Cheesy Breadsticks Recipe

Cheesy Breadsticks Recipe

Make Cheesy Breadsticks Recipe: warm, garlicky, and melty breadsticks perfect for parties and weeknights.

Ingredients

Instructions

Step 1: Activate the yeast and warm water

Warm a cup of water to a gentle 105–115°F (40–46°C) and stir in the active dry yeast and a teaspoon of sugar until dissolved. Set the clear glass measuring cup on the marble and wait 5–10 minutes until the surface is lively and foamy; this is the tiny, breathable cloud that tells you the yeast is alive and ready. Keep the vessel nearby so you can visually confirm the delicate foam and tiny bubbles before moving on.

Step 2: Combine dry ingredients and form a shaggy dough

In a large matte grey ceramic mixing bowl, whisk together the bread flour, fine sea salt, and garlic powder until evenly distributed. Make a shallow well in the center, pour in the foamy yeast mixture and the olive oil, and stir with a wooden spoon until a rough, shaggy mass forms with no dry pockets—an irregular, floury surface dotted with strings of hydrated dough and sticky clumps. Let the texture speak: rough, tacky, and promising.


Step 3: Knead until smooth and elastic

Lightly dust the Carrara marble with a tablespoon or two of reserved flour and turn the dough out. Knead by hand—fold, push, rotate—until the dough becomes smooth, slightly glossy, and stretches without tearing; it should feel elastic and resilient, still slightly tacky but not wet. Shape it into a tight, smooth ball with faint surface seams and a soft skin of flour dust that highlights the dough’s suppleness.

Step 4: Oil the bowl and allow the first rise

Brush a little olive oil into the same matte grey bowl, nestle the dough inside, and turn it once to coat. Cover loosely with a clean kitchen towel and set in a warm, draft-free spot to rise 45–60 minutes until doubled and noticeably puffy—soft to the touch and slowly springing back when poked. The risen dome should show a delicate sheen where the oil touched and a gentle network of tiny surface pores.


Step 5: Prepare pan and cheesy garlic topping while the dough rises

While the dough proofs, lightly grease a 9x13-inch rectangular pan with olive oil until the bottom and corners glisten faintly. In a small white ceramic bowl whisk together melted butter, minced garlic, and a pinch of salt; in a second bowl toss shredded low-moisture mozzarella with grated Parmesan, oregano, dried parsley, and optional red pepper flakes until evenly combined. Arrange these bowls and the oiled pan together on the marble so everything is ready in a clean, orderly composition.

Step 6: Deflate, shape, and roll to a 9x13 rectangle

Gently punch down the dough to release gas, transfer it back to the lightly floured surface, and shape it into a rough rectangle. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough to an even 9x13-inch rectangle about 1/2 inch thick, keeping the surface taut and the edges even. Carefully lift and transfer the sheet into the greased 9x13 pan, coaxing it into the corners so it fills the pan without tearing.


Step 7: Brush with garlic butter, top with cheese, and score

Generously brush the entire surface with the garlic butter, reaching every corner, then sprinkle the cheese mixture across the dough so it covers edge-to-edge. Press the cheese gently into the surface so it adheres. With a sharp pastry wheel or pizza cutter, lightly score the dough into breadstick shapes (four long strips by three across for twelve pieces), cutting only through the cheese and surface without slicing entirely to the pan.

Step 8: Final short rise and preheat oven

Cover the pan loosely and let the topped dough relax and puff for 15–20 minutes until slightly airy. Meanwhile preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C) until fully hot. The dough after this short rise should look pillowy under the cheese, the scored lines clear and the surface glossy with butter.


Step 9: Bake, finish, cut, and serve warm

Bake until the cheese is melted, bubbling, and spotting light golden brown and the edges of the breadsticks are golden and just crisp—about 12–15 minutes. Remove the rectangular pan to a wire rack, brush immediately with reserved garlic butter for extra shine, cool for 5–10 minutes so the cheese sets slightly, then cut fully along the scored lines into individual sticks. Sprinkle dried parsley and optional fresh chopped parsley, and serve warm with a small bowl of warm marinara on the side.


Notes