Crispy Sourdough Grissini (Italian Breadsticks)

Crispy sourdough grissini are thin crunchy Italian breadsticks commonly made with yeast but in this case, are made with a sourdough starter.

Crispy sourdough grissini or Italian grissini are those classic, crisp breadsticks that are set out on tables in a pizzeria or ones found in an authentic Italian restaurant.

Imagine a dinner party scene where down the center of your table are jars of hand-rolled grissini for guests to nibble. An edible centerpiece is out of the ordinary and guests are usually pleased to have something fun to try. But even if you are not baking up these crispy sourdough grissini (or Italian breadsticks) for a dinner party, they sure are eye-catching. 

These breadsticks are hand pulled over being rolled which gives them a rustic look that screams homemade but in the very best way. When I am not making these soft sourdough breadsticks, which are more American-style fluffy breadsticks.

I love making this simple variation of grissini breadsticks as a nice alternative for spaghetti-style dinners. Or to put on my charcuterie boards. A good starting point for these is to use your favorite olive oil and a robust sourdough starter.  I remember the first batch of grissini recipes I made called for commercial yeast. Those took a little less time to make but whenever I can, I try to convert the recipe to sourdough. These might take a little bit more time, but I find all good things are worth the wait. 

Crispy Sourdough Grissini Are…

• Perfect for appetizers, spaghetti night and a great addition to charcuterie boards.
• Crispy, golden breadsticks that are easy to make and a little addicting.
• Made from simple ingredients.
• Long fermented so they have the full benefits of using a sourdough starter.
• Classic Italian-style breadsticks that are fun to serve and share.
• Thin breadsticks that make a great snack.

Ingredients

Flour: Bread flour is perfect for making Italian grissini as the protein amount found in bread flour helps give the dough structure and a good texture overall.

Sourdough Starter: Make sure your starter is fed. It should be nice and bubbly before mixing up this recipe. Do not use sourdough starter discard.

Olive Oil: I like to use extra virgin olive oil but pure olive oil will work here too. Olive oil will add flavor, and help make the dough more pliable. It will also help crisp the breadsticks by brushing the olive oil on before baking.

Honey: I like to use raw honey but standard honey will be fine here too. It adds a slight hint of sweetness to the dough.

Salt: I use sea salt in my kitchen but Kosher or even standard table salt works fine here. I like to also add a little chunky sea salt to the breadsticks right before baking. This is optional.

Water: Use room temperature drinking water for best results.

Cornmeal- To dust the breadsticks and give them a little extra texture.

Tools

Baking Sheet

Bench Scraper

Directions

In a large bowl, mix together the water, salt, honey and starter. Add the flour and mix with a fork until the shaggy dough forms. Be sure to get all the flour underneath or on the sides mixed in. Cover the dough with a tea towel and allow it to rest for 30 minutes.

Stretch and Fold

After the initial dough rest, remove the tea towel and begin the first set of stretches and folds. Begin by pulling up on a corner of the dough, lift it, and fold it over itself. Turn the bowl slightly, pick up another corner, lift it and fold it over itself.

Complete two more stretches and folds for a total of four times per set. Place the tea towel back over the top of the dough and let it rest for 30 minutes. Continue to complete two more sets of stretch and folds with30-minutee rest times in between each set. After the final set of stretch and folds, cover the top of the dough with a tea towel and let it sit out at room temperature for 8-12 hours for the bulk rise. 

Shape & Bake

The next day, uncover the dough. Lightly flour a work surface, and flip the dough on top. Shape the dough into a ball. Place the dough ball into a banneton basket (if you don’t have one, see notes below). Place the dough into the fridge to chill for one hour. Remove the chilled dough from the basket and place it on a work surface. Use a bench scraper to cut it into 20 equal pieces. Cut a piece of parchment paper the size of a baking sheet and place it on top. Sprinkle the paper with cornmeal.

Take each piece of dough and begin pulling it gently lengthwise and twist it as you pull. You will want each piece to be about 6-8 inches long. Place each dough stick onto the baking sheet as you go. I find I need two baking sheets for all 20 breadsticks.

Continue hand-pulling and twisting each piece of dough until all are done. Brush each dough stick with olive oil and sprinkle with chunky sea salt. Bake at 425F for 15-20 minutes. Until the sourdough grissini are lightly golden brown.

Baking Notes

• If you do not have a banneton basket, use a colander with a linen towel inside.
• If the dough is too sticky to handle, flour your fingertips and sprinkle each piece with a little flour.
• Twisting the breadsticks gives a nice rustic look to them when baked.
• You can switch up the seasoning with these by adding Italian seasoning, sesame seeds, poppy seeds, and even parmesan cheese if desired.

How To Store

Store leftover grissini in an airtight container at room temperature. I like to place mine in a tall glass jar with a lid so they are stored but visible. They will last up to 2-3 days.

FAQ

Can I use all-purpose flour instead of bread flour?

You can swap out the bread flour for all-purpose. Keep in mind that this will slightly effect the texture of the breadsticks and the final result.

Can I use sourdough discard for this recipe?

No. You will need to use a fed and active sourdough starter not discard as we will be rising the dough with the use of a sourdough dough starter. Discard is not strong enough for adequate dough rise. 

*Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may receive commissions if you choose to purchase through the links I provide (at no cost to you).

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Sourdough Supplies

Dutch Oven

Bench Scraper

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More Sourdough Recipes To Try

• Homemade Sourdough Breadcrumbs
• Soft Sweet Sourdough Cornbread
• Sourdough Puff Pancake

If you try this recipe and love it, I would appreciate you coming back to give it 5 stars!