Bread Machine Garlic Herb Breadsticks (Easy Recipe)
These garlic-herb breadsticks use a bread machine for mixing and the first rise, then get shaped and baked on a separate oven-safe sheet. The dough makes about 12 soft, lightly golden sticks. Dried herbs season the dough, while fresh garlic goes into melted butter brushed on after baking, when it is less likely to scorch.
The surprising twist is that the bread machine does not bake these breadsticks. It handles the dough, while your oven gives you the long, slender shape and golden finish. That split keeps the process simple, but it also prevents a common mistake: assuming the machine’s pan can go into the oven.
I use the dough cycle as a hands-off start, then check the dough before shaping. A quick look during kneading can help you catch a dry or sticky mix early. The recipe below gives you the amounts, timing, and visual cues to make a batch with everyday ingredients.
Bread Machine Setup and Dough Preparation
The dough cycle mixes and raises the dough in the machine. Use your machine’s manual for the ingredient order and cycle settings, since machines differ. The amounts below make about 12 breadsticks; weighing the flour gives you a more consistent starting point than measuring by volume.
Ingredients for 12 breadsticks
These quantities make a lightly seasoned, pliable dough. Bread flour supports a chewy texture, while dried garlic and herbs add flavor without putting fresh, wet ingredients into the dough. Keep the fresh garlic for the butter finish, which goes on after baking.
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Water, warm | 237 g (1 cup), 100–110°F (38–43°C) |
| Olive oil | 30 g (2 tbsp) |
| Sugar | 25 g (2 tbsp) |
| Salt | 6 g (1 tsp) |
| Bread flour | 360 g (3 cups, spooned and leveled) |
| Garlic powder | 1 tsp |
| Dried Italian herbs | 1 tsp |
| Bread-machine or instant yeast | 6 g (2 tsp) |
Follow the order in your machine manual. If it calls for liquids first, add the water and oil, then the sugar, salt, flour, and dried seasonings. Add the yeast as directed. Some machines ask you to keep yeast apart from salt and liquids until mixing begins; follow that guidance rather than using a universal order.
Load the machine and check the dough
A dough cycle usually mixes and kneads the ingredients, then gives the dough time to rise. Add the ingredients in the manual’s order, fit the pan into the machine, and select the dough cycle. Use the pan only as the manufacturer directs.
Check the dough during the early part of kneading, if your machine lets you do so safely. It should gather into a soft, cohesive ball. If it looks notably dry and cannot come together, add water a teaspoon at a time. If it is very sticky and smears around the pan, add flour a tablespoon at a time. Let each small addition mix in before deciding whether it needs more.
Avoid adding a large amount of flour or water at once. Small changes are easier to assess, and flour can absorb water differently depending on how it was measured. When the cycle ends, the dough should be soft and workable, not stiff.
Two practical kitchen scenarios
These are examples of how the same recipe can fit different kitchens, not reports of tested customer results. They show why the machine manual and the dough’s appearance matter more than assuming every machine behaves in exactly the same way.
- Your machine calls for dry ingredients first: Load the pan in that order, even if another recipe gives a different sequence. The machine’s directions are the guide for its own mixing system.
- The dough looks too sticky during kneading: Add flour one tablespoon at a time, allowing it to mix in before checking again. Do not try to fix it by coating the whole dough in flour after the cycle.
Next step: Let the machine complete its dough cycle, then shape the dough on a lightly oiled work surface.
Shaping, Proofing, and Baking Technique
Shaping turns the risen dough into individual sticks, and proofing gives those pieces a short rest before baking. Roll the dough into 12 lengths, let them become visibly puffy, and bake on a separate oven-rated sheet. The bread machine’s pan is not a substitute for a baking sheet.
Divide and shape
When the dough cycle ends, turn the dough onto a lightly oiled surface. Divide it into 12 even pieces. For the most even bake, keep the pieces close in size; a kitchen scale can help, but it is not required.
Roll each piece into a rope about 7–8 inches (18–20 cm) long. If the dough keeps springing back, leave it alone for a few minutes, then roll again. That short pause lets the dough relax. Place the breadsticks on parchment or a lightly oiled oven-rated aluminum or steel baking sheet, leaving a little space between them.
Proof and bake
Proofing is a short rest that lets shaped dough rise before it goes into the oven. Cover the breadsticks loosely and let them rest for 20–30 minutes, until they look visibly puffy. Room conditions and dough temperature can affect how quickly they rise, so use the appearance as well as the clock.
