Copycat Crazy Bread

4.75 from 4 votes
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This copycat crazy bread recipe is so good that you won’t be able to eat just one. It’s easy to make and even better than the breadsticks you’re used to buying at Little Caesars! 

Four breadsticks on a cutting board with a ramekin of marinara in the background

 

The breadsticks at Little Caesars are one of the most popular fast food items around. And I’ve got exciting news: this recipe for copycat crazy bread is even better than the kind at the pizza shop. This recipe has everything you love about the Little Caesars crazy bread. It’s garlicky, cheesy, and has an amazing texture. But when you make it at home the flavors are stronger, the bread is fresher, and the dough is even softer. 

Crazy bread is one of those foods that most people don’t even think about making at home. But this recipe is actually super easy! It doesn’t take much time at all, and anyone can make it. So the next time you’re crazing parmesan breadsticks, skip the pizza joint and just make your own!

Why You’ll Love These Homemade Little Caesars Breadsticks 

This is one of my favorite recipes to make, so I hope you give it a try. Here’s why I know you’ll love it. 

  • Impressive. Everybody loves crazy bread. Everybody. So imagine how impressed your friends or family will be when you make it from scratch! Whether you’re serving it at home or taking it to a party, anyone who eats this copycat recipe will be so impressed that you made it. It’s that good. 
  • Easy. A lot of bread recipes take a ton of time or are super complex. Not this one! Crazy bread is straightforward, simple, and uses only ingredients that you probably already own. It takes less than two hours to make, including rise time and baking time. It’s probably easier than getting in the car and driving to a pizza shop! 
  • Scale it. This is a super easy recipe to double or triple. If you’re having a party and want to have lots of crazy bread for everyone, just double or triple the ingredients and you’re in business.

Ingredients Needed

Here are all the ingredients you’ll need to make these soft and cheesy breadsticks. Check out the recipe card at the bottom of the article to see the exact amounts for each ingredient. 

For the Dough:

  • Water 
  • Yeast – Make sure to use active dry yeast.
  • Sugar
  • Bread flour – All-purpose flour also works, but bread flour will give crazy bread the best texture. 
  • Olive oil
  • Salt

For the Topping:

  • Butter – I recommend using salted butter.
  • Garlic powder
  • Parmesan cheese – You can use freshly-grated parmesan or pre-grated cheese.

How to Make Copycat Crazy Bread

Here’s how to make these popular breadsticks. It’s a super easy recipe! 

  • Bloom the yeast. Add warm water, sugar, and yeast together in a measuring cup. Let it sit until it gets foamy, about 5-10 minutes. This activates the yeast. 
A pyrex container with yeast and water foaming in it
  • Mix the dough. Add the yeast mixture to a mixing bowl with flour, room-temperature water, olive oil, and salt. Stir until the ingredients are combined and form a rough dough. 
  • Knead. Put the dough on a floured surface and knead it until it becomes a soft dough. This should take 2-3 minutes.
  • Rise. Place the dough in a lightly-greased bowl, and cover it with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel. Let it rise until it doubles in size, which should take about an hour.
  • Heat the oven. Preheat your oven to 375F. 
  • Portion the dough. Put the dough on a floured surface, and lightly press it into a square. Cut the dough into 8 equal pieces. 
Pizza dough cut into eight strips, next to a pizza cutter, a bowl of parmesan cheese, a bowl of garlic powder, and half a stick of butter
  • Shape the breadsticks. Roll each piece of dough into a 7-inch breadstick. Place them on a lined baking sheet. 
  • Bake. Place the baking sheet in the oven, and bake the breadsticks until they are fully puffed up. This should take 18-20 minutes.
Baked breadsticks sitting on a baking sheet with a bowl of butter behind them
  • Make the garlic butter. While the breadsticks are baking, melt the butter and mix it with the garlic powder. 
  • Brush on the butter. Remove the breadsticks from the oven and immediately brush them with the melted butter.
A brush painting butter onto breadsticks on a baking sheet
  • Add the cheese. Top the crazy bread with the parmesan cheese and serve immediately. 
A hand sprinkling parmesan cheese on breadsticks on a baking sheet

Tips and Tricks 

Here are a few tips to help you when making this crazy bread. 

