This Cypriot paximadia recipe creates the perfect savoury snack! You can enjoy these crunchy sesame seed breadsticks all day long. They pair beautifully with Greek coffee, cheese, olives, or even on their own. Whether you’re looking for a quick bite or something to serve with your favourite sides, these paximadia are a must-try.
If you love a biscuit or cookie perfect for dunking in your coffee or simply snacking on, check out my Greek paximadia recipe (similar to Italian biscotti) or my koulourakia, for more delicious Greek recipes.
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Why you will love these Cypriot Paximadia
- Savoury and Crunchy: These sesame-coated breadsticks are savoury and crunchy, making them a satisfying snack every time.
- Versatile Snack: Enjoy them with cheese, olives, or even dipped in Greek coffee. There are many ways to enjoy these breadsticks throughout the day.
- Long Shelf Life: Due to the double-baking process, these paximadia stay fresh for weeks, making them a reliable snack to have on hand.
- Easy to Make: This recipe features simple ingredients and clear steps, making it perfect for beginners!
Ingredients
Let’s take a look at what makes this sesame seed breadstick recipe so special! As always, see the recipe card below for precise quantities.
- All-purpose Flour: Use fresh, plain flour for the best texture. Flour that’s been stored too long can lose its quality, so it’s always good to check the freshness date.
- Yeast: For a light and airy dough, make sure your yeast is fresh and active. If your yeast is old, the dough may not rise as expected.
- Mastiha & Mahlepi: These spices add that signature Greek Cypriot flavour, making the paximadia truly beautiful!
- Tahini: This ingredient brings a rich, nutty depth, balancing the savoury flavours perfectly.
- Orange Juice: Adds a touch of natural sweetness and a citrus twist that brightens up the flavours. Freshly squeezed juice works best for both sweetness and freshness.We don't use orange zest, for this recipe.
- Sea Salt: Enhances all the flavours in the recipe.
- Sesame Seeds: These give the breadsticks their signature appearance, adding extra crunch and a delicious nutty flavour. They are essential to achieving the authentic look and texture of paximadia.
How to make these sesame seed breadsticks - Video
If you want to see how it’s done step-by-step, check out my video tutorial for this Cypriot paximadia recipe. Watching it will make the process even easier!
Don’t forget to like, comment, and share the video if you find it helpful. You’ll see how simple it is to create these delicious breadsticks at home.
Preparation
Getting organized before you start will make the process flow smoothly, especially since making paximadia takes time. Here’s what to do:
- Crush Mastiha: If your mastiha is not already ground, crush it using a mortar and pestle until it is finely ground.
- Measure Ingredients: Measure the dry and wet ingredients and set them aside.
- Prepare Bowls: Use a large bowl for the flour mixture and a small bowl for the tahini and water.
- Juice Your Oranges: Before starting, juice your oranges to ensure you have fresh juice ready.
- Line Baking Trays: Line your baking trays with parchment paper.
- Get Your Mixer Ready: If using a stand mixer, have your dough hook ready (mix on low speed).
- Cutting Tool: Keep a sharp knife for cutting the rolled dough into sticks.
- Moisture for Rolling: Prepare a small bowl of water to keep your hands moist when rolling.
Instructions step-by-step
Follow these simple steps to create your delicious crusty sesame breadsticks. Use the photos to help guide you. Keep in mind that the number of paximadia you make depends on how big you roll them, but you can expect to yield between 75 and 90 paximadia.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, combine 80% of the flour (roughly 4 cups of flour), yeast, mastiha, mahlepi, and salt. Stir well to ensure everything is evenly mixed.
- Prepare tahini mix: In a separate cup, whisk the tahini into warm water until it dissolves. Add this mixture to the dry ingredients.
- Add orange juice: Pour the orange juice into the bowl and mix until a dough begins to form.
- Knead the dough: Lightly flour your workbench with some of the reserved flour. Knead the dough for 5 minutes, incorporating the rest of the flour as needed until the dough is smooth and non-sticky.
