Soft Sourdough Breadsticks (olive garden dupe)
These soft sourdough breadsticks are light, fluffy, and full of flavor—perfect as a side, snack, or for dipping into your favorite sauces.
Servings: 10 breadsticks
Equipment
- Mixing bowl
- Food scale
- Dough/bench scraper
- Large baking sheet
- Parchment paper
Ingredients
For the sweet levain (optional)
- 15 grams active sourdough starter
- 15 grams honey or sugar
- 40 grams water decrease to 30 grams if using honey
- 40 grams flour
For the tangzhong
- 45 grams all-purpose flour
- 210 grams milk
For the dough
- 80 grams sweet levain from above
- all of the tangzhong from above
- 55 grams milk slightly warmed
- 35 grams honey or sugar
- 55 grams avocado oil OR melted unsalted butter
- 375 grams all-purpose flour
- 7 grams salt
- 1 tablespoon melted unsalted butter for brushing the dough
The garlic butter topping
- 3 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning optional
- 1/2 tablespoon Parmesan cheese for topping optional
Instructions
Make the sweet levain
- In a clean jar, combine the sourdough starter, honey, and water, stirring until mostly dissolved. Add the flour last, mixing until fully incorporated. Loosely cover the jar and let it rest in a warm spot until it doubles in size (about 8–10 hours). For the best rise, place it in a warm environment, such as your oven with the light on.
Make the tangzhong
- Ensure your sweet starter has at least doubled in size before mixing the dough.
- In a small saucepan, whisk together 45 grams of flour and 210 grams of milk
- Place over low to medium-low heat, stirring constantly to prevent lumps.
- Heat until the mixture thickens to a pudding-like consistency, around 149–158°F (65–70°C). Do not overheat, or it will become too thick.
- Transfer to a bowl and let it cool to at least 95–110°F (35–43°C) before adding to your dough.
Mix the dough
- The dough can be mixed by hand or by a stand mixer.
- Warm the milk in the microwave for 20-30 seconds and allow to cool for a few minutes.In a bowl, combine the sweet levain, honey (or sugar), milk, avocado oil (or melted butter), and cooled Tangzhong. Whisk until fully incorporated and smooth.
- Next, add the flour and salt, mixing until a dough forms. The dough will be quite stiff, but if the Tangzhong was overcooked and became too thick, add 15-20 grams of milk to help adjust the consistency.
- Cover the dough for 45 minutes and let it rest.
Knead the dough
- After the dough has rested, knead it on a clean surface until it becomes smooth. No additional flour should be needed, as the dough will feel quite stiff—that’s completely normal.
- Place the kneaded dough in a bowl coated with butter and cover it for 45 minutes to 1 hour.
- Return to the dough and perform 1 stretch and fold, cover it and let it rest overnight or for the remainder of the bulk rise (doubled in size).This dough was tested at 70-75 degrees F. Keep this in mind if your environment is much warmer.
Shape the soft sourdough breadsticks
- When ready to shape the soft sourdough breadsticks, line a large pan with parchment paper.
- Divide the dough into 10 equal pieces (around 80 grams each).
- Roll each piece into a small rectangle, about 4 inches wide.
- Starting from the long edge, tightly roll the dough into an 8-inch log, pressing gently to seal as you go.
- Pinch the seam closed and gently roll the log back and forth to smooth it out.
- Place the shaped breadsticks on a parchment-lined baking sheet, seam-side down, and let them rise 2-3 hours in a warm spot before baking. Cover with oiled plastic wrap or a damp tea towel.
Brush and bake the soft sourdough breadsticks
- After the soft sourdough breadsticks have puffed up (they do not need to double in size) preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Brush each breadstick with melted butter and bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.
- While the soft sourdough breadsticks are baking mix up the garlic butter. Melt 3 tablespoons of butter and whisk in the garlic powder. Optional: sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon of Italian seasonings in the mixture.
- Upon removing the breadsticks from the oven brush with the garlic butter and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
- Sourdough breadsticks can be enjoyed warm with your favorite dipping sauce. They pair wonderfully with marinara sauce or an olive oil dip.
- Soft sourdough breadsticks last for 3 days on the counter in an airtight container.
Notes
Baker's schedule option 1: Make the sweet leavin in the morning, mix the dough in the evening to rest overnight and bake the following morning.
Baker's schedule option 2: Make the sweet levain in the evening to mix the dough the following morning allow to double in size and bake the same day or refrigerate overnight to shape, proof, and bake for the following day.
Soft sourdough breadstick dough can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours.
Sweet levain: the sweet levain is optional in this recipe. It helps tame the sour flavor, however a regular active sourdough starter at peak can be used.
Can I skip the tangzhong? No! The tangzhong is essential for achieving the soft, fluffy texture and improved moisture retention in this recipe.
