Italian Grissini Breadstick Rolls
Crispy, golden Italian breadstick rolls made from a simple dough hand-stretched and baked until crackling. These traditional grissini have a tender crumb and shatteringly crisp exterior, perfect for soups, salads, or as an aperitivo. The dough is fermented overnight for deep flavor, then portioned, shaped into thin sticks, and baked hot until golden.
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 18 min
- Wait
- 9 hr 30 min
- Total
- 10 hr 18 min
- Makes
- 24 breadsticks (about 8–10 inches long)
Steps
Before you start
- Read the timeline: this recipe spans 20 hours with overnight cold fermentation, so plan ahead
- Use bread flour or all-purpose flour with at least 11% protein for best crispness
- Have room-temperature water ready; cold water will slow fermentation
- Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper
Mix dough
- In a large bowl, combine 3½ cups (490 g) bread flour, ¼ teaspoon (0.75 g) instant yeast, and 1.75 teaspoons (10 g) fine sea salt.
- Add 1¼ cups (300 ml) room-temperature water and 1 tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil.
- Stir with a wooden spoon or wet hands until all flour is hydrated and a shaggy dough forms—no dry flour should remain.
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Ready when: All flour is incorporated into a cohesive mass
Tip: Do not knead at this stage. Low yeast and salt added at the start are key to overnight fermentation; they slow bulk fermentation and develop flavor.
First rise overnight
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a damp towel.
- Leave at room temperature (68–72°F / 20–22°C) for 12–16 hours.
- The dough will slowly rise and develop a loose, bubbly texture.
- It should roughly double in volume and smell yeasty and slightly tangy.
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Ready when: Dough has doubled in volume, smells yeasty and tangy, and shows bubbles when you peek
Tip: If your kitchen is warmer (75°F / 24°C), reduce the time to 10–12 hours; if cooler, extend to 16–18 hours. A longer, cooler fermentation gives better flavor.
Gently deflate and rest
- Gently push down the dough with wet hands to release gas, but do not knead.
- The goal is to deflate it slightly and redistribute the dough.
- Let it rest uncovered at room temperature for 15–20 minutes.
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Ready when: Dough looks evenly soft and relaxed, not tight or elastic
Tip: Do not overwork the dough; you want to preserve the open, airy structure built during fermentation.
Divide into portions
- Turn the dough onto a lightly floured work surface.
- Using a bench scraper or sharp knife, divide the dough into 24 roughly equal pieces (each about 0.5 oz / 14–15 g).
- Do not overwork; leave the dough pieces loose and slightly ragged.
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Ready when: Dough is divided into 24 similar pieces
Tip: Work quickly so pieces don't dry out. A bench scraper minimizes tearing the dough.
Shape into rough balls
- Shape each piece into a loose ball by gathering the edges underneath with your fingers.
- Place each ball on the work surface in a neat grid, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
- Cover loosely with plastic wrap or a cloth.
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Ready when: All 24 balls are formed and arranged evenly
Tip: Light shaping helps the pieces hold together for the next step without making them too tight.
Bench rest
- Let the dough balls rest, covered, at room temperature for 20–25 minutes.
- They should puff slightly and become easier to stretch.
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Ready when: Dough balls have puffed noticeably and feel soft to a light press
Tip: This short rest is crucial—it prevents the dough from shrinking as you stretch it.
Prepare baking sheetsOven 425°F / 220°C
- Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C).
- Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Pour 1.5 tablespoons (22 ml) olive oil into a shallow bowl for dipping your hands while shaping.
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Ready when: Oven reaches 425°F (220°C) and sheets are lined
Tip: Allow 10–15 minutes for the oven to fully preheat. Oil-dipped hands prevent sticking without adding flour, which would toughen the crust.
Stretch and shape grissini
- Working with one dough ball at a time, dip your hands lightly in olive oil.
