The best homemade gluten-free breadsticks recipe will make you forget those soft Olive Garden breadsticks ever existed! This easy recipe with a garlic topping is not only gluten-free, but dairy-free as well!
better than olive garden gluten-free breadsticks
Enjoy soft, Olive Garden-style breadsticks again with this easy gluten-free recipe! These breadsticks are so good, my family was fooled into thinking they were traditional rather than gluten-free!
These garlic breadsticks based off another reader’s favorite, a combination of gluten-free bread recipe and gluten-free garlic knots. Just like the bread recipe, the ingredients are simple, kitchen-staples, and it comes together in a matter of minutes!
Since homemade gluten-free breadsticks have a brief rise time, you can be enjoying soft parmesan garlic bread in less than 45 minutes start to finish!
Ingredient Notes
Gluten-free garlic breadsticks use ingredients I always have on hand so they are perfect side dish to throw together with gluten-free lasagna, soups, meatless baked ziti, salad, gluten-free meatballs, or gluten-free alfredo. Or, simply dunk in a marinara dipping sauce to enjoy with gluten-free pizza!
- Gluten-free flour blend – Using the best gluten-free flour makes or breaks the quality of the bread. I tested the recipe with different flour blends to make sure it consistently turns out, but some performed handedly better than others. My preferred brand I use for all gluten-free baking recipes is Cup4Cup, which includes xanthan gum.
- Psyllium Husk Powder – I’ve made the bread multiples with and without the psyllium husk powder. It doesn’t affect the taste, but it does help maintain moisture, adds softness, and elasticity. You can read more about the benefits of gluten-free baking with psyllium husk here.
- Instant (Rapid Rise) Yeast – I would suggest buying this is bulk and storing in your refrigerator.
- Eggs – Room temperature. Do do this quickly, I place the eggs in a bowl of hot water for 5 minutes before breaking and using.
- Olive Oil – Or substitute the same amount of vegetable oil or melted butter.
how to make gluten-free breadsticks
(Below shows step-by-step photos and modified instructions. For the complete recipe, along with ingredient amounts, scroll down to the recipe card.)
- Using a stand mixer, mix together the dry ingredients – gluten-free flour, sugar, yeast, optional psyllium husk powder, baking powder, and salt on low speed until combined.
- Add the warm water, eggs, and olive oil. Mix on low speed to let the dough come together, about 1 minute. Then increase the speed and beat for 5 minutes. The batter will be slightly thick, like brownie batter.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Place a quart ziplock bag in a medium bowl and fold over sides so it’s open. Use two silicone spoons to scrape the breadstick dough into the bottom of the bag.
- Snipe off a 1-inch corner of the bag so you have a makeshift piping bag. Be sure to not cut too big of a corner, or you will have large breadsticks. Pipe 6-inch long breadsticks onto the prepared baking sheet, about 2-inches apart.
- Set the pan in a warm, draft-free place to rise for about 15 minutes while the oven preheats oven to 375°F. Bake for 15-17 minutes, or until the bottoms are lightly browned.
- While the breadsticks are baking combine the topping ingredients – melted butter, parmesan, garlic powder, salt, and Italian seasoning. Immediately brush on the topping when they come out of the oven.
parmesan GARLIC breadstick topping & alternatives
The garlic breadstick topping is reminiscent of my local pizzeria’s famous garlic knots with parmesan cheese and seasoning. However, like gluten-free bagels, there are many ways to flavor these soft breadsticks!
First top with melted butter or olive oil, then sprinkle on one of the toppings listed below.
- Dairy-Free – Omit the parmesan cheese and substitute olive oil for the melted butter.
- Sesame seeds
- Everything bagel seasoning
- Nutritional yeast
gluten-free garlic knots
There are a few options for making garlic knots with this dough. First of all, follow this recipe for authentic gluten-free garlic knots to make them just like a pizzeria!
To make them without rolling or shaping, instead of piping into long logs, pipe the dough into 2-inch balls and bake 16-18 minutes.
Alternatively, skip the piping all together and simply scrape 2-inch spoonfuls onto the prepared pan. They may not look as uniformly round, but they will still taste amazing!
freezing, storing, and rewarming
Gluten-free breadsticks do not have the shelf life like normal bread. Refrigerating will dry them out, and is not recommended.
For best results, enjoy the breadsticks immediately or within the day. If you need to rewarm them, wrap the breadsticks in a paper towel and microwave for 10-15 seconds.
For oven rewarming, wrap the breadsticks in foil and place in a 350ºF oven for 5-7 minutes.
