Gluten Free Garlic Breadsticks

5 from 7 votes
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The only way to complete your favorite Italian meals is with a basket of Gluten Free Garlic Breadsticks. Soft and fluffy, and baked till perfectly golden brown, each one is then slathered with garlic butter to make them irresistible. Use them to scoop up any sauce left in your dish or serve with a bowl of marinara sauce for a tasty appetizer!

Gluten Free Garlic Breadsticks – Just Like Olive Garden!

Remember the days of bottomless pasta bowls and endless soup, salad, and breadsticks? Whether you chose to indulge in the carb-fest or not, you probably know that I am talking about the Olive Garden. And for many people who are now gluten free, one of the things they miss the most might be those baskets of breadsticks.

Soft and golden, and coated in garlic butter – it was nearly impossible to get through a meal without asking for more.

Even if you didn’t frequent this fast-casual restaurant, you still might miss the days of finishing a bowl of pasta, then running some garlic bread through the sauce that was left in the bottom in order to wipe it clean.

You can have that joy again! So go ahead and boil your favorite gluten free pasta, get some sauce simmering on the stove, and let’s get down to business making some light, chewy, buttery Gluten Free Garlic Breadsticks.

A garlic breadstick broken in half to shoe the fluffy interior.

What You’ll Need

The ingredients for the gluten-free dough are pretty standard, and easy to find in many grocery stores. Here’s what you’ll need:

For the breadsticks

  • Warm Water: You’ll want it to be about 90-110°F for perfect proofing.
  • Active Dry Yeast: You can also use instant yeast and add it with the dry ingredients instead of proofing it. The rise time will not be as long.
  • Brown Sugar: This feeds the yeast, and using brown sugar instead of white sugar adds addditional flavor and color when baking.
  • Gluten-Free Flour: I used King Arthur Measure for Measure flour, or you can try your favorite 1-to-1 baking blend.
  • Salt
  • Xanthan Gum: Adding more than what is in the baking blend helps make the dough more stretchy so your get a nice texture in your breadticks.
  • Baking Powder: Be sure the brand you use is gluten free.
  • Egg: One large one.
  • Unsalted Butter: Melted and cooled.
  • White Vinegar: Lemon juice will also work.

For the garlic butter

  • Unsalted Butter
  • Fresh Garlic
  • Fresh Parsley
  • Parmesan Cheese: Optional, but it’s nice to sprinkle on at the end.
Bowls of flour, melted butter, yeast, and other ingredients to make garlic breadsticks.

How to Make Gluten Free Garlic Breadsticks

This recipe starts by following the basic instructions for my classic Gluten Free Soft Breadsticks. Make sure you check out that post for all of the tips, tricks, and details. The only difference is that we are going to make 8 thinner breadsticks instead of 6. And then they are brushed with a simple garlic and herb butter.

Make the Dough: First, proof the yeast mixture by combining the yeast and sugar with warm water, leaving it to sit until the mixture is frothy and bubbling. Combine the dry ingredients in a separate bowl, then add in the yeast mixture. Finally, mix in the egg, butter, and vinegar and beat until the dough just comes together and looks like this.

A mixing bowl of dough.

Roll Out the Dough: Dust your work surface with a little gluten free flour. Gather the dough into a ball and divide it into 8 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a rope about 5 or 6 inches long and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Let them rise in a warm location for about 20 minutes while you preheat the oven to 350°F.

Bake: Bake the breadsticks in the preheated oven for about 15-20 minutes until they’re golden on the outsides and cooked on the insides.

Make the Garlic Butter: In a small saucepan, melt the butter. Then add the garlic and parsley and let it warm through for a couple of minutes just to cook the raw taste out of the garlic. Brush onto the warm breadsticks and sprinkle with parmesan cheese, if desired. Enjoy!

Tips for Success

  • Make Sure Your Yeast is Good: Be sure that your yeast is fresh and not expired. If it doesn’t start to bubble right away, toss it aout and start fresh.
  • Don’t Use Too Much Flour: Lightly spoon the flour when measuring, then add just enough if you still need more for the dough to come together. It will be softer than your usual wheat flour dough, but if you add too much flour, then final product will be dry and dense. You also just need a light dusting on your work surface and maybe a bit on your hands to roll them
  • Serve Them Warm: For the softest garlic breadsticks, serve them warm.
  • Storing Leftovers: Extra breadsticks can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature or in the fridge for up to 3 days. You can also freeze them in an airtight container or plastic freezer storage bag for up to two months. I recommend warming them in the microwave for a few seconds before serving them again.
The golden brown ends of a stack of garlic breadsticks in a white dish.