- Gently stretch the ball into a long rope about 8–10 inches (20–25 cm) long and as thin as a pencil—roughly ¼ inch (6 mm) in diameter.
- Do not tear it; if it tears, pinch it back together.
- Place the shaped stick on one of the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 1 inch (2.5 cm) apart in neat rows.
- You should fit 12 sticks on each sheet.
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Ready when: All 24 dough pieces are stretched into long, thin sticks and arranged on sheets
Tip: Stretch gently and let gravity help; do not yank. If dough springs back, rest it for 5 minutes and retry. Oil on your hands is your friend.
Final rise on sheets
- Let the shaped breadsticks rest on the baking sheets, uncovered, at room temperature for 15–20 minutes.
- They will puff slightly and become more uniform in appearance.
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Ready when: Breadsticks have puffed noticeably and jiggle gently when the sheet is bumped
Tip: A short proof prevents dense breadsticks. Do not let them rise too long or they may collapse in the oven.
Season and bakeOven 425°F / 220°C
- If desired, lightly brush each breadstick with a bit of water and sprinkle a tiny pinch of coarse sea salt on top.
- Place both baking sheets in the preheated 425°F (220°C) oven on the middle and lower racks.
- Bake for 16–18 minutes, rotating the sheets halfway through (top to bottom, bottom to top) after about 8 minutes, until the breadsticks are deep golden brown and crispy.
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Ready when: Breadsticks are deep golden brown all over and feel very crispy when tapped
Tip: Rotate sheets for even browning. They will continue to crisp as they cool, so do not underbake.
Cool completely
- Transfer the baking sheets to a wire cooling rack or place them on the counter.
- Let the breadsticks cool for at least 15–20 minutes at room temperature.
- They will harden and become even crispier as they cool.
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Ready when: Breadsticks are cool to the touch and snap cleanly when broken
Tip: Do not wrap or store while still warm or they will soften from steam. Full cooling is essential for crispness.
Good to know
Tips
- Plan ahead: this recipe spans 20 hours from mixing to finished breadsticks. The overnight cold fermentation is not optional—it develops flavor and creates the characteristic open crumb of authentic grissini.
- Temperature matters: room-temperature water (about 68–72°F / 20–22°C) and a cool fermentation give better flavor than warm shortcuts. Use an instant-read thermometer if you have one.
- Handle with care: after overnight fermentation, the dough becomes very loose and sticky. Wet or oiled hands prevent sticking much better than flour. Treat the dough gently to preserve its open structure.
- Stretch, do not yank: each breadstick must be thin and even. If the dough tears, pinch it back together. If it keeps retracting, rest it for 5 minutes and try again. Patience pays off with better results than force.
Make ahead
You can prepare the dough up to 2 days ahead: after the overnight fermentation (step 2), cover and refrigerate the dough. When ready to shape, let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes to warm slightly, then proceed from step 3. Baked grissini keep well and do not require advance preparation.
Storage & reheating
Store fully cooled grissini in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 10 days. They will maintain their crispness in a dry environment. For longer storage (up to 3 weeks), freeze in an airtight freezer bag. To refresh, warm them in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 3–4 minutes until crispy again. Do not refrigerate; moisture will soften them.
Substitutions
- bread flour or all-purpose flour → all-purpose flour (11% protein minimum). All-purpose flour works but produces a slightly less crispy crust. Avoid cake flour, which is too soft.
- instant (bread) yeast → 0.5 teaspoon (1.5 g) active dry yeast or 0.25 oz (7 g) fresh yeast. Active dry yeast requires the same amount by weight; use slightly less fresh yeast as it is more potent.
- fine sea salt → kosher salt or sea salt. If using kosher salt, increase to 2.25 teaspoons due to larger crystals. Adjust to taste.
- coarse sea salt, for topping → Fleur de sel, finishing salt, or rosemary sprigs. Use any coarse salt for texture, or skip entirely for plain grissini. Dried herbs add flavor.
