The best homemade gluten-free breadsticks recipe will make you forget those soft Olive Garden breadsticks ever existed! This extra easy recipe with a garlic topping is not only gluten-free (with dairy-free option), but uses the simplest prep and baking method even a GF novice can pull these off with success!
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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!
Crazy easy! My non-GF husband has declared these the “go-to bread for company”, so that’s as big of a win as I could ask for.
—Caitlyn
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Ingredient Tid Bits
Gluten-free garlic breadsticks use ingredients I always have on hand so they are perfect side dish to throw together with my never-mushy gluten-free lasagna, soups, baked ziti, salad, tender homemade gluten-free meatballs, or this 10-minute silky gluten-free alfredo sauce.
- 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. I do suggest using a lighter colored brand, or the breadsticks will bake a weirdly purplish color. It doesn’t affect the taste, but my favorite brand to use is linked.
- Instant (Rapid Rise) Yeast – I would suggest buying this is bulk and storing in your refrigerator. If you use active dry yeast it will have to be activated in the warm water first.
- 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.
Watch The Recipe
Let’s Make This Together!
(Below shows step-by-step photos and modified instructions. For the complete recipe, along with ingredient amounts, scroll down to the recipe card.)
Easy peasy dump and mix dough
This is where gluten-free bread recipes win out. No kneading necessary! Just mix together the dry ingredients then add the eggs, oil, and water.
Mix on low speed to let the dough come together. Then increase the speed and beat for 5 minutes. This helps hydrate the GF starches so the breadsticks are nice and soft.
The batter will be slightly thick, like brownie batter (see pic below), which is totally fine! These don’t have to be rolled or shaped so we don’t need a stiff dough.
Simple shaping method and bake
A looser dough means softer breadsticks, put we also need a way to get them on the baking sheet! Place a gallon ziplock bag in a bowl and fold over sides so it’s open. Use two silicone spoons to scrape the dough into the bag.
Snipe off a 1-inch corner 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.
Let it rise for about 15 minutes while the oven preheats then bake for 15-17 minutes. While they’re baking combine the garlic butter topping, brush on, and enjoy immensely!
Parmesan Garlic Topping & Yummy Alternatives
The garlic breadstick topping is reminiscent of my local pizzeria’s famous garlic knots with parmesan cheese and seasoning. However, 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. Of course don’t forget the dipping! Check out this easy recipe for gluten-free soft pretzels for my favorite GF dips.
For a dairy-free option, omit the parmesan cheese and substitute olive oil for the melted butter. I’ve also topped them with sesame seeds, everything bagel seasoning, or nutritional yeast, which also works well for a DF / GF recipe.
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. If you have a bread maker, that also works well for mixing the dough together.
Best Way to Tell When They Are Done Baking
I highly recommend using an instant read thermometer to check the temperature when baking any recipe in my gluten-free bread recipe collection. 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 195-205ºF. 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. It’s seriously one of my favorite kitchen tools!
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Did you make this recipe? I love hearing from you! Leave a star rating and comment below the recipe card. It helps others when searching for recipes and I appreciate feedback from our community. You will always hear back from me! -Melissa
Softest Gluten-Free Breadsticks (Impossibly Easy)
Ingredients
- 3 cups (438 g) gluten-free all purpose flour, Cup4Cup gluten-free flour highly recommended
- 2 tablespoons (25 g) granulated sugar
- 1 (7 g) packet (2 ½ tsp) instant rapid rise yeast
- 1 tablespoon (11 g) psyllium husk powder , helps with bread moisture & structure (what is psyllium husk?)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ cups (360 g) warm water (110°F)
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- ¼ cup (53 g) olive oil
Garlic Parmesan Topping
- 1 ½ tablespoons (21 g) 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 large 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 gallon ziplock bag in a bowl and fold over sides so it’s open. Use two silicone spoons to scrape the dough into the bottom of the bag. Push all the dough to the bottom, squeeze excess air from the top, and twist to close. You don't have to worry about "zipping" it close because the twisting keeps the dough from escaping out the top.
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
Notes
Dairy-free Option
For the garlic topping, omit the parmesan cheese and substitute olive oil for the melted butter. Instead of parmesan cheese, nutritional yeast may be used.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.This post contains affiliate links. My opinions are always my own. If you purchase a product through an affiliate link, I make a small commission – at no cost to you. Read full disclosure policy here.
