Quick & Easy Recipe: Yummy Gluten-Free Breadsticks with Super Fluffy Texture

I was trying to make bagels, but the dough became too hydrated and sticky (gluten-free flour blends are tricky when it comes to following recipes), and I decided to do fluffy bread balls (and then breadsticks) instead (by skipping the boiling part, among other things).

While I did change the process, I mostly followed the ingredients and quantities given in a recipe for Gluten-Free New York Bagels, so if you want to try making New York–style bagels, maybe give that recipe a shot, as the dough is really tasty and the combination texture resulted from boiling and that baking should be marvelous.

In the meantime, here’s my adapted recipe. These breadsticks are very easy to make and you only need a handful of ingredients.

Ingredients:

1 packet active dry yeast (I used one from Schär)
4 + 1/2 tsp sugar
115 ml/3/9 fl oz warm water + 230 ml/7.8 fl oz water at room temperature
475 grams/16.75 oz gluten-free all-purpose flour (I used a universal GF flour blend from Schär that includes cornstarch, corn flour, and carob gum)
1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp + 2 tbsp + 50 ml/1.7 fl oz olive oil
3 tbsp dried onion flakes
1 tsp tomato spice mix

Instructions:

Warm 115 ml of water in a large mug to 45°C/113°F. Make sure it’s only slightly warmer than lukewarm, or else it will be too hot for the yeast. Add the yeast and sugar to a mug, and then add the warm water. Leave the yeast to activate for 5 minutes. Stir to mix the contents well.

In a medium bowl, add the gluten-free flour and salt. Make a well in the middle of the bowl and add the yeast mixture. Mix with a spoon. Add 230 ml of water and mix again.

(NB: You will need to adapt the amount of water to the particular GF flour mix you’re using; make the dough just soft enough to be able to blend it easily with a mixer with paddle attachments. Also note that the taste of these breadsticks can vary widely with each GF flour blend you may try. In my experience, the Schär one is up there with the very best.)

Blend the dough with a mixer with paddle attachments for 3 minutes (on low).

Brush a large bowl with 1 tsp of olive oil and transfer the dough there. Cover with plastic wrap and then with a thin blanket and leave it to rise for an hour.

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F.

Grease a sheet of parchment paper with 2 tbsp of olive oil. Divide the dough into six balls and add them to the parchment paper.

Add the onion flakes and tomato spice mix (as dusting from a bottle or using your fingers), and then drizzle the olive oil (about 50 ml) on top. I used a little too much olive oil—I should have used my index finger to partially cover the mouth of the bottle.

Bake the dough for 35 minutes at 180°C/350°F.

When you take the baked balls out of the oven, wait 10 minutes before tucking in.

Slice the baked balls into approximate breadstick shapes and serve them with cream cheese, butter, fish roe or fish roe salad, canned fish, etc. While the fluffy texture of these breadsticks (and the flavor of the toppings) and the cream cheese are a satisfying combo, they’re even better with slices of bell peppers or with cucumbers, for instance. Also with cherry tomatoes.

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I was taken aback by the fact that I couldn’t shape bagels out of this dough, and decided to take the quickest way out by simply going for round and then oval shapes with a mind to slice them into breadsticks later. Note that if you want to make dinner rolls, this lean yeast dough would be perfect for that! With a cookie scoop or wet hands place round balls of dough next to each other into a round metal pan in a circular fashion, with one ball of the same size in the middle (note that there needs to be room around it), and leave them to rise and grow toward each other in that pan. Optionally, brush with an egg wash. Then bake for 35 minutes and ta-da, you’ll end up with fluffy, yummy (and lean, dairy-free) dinner rolls!

If you want to try this recipe, I recommend the 1:1 substitute gluten-free flour blend from King Arthur (certified gluten-free, non-GMO, certified kosher) (affiliate link), as it seems to be one of the best around and it’s also one of the best priced.

Enjoy! And if you’re already having fun with gluten-free baking, I would appreciate your comments about your favorite recipes and baking tips.

If you’re still finding your feet and wouldn’t mind a great recipe for gluten-free pizza crust, here’s one that works wonders.

To a happier, healthier life,

Mira

P.S. I’d appreciate a pin/share if you found my post helpful. Thank you! 🙂