There’s something magical about homemade bread: the stretchy dough, the way it rises, and the scent that fills your home. Fresh from the oven, warm bread is hard to resist.
These Parmesan Garlic Breadtwists are an approachable way to bring homemade bread into your kitchen. If you’ve never made bread before, this recipe is forgiving and faster than you might expect. It starts from a simple quick breadstick dough with added seasonings, then is cut and twisted into individual pieces. The result is crisp and buttery on the outside, soft and pillow-like on the inside.
They pair perfectly with many meals, such as hearty spaghetti, meatball minestrone, tomato tortellini soup, or classic fettuccine Alfredo.
Follow these steps to make the Breadtwists:
1. Preheat your oven to 170°F (yes, only 170°F for now).
2. Pour 1 1/2 cups warm water into a stand mixer bowl.
Add 1 tablespoon active dry yeast and 2 tablespoons sugar. Mix on low just until combined, about 15 seconds.
3. Let the mixture sit 5 minutes until it begins to bubble.
4. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt and 2 cups all-purpose flour. Mix on low and then add more flour, a little at a time, until the dough starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl. You will need about 3 1/2 to 4 cups total. When the dough holds together, increase the mixer to medium and knead for 5 minutes.
5. Melt 6 tablespoons butter. Pour half of it onto a large cookie sheet and spread it evenly. Place the dough on the buttered pan and let it rest 5 minutes. This rest makes the dough easier to stretch; don’t skip it.
6. Press the dough to the edges of the pan, then pour the remaining 3 tablespoons butter over the top and spread evenly.
7. In a small bowl combine 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon oregano, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, and 1/8 teaspoon salt. Toss to combine and sprinkle evenly over the dough.
8. Sprinkle 4–5 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese over the top.
9. Use a pizza cutter to slice the dough into roughly 1-inch strips. Cut the dough through the middle of the pan so the strips are shorter and easier to handle.
10. To twist each strip, stretch it slightly, fold it over itself, then twist and pinch the ends so the twist holds. Place each twist on the buttered baking sheet. If using a second sheet, spray it with cooking spray first to prevent sticking and to give the twists room for a crisp exterior.
11. Put the pans in the warm oven and let the dough rise until doubled in size, about 15 minutes.
12. Increase the oven temperature to 350°F, keeping the pans inside while the oven heats.
13. Bake about 15–20 minutes, or until the breadtwists are golden brown on top and underneath. Watch closely so they don’t overcook.
14. For the finishing glaze, combine 2 tablespoons melted butter, 1/8 teaspoon granulated garlic, and a dash of salt. Brush this over the warm breadtwists.
Serve warm and enjoy!
Total Time: 45 minutes
Yield: about 40 breadtwists
Ingredients
Instructions
Recipe adapted from the Quick and Easy Breadstick recipe in the archives.