Preheat a conventional oven to 400°F (204°C). Bake the breadsticks on the separate baking sheet for 12–15 minutes, until lightly golden. If they are still pale at 12 minutes, continue baking and check again soon. Avoid waiting for a deep brown color if you want a soft breadstick.
| What you see | What to do |
|---|---|
| Sticks look firm and not puffy after 20 minutes | Give them more proofing time and check again. |
| A few sticks are thicker than the rest | Expect them to take longer; check for light golden color. |
| Tops are browning before the bake time ends | Check them closely and use the visual cue rather than relying only on the timer. |
| Dough is difficult to roll | Let it rest briefly, then try again. |
Keep the bread-machine pan out of the oven
The bread machine’s pan is designed for use in the machine, but that does not mean it is oven-safe. Put the shaped dough on a separate oven-rated sheet. Use the machine pan in an oven only if its manufacturer expressly says it is safe for that use.
This distinction also protects the pan’s coating. Avoid metal tools that could scratch a nonstick surface, and do not use abrasive pads or cleaners. Next step: When the sticks are lightly golden, take them from the oven and brush on the garlic-herb butter.
Cooling, Cleaning, and Equipment Care
A short cooling period helps the breadsticks set without trapping all their steam on the pan. Handle the bread machine carefully after the cycle, too: unplug it, let the pan cool, and follow the manual’s cleaning directions. These simple steps help avoid damage to the machine’s coating.
Cool the breadsticks
Move the baked breadsticks to a cooling rack, if you have one. A rack lets air move around them; if you do not have one, serve them from the baking sheet after the surface has cooled enough to handle. Brush with garlic butter right after baking, while the breadsticks are still warm.
For the softest result, serve them warm. If you are making them ahead, let them cool before storing them in a covered container. Reheat gently when ready to serve; the recipe does not require a special reheating tool.
Clean the machine safely
Unplug the bread machine and let its pan cool before washing. Clean it as the manual directs, using a soft cloth or a nonabrasive sponge. Do not scour the coating or use metal utensils against it, since scratches can damage the surface.
The machine pan and oven sheet have different jobs in this recipe. The pan mixes and raises the dough; the oven-rated sheet bakes the shaped sticks. Keeping that distinction clear is the simplest equipment-care rule here. Next step: Prepare the finishing butter while the breadsticks bake, so it is ready to brush on.
Garlic-Herb Finish and Serving
The finishing butter brings fresh garlic flavor to the breadsticks without putting fresh garlic into the dough. Mix melted butter with minced garlic and chopped parsley, then brush it over the sticks immediately after baking. A light coat adds flavor while keeping the breadsticks easy to serve.
Make the garlic butter
Stir together:
- 28 g (2 tbsp) melted butter
- 1 small garlic clove, minced
- 1 tbsp chopped parsley
Brush the mixture over the warm breadsticks as soon as they come out of the oven. Fresh garlic can scorch if exposed to high oven heat, so this recipe adds it after baking. The dried garlic powder and Italian herbs provide seasoning in the dough without adding the moisture of fresh ingredients.
Serve the breadsticks warm alongside a meal or as a shareable side. If you prefer a milder garlic taste, use less minced garlic in the butter. Key takeaway: Keep dried seasoning in the dough and fresh garlic in the post-bake finish.
Frequently Asked Questions
These quick answers cover the most common points in making bread-machine breadsticks. Follow your machine manual when its instructions differ from a general method, and use the dough’s texture and the breadsticks’ color as practical checks during preparation and baking.
Can I bake the breadsticks in the bread-machine pan?
No, not unless the manufacturer expressly rates that pan for oven use. Shape the dough and bake it on a separate oven-rated sheet.
Which bread-machine setting should I use?
Use the dough cycle and follow your machine manual for loading order and cycle instructions. The machine mixes and raises the dough; the oven bakes the shaped breadsticks.
How warm should the water be?
Use water at 100–110°F (38–43°C). A thermometer can help you check the temperature.
How many breadsticks does the recipe make?
The dough makes about 12 breadsticks. Divide it into 12 pieces and roll each one about 7–8 inches (18–20 cm) long.
How long should I proof the shaped breadsticks?
Proof them for 20–30 minutes, until they look visibly puffy. If they are not puffy at 20 minutes, give them more time and check again.
How long do they bake?
Bake at 400°F (204°C) for 12–15 minutes, until lightly golden. Use the color as well as the timer to judge when they are ready.
Why does the recipe use dried garlic in the dough?
Dried garlic seasons the dough without adding the moisture of fresh garlic. Fresh garlic goes into the melted butter after baking to limit scorching.
Can I use all-purpose flour instead of bread flour?
This recipe is written for bread flour. If you use a different flour, the dough may feel different, so check it during kneading and make only small adjustments.
How should I clean the bread-machine pan?
Unplug the machine, let the pan cool, and follow the manual. Use a soft cloth or nonabrasive sponge; avoid metal tools and abrasive cleaners that can scratch the coating.
Can I prepare the dough ahead?
The method here uses the machine’s dough cycle and then shapes, proofs, and bakes the dough. For make-ahead timing, follow your machine’s manual rather than leaving dough in the machine beyond its cycle instructions.
(This article was written by one of our staff writers, Steven R. Bancroft. Visit our Meet the Team page.)
