gaxownSeriously, You HAVE to Try These Breadsticks!
Okay, confession time. Friday nights in our house often involve pizza, but honestly? Sometimes I’m more excited about the breadsticks than the pizza itself! There’s just something about those buttery, garlicky, slightly chewy sticks of goodness, you know? For ages, I tried different recipes trying to nail that specific Pizza Hut vibe, and let me tell you, there were some… interesting results (read: some dense, some flavourless, one batch my dog wouldn’t even touch). But FINALLY, I think I’ve cracked the code with this recipe for easy homemade copycat Pizza Hut breadsticks. It’s become such a staple, my kids start asking for them on Wednesday!
Why You’ll Be Making These All the Time
Honestly? I make these whenever we need a little pick me up. They’re surprisingly simple, seriously – don’t let the yeast intimidate you! My family goes absolutely bonkers for these because they taste *just* like the real deal, maybe even better (if I do say so myself!). Plus, that smell wafting form the oven? Pure magic. It’s the perfect thing for movie nights, game days, or just when you need a comforting carb hug. (And they make your kitchen smell incredible, which is always a bonus!). They really are pretty forgiving, even if you’re not a bread making pro, I promise.
What You’ll Need (The Good Stuff)
- Warm Water: About 1 1/2 cups. Needs to be like a nice warm bath, not hot! Around 105-115°F (40-46°C) if you’re fancy with a thermometer.
- Active Dry Yeast: 1 packet (or 2 1/4 teaspoons). I usually grab the Fleischmann’s kind, but whatever you have works. You can find loads of info about yeast types over at King Arthur Baking if you’re curious.
- Sugar: Just 1 tablespoon. Helps wake up the yeast.
- All Purpose Flour: Around 3 1/2 to 4 cups. Start with 3.5, add more if needed. Sometimes I use bread flour if I have it, gives it a little extra chew, but AP is totally fine.
- Salt: 1 1/2 teaspoons. Don’t forget this! Flavour, baby.
- Olive Oil: 2 tablespoons for the dough, plus a bit extra for the bowl.
- For the Topping (The BEST Part):
- Butter: 1/2 cup (1 stick), melted. My grandma swore by salted butter here, but I usually use unsalted and control the salt myself. Honestly, either works.
- Garlic Powder: 1 teaspoon, or more if you’re a garlic fiend like me.
- Dried Oregano: 1/2 teaspoon.
- Salt: Another 1/2 teaspoon (or adjust to taste).
- Optional Parmesan Cheese: A good sprinkle of that shaky cheese kind (you know the one) after baking. Adds a nice salty kick.
Okay, Let’s Make Some Breadsticks!
- Wake Up the Yeast: Pour the warm water into a large bowl (or the bowl of your stand mixer, if you’re using one – it’s nice, but totally not essential!). Sprinkle the yeast and sugar over the water. Give it a gentle stir. Now, leave it alone for 5-10 minutes. It should get foamy or bubbly – that means the yeast is alive and kicking! If it doesn’t… uh oh. Your water might have been too hot or too cold, or the yeast might be old. Better luck next time?
- Mix It Up: Add the 3 1/2 cups of flour, salt, and olive oil to the bubbly yeast mixture. If using a stand mixer, use the dough hook attachment and mix on low speed until it starts coming together. If doing it by hand, just stir it with a sturdy spoon until it’s too hard to stir.
- Knead Time: Dump the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead for about 5-8 minutes. It should become smooth and elastic. If it’s super sticky, add a tiny bit more flour, like a tablespoon at a time. Don’t go crazy, though! If using the mixer, just let it knead on medium low speed for about 5-7 minutes. It should pull away form the sides of the bowl. This is where I usually sneak a tiny pinch of raw dough… don’t tell anyone.
- First Rise (Patience!): Lightly grease a clean bowl with a bit of olive oil (a good glug works). Plop your dough ball in, turn it over so the top gets oiled too. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel. Find a warmish, draft free spot in your kitchen and let it rise for about 1 to 1.5 hours, or until it’s roughly doubled in size. Sometimes my kitchen is cold, so I turn the oven light on and stick it in there (oven OFF, obviously!).
- Shape ’em Up: Gently punch down the risen dough (so satisfying!). Turn it out onto a lightly floured surface again. Roll it out into a rectangle, maybe about 10×15 inches? Ish? Don’t stress about perfect dimensions. Aim for about 1/2 inch thickness.
- Cut the Sticks: Use a pizza cutter or a sharp knife to cut the rectangle into strips, about 1 inch wide. You should get around 12-15 breadsticks. Carefully place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper (makes cleanup WAY easier). Leave a little space between them.
