Cinnamon Sugar Breadsticks

I'm always looking for a fun little snack to have with our afternoon tea. You all have afternoon tea, don't you? Every day at 4 o'clock, we brew up a nice pot of tea and sit down together to have a cuppa and a little snack. Far less formal than a high tea, out little afternoon tea is just a chance to sit down and catch our breath.

It's also a place where I can try out recipes that I have my eye on and to have a whole panel of taste testers available at my fingertips. These Cinnamon Sugar Breadsticks are a very simple, very tasty and VERY kid approved snack. The awesome thing about this recipe is that you can make them plain, cinnamon sugar, garlic, cheese, cheese and onion, garlic and onion....well, you see where I'm going with this. The dough itself is very basic, leaving you all kinds of room to create a breadstick that will compliment whatever else you are serving. And they are D-E-L-I-C-I-O-U-S!

 Basic Breadsticks (Instructions for Cinnamon Sugar Breadsticks follow)

• 2 1/4 cup flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 cup milk 
• 1/3 cup butter

Preheat over to 450 degrees. In a 9 x 13 inch baking dish, place the butter and pop it into the oven. Be careful not to burn the melting butter! While the butter is melting, mix together the flour, sugar, salt and baking soda. Stir in the milk until a ball forms. Turn it out onto a flour covered counter and knead 10 times. Roll out into a 9 x 13 inch rectangle and cut into strips. Remove the pan from the oven and dip the dough strips into the butter, then arrange in the pan. Bake for 12 -15 minutes, or until golden brown. 

Cinnamon Sugar Variation-  Mix together 1/2 cup granulated sugar with 1 teaspoon (or more!) cinnamon. Sprinkle over breadsticks before baking. 

Garlic or Herb Variation-  Sprinkle breadstiks with garlic powder, course Kosher salt, Italian herbs, Parmesan cheese or a combination of any of these before baking.