Serving Suggestions

Whether you serve them with any Italian-inspired meals whether you pair them with a pasta dinner, dunk them in soup or stew, have one alongside a salad, or just dip them in a bowl of sauce and enjoy, you are in for a real treat.

A breadstick being dunked into a bowl of marinara sauce.

More Gluten-Free Flavored Breads and Rolls

Not your basic breads, these have amazing flavors and alternatives to your basic yeast dough.

An oval dish of breadsticks on a napkin next to a grater and a chunk of parmesan cheese.
5 from 7 votes

Gluten Free Garlic Breadsticks

The only way to complete your favorite Italian meals is with a basket of Gluten Free Garlic Breadsticks. Soft and fluffy, and baked till perfectly golden brown, each one is then slathered with garlic butter to make them irresistible. Use them to scoop up any sauce left in your dish or serve with a bowl of marinara sauce for a tasty appetizer!
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 12 minutes
Rising Time 20 minutes
Total: 47 minutes
Servings: 8 servings

Ingredients

For the breadsticks

  • 2/3 cup warm water, 90-110°F
  • 1 1/2 Tablespoon active dry yeast
  • 2 Tablespoons brown sugar
  • 2 cups 1-to-1 gluten-free flour (I used King Arthur Measure for Measure)
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon gluten free baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon xanthan gum
  • 1 egg
  • 1/3 cup melted butter
  • 1 teaspoon white vinegar or lemon juice

For the garlic butter

  • 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
  • 1 Tablespoon minced fresh parsley
  • 2 Tablespoons grated parmesan cheese, optional

Instructions

  • Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • In a small bowl, whisk together the warm water, yeast, and brown sugar. Let this mixture stand for 5-10 minutes, until bubbly and frothy.
  • Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl (preferably a stand mixer), combine the flour, salt, baking powder and xanthan gum.
  • When the yeast mixture is proofed, pour it into the dry ingredients, mixing on low speed. Add the egg, butter, and vinegar. Mix for 1-2 minutes, until the ingredients are incorporated, then increase the speed to medium-high and beat for 4 minutes.
  • Gather the dough into a ball and place on a work surface lightly dusted with flour. Divide the dough into 8 equal portions and roll each portion into a rope about 5-6 inches long.
  • Let the dough rest somewhere warm for 20 minutes.
  • After 10 minutes, preheat the oven to 350°F.
  • Bake for 15-20 minutes, until golden and cooked through.
  • While the breadsticks are baking, in a small saucepan melt the butter. Add the minced garlic and parsley and let it warm through for a minute or two.
  • Remove the baking pan from the oven and immediately brush with the garlic butter and sprinkle with parmesan cheese, if desired. Serve warm or transfer the breadsticks to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

Store leftovers in an airtight container on the counter for up to 3 days. To serve, warm the breadsticks in the microwave for 15-30 seconds.
Serve with marinara sauce for dipping
Nutrition Facts
Gluten Free Garlic Breadsticks
Amount Per Serving (1 breadstick)
Calories 235 Calories from Fat 126
% Daily Value*
Fat 14g22%
Saturated Fat 8g40%
Trans Fat 1g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
Monounsaturated Fat 4g
Cholesterol 53mg18%
Sodium 426mg18%
Potassium 31mg1%
Carbohydrates 26g9%
Fiber 4g16%
Sugar 4g4%
Protein 5g10%
Vitamin A 450IU9%
Vitamin C 1mg1%
Calcium 61mg6%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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8 Comments
  1. Jeanette

    5 stars
    God these are so good. I’m making the recipe again (the very next day). My autistic 6yo son who is an extremely picky eater ate 2 and tried to steal the bag. Oh yeah, this recipe is a true keeper. I’ll be super fat, but stupid happy. So I’ll survive. (I used Cup4Cup because store was out of KA, and they came out so incredible. Honestly, couldn’t tell they were gluten free).

  2. meg

    5 stars
    thank you soooo much for this recipe! this is the first, successful, gluten free thing i’ve been able to bake! i’ve made biscuits with a mix but it’s not the same. again, thank you!

  3. Tamie Beecher

    5 stars
    These are absolutely the best. I could not even explain the reaction of my suprise. Me and a grand daughter have been GF for 2 yrs now. A quote from my grand daughter. ” This is the first real bread that I have eaten in 2 yrs Grandma”. My thiughts exactly. ❤

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