Grissini breadsticks are light, airy and so crunchy. They’re filled with salty parmesan, coated in seeds, and baked until hard and crisp!
Homemade grissini will blow your idea of a crunchy breadstick out of the water. We’ve all eaten hard breadsticks that made us wish we didn’t. I’m thinking specifically of those bland, unsalted ones they love to pass around wine tastings as “palate cleansers”. Those breadsticks, though fine in principle, have kept me dodging grissini for over a decade.
What a shame!
Well-made grissini breadsticks are airy, crunchy, and filled with the savory pop of parmesan. They’re salty, a little yeasty, and so light. It’s actually impossible to only eat one.
These crunchy breadsticks are a fabulous addition to a cheese and charcuterie platter (wrapped with prosciutto di parma anyone?), and ironically, they ARE really great to snack on while you sip your favorite wine.
Feel free to coat them in whatever seed combination you like-- or skip the seeds altogether and sprinkle with flaky salt or dried herbs. But don’t skimp on the cheese and definitely use real parmesan for the best flavor.
what makes these the best grissini?
Simple process: This grissini recipe is easy! Literally throw everything in a stand mixer, turn it on, set a timer, and walk away. The most time consuming part is the rolling, but it goes quickly once you get the hang of it.
Parmesan: I love using a lot parmesan in these breadsticks for extra cheesy flavor. The sharp, nutty profile is so good. Experiment with aged cheddar, gouda, manchego, or comté!
Oven temperature: I prefer to cook these at a lower temperature than most recipes to help them dry out and get extra crispy without burning. Make sure to roll them out uniformly thin so they cook evenly. Equal thickness = equal crunchiness.
Customizable: Coat these breadsticks however you want. Seeds, no seeds, grated cheese, herbs. The recipe is a blank slate waiting for your creativity. Keep reading for some ideas!
grissini breadstick ingredients:
- flour
- instant yeast
- parmesan
- olive oil
- sesame seeds
- poppy seeds
- salt
how to make grissini breadsticks:
- Combine everything but the seeds in a mixer.
- Mix on medium speed for 10 minutes, rest for 10 minutes, mix for 10 minutes, rest in the fridge for 10 minutes.
- Roll out into a long rectangle. Spritz with water and sprinkle with seeds.
- Cut into short ½-inch thick strips.
- Roll strips into long, thin breadsticks.
- Bake until crunchy and golden brown.
- Enjoy!
more ways to use grissini breadsticks:
- Wrapped in prosciutto as a fancy appetizer
- Served with your favorite chowder or soup
- Dipped into truffle aioli
- With a sweet and spicy pepper jelly, mostarda and cheese platter
- As a dipper for white bean hummus and sour cream onion dip
- Served alongside baked camembert
- As a snack with your favorite wine
- Dipped in garlic butter
flavor variations:
Sprinkle these breadsticks with more than just sesame seeds! Here are a bunch of ways to make them your own:
- Flaky salt
- Flax seeds
- Grated parmesan
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Red chile flakes
- Fennel seeds
- Caraway seeds
- Cumin seeds
- Everything bagel mix
- Dried herbs (rosemary, thyme, oregano)
grissini storage:
Grissini are best enjoyed within the first few days of making, when they’re the crunchiest and lightest. After that, they can start to get soft and lose their crunchy texture, especially if it’s humid.
To extend their life as much as possible, store them in an airtight container at room temperature. Anything that minimizes exposure to humid air will help them last longer.
If they do start to get soft, you can “re-crisp” them in an oven at 325°F for 5- 10 minutes.
more snack recipes to try:
Printcrunchy grissini (hard Italian breadsticks)
Crunchy grissini breadsticks are light, airy and so cheesy. They’re filled with salty grated parmesan, coated in seeds, and baked until crisp and snackable.
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Yield: 36
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp instant yeast
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- ¼ cup grated parmesan
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds
- 1 tbsp poppy seeds
- ½ tbsp flaky salt
Instructions
- Combine flour, yeast, olive oil, parmesan, kosher salt and ½ cup warm water in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Mix on medium speed for 10 minutes, or until very smooth. Let rest 10 minutes. Mix on medium speed another 10 minutes. Transfer to a clean bowl, coat lightly with olive oil, cover with plastic wrap and let rest in the fridge for 10 minutes.
- Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside. In a small bowl, mix sesame seeds, poppy seeds and flaky salt.
- On a clean work surface, roll out dough to a 4-inch x 18-inch rectangle. Spritz with water and sprinkle with seed mixture.
- Cut dough into 36 short strips, measuring 4-inches x ½-inch. Working one piece of dough at a time, gently roll each end in opposite directions until the dough is evenly thin and the length of a baking sheet. Place on a prepared baking sheet and repeat with remaining strips.
- Cover and let rise 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 325°F.
- Bake 30- 35 minutes, or until golden brown and firm. Let cool completely (grissini will crisp more as they cool).
Notes
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1
- Calories: 29
- Sugar: 0g
- Sodium: 30mg
- Fat: 1g
- Saturated Fat: 0.2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0.7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 4.1g
- Fiber: 0.2g
- Protein: 0.8g
- Cholesterol: 0.6mg
Samantha says
These are so crunchy and cheesy!! We can't stop eating them. Thanks for a great recipe
Indi Hampton says
Yayy thanks for sharing! We're equally obsessed!
Andrea says
These are great - so crunchy. Just the right amount of saltiness. I will make these again!