- Second Quick Rise: Cover the baking sheet loosely with plastic wrap or a towel and let the sticks rest for another 15-20 minutes while your oven preheats. They’ll puff up just a little bit more.
- Bake!: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Bake the breadsticks for 12-15 minutes, or until they’re lovely and golden brown. Oh my gosh, the SMELL right now!
- Butter Them Up!: While they’re baking, melt the butter in a small bowl. Stir in the garlic powder, oregano, and salt. As SOON as the breadsticks come out of the oven, brush them generously with the garlic butter mixture. Don’t be shy! This is where the magic happens.
- Optional Cheese: If you’re using Parmesan, sprinkle it on now while the butter is still melty.
- Serve!: Let them cool for just a minute or two (if you can stand it!) and serve warm.
Things I’ve Learned Along the Way (Notes)
- Don’t rush the rising times! Seriously, good bread needs patience. I once tried to speed it up and ended up with sad, dense sticks.
- Make sure that water for the yeast isn’t too hot. I definitely killed my yeast the first time I tried making bread years ago. Oops.
- Parchment paper is your best friend for easy cleanup. Trust me on this.
- The garlic butter topping? Yeah, you might wanna make a little extra. Just sayin’.
Fun Twists You Could Try
Okay, so I’ve played around a bit. Adding everything bagel seasoning to the butter topping is *chef’s kiss*. I also tried mixing garlic powder INTO the dough once… it was okay, but honestly, I prefer the flavour punch from the topping afterwards. One time I tried making them super thin like crunchy breadsticks – didn’t quite work, they just got hard, not crispy in a good way. Stick to the fluffy!
What Stuff Do I Need?
Nothing too wild! You’ll need a couple of mixing bowls, measuring cups and spoons, a baking sheet, and parchment paper (highly recommended!). A stand mixer is super handy for the kneading, makes it dead easy, but you can absolutely knead by hand – it’s a decent little workout! If you don’t have a rolling pin, a clean wine bottle actually works in a pinch. Been there.
Oh, speaking of kitchen stuff, have you seen those new air fryers? Everyone’s raving about them, but I haven’t jumped on that bandwagon yet. Still attached to my trusty oven!
Storing Leftovers (If You Have Any!)
These are definitely best eaten fresh and warm, like, within a few hours. If by some miracle you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container at room temperature. They’ll probably last a day or two, though honestly, in my house they never make it past breakfast the next day! You can reheat them gently in the oven or microwave for a few seconds to bring them back to life a bit.
How We Like to Eat ‘Em
Marinara sauce for dipping is non negotiable! A good, simple sauce is perfect. Sometimes I cheat and use store bought (Rao’s is pretty darn good if you’re splurging), but a simple homemade one is great too. Here’s a decent Quick Marinara Sauce recipe if you need one. Ranch dressing is also a surprisingly delicious dip, don’t knock it ’til you try it!
Pro Tips Form My Mistakes!
- I once forgot the salt in the dough. BIG mistake. They tasted like… nothing. Bland city. Don’t be like me, remember the salt!
- Make sure the yeast proofs properly (gets foamy). If it doesn’t, seriously, just start over with fresh yeast. It’s not worth baking bricks.
- Don’t add too much flour during kneading! A little sticky is okay, it leads to softer breadsticks. Keep kneading, it’ll likely come together.
Your Questions Answered (Probably!)
- Can I use store bought pizza dough?
- Yeah, you probably could in a pinch! It won’t taste *exactly* the same because the dough formulations are a bit different, but brush it with that garlic butter topping and it’ll still be pretty tasty. Just roll it out, cut into strips, maybe let them rest 10 mins, and bake.
- Can I freeze these breadsticks?
- You can! It’s best to freeze them *after* baking but *before* adding the butter topping. Let them cool completely, wrap tightly, and freeze. To serve, thaw them and then reheat in the oven at like 350°F until warm. THEN brush with the fresh garlic butter topping. Much better results that way, I think.
- Help! My dough didn’t rise!
- Ah, the dreaded flat dough! Usually, it’s one of three things: 1) Your yeast was old/dead. 2) Your water was too hot and killed the yeast, or too cold and didn’t activate it. 3) Your rising spot was too chilly. Check the yeast expiration date, be careful with water temp next time, and find a cozy spot for it to rise!
- Can I make the dough ahead of time?
- Totally. After the first rise, you can punch the dough down, wrap it well, and keep it in the fridge for up to 2-3 days. Let it sit out at room temp for about 30-60 minutes before shaping and proceeding with the recipe. Works like a charm for planning ahead.
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