Leftover breadsticks may also be frozen. Wrap each individually and transfer to a ziplock freezer bag. Freeze up to three months.
best tips and tricks
- The size of snipped off corner is important. The first time I made these I cut off too much and the breadsticks were huge! Error on going smaller and you can always snipe off more. Remember they will rise slightly in the oven.
- Brush on the garlic butter immediately when you pull them from the oven.
- These are best served warm, but if you need to make them ahead, wrap cooled breadsticks in a paper towel and microwave for 10-15 seconds.
- For make-ahead breadsticks, they can also be baked, cooled, and frozen until ready to serve. Thaw at room temperature for 1 hour before rewarming.
Can I make Gluten-Free Breadsticks Dairy-free?
Yes. The breadstick recipe is already dairy-free so you do not need to make any changes there. However, the recommended flour, Cup4Cup, does contain milk powder. For dairy-free breadsticks I recommend using King Arthur Measure-for-Measure gf flour.
For the garlic topping, omit the parmesan cheese and substitute olive oil for the melted butter.
Do I need a stand mixer?
Yes and no. It definitely makes the recipe easier to throw together. It may be done with a hand held mixer, but since it uses a large amount of flour, it will be a lot more taxing on the mixer and yourself.
How to tell when breadsticks are done baking
I highly recommend using an instant read thermometer to check the temperature when baking gluten-free bread recipes. Typically, the bread will “look” done before it’s actually done adequately baking.
If you pull the bread too soon the liquids won’t have time to evaporate and it will be gummy and dense, instead of soft and fluffy.
The internal temperature should reach 195ºF. Checking quickly with an instant read thermometer will help the bread retain valuable heat while the temp is being read. A Thermoworks Thermapen does this efficiently and accurately.
Do I have to add Psyllium Husk Powder?
No. I’ve made these with and without the psyllium husk powder. It doesn’t affect the taste, but it does help maintain moisture and gives an extra boost of softness and elasticity so I highly recommend it for best results.
Click here to see the step-by-step web story instructions for this recipe!
more gluten-free bread recipes
- Gluten-Free Focaccia
- Easy Gluten-Free Rolls
- Gluten-Free Cornbread
- Gluten-Free Banana Bread
- Fluffy Gluten-Free Biscuits
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Soft Gluten-Free Breadsticks (Extra Easy)
Ingredients
- 3 cups gluten-free all purpose flour (Cup4Cup gluten-free flour highly recommended)
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 packet (2 ½ tsp) instant rapid rise yeast
- 1 tablespoon psyllium husk powder helps with bread moisture & structure (what is psyllium husk?)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ cups warm water (110°F)
- 2 eggs, room temperature
- ¼ cup olive oil
Garlic Parmesan Topping
- 1 ½ tablespoons melted butter, see recipe notes for dairy-free
- 2 tablespoons grated parmesan, see recipe notes for dairy-free
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt or sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon Italian seasoning
Instructions
- Using a stand mixer with paddle attachment, mix together the gluten-free flour, sugar, yeast, psyllium husk powder, baking powder, and salt on low speed until combined.3 cups gluten-free all purpose flour,2 tablespoons granulated sugar,1 packet (2 ½ tsp) instant rapid rise yeast,1 tablespoon psyllium husk powder,1 teaspoon baking powder,1 teaspoon salt
- Add warm water, eggs, and olive oil. Mix on low speed to let the dough come together, about 1 minute.1 ½ cups warm water (110°F),2 eggs,,¼ cup olive oil
- Increase speed to medium and beat for 5 minutes, scraping down paddle and bowl halfway through. The batter will be slightly thick, like brownie batter.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Place a quart ziplock bag in a medium bowl and fold over sides so it’s open. Use two silicone spoons to scrape the dough into the bottom of the bag. Squeeze out excess air and close.
- Snipe off a 1-inch corner of the bag so you have a makeshift piping bag. Be sure to not cut too big of a corner, or you will have large breadsticks. Pipe 6-inch long breadsticks onto the prepared baking sheet, about 2-inches apart. You may need a second baking sheet to fit all the dough.
- Set the pan in a warm, draft-free place to rise for about 15 minutes while the oven preheats oven to 375°F.
- Bake for 15-17 minutes, or until the bottoms are lightly browned and the internal temperature of the bread reaches 190-200°F.
- While the breadsticks are baking combine the topping ingredients. Immediately brush on the topping when they come out of the oven. Serve immediately or transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before storing.1 ½ tablespoons melted butter,,2 tablespoons grated parmesan,,¼ teaspoon garlic powder,¼ teaspoon kosher salt or sea salt,¼ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?? DON'T FORGET TO LEAVE FEEDBACK AND RATE BELOW!
