soft cheese and herb breadstick twists with honey butter
Italian night, Tuesday night, or whatever night done right with Soft Cheese and Herb Breadstick Twists.
I included these on my Christmas Eve & Day Menu because an indulgent holiday requires options for bread, especially bread you can dip in something, be it herby oil or marinara sauce or, in these twists’ case, either or. Or both. Just do both, man.
I enjoyed creating these about as much as I enjoyed eating them. The flaws in each breadstick design, the pockets from which oozy cheese escaped, add some charm to this down-home Italian-inspired side. A honey butter brushing enhances the savory filling and pulls out the sweetness lent by the bread dough’s honey infusion.
The Honey-Do List
My ultra easy brioche dough comes up to bat with these breadsticks. If you’ve tried the Salted Maple Butter Brioche Rolls or Fluffy Gingerbread Chai Brioche Rolls, you know how workable, light, and simple this dough is for all sorts of recipes, sweet and savory.
To start this luscious dough, proof a packet of active dry yeast in warm milk and honey. 5-10 minutes does the trick. Beat in softened butter and an egg.
Work with 3 cups of flour at first, then add 1 tablespoon at a time and stir with a wooden spoon until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Turn the dough onto a floured surface, flour your hands, flour everything, and knead until a smooth, elastic, tacky ball forms. You will need to sprinkle your hands and the dough with flour as you go. I used around 4 cups total.
Roped Into Breadsticks
Next, when the dough is risen (Hallelujah!) punch it down and divide into 8 balls.
Flour a surface generously and roll out each ball into a strip about 3 inches wide and 12-14 inches long.
Mix together the cheesy filling: cheddar, fontina, parmesan, and fresh basil, oregano, and sage. If you’ve other fresh herbs around, use them! I’m betting chives and thyme would taste wonderful, too.
Spread about 3-4 tablespoons of cheese along the length of the strip, leaving a bit of a barrier on the top and bottom and both sides. Fold the two long sides together and pinch at the seam, then fold the top and bottom bits. You now have a cheesy rope. Don’t sweat if it’s imperfect or not completely sealed.
Fold the rope in half and twist the loose lengths around one another to create a sort of double corkscrew shape. Set the knots on a baking sheet lined with parchment. Cover loosely with a tea towel and let them rest. They’ve had a long day.
Butter Me Up, Honey
While the knots relax, whip up some easy honey butter to brush over the twists.
Melt butter in a pan with garlic and honey until the butter begins to brown. Strain out the garlic – the flavor will infuse into the butter – and pour into a jar or bowl.
When the knots are ready, brush with honey butter. Set in a 40 degree oven to 15-20 minutes until golden. While still warm, glaze with some more of the butter if you have any left for an extra gloss and tint of lovely sweetness.
Marinara is my #1 for breadsticks, always, especially herby and cheese-laden ones. Pesto sauce or an infused olive oil also makes my mouth dribble and drool. Hell, dip a stick in the sauce from Smoky Roasted Red Pepper Pasta. Bread and pasta? Yo. Match made in the afterlife.
Tried this recipe out? Leave a comment below with your thoughts, and don’t forget to come say hi on Instagram and show me what you made!
Ingredients
- 1 cup warm milk
- 1/4 cup honey
- 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast (1 package)
- 4 tbsp butter, softened
- 1 egg, at room temperature
- 3 1/2-4 cups all purpose or bread flour
- 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 cup shredded fontina cheese
- 1/2 cup grated fresh parmesan cheese
- 1/3 cup fresh basil, chopped
- 2 tbsp fresh oregano, chopped
- 1 tbsp fresh sage, chopped
honey garlic butter
- 4 tbsp salted butter
- 2 cloves garlic, minced or grated
- 2 tbsp honey
Instructions
- Whisk together the warm milk, honey, and yeast. Proof 5-10 minutes until the yeast bubbles and froths.
- Into the yeast mixture, beat the softened butter and egg. Stir in 3 cups of flour. Add flour 1 tablespoon at a time until the dough begins to pull away from the side of the bowl. Turn onto a well-floured, clean surface and knead, adding flour to the dough and to your hands as necessary, until a soft, tacky, smooth ball forms, about 10-15 minutes. Clean out the bowl and grease lightly with oil. Turn the dough in the bowl, cover loosely with plastic or a clean tea towel, and rise until doubled, about 60-90 minutes.
- In a bowl, stir together the cheddar, fontina, parmesan, basil, oregano, and sage.
- Divide the dough into 8 balls. Roll each ball into a rectangle about 3 inches wide and 12 inches long, or about 1/4 inch thick. Spread 3-4 tablespoons of the cheese in the center, leaving about 1/2 inch on each side. Pinch the two long sides together to form a seam. Check the photos for reference.
- Take the two ends of the rope and twist the length around one another. Pinch the two ends together. Set on a baking sheet. Repeat with each rope. Again, take a peek at the photos for visual reference. Cover the baking sheet and rest 15-20 minutes.
- While the twists rest, preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- In a skillet, melt the butter with the garlic and honey until the butter begins to brown, about 5 minutes or so. Scoop or strain the garlic cloves out of the butter and pour into a jar or bowl.
- Brush each breadstick twist with butter. Bake 15-20 minutes until golden and puffed. Brush with additional honey butter and serve with marinara.
