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sourdough breadsticks brushed with butter

Sourdough Breadsticks

These homemade sourdough breadsticks are soft, warm and garlicy. They pair perfectly with any pasta dish or pizza night.

sourdough breadsticks

Sourdough Breadsticks are a favorite in my household. They are soft, pillowy, and slightly chewy. This recipe uses the same dough as my Sourdough Garlic Knot recipe and is just as delicious! These breadsticks make the perfect addition to any pasta dish, like Creamy Bacon and Mushroom Pasta, or any family pizza night. The best part of this recipe as that the dough can be made in the morning and ready to bake by dinner!

The dough for the recipe is leavened using sourdough starter. If you’re not sure what sourdough starter is, check out my How to Make a Sourdough Starter post to learn all about it. If you are already familiar with sourdough and just starting your fermented journey, take a look at my Beginners Sourdough: A Guide and Recipe.

Sourdough Breadstick Ingredients

The Dough Ingredients

  • Water – When working with sourdough starter I always use filtered water. Tap water contains fluoride which can slow down the fermentation process.
  • Sourdough Starter – If you don’t have a sourdough starter but would like to learn how to make one, check out my How to Make a Sourdough Starter post.
  • Bread Flour – For this recipe I used organic bread flour. Bread flour will ensure your breadsticks are soft and fluffy. If using all-purpose flour your breadsticks will be slightly dense with a tough exterior.
  • Salt – Salt adds strength and flavor to the dough.
  • Butter – Melted butter added to the dough makes these sourdough breadsticks extra tender.

The Garlic Butter Ingredients

  • Butter – It wouldn’t be garlic butter without the butter!
  • Garlic Powder – I typically use garlic powder when making breadsticks, but finely minced fresh garlic is a great substitute!
  • Salt – A touch of salt rounds off the garlic butter sauce nicely. If you are using salted butter reduce the amount of salt called for in this recipe.
  • Italian Seasoning – Seasoning is optional, but its a nice addition!
sourdough breadsticks

How to Make Sourdough Breadsticks

Plan Ahead: Take a look at my Sample Bakers Schedule to see how you can fit these fluffy breadsticks into your next meal plan.

Step 1: Make the Dough

In a large mixing bowl, stir together the water and sourdough starter until the starter is completely dissolved. Sift in the salt and flour, mixing until a shaggy dough forms. Then add in the melted butter once it is no longer hot to the touch and use your hands to work the dough until it is full combined.

Step 2: Strengthen the Dough

After mixing, cover the bowl with a damp cloth and allow your dough to rest for 30 minutes. Once rested, use a stand mixer to knead the dough on medium speed for about 8 minutes. Alternatively, you can strengthen the dough by hand by preforming two sets of stretch and folds.

How to Stretch and Fold:

  • Lightly wet your hands before handling the dough to prevent sticking.
  • Scoop up an edge of the dough and gently pull it upwards.
  • Once the dough reaches a point where it resists being pulled go ahead and fold the dough over itself.
  • Give the bowl a quarter turn and repeat this stretching and folding motion.
  • You will turn the bowl, stretch and fold until the bowl comes full circle. These four stretch and folds are called a set.
  • Repeat this step one more time so that you have completed 2 total rests and sets.

Step 3: Bulk Ferment

Cover your dough with a damp cloth and allow to bulk rise in a warm spot for 5-6 hours at 72°F(22°C). Your dough should be doubled in size at the end of bulk ferment. This can take more or less time depending on the temperature of your home.

Step 4: Shape and Second Rise

After the bulk ferment lightly flour your work surface and turn the dough out, being careful not to deflate it too much. Gently shape the dough into a log and use a bench scraper or large knife to divide it into ten somewhat even pieces.

Once the dough is divided use lightly floured hands to gently roll each piece into 8″ breadsticks.

rolling out the breadsticks

Evenly space your breadsticks on a parchment lined baking sheet. Cover them with a damp cloth and allow them to rise for 1-2 hours at 72°F(22°C), or until they are poofy and have risen at least half their original size.