Equipment Needed
Recipe Notes
Dairy-free Breadsticks
For the garlic topping, omit the parmesan cheese and substitute olive oil for the melted butter.best tips and tricks
- The size of snipped off corner is important. The first time I made these I cut off too much and the breadsticks were huge! Error on going smaller and you can always snipe off more. Remember they will rise slightly in the oven.
- Brush on the garlic butter immediately when you pull them from the oven.
- These are best served warm, but if you need to make them ahead, wrap cooled breadsticks in a paper towel and microwave for 10-15 seconds.
- For make-ahead breadsticks, they can also be baked, cooled, and frozen until ready to serve. Thaw at room temperature for 1 hour before rewarming.
freezing, storing, and rewarming
For best results, enjoy the breadsticks immediately or within the day. If you need to rewarm them, wrap the breadsticks in a paper towel and microwave for 10-15 seconds. For oven rewarming, wrap the breadsticks in foil and place in a 350ºF oven for 5-7 minutes. Leftover breadsticks may also be frozen. Wrap each individually and transfer to a ziplock freezer bag. Freeze up to three months.Nutrition
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Shelby says
Made these tonight with Bob’s 1-to1 GF flour to accompany homemade Italian wedding soup. I did not have any psyllium powder in the house so I substituted 1 tbls ground chia seeds – took while chia seeds and ground them
super fine (I use a small electric coffee grinder as a spice grinder) These bread sticks turned out super delicious – firm, but soft, and an appetizing golden brown color. I brushed with melted butter and sprinkled salt, garlic powder and Italian seasoning on top. Thank you!
Melissa Erdelac says
Thank you so much for sharing your trick about ground chia seeds! I love when readers write in tips like that. So glad the recipe worked so well for you!
Best,
Melissa
Roza P says
Hi there!! Question – are these supposed to come out dark? They taste just fine but they came out super grey!
Melissa Erdelac says
Hi Roza,
That would be from the psyllium husk. I’m on a mission right now to find the lightest-colored psyllium. The one I used to use has the same bottle, but the powder is so much darker than it used to be. I have 3 more in my Amazon cart and once I find the “magic” one I will link to it in the ingredients. It doesn’t affect the taste or texture, it’s just makes the bread look a little more “whole wheat” in nature.
Best,
Melissa
Jordan Miller says
Hiya there, Mel! Thanks for the mix here, I’m new to the world of unbread (little pro-gluten humor) and I don’t really eat it myself, but some friends we have can’t gluten and I’ve recently become a middle-aged dad in his artisan bread phase (the bread part) so my desire to create something that could maybe fool my full-germ loving palette enough to satiate “the gluten gluttony” in me, even halfway through a box of Meijer brand red, was maybe poorly informed. Thank you, first, for getting me started in attempts to cook the leavenly unbread, however hard I fell short in expectations perhaps too lofty like the loaves I love… but perhaps you’ve set me on a quest now to achieve or find the “best unbreaded bread” recipe I can find because I don’t know how anyone who’s tasted the evils of wheat at its finest can make this switch!
I’m not trying to throw shade, I suspect my attempts went exactly as directed, but what element is making these come out “gritty”? Maybe I messed up, and I’ll try again, but mine crumbled as if sawdust were the substitute flour and I husked it like you said with great hope this was the grail… Someone help me, I feel a kind of panic for any previous gluten users who’ve converted for whatever reason and understand my shock, what do I do?!
Thanks again, Melissa, if you put the recipes at the top, I’d still read your blog post, ads and all!
Jordan, gluten-free sympathizer (in love!)
Melissa Erdelac says
Hi Jordan,
What a great friend you are and I would love to help you on your quest. The number one rule is once you find a great recipe source (I would love to be yours!), don’t attempt to adapt the recipe in efforts to turn your dough into what may be more familiar to you. For instance, all my GF bread batters are a lot thinner than those with gluten. Adding more GF flour to make it workable will only result in an extremely, dry, gritty, “sawdust” texture. Finding the perfect balance of liquid to dry is key because GF starches do not absorb moisture as much. Too much liquid will result in dense and gummy, too little will be very dry. Once I strike the perfect balance, I try to find other creative ways to “handle” the dough. For instance, in this recipe the dough is piped onto the baking sheet instead of how it would be traditionally rolled.
Equally as important is the brand of GF flour you use. Namaste sold at Costco and GF Pillsbury I find to be terribly gritty. I have tested them all across many recipes, and I HIGHLY recommend Cup4Cup GF flour to replicate gluten-“full” results. Not a lot of local stores carry it, so I order it off of Amazon. It’s a game changer and all my recipes are tested with it.
