How To Make Italian Grissini Breadsticks

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Learning to make grissini is a great way to step up your home cooking game. These crispy breadsticks 🥖 are perfect for any occasion and can be flavored in endless ways. This grissini recipe rivals anything you’d find in a restaurant with some practice. So let’s get started!

Italian breadsticks. Grissini served in a marble container with olives.

Move over, breadsticks. There’s a new Italian appetizer in town. Aptly named “little bread” in Italian, grissini are long, thin strips of crispy baked dough that make the perfect addition to any antipasto spread.

These easy-to-make Italian breadsticks are a great way to introduce newcomers to the wonders of Italian cuisine. So next time you make an Italian meal, don’t forget the grissini!

What You’ll Need For This Grissini Recipe

These breadsticks only require a few simple ingredients. However, as with any recipe, you can always add more flavor and texture with cheese, fresh herbs, and either poppy or sesame seeds.

ingredients needed for making grissini
  • Bread flour – This recipe calls for strong bread flour. You can also use Tipo 00 flour. If you have neither, all-purpose flour is also acceptable.
  • Fine sea salt – Use fine sea salt or fine Himalayan salt. Please avoid using table salt.
  • Dry yeast
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • Water – Lukewarm water warmed to 105 to 115℉.
  • Additional add-ins – Sesame or poppy seeds, parmesan cheese, cheese powder, and fresh herbs add extra flavor to these breadsticks.

Helpful Tools

  • Pastry scraper – for cutting the dough into small pieces and for scrapping your work surface.
  • Kitchen scale – to weigh out the pieces of dough. Not necessary, but helpful.

How To Make Grissini

The dough for these breadsticks can be mixed by hand or with a sand mixer fitted with a dough hook. I recommend mixing the dough by hand when making a smaller batch, as with this grissini recipe. But when you make a larger batch, the dough hook saves your arms. [note 1]

a freshly baked of homemade grissini on a striped kitchen towel

Expert Tips

Before we start, here are a few things to remember.

  • Flour Choice – I recommend using bread flour or Tipo 00 flour to make breadsticks. If you have neither available, it’s okay to use all-purpose flour.
  • Salt – Chose fine sea salt for this recipe and avoid using iodized table salt.
  • Use warm water – Warm water is best to help activate the yeast. 105- 115℉ is ideal. If the water is too warm, it can kill the yeast.
  • Oven temperature – Oven temperatures can vary greatly, so keep an eye on your first batch. I recommend a temp of 400 to 425℉ and a cook time of 25 to 35 minutes. I had to figure out the best combination for my oven. I recommend starting at a lower temperature and if your breadsticks take longer than 30 minutes to cook, then try the higher temperature for a shorter time. [note 2]
  • The right texture and color – grissini should be a light golden brown. When they are completely cool, they will be crisp throughout. If they’re undercooked, they will seem a little chewy.

How To Make Grissini

  1. Preheat the oven to 400-425°F/205-220°C. [note 2]
  2. Combine the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
  3. Add the olive oil and mix to combine.
  4. Add the water and mix until the water is thoroughly combined. If you’re making the dough by hand, the dough will still be rough.
  5. Knead the dough. If you are mixing the dough by hand, dump the rough dough out onto a clean surface and knead for 5 to 8 minutes until the dough is smooth.
  6. Let the dough rest for 30 minutes. Either return the dough to the bowl and cover it with a damp towel or set the bowl over the dough and let it rest on your clean work surface.
  7. Divide the dough into 24 pieces (20-gram portions.) Use a pastry scraper or sharp knife to cut the dough into small pieces.
  8. Roll each small piece into 10-inch long sticks using your hands and no flour.
  9. Bake the grissini. Place the grissini on parchment-lined baking sheets and bake for 20 to 35 minutes until they are light golden brown. [note 2]

Recipe Variations

Plain grissini are a perfect snack and downright delicious; these homemade breadsticks can be varied to make them a little more interesting.

I recommend adding no more than two tablespoons of additional ingredients to this recipe. You can add a little more parmesan cheese if desired. You’ll want to add in enough for flavor but not so much that they will affect the integrity of the dough.

