Easy Gluten-Free Breadsticks (Dairy-Free, Vegan)

Incredibly crunchy and highly snackable, these easy homemade gluten-free 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 dairy-free, and vegan too, but no one would guess!

Jump to:

• Crunchy Grissini Breadsticks for the Perfect Appetizer or Snack
• The Quest for Gluten-Free Breadsticks:
• Why This Recipe Works
• Ingredients You’ll Need:
• Ingredient Notes/Substitutions:
• How to Make Gluten-Free Breadsticks (Step by Step):
• Dish by Dish Tips/Tricks:
• Recipe FAQs:
• What to Eat with These Gluten-Free Breadsticks
• Other Snacks/Appetizers You’ll Enjoy:
• Easy Gluten-Free Breadsticks (Dairy-Free, Vegan)

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!

Unlike the soft breadsticks you may find at Olive Garden, these breadsticks are crunchy, crispy, and absolutely love the sound they make when you snap them into two!

Why This Recipe Works

• Simple Ingredients: All you need to make these gluten-free breadsticks is a handful of easily-accessible ingredients that you might already have in your kitchen (nothing fancy required)!

• Easy to Make: The dough comes together very quickly, and shaping the dough into thin logs is not complicated at all, so don’t worry even if this is your first time making homemade breadsticks!

• Flavorful: Thanks to the olive oil used in the dough, these Italian breadsticks are not bland at all. Instead, they have a beautiful flavor and are topped with sesame seeds for extra taste and texture.

• Crunchy and Crispy for Days: The breadsticks remain crunchy and crispy even days after baking – which is a huge bonus in my book!

• Totally Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free and Vegan: The best part is that these delicious grissini breadsticks are made with gluten-free flour instead of normal wheat flour, and olive oil instead of butter. This means that they are 100% gluten-free, dairy-free and vegan, and even those with Celiac disease or food allergies such as gluten and lactose intolerances can enjoy them without worries!

Ingredients You’ll Need:

Here’s a visual overview of the ingredients required to make these crunchy homemade gluten-free breadsticks.

(For exact measurements and quantities, please scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of the post.)

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 or potato 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.

• Xanthan Gum: Xanthan gum is the substitute for gluten in gluten-free flours, and helps the ingredients to better bind together. If your gluten-free flour blend does not already include it, make sure to add it in.

• Instant Yeast: I like using instant dry yeast because no prior activation time is required and I can mix it in with the other ingredients at the same time. Alternatively, you may use active dry yeast, but make sure to activate the yeast with warm water and sugar before adding the other ingredients.

• Sugar: The sugar acts as food for the yeast to feed on, and is essential in order for the yeast to be activated and produce the gases that cause the dough to rise. I used granulated white sugar, but feel free to use light brown sugar, maple sugar, or coconut sugar if you prefer.

• 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. You can also use non-dairy milks such as almond milk, cashew milk, rice milk, coconut milk or soy milk if you prefer. Alternatively, if you are not lactose-intolerant, go ahead and use normal milk instead.

• Olive Oil: I like using extra virgin olive oil for the taste it imparts to the breadsticks, but feel free to use other oils such as avocado oil or normal vegetable oil if you prefer. If you are not lactose-intolerant, go ahead of use melted butter if you wish.

• Sesame Seeds: I like topping the breadstick dough with white sesame seeds for extra taste and color. Feel free to mix in black sesame seeds too. Alternatively, you may omit the sesame seeds completely if you don’t enjoy them.

How to Make Gluten-Free Breadsticks (Step by Step):

1. Prepare the Breadstick Dough

Combine the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients: the gluten-free all-purpose flour, xanthan gum (if using), salt, yeast, sugar, warm water, and oil together in a large mixing bowl. Mix well until you get a homogeneous dough.

Cover with plastic wrap and let the dough sit for an hour (very important!).

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

Use a pastry brush to 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 gluten-free 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.

• Flavoring Options: This recipe makes a basic breadstick, and if you would like to add more flavor, feel free to mix in 1/4 teaspoon of Italian seasoning, paprika powder or garlic powder into the dough before rolling it out into logs.

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!

Print