Grissini Breadsticks
Warm sesame breadsticks, crisp at the edges and tender inside, ready to snap from the oven in 18 minutes. Eight servings, 25 minutes of prep, and a dough of flour, yeast, olive oil and a little sugar.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 18 min
- Total
- 43 min
- Serves
- 8
Ingredients
What you’ll need — tap to tick off as you go
- 300 g
- 180 ml
- 7 g
- 30 ml
- 4 g
- 3 g
- 10 g
- 2 g
Process
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In a small bowl, stir the warm water, sugar, and active dry yeast together. Let it sit for 5–10 minutes until foamy.
In a large bowl, combine the bread flour and fine salt. Pour in the yeast mixture and olive oil.
Mix with a wooden spoon until a shaggy dough forms, then knead on a lightly floured surface for 8–10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm spot for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
Preheat the oven to 200°C. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Punch down the dough and divide it into 16 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a thin rope about 30 cm long.
Arrange the ropes on the prepared baking sheets, leaving 2 cm between them. Brush lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with sesame seeds and flaky sea salt if using.
Bake for 15–18 minutes, rotating the sheets halfway, until golden brown and crisp. Cool on a wire rack.
Kitchen notes
Kitchen notes
- The most common mistake is rolling the dough too thick; aim for pencil-thin ropes, as they puff slightly in the oven.
- For even browning, rotate the baking sheets halfway through baking and swap their positions if using two racks.
- If the breadsticks are still soft after cooling, return them to a 150°C oven for 5 minutes to crisp up.
Substitutions
- bread flour→all-purpose flour
- active dry yeast→instant yeast (use same amount, no need to proof)
- olive oil→vegetable oil
- sesame seeds→poppy seeds or dried herbs
Storage & reheating
Store completely cooled grissini in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. For longer storage, freeze in a zip-top bag for up to 2 months. To reheat, place on a baking sheet in a 150°C oven for 5 minutes to restore crispness.
FAQ
The questions we get asked most
Why did my grissini turn out soft instead of crisp?
Soft grissini usually mean the dough was too thick or they were underbaked. Roll the ropes to pencil thickness and bake until deeply golden. If they are still soft after cooling, return them to a 150°C oven for 5 minutes.
Can I make grissini ahead of time?
Yes, you can bake them up to 3 days ahead and store in an airtight container. Re-crisp in a 150°C oven for 5 minutes before serving. The dough can also be made and refrigerated for up to 24 hours before shaping.
How do I know when grissini are done?
They should be golden brown all over and feel firm and dry to the touch. They will crisp further as they cool. If you break one open, the center should be dry, not doughy.
Can I use whole wheat flour instead of bread flour?
You can substitute up to half the bread flour with whole wheat flour, but the texture will be denser. Add a little extra water if the dough feels dry. For best results, use bread flour for the remaining half.
Why did my dough not rise?
The yeast may be expired or the water too hot or too cold. Use water at about 38°C and check the expiration date on your yeast. Also, make sure the rising spot is warm and draft-free.
Can I freeze grissini?
Yes, freeze baked and cooled grissini in a zip-top bag for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature and re-crisp in a 150°C oven for 5 minutes. Do not freeze the dough after shaping, as it may lose its rise.
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