  • Roll in sesame seeds or poppy seeds.
  • Pepper and cheese grissini– mix parmesan cheese and black pepper directly into the dough. You can also use cheddar cheese powder to add a rich cheese flavor to the grissini—top these cheesy grissini with poppy and sesame seeds to give them even more texture.
  • Herbed grissini – fresh herbs are also a great addition to grissini. Use a mixture of parmesan and herbs, if desired—recommended herbs; cayenne, rosemary, thyme, garlic powder, and oregano.

Better than cheddar powder

This cheese powder is a great way to add a strong cheese flavor to bread and crackers. Think cheez-its.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does the word grissini come from?

Traditional Italian Bread Sticks originated in Torino in Piemonte, northwest Italy.

Grissini was invented around the end of the 17th century to cure the health problems of young Duke Vittorio Amedeo II of Savoy.

How do you eat grissini breadsticks?

Grissini is the perfect companion for aperitivo or drinks with meats, cheeses, and olives. They are also great for dunking into dips or soups instead of croutons!

How long does grissini last?

Grissini is a type of hard breadstick that can be stored for days. If they become too soft, place them in an oven heated to 200°C, convection180℃ degrees.

the best italian breadsticks served with olives

More Appetizer Recipes

This grissini recipe is perfect for a cheese board or charcuterie platter. Some of my favorite things to serve with grissini are:

Check out our collection of appetizer recipes if you’re looking for more appetizers.

Leave A Review

Did you make this recipe? Leave a comment and a 5 ★ review. Your feedback helps other readers and helps me continue to offer recipes at no cost. Happy Cooking!!

grissini recipe served with green olives on a charcuterie board

Grissini (Italian Breadsticks)

These crispy breadsticks are perfect for any occasion and can be flavored in endless ways. Grissini is the perfect companion for aperitivo or drinks with meats, cheeses, and olives. They are also great for dunking into dips or soups instead of croutons!
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Resting Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Course Bread
Cuisine Italian
Servings 24 breadsticks
Calories 49 kcal

Equipment

Ingredients
 

Optional Additions

Instructions
 

  • Combine the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
    250 grams bread flour, 1 teaspoon fine sea salt, 5 grams yeast
  • Add the olive oil and mix to combine.
    2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • Gradually add the water and mix until the water is fully combined. The dough will still be rough.
    150 ml water
  • Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured clean work surface and knead for about 5 minutes.
  • Let the dough rest for 30 minutes. Either return the dough to the bowl and cover with a damp towel or set the bowl over the dough and let it rest on your work surface.
  • Preheat the oven to 400 to 425°F/205 to 220°C.
  • Divide the dough into 24 potrions (~20 grams each.) Using your hands and no flour roll the dough into 10 inch long sticks.
  • Place the grissini on a baking sheet and back for 20 minutes. Until they are light golden brown.

Additional Ingredients

  • If you are going to add in cheese and fresh herbs. Use 2 tablespoon of less. If you increase the recipes you can increase the cheese and fresh herbs accordinly.
    Fresh herbs and cheese can be mixed direclty into the dough. Cheese powder is a great way to add a stong cheese flavor to breadsticks and crackers.
    parmesan cheese, cheese powder, fresh rosemary, fresh thyme, garlic powder, cayenne pepper
  • To add sesame seeds and poppy seeds to the outside of grissini first dampen your hands to slightly dampen the dough. Then roll each bread stick in sesame seeds of poppy seeds, if desired.
    sesame seeds, poppy seeds

Video

Laura’s Tips + Notes

  1. Stand mixer tips: If you are using a stand mixer fitter with a dough hook you can combine all of the ingredients into your mixing bowl. Start on low speed and mix until the ingredients are combined. Increase the speed and the mix until the dough is smooth. 
  2. Oven temperatures can vary greatly, so keep an eye on your first batch. I recommend a temp of 400 to 425℉ and a cook time of 20 to 35 minutes. I had to figure out the best combination for my oven. I recommend starting at a lower temperature and if your breadsticks take longer than 30 minutes to cook, then try the higher temperature for a shorter time.

YOUR OWN NOTES

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Nutrition

Serving: 1 breadstickCalories: 49kcalCarbohydrates: 8gProtein: 1gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0.2gSodium: 98mgFiber: 0.3gSugar: 0.03gCalcium: 2mgIron: 0.1mg
Keyword bread sticks, grissini, grissini recipe, italian breadsticks
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