Easy Homemade Breadsticks (Dairy-Free, Vegan)

Incredibly crunchy and highly addictive, these easy homemade breadsticks (grissini breadsticks) are the perfect in-between meal snack or appetizer. Dip them in olive oil, hummus or red pepper dip, or enjoy them alone. Totally gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan too, but no one would guess!

Crunchy Grissini Breadsticks for the Perfect Appetizer or Snack

Originating from Italy, breadsticks are also known as grissini (or grissino), and are basically pencil-sized sticks of bread that are great for dipping.

I remember that when Juan and I were in holidaying in Italy, practically every restaurant we went to served some variation of grissini as an appetizer to calm our hungry stomachs as we impatiently waited for our food to be served. I later noticed that in most Italian restaurants all over the world, breadsticks almost always features prominently in the bread basket served at each table.

Since then, I’ve been a fan of breadsticks, especially when they’re crunchy, crispy, and insanely irresistible (not to mention when you’re famished and likely to devour any and everything that’s placed in front of you).

The Quest for Gluten-Free Breadsticks:

I wanted to recreate a gluten-free version of breadsticks that were also dairy-free that Juan my husband who is Celiac and also lactose-intolerant could enjoy at home, and so I adapted this recipe to create our own gluten-free grissini!

It turns out that making homemade breadsticks requires a bit of time (from letting the yeast work and rolling the breadsticks out), but apart from that, they’re really simple to make!

Why This Recipe Works

These gluten-free breadsticks are crunchy, flavorful thanks to the olive oil used in the dough, and topped with sesame seeds for extra texture.

The best part is, the breadsticks remain crunchy and crispy even days after baking – which is a huge bonus in my book!

Ingredients You’ll Need:

Ingredient Notes/Substitutions:

• Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour: I recommend using a good quality gluten-free flour blend that is made up of a mix of lighter flours and starches (such as rice flour, tapioca starch, corn starch) to ensure you get an airier and lighter final texture. Make sure that you flour blend includes xanthan gum too. I do NOT recommend flour blends that are made up of heavier flours such as garbanzo bean flour as that will result in a very dense texture.

• Warm Water: Make sure that the water is between 105 to 110F as the yeast requires warmth to be activated, but if the water is too hot, it may kill the yeast.

• Olive Oil: I like using extra virgin olive oil for the taste it imparts to these homemade breadsticks, but feel free to use other oils such as avocado oil or normal vegetable oil if you prefer.

How to Make Homemade Breadsticks

1. Prepare the Breadstick Dough

Combine the gluten-free all-purpose flour, yeast, sugar, warm water, oil, and salt together in a large mixing bowl. Mix well until you get a homogeneous dough. Cover with plastic wrap and let it sit for an hour.

2. Preheat and Line

Preheat oven to 375F and line a large baking sheet with a silpat or parchment paper. Arrange the oven rack to the middle position.

3. Cut Dough into Pieces

Divide the dough into 4 pieces and then roll each piece out on parchment paper or a silpat into 1-inch thick rectangle approximately 7 inches wide and 10 inches long. Use a knife to cut out 1-inch wide logs (you should get 7 logs for each piece of dough, so 28 pieces in total).

4. Shape the Logs

Use your fingers to gently shape each piece of dough into typical breadstick logs.

5. Transfer Logs to Baking Sheet

Place the logs on the prepared baking sheet in a single layer at least 1 inch apart (they will expand very slightly during baking).

6. Brush with Oil

Brush the dough logs generously with olive oil.

7. Sprinkle with Seeds

Sprinkle sesame seeds over the dough logs.

8. Bake Until Golden

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until the homemade breadsticks are golden brown and crunchy.

9. Cool Completely

Let the gluten-free breadsticks cool completely before serving or storing.

Dish by Dish Tips/Tricks:

Line with Silpat/Parchment Paper: Make sure you line the baking sheet with parchment paper or a silpat to ensure that the dough does not stick to the baking sheet.

Recipe FAQs:

What to Eat with These Gluten-Free Breadsticks

Here are a few things you can eat with these delicious grissini breadsticks:

• Easy Creamy Hummus (Gluten-Free, Vegan)
• Easy Baba Ganoush (Gluten-Free, Vegan)
• Roasted Red Pepper Dip (Gluten-Free, Vegan)

Other Snacks/Appetizers You’ll Enjoy:

P.S. If you try this recipe, I’d love for you to leave a star rating below, and/or a review in the comment section further down the page. I always appreciate your feedback. Be sure to check out my entire Recipe Index for all the recipes on the blog. You can also follow me on Pinterest, Facebook or Instagram! Sign up for my Email List to get fresh recipes in your inbox each week!

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