  • Don’t over-proof. When making any kind of bread dough you need to let it rise for a while. But it’s important to not let it rise for too long. When the dough rises for too long it will start to deflate when you touch it, and you’ll be left with dense breadsticks. As soon as you notice that the dough has doubled in size, continue with the recipe.
  • Make things simpler. If you don’t feel like dealing with making dough, you can use store-bought dough instead. The results will be almost as good, and it will make this crazy bread a lot easier.
  • Use a silicone mat. I love to use silicone mats when baking, and they’re really great for this recipe. Not only do they keep the breadsticks from sticking to the baking sheet, but they keep the bottom of the bread from getting burnt. 
Four breadsticks in a pile on a cutting board in front of a ramekin of marinara

What to Serve It With 

I like to serve these copycat breadsticks with a bowl of marinara sauce to dip them in. And would they really be crazy bread if you didn’t also serve some pizza? Here are a few pizzas to make.

How to Store and Reheat Leftover Breadsticks

Leftover crazy bread can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. Reheat in a 325F oven for 10 minutes. 

Can Crazy Bread be Frozen? 

You can definitely freeze this recipe. Store the breadsticks in an airtight container in the freezer and they’ll last for 3 months. Defrost or thaw them fully before reheating them.

Four breadsticks on a cutting board in front of a ramekin of marinara sauce

More Copycat Recipes

Don’t worry, I’ve got plenty more of your favorite chain restaurant items that you can make at home! You’ve got to try all of these.

Four breadsticks on a cutting board with a ramekin of marinara sauce
4.75 from 4 votes

Copycat Crazy Bread

By Erin
This copycat crazy bread is just like the kind at Little Caesars … except better! The bread is soft, the topping is cheesy and garlicky, and they're easy to make.
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes
Additional Time: 1 hour
Total: 1 hour 40 minutes
Servings: 8 breadsticks

Ingredients 

For the Dough:

For the Topping:

Instructions 

  • In a liquid measuring cup, combine the warm water, yeast, and sugar together. Let it stand for 5-10 minutes until the mixture blooms and foams up.
  • In a bowl, mix together the flour, room-temperature water, olive oil, salt, and yeast mixture. Stir until it forms a rough dough.
  • Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead it for 2-3 minutes, until it becomes smooth.
  • Put the dough in a lightly-oiled bowl and cover it. Let it rise about an hour, until it doubles in size.
  • Preheat the oven to 375F.
  • When the dough is done rising, place it on a floured surface. Gently press it into a square that's about 8×4 inches. Use a sharp knife or a pizza cutter to divide the dough into 8 equal portions.
  • Roll each piece of dough into a 7-inch breadstick and place it on a lined baking sheet.
  • Put the baking sheet in the oven and bake for 18-20 minutes, until the breadsticks have risen and are puffed up.
  • While the breadsticks bake, melt the butter and mix with the garlic powder.
  • Remove the breadsticks from the oven and brush them with the melted butter.
  • Sprinkle the grated parmesan cheese on top and serve immediately.

Notes

  • If you want to save time and effort, you can use 1 pound of store-bought dough instead of making your own.
  • All-purpose flour works fine for this recipe, but bread flour is ideal.
  • Store leftover breadsticks in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week. Reheat in a 325F oven for 10 minutes.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 180kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 11mg | Sodium: 302mg | Fiber: 1g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Author: Erin
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Additional Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
Course: Side Dish Recipes
Cuisine: Italian
Servings: 8 breadsticks
Calories: 180
Keyword: breadsticks recipe, homemade breadsticks, little caesars breadsticks, little caesars crazy bread
Like this recipe? Leave a comment below!

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About Erin S

Welcome to Dinners, Dishes, & Desserts where my love of food meets my busy life. My name is Erin and Iโ€™m a casual home cook who loves to feed people. On this blog, youโ€™ll find hundreds of quick and easy recipes made mostly from scratch. My days are spent in the kitchen, creating new recipes to share with family and friends.

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5 Comments

  1. These are the best! I love crazy bread, and these really do taste just like it. Scratch that. They taste even better because they’re homemade. This is my new breadstick recipe from now on.

  2. I worked at Little Caesars in high school and these are spot on! Thanks for the easy recipe!

  3. Whoโ€™s actually going to have leftovers from this delicious recipe? Thank you for sharing! I also used one to make a mini-sub sandwich – rolled shredded cheese & pickled red onions in a piece of lunchmeat placed inside a split breadstick. So good!