place of the regular flour blend.
- 160g tapioca flour (1 1/2 cup)
- 150g millet flour (1 1/4 cup)
- 60g buckwheat flour (6 tbsp) OR 1/2 cup sorghum flour
Make the Dough
- Psyllium gel: Mix psyllium husk + water together. Leave for a minute or two to thicken.
- Dry Ingredients: Whisk together in a large bowl.
- Wet Ingredients: Stir vinegar and butter into psyllium mixture.
- Combine: Pour wet ingredients into the flour mixture.
- Mix into a dough: Mix together until a thick, sticky bread dough forms.
Knead & Divide
Tip the dough out onto a generously floured surface – it will feel a bit sticky at the start.
Sprinkle a bit more flour onto the dough and your work surface as you knead to make it easier to handle, but try not to overdo it. Too much additional flour can make for dry, tough dough/breadsticks. Ideal breadstick dough texture should be soft and slightly tacky.
Divide equal-sized smaller portions. This recipe will make:
- 24 small breadsticks (4-inches long)
- 1 dough ball = about 35 grams
- 12 large breadsticks (8-inches long)
- 1 dough ball = about 70 grams.
Proof & Bake
Transfer the dough logs onto a couple of parchment paper lined baking sheets.
Cover with a kitchen towel or plastic wrap then place in a warm location for about 2 hours to proof.
↳Tip: Don’t overcrowd the pan (like I did in the left image below).
Leave room for the dough to spread – at least 2-inches in between each log. If you do make the same mistake I did, you can always transfer an extra log to a new baking sheet before baking, but the less you handle the dough after proofing, the better.
When you’re ready, bake in a fully preheated oven for about 18-20 minutes. Brush with melted butter while hot.
Recipe Variations & Tips
Here are a few things to keep in mind before you begin.
Make it Vegan
- Swap the dairy butter for vegan butter or olive oil. I recommend you use a block vegan butter butter for the dough – not a spreadable butter from a tub.
- Skip the parmesan or swap with a vegan alternative.
Make it Low FODMAP
- Skip the garlic powder. If you really want to impart a garlic-like flavor, you can use a garlic-infused olive oil instead of or in addition to (add 1 tbsp) the melted butter topping.
Spice it Up
- Add fresh or dried herbs. Add dried herbs to the melted butter mixture (Italian seasoning, basil, oregano, chili flakes, etc) and/or sprinkle fresh chopped herbs on top at the end.
Seedy Toppings
- Sesame seeds, za’atar seasoning, everything bagel seasoning: Sprinkle about 2-3 tablespoons over the top of the breadsticks before baking for extra crunch & flavor – garlic butter finish is optional
Serving Suggestions
- Mop up the extra sauce in your favorite pasta dishes.
- Breadsticks like this are perfect for dipping into soups!
- Enjoy with a simple green or veggie loaded salad.
Saucy Dips & Drizzles: Serve with a classic marinara sauce or a spicy Arrabbiata. Homemade pesto is also always a great option. Combine extra-virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar reduction in a bowl then season with salt to make a super simple, yet satisfying bread dip.
More Gluten Free Bread Recipes
- Easy Gluten Free Bread Recipe (Dairy Free)
- Homemade Gluten Free Stromboli
- Easy Gluten Free Focaccia Recipe
- Homemade Gluten Flour Flour Tortillas
- Gluten Free Cheese Scones
- Gluten Free Manakish Za’atar
- Gluten Free Breadsticks with Zucchini (Vegan)
Enjoy!
Let me know if you try this gluten free Breadstick recipe! Leave a comment and review with your thoughts. I always appreciate the feedback and serving suggestions that you come up with!
Gluten Free Breadsticks Recipe
Soft & chewy Olive Garden style breadsticks made gluten free
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup whole psyllium husk (20g)
- 1 3/4 cups warm water (420ml)
- 1 1/2 cup tapioca starch (160g)
- 1 1/4 cup millet flour (150g)
- 6 tbsp buckwheat flour (60g)
- 1 1/2 tbsp sugar
- 2 1/4 tsp instant yeast (8g)
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp melted butter (14g)
- 2 tsp apple cider vinegar (10ml)
Garlic Butter
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted (28g)
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
Instructions
Dough
- Pan Prep: Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
- Psyllium Gel: Mix water and psyllium husk together in a medium bowl. Set aside to thicken up as you prep the other ingredients.
- Flour Mixture: Whisk tapioca starch, millet flour, buckwheat flour, sugar, yeast and salt together in a large bowl until well combined.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: Stir melted butter and vinegar into the psyllium mixture.
- Add Wet to Dry Ingredients: Pour the psyllium gel into the flour mixture. Mix together until fully combined. Make sure to scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl every so often to get all the floury bits. Mix together until you end up with a thick, sticky dough that easily clumps together. You can do this by hand or in a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or dough hook.
- Knead: Generously dust your hands and a clean work surface with extra flour. Knead the dough on the floured surface - adding a bit more flour as you knead until the dough is smooth and slightly tacky.
- Divided & Shape: Divide the dough into 12 equal portions (about 70 g or 2.5 ounces). Roll each dough ball out into an 8-inch log. Transfer the parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough.
Proof & Bake
- Proof: Cover with foil, plastic wrap or a clean tea towel. Set aside in a warm, place for about 2 hours to rise.
- Bake: Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Once heated, remove the cover from the breadsticks and bake for 18-20 minutes. Halfway through the cook time, rotate the pans to ensure even cooking.
- Topping: While the breadsticks bake, mix melted butter, salt and garlic powder together.
- Finish: Brush the breadsticks with garlic butter while still hot. Sprinkle addition toppings if desired (like parmesan cheese or fresh parsley). Allow a few minutes to cool then serve and enjoy.
Notes
- Leftovers: cover loosely and leave at room temperature for 1 day or in the fridge for 5 days.
- Freeze: Store in an airtight container/sealable bag and freeze up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge or a few hours at room temp. Reheat from frozen in the microwave for about 20-40 second or in the oven for 10 minutes at 300°F (150°C)
- Flour Blend: If you prefer a simpler option, feel free to use your favorite all purpose gluten-free flour blend instead (2 1/2 cup + 1 tbsp | 360g). Just keep in mind your final texture will vary and might not be as pillowy as the breadsticks made with my flour blend above.
- Yield: Make 12 large (8-inch) breadsticks or 24 small (4-inch). For smaller breadsticks, decrease cook to about 16-18 minutes.
- Make it Vegan: Use melted vegan block butter in place of butter.
- Make it Low FODMAP: Omit the garlic powder and just brush the breadsticks with melted butter or melted butter + fresh herbs (like parsley, basil or oregano).
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