These were easy to make and the texture was amazing! This is the best gluten free bread recipe that we have found. Thanks!
Thank you, Karen! I truly appreciate this!
Best,
Melissa
Easy to make but difficult to get into a bag. Unfortunately only had flat zip lock bags and they do not work to cut a corner! Ended up shaping them by hand.
Hi Gwen,
I’m sorry for your frustrations. I’m surprised the dough was stiff enough to shape by hand. Did they turn out alright? I put the bag in a bowl, open it up and scoop the batter in. If the dough was rather stiff, though, I could see why that wouldn’t work out as well. Thanks for writing!
Best,
Melissa
This recipe is definitely a keeper! I’m in awe at how simple these where to make and how delicious they are! I used a mock version of Cup4Cup flour and instead of psyllium husk I used ground flax seed and my breadsticks turned out perfect! Thank you so much for sharing!
Thanks, Paulette! It’s impossible for me to test all variations so I love when people write in to share. It’s so helpful for others!
Best,
Melissa
Best gluten free breadsticks I’ve ever had! I’ve never had anything gluten free rise before and they did beautifully. Light and fluffy like real bread! Great recipe! I am in awe! Thank you so much for sharing!
Thank you! Real bread is definitely a great compliment!
Best,
Melissa
These turned out horribly. The dough was so thick we could not pipe it out of a plastic bag and they were impossible to form. I use the precise ingredients measuring carefully.
Hi Molly,
I’m so sorry this happened. Can you tell me which GF flour you used?
Best,
Melissa
Hi! I used Bob’s Red Mill
I’m not getting any updated messages from you
Hi Molly,
I think this was the problem. If you didn’t bake by weight, Bob’s Red Mill weighs about 10 g more / cup than the flours I typically recipe test with Cup4Cup (preferred for this recipe and other GF bread recipes) and King Arthur. If you would like to try the recipe again, I would cup back on the flour by 1/2 cup. I hope this helps!
Best,
Melissa
I used Bob’s All Purpose Baking Flour
Thank you for this recipe, just made some and it taste delicious. My bather was more like cake bather but it still came out pretty good!! 😊(I used Bob’s red mill all purpose flour baking flour and 1 1/4 tsp xanthan gum instead of psyllium husk. Thanks again.
Hi Savi,
The batter is thinner than you’d expect, but I’m glad they turned out! Thanks for writing.
Best,
Melissa
Omg, these are the best breadsticks I’ve ever had! I’ve been gluten free for 15 years. It’s so hard to find a good recipe. I will definitely make these again and again. I used xangthum gum instead psyllium husk. Your explanation on you’re instructions helped me for future recipes. Thank you so much!! Suzie B.
I appreciate this, Suzanne! I know exactly how you feel when you can finally enjoy something again. It’s the best feeling 🙂
Best,
Melissa
OMG! These are the best thing I’ve made since going gluten free. My friend Patty recommended you to me. Thank you so much for the recipe.
Yay! This makes me so happy, Kathy! And THANK YOU friend Patty for putting the word out!
Best,
Melissa
Oh my gosh, I just made these and they are fantastic. I’ve been gluten free for over twenty years and I’ve done a lot of baking. These are stellar. I used 1 tsp of xanathum gum instead of the psyllium and they are perfect.
The only problem I had was the darn gallon baggie. The ones I buy don’t have nice neat exact corners (I don’t know how to explain it) so they piped out messy. I wet my fingers and shaped them to look better and more smooth before I baked them.
Hi Bea,
Glad to hear you enjoyed the end product, sorry to hear the baggie situation! I used ziplock freezer bags, which are probably a little more sturdy. Maybe you can try that next time?
Best,
Melissa
These were delicious, soft and exactly what we wanted with our pasta dinner. One question, they turned out a bit purple/gray, any thoughts as to why that happened?
Hi Stacy,
Glad to hear you enjoyed them! The purplish gray color is from the brand of psyllium used. Some are darkers than other, which turns baked goods a purplish color (not exactly sure of the science behind this – just know it happens!). The psyllium linked in the recipe card is the best one I have found and very light.
Best,
Melissa
Thanks so much for your reply, I’ll make sure to buy the suggested brand next time! For now we will enjoy them,purple or not, they are excellent!
