Copycat Olive Garden Breadsticks

Does anyone go to Olive Garden for anything other than the endless breadsticks? OK, we’ll admit the Zuppa Toscana is pretty tasty and the Alfredo is pretty darn good, too… and, of course, the chicken Parmesan.

What were we talking about again? Oh! Yes, the breadsticks.

Recreate the magic at home, with our quick copycat Olive Garden breadsticks recipe (or one of these other official Olive Garden recipes). You can have a basket of breadsticks fresh from the oven in less than 60 minutes.

Ingredients for Copycat Olive Garden Breadsticks

• Butter: Be sure to grab a package of unsalted butter here. If you accidentally bought salted butter, omit the salt from this copycat Olive Garden breadsticks recipe.
• Whole milk: Fat equals flavor, and since whole milk has a higher fat percentage than other milks, we like to use it to make the most flavorful breadsticks possible.
• Instant yeast: Unlike active dry yeast (a more common ingredient), instant yeast does not need to be proofed, which will make this recipe go a little quicker.
• Sugar: Granulated sugar acts as food for the yeast and helps the breadsticks rise.
• Egg: Bring your egg to room temperature. It will blend into the dough much more easily than a cold egg. Take your egg out of the fridge 30 minutes before starting the recipe.
• All-purpose flour: We’ve found that all-purpose flour mimics Olive Garden’s breadsticks more closely than bread flour, and results in fluffier, softer breadsticks.
• Garlic butter: Each breadstick is slathered in a garlic butter topping, made simply from melted butter, flaky salt and garlic powder.

Directions

Step 1: Warm the butter and milk

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Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line two 15x10x1-inch baking sheets with parchment paper, and set them aside. In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Stir in the whole milk, and warm the mixture to 105 to 112°.

Editor’s Tip: Don’t overheat the milk mixture. Doing so will kill the yeast and inhibit your dough from rising sufficiently.

Step 2: Proof the yeast

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Add the yeast and sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Slowly add the warmed milk mixture, and gently stir to combine.

Step 3: Mix the dough

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With the stand mixer on its lowest speed, stir in the egg and salt. Add in 2-1/2 cups of flour.

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Continue to mix, then add the remaining 1 cup of flour until the dough clings to the hook, the sides of the bowl are clean and the dough is smooth and soft. Increase the mixer speed to medium-low, and knead the dough for three to four minutes.

Step 4: Shape the breadsticks

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With lightly floured hands or a bench knife, divide the dough into 12 equal pieces. Then, shape the dough into 12 breadsticks, about 9 inches long.

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Place the breadsticks onto the prepared pans, leaving 1 inch of space between each stick. Cover the breadsticks with a clean tea towel and let them rest until they’ve risen slightly, 10 to 15 minutes.

Editor’s Tip: Feel free to use a digital scale to divide your dough into 12 equally sized portions, weighing the dough and dividing by 12 to get the target weight for each breadstick.

Step 5: Bake the breadsticks

Uncover the breadsticks and pop them into the preheated oven. Bake the breadsticks until they’re nicely golden brown, 15 to 18 minutes.

Step 6: Brush the breadsticks with garlic butter

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Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add in the flaky salt and garlic powder, then stir to incorporate.

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Brush the garlic butter over the hot breadsticks and serve them warm.

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Recipe Variations

• Season the butter with herbs: Add dried herbs to your butter mixture, such as thyme, basil, oregano or an Italian seasoning blend.
• Load it up with cheese: Fold freshly grated cheddar, Gruyere or Parmesan into the dough before shaping. You could also sprinkle the cheese right on top of the shaped dough before baking it.

How to Store Copycat Olive Garden Breadsticks

In the unlikely event of leftover breadsticks, store them at room temperature in an airtight container or resealable bag for up to five days.

To reheat copycat Olive Garden breadsticks, wrap them loosely in foil and warm them in a 350° oven until they’re heated through, five to eight minutes. Baste them with additional melted butter and serve.

Can you freeze copycat Olive Garden breadsticks?

Make sure to cool the breadsticks completely before freezing. This will prevent them from becoming soggy or moldy when they thaw.

To freeze breadsticks, wrap them tightly in storage wrap followed by a layer of foil. Pop the breadsticks into a freezer bag and store them for up to three months. Defrost them overnight in the fridge and then reheat them as directed above. Be sure to remove the storage wrap.

You may reheat frozen breadsticks by warming them in a 350° oven on a baking sheet until heated through, 8 to 10 minutes. Tent them with foil to prevent them from over-browning.

Copycat Olive Garden Breadsticks Tips

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How can you tell if your yeast is good to use?

The best way to check whether your instant yeast is good to use is by looking at the expiration date on the packaging. If the yeast is far past that date, it won’t be any good. You can further check the yeast by putting some of it in warm water (around 100º) to see if it activates and starts to bubble. Also, if your bread does not rise after shaping, then the yeast is not active.

What can you serve with copycat Olive Garden breadsticks?

Enjoy these breadsticks on their own or with any one of our favorite Olive Garden copycat recipes. We especially love them with our copycat Olive Garden soups and salads, and with this copycat shrimp scampi. You can also serve them simply with marinara sauce, olive oil dip or pesto dip.