As for putting the recipes at the top, unfortunately I can’t do that because the ads are how I make my living. While the recipes, supporting content, tips and tricks I provide are free for all of you, I spend about 30-40 hours per recipe testing, photographing, writing, promoting, etc. The ad content around it is how I get paid. Just as no one would put in 40-50 hours per week and not get paid, I cannot do that as well. This is my job and how I support my family. I do, however, provide the “jump to recipe” button right at the top of the post if you do want to skip all the supporting content with ads and get straight to the recipe! Being a beginner GF baker, though, I would read through my top bread recipes (go to the sandwich bread, especially) because there are a ton of tips and things to help you along your quest!
I wish you the best and I hope to hear from you again!
Best,
Melissa
Melanie Hardesty says
BIG SUCCESS! I made these for my daughter who stays gluten free. I used Bobs Red Mill All Purpose Baking Flour. I used zanthum gum instead of psyllium husk. Otherwise followed recipe completely. This was the easiest recipe ever and I knew how good they were when my daughter said they reminded her of the ones she ate as a child from the pizza place we frequented. She said she hasn’t had anything that good since she had to go gluten free. I have one question…..do you think this would work in a food processor?
Melissa Erdelac says
Hi Melanie,
So glad to hear the recipe worked well for you! And to hear they were such a hit with your daughter means a lot! I wouldn’t recommend a food processor, just because the blade wouldn’t aerate the dough as much as a mixer.
Best,
Melissa
Jenn says
Hi Melissa,
I can’t wait to try these! My gluten free flour does not contain xanthum gum. How much would you recommend adding?
Thanks!
Melissa Erdelac says
Happy to help, Jenn! I would add 1 1/4 tsp xanthan gum. Enjoy!
Best,
Melissa
Amber says
These were so amazing and pretty simple to make! Thank you thank you! Since I’ve had to go gluten free for health reasons it’s been so hard not enjoying pizza and breadsticks with my family. This is definitely going to be added to my rotation! Really appreciate this! I used Better Batter flour btw:)
Melissa Erdelac says
Thank you, Amber! And I always appreciate readers letting me know what flours they used because I don’t have the resources to test them all!
Best,
Melissa
Barbara says
Was hoping to make these for Thanksgiving but the batter is still coming out too runny. I added about 1/4 more flour to thicken it to no avail. Any tips? (No psyllium husk and flour is krusteaz)
Melissa Erdelac says
Hi Barbara,
I’ve been experimenting lately with not adding psyllium to recipes to see how it will affect it. It does add a lot more stability to GF doughs and helps absorb the liquids. I have to believe not adding the psyllium was the culprit.
Best,
Melissa
Ryan Luoma says
My wife is Celiac, and so I’ve always felt bad when we order pizza for the kids and she can’t have breadsticks. We’ve found good GF baguettes and such to buy, but have never found really good breadsticks, so I thought I’d look for a recipe. This one looked good, was pretty simple, and I had all the ingredients (sans the optional Psyllium), so I gave it a go. These are quite possibly the tastiest breadsticks I’ve had (ever, not just GF)! I prefer these over the ones we get from any of our regular pizza joints (Hungry Howies, Little Caesars, or our local “best pizza ever” place). They’re chewy/stretchy, but still fluffy. After I made one batch and went through them in two days, I made a double batch to freeze and they lasted a couple weeks. They’re fantastic to grab a few for a quick side at dinnertime, or just as an “on the go” snack. One of these days, I’ll try adding some almond flour or something else to make them a smidge healthier, but for now, I’ll stick with the recipe as-is, knowing that they’ll yield delicious breadsticks.
Melissa Erdelac says
Thank you so much for this, Ryan! I really appreciate you taking the time to write. Makes it all worth it!
Best,
Melissa
BK says
Thank you so much for this recipe! They were easy and fast to make, and my family loved them.
Melissa says
Yay! This makes me so happy! Thanks for sharing!
Best,
Melissa
Lone Muchow says
The flour is not dairy free contains milk powder, or is the powder considered dairy free?
Melissa says
Hi Lone,
No, Cup4Cup is not entirely dairy-free because of the milk powder. I address this in my gluten-free flour post I linked out to, but I will verify in the breadsticks post as well.
Best,
Melissa
Carrie Tyler says
Melissa, these look fantastic! I LOVE garlic bread but never eat it because I stay away from Gluten. I cannot wait to try this recipe!! Thanks for this one 🙂
Melissa says
You’re so welcome, Carrie! Let me know what you think!
Best,
Melissa