Made these again tonight, with the psyllium husk powder this time and they were great. I half the recipe because it’s just me and my husband, and use the King Arthur measure for measure flour. Also I mix them by hand, because I don’t have a stand mixer. Previously have made them without the psyllium husk flour, and they were still good. Nice quick side bread to make for a meal. Ty for this recipe!
Hi Jessica,
Thanks for writing in! I’m glad to know they work mixing by hand as well! Now that you have the psyllium, I hope you try some other yeast bread recipes on the site!
Best,
Melissa
These are so yummy and I’m not a gluten-free fan! I made these for my daughter (16) who loves herself some bread and was recently diagnosed with a gluten sensitivity. I’ve made your cinnamon rolls, dinner rolls these and I make your bread for her each week for sandwiches. You’ve been a lifesaver and I’m her hero. Thank you!! ❤️❤️
Oh gosh, Sammi. Thank you for the beautiful message. You really made my day!
Best,
Melissa
This recipe is so great! I miss good, soft breadsticks. These are pretty easy to make and are so delicious. I don’t have psyllium husk and they still come out great. I also just brush with olive oil and sprinkle some salt since we’re dairy/garlic free. So good!
Great to know, Jen, as I’m sure some home bakers don’t have the psyllium. If you make a lot of GF breads, I recommend trying it sometime with it too. It does level up the crumb!
Best,
Melissa
I’ve never left a comment on a recipe site, but this was phenomenal!! My son and I have been gluten free for 6 years and miss breadsticks. This was so so so easy! I used my homemade flour mix and the p. husk! Outstanding! Thank you thank you! Next time I may stuff with cheese and dip in marinara 🙂
Oh, Heather, this means so much. I greatly appreciate you taking the time to let me know. I LOVE the idea of stuffing them with cheese. You might have to pipe a layer of dough, sprinkle cheese, and then pipe the top layer of dough.
Best,
Melissa
Can this recipe be doubled with no ill effects ?
Yes, that shouldn’t be a problem, but I would just be concerned your mixer can handle the dough. Do you have a stand mixer? And if so, what size is it?
Best,
Melissa
Did I do something wrong? My batter turned out more like cake batter not brownie batter. Its really runny and wont hold a shape. I double checked my measurements. 1 1/2 cup water and 3 cups flour? Is it really suppose to be less water?
Hi Sylvia,
I’m so sorry this happened! Can you tell me which flour you used and if you did add the psyllium husk powder?
Best,
Melissa
Is Metamucil Psyllium Husk Powder??
Hi Carol,
It has it in it, but it’s not 100% psyllium, so I don’t recommend using it.
Best,
Melissa
Hey is there anything I can substitute for the psyllium powder? Can I add extra xantham gum?
Hi Halley,
I would either leave it out (with slightly affect crumb – not quite as “doughy”) or you can swap out ground flaxseed. Hope this helps!
Best,
Melissa
I have never made breadsticks before, but now that I can’t have wheat, I’ve been craving them. I used King Arthur’s flour, made them per your recipe with the psyllium husk and all. Apparently my bag’s opening was too large – I had very wide sticks! – but they were terrific. Thank you for this recipe!
Thank you, Amanda! I made that mistake the first time I was testing them. It doesn’t look like a big opening, but then the breadsticks were huge! Luckily it doesn’t affect the taste!
Best,
Melissa
Amazing! I recently went gluten free and this was the absolute best bread I’ve had since going gluten free! My kids even loved it!
I also swapped sugar for monk fruit and it was great!
Thank you
Thanks for sharing, Cydney! And I love that you can swap out the monk fruit for the sugar. Great tip!
Best,
Melissa
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!
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
Hi there!! Question – are these supposed to come out dark? They taste just fine but they came out super grey!
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
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!)
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
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?
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
How much xantham gum dis you use to replace the psyllium powder do you remember? 😊
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!
Happy to help, Jenn! I would add 1 1/4 tsp xanthan gum. Enjoy!
Best,
Melissa
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:)
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
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)
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
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.
Thank you so much for this, Ryan! I really appreciate you taking the time to write. Makes it all worth it!
Best,
Melissa
Thank you so much for this recipe! They were easy and fast to make, and my family loved them.
Yay! This makes me so happy! Thanks for sharing!
Best,
Melissa
The flour is not dairy free contains milk powder, or is the powder considered dairy free?
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
You’re so welcome, Carrie! Let me know what you think!
Best,
Melissa