Name: Sourdough Cheese Breadstick Twists
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 7 h 40 min
Yield: 12
Ingredients: 1 cup water; 1/2 cup sourdough starter; 1/2 tsp salt; 3 -4 cups flour; 1/4 cup butter - melted; 1 cup grated parmesan cheese; 2 tsp. garlic powder; additional salt for sprinkling

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These sourdough cheese breadstick twists are a great addition to any meal of soup or if Italian is on the dinner menu! Twisted full of cheese, made with sourdough starter and whole grains, they are healthy and absolutely delicious too!

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sourdough cheese breadstick twists wrapped in a towel on countertop

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Scroll down for step-by-step instructions (with pictures!) followed by a recipe card.

Soft, fluffy sourdough breadsticks that are twisted full of warm butter and melted cheese. These are a favorite in our house and they will be sure to become a go-to for you as well!

I love to serve these with warm soup and a fresh salad or to pair them with an Italian dish like spaghetti or lasagna. They go well with just about any soup you can think of, but especially those with lots of broth for the breadsticks to soak up.

My favorite type of cheese to use for these sourdough cheese breadsticks is grated parmesan. The stronger flavor of parmesan mixes so well with the butter and make them so yummy! I’ve also tried a blend of parmesan, montery, mozzarella, and provolone with success.

These sourdough breadsticks can be made same day or long fermented, depending on your preference.

This recipe uses the warmth from your oven light to speed up the rising process so you can have warm fresh breadsticks with dinner the same day you start them! If you want to have them ready the next day or even later, you can place the dough in the fridge to slow down fermentation. Remove from the fridge a few hours before you’re ready to bake to give the dough time to warm up a little.

sourdough cheese breadstick twists stacked on countertop

Ingredients for easy sourdough cheese breadstick twists:

Water (1 cup) – room temperature or slightly warm
Sourdough starter (1/2 cup) – fed 4-12 hours before mixing up your breadstick dough. Lots of bubbles is favorable but not absolutely necessary.
Salt (1/2 tsp.) – I use sea salt or pink himalayan salt
Flour (2 1/2 – 4 cups) – amount depends on how hydrated your starter is and what type of flour you use. I like to use a combination on freshly ground whole wheat and organic all-purpose.
Oil – for greasing the bowl that the dough will rise in.
Butter (1/4 cup) – melted. For spreading on the breadsticks as the first filling ingredient.
Parmesan cheese (1 cup) – or any other kind of cheese. Make sure it’s grated.
Salt – for sprinkling
Garlic powder (2 tsp.) – this is the ingredient that makes them taste SO good! I would highly recommend not leaving it out!

Instructions:

water in glass bowl with salt and measuring utensils beside it — 1. Combine water (1 cup) and sourdough starter (1/2 cup) in a large bowl. Add salt and stir to combine.

wet dough in glass bowl with plastic spoon — 2. Add 1 cup of flour and stir. I use freshly milled whole grain for this portion of the flour. It’s okay if there’s some lumps.

dough in glass bowl with white plastic spoon stirring it — 3. Continue adding flour, either whole grain or all-purpose, until a shaggy dough forms and it gets difficult to stir with a spoon.

ball of dough on flour dusted countertop — 4. Transfer to a floured surface and knead for 5-8 minutes until smooth adding flour as necessary to keep the dough from sticking.

ball of dough in a glass bowl coated in oil — 5. Place dough in an oiled bowl and turn to coat.

bowl of dough covered with a tea towel in the oven with the light on — 6. Cover with a damp tea towel and place in the oven with the light on until dough if poofed and nearly doubled.

If you are choosing to let the dough long ferment, at this point you would skip the oven rise, cover with plastic wrap and place it in the fridge until a few hours before you’re ready to bake then proceed with the following steps.

bowl of dough with rolling pin, grated cheese, salt, and baking sheet — 7. Melt butter over low heat until melted and get all your other filling ingredients ready. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

dough rolled out into a rectangle on countertop — 8. Transfer dough to a well floured surface. Roll into a 12×15 inch rectangle.

sourdough cheese breadstick twists dough rolled out on countertop with butter and cheese spread on it — 9. Brush entire surface with melted butter. Spread grates cheese on bottom half and sprinkle with salt and garlic powder.

rectangle of dough folded over on tabletop — 10. Carefully fold top half of dough over the bottom half and press around the edges to seal.

sourdough cheese breadstick twists rectangle of rolled out dough cut into 12 strips — 11. Using a dough scraper or pizza cutter slice in 12 strips. Twist the ends of each strip in opposite directions and place on parchment paper lined baking sheet.

sourdough cheese breadstick twists unbaked on baking sheet — 12. Cover and place back in the oven with the light on for 2-3 hours until risen slightly. Uncover and turn oven on to 350° with the breadsticks still in the oven. Once oven is preheated bake for 25-30 minutes until browned. Remove from oven and brush with additional melted butter if desired.

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Yield: 12 breadsticks

Sourdough Cheese Breadstick Twists

These easy sourdough cheese breadstick twists are a great addition to any meal of soup or if Italian is on the dinner menu! Twisted full of cheese, made with sourdough starter and whole grains, they are healthy and absolutely delicious too!

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Additional Time 7 hours

Total Time 7 hours 40 minutes

Ingredients

1 cup water
1/2 cup sourdough starter
1/2 tsp salt
3 -4 cups flour
1/4 cup butter - melted
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 tsp. garlic powder
additional salt for sprinkling

Instructions

1. Combine water (1 cup) and sourdough starter (1/2 cup) in a large bowl. Add salt and stir to combine.

2. Add 1 cup of flour and stir. I use freshly milled whole grain for this portion of the flour. It's okay if there's some lumps.

3. Continue adding flour, either whole grain or all-purpose, until a shaggy dough forms and it gets difficult to stir with a spoon.

4. Transfer to a floured surface and knead for 5-8 minutes until smooth adding flour as necessary to keep the dough from sticking.

5. Place dough in an oiled bowl and turn to coat.

6. Cover with a damp tea towel and place in the oven with the light on until dough if poofed and nearly doubled.

If you are choosing to let the dough long ferment, at this point you would skip the oven rise, cover with plastic wrap and place it in the fridge until a few hours before you're ready to bake and proceed with the following steps.

7. Melt butter over low heat until melted and get all your other filling ingredients ready. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

8. Transfer dough to a well floured surface. Roll into a 12x15 inch rectangle.

9. Brush entire surface with melted butter. Spread grates cheese on bottom half and sprinkle with salt and garlic powder.

10. Carefully fold top half of dough over the bottom half and press around the edges to seal.

11. Using a dough scraper or pizza cutter slice in 12 strips. Twist the ends of each strip in opposite directions and place on parchment paper lined baking sheet.

12. Cover and place back in the oven with the light on for 2-3 hours until risen slightly. Uncover and turn oven on to 350° with the breadsticks still in the oven. Once oven is preheated bake for 25-30 minutes until browned. Remove from oven and brush with additional melted butter if desired.