Step 5: Bake and Brush

Preheat your oven to 400°F(200°C) and bake your sourdough breadsticks on the center rack for 15 minutes, or until the tops begin to lightly brown.

While the breadsticks bake, make the garlic butter. Add the butter to the frying pan or microwave safe dish and cook until fully melted, then stir in the salt, garlic powder, and italian seasoning.

When your sourdough breadsticks are done cooking, brush them with the garlic butter and sprinkle with grated parmesan if desired. Allow them to cool for 5 minutes before serving.

sourdough breadsticks

Sample Bakers Schedule

9PM (the day before): Feed your sourdough starter.

10AM: Mix the breadstick dough.

10:30AM: Preform a stretch and fold set.

11AM: Preform a stretch and fold set.

4PM: Divide the dough and shape.

6PM: Bake the breadsticks and make the garlic butter.

6:20PM: Brush the breadsticks with garlic butter and serve.

More Sourdough Recipes to Try

Sourdough Breadsticks

Recipe by Samantha Citro
4.7 from 3 votes
Servings

10

servings
Cooking time

15

minutes
Total time

8

hours

These homemade sourdough breadsticks are soft, warm and garlicy. They pair perfectly with any pasta dish or pizza night.

Take a look at my Sample Bakers Schedule to see how you can fit these fluffy breadsticks into your next meal plan.

Ingredients

  • The Dough
  • 125 g filtered water

  • 100 g sourdough starter, at its peak

  • 325 g bread flour

  • 10 g sea salt

  • 50 g melted butter

  • The Butter
  • 5 tbs unsalted butter, melted

  • 1/4 tsp garlic powder

  • 1/4 tsp salt

  • 1/2 tsp italian seasoning

Directions

  • Make the Dough
  • In a large mixing bowl, stir together the water and sourdough starter until the starter is completely dissolved. Sift in the salt and flour, mixing until a shaggy dough forms. Then add in the melted butter once it is no longer hot to the touch and use your hands to work the dough until it is full combined.
  • Strengthen the Dough
  • After mixing, cover the bowl with a damp cloth and allow your dough to rest for 30 minutes. Once rested, use a stand mixer to knead the dough on medium speed for about 8 minutes. Alternatively, you can strengthen the dough by hand by preforming two sets of stretch and folds. Click here to learn how to stretch and fold.
  • Bulk Ferment
  • Cover your dough with a damp cloth and allow to bulk rise in a warm spot for 5-6 hours at 72°F(22°C). Your dough should be doubled in size at the end of bulk ferment. This can take more or less time depending on the temperature of your home.
  • Shape and Second Rise
  • After the bulk ferment lightly flour your work surface and turn the dough out, being careful not to deflate it too much. Gently shape the dough into a log and use a bench scraper or large knife to divide it into ten somewhat even pieces.
  • Once the dough is divided use lightly floured hands to gently roll each piece into 8″ breadsticks.
  • Evenly space your breadsticks on a parchment lined baking sheet. Cover them with a damp cloth and allow them to rise for 1-2 hours at 72°F(22°C), or until they are poofy and have risen at least half their original size.
  • Bake and Brush
  • Preheat your oven to 400°F(200°C) and bake your sourdough breadsticks on the center rack for 15 minutes, or until the tops begin to lightly brown.
  • While the breadsticks bake, make the garlic butter. Add the butter to the frying pan or microwave safe dish and cook until fully melted, then stir in the salt, garlic powder, and italian seasoning.
  • When your sourdough breadsticks are done cooking, brush them with the garlic butter and sprinkle with grated parmesan if desired. Allow them to cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Notes

  • To substitute the garlic powder in this recipe, use 2 cloves of finely minced garlic.

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2 Comments

  1. Have you ever tried freezing these? I’m thinking, ideally after shaping, but before baking, but I’m not sure what that would look like. Or, possibly freezing after baking, but also not sure the best way to reheat after that. Wanting to give some to a friend as a freezer meal.

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