- Let the dough rise: Place the dough in a clean bowl. Cover it with a towel or plastic wrap and leave it in a warm spot for about 1 hour, or until it doubles in size.
- Prepare sesame coating: While the dough rises, boil the sesame seeds in a saucepan filled with water. Once the water starts bubbling, remove the pan from heat and drain the seeds. Then spread them out onto a clean kitchen towel.
- Shape the paximadia: Punch down the dough to release air. Divide into smaller portions, rolling each into balls, and keeping them covered to avoid drying.
- Roll and cut: Roll each portion into a stick about 1 cm in diameter. Use a sharp knife to cut each stick into 15 cm long pieces.
- Coat in sesame: Roll each piece in sesame seeds, ensuring they’re fully coated. Place the coated sticks in a single layer on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Cover them to prevent the unbaked dough from drying out. Let them rise for another 15-20 minutes. They will puff up and retract slightly to about 12 cm in length.
- First bake: Preheat the oven to 160°C (fan-forced). Bake the paximadia for 25-35 minutes, or until they are lightly golden. Let them cool for 30 minutes.
- Second bake: Reduce the oven temperature to 100°C (fan-forced) and bake for another 1-2 hours until they’re fully dried and crispy. Test one or two to check the texture. The lower temperature is crucial to allow further cooking without further browning.
- Cool and enjoy: Once fully baked, remove the paximadia from the oven and let them cool. Serve and enjoy!
Top Tips when making the breadsticks
- Work with smaller portions: Roll out smaller portions of dough to make shaping easier to manage.
- Keep your hands wet: While rolling the dough, slightly wet your hands to prevent sticking and help with the sesame coating.
- Keep the dough covered: While rolling and when the paximadia are rising on the baking tray, cover them with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel to prevent them from drying out.
- Don’t over-brown in the first bake: Be careful during the first bake. The paximadia should be lightly golden, so keep an eye on them to prevent over-browning.
- Check during the second bake: While the paximadia are baking for the second time, keep a close eye on them to ensure they don’t dry out too much. Gently press them with your fingers to check for softness; you may even want to bite into one or two to ensure they’re just right. Just be careful, as they will still be hot!
About this recipe
This Cypriot paximadia recipe comes straight from my Yiayia Eleni. It has always been my favourite biscuit. In Greece, there’s a similar version called Kritsinia.
Many Cypriots have their own versions or twists on these breadsticks, which are also delightful. This recipe, however, is very simple. We also don’t use black sesame seeds in this version.
This recipe is great for fasting because it contains no oil, not even in the resting bowl. Some Greek Orthodox do not consume oil during certain fasting periods throughout the year, so it has been omitted to keep it an all-year-round treat.
Serving
I literally eat these Cypriot paximadia almost every day because they’re so versatile! As a kid, these breadsticks were often packed into my lunch box for a snack.
Now, I enjoy them with halloumi or olives or alongside my Greek paximadia for a savoury and sweet mix. You can also crush them into a Greek salad for extra crunch. Whether for snacking or adding to meals, they always hit the spot!
Storage
Store your paximadia in an airtight container or jar to keep them crisp. A cool, dry pantry is ideal, away from direct sunlight, to maintain their texture and flavour. Refrigeration isn’t necessary and can introduce moisture, which may soften them.
Room temperature storage works best, and they can last for weeks when stored properly.
FAQs
While Cypriots also make the Greek-style sweet paximadia, this version is savoury and quite different.
Paximadia is pronounced as pah-ksee-MAH-thya
Yes, this recipe is completely vegan recipe as it uses only plant-based ingredients like flour, tahini, and orange juice.
While they have similarities, such as being twice-baked and long-lasting, these paximadia are skinny, thin breadsticks made from wheat flour. Barley rusks, on the other hand, are cut into thick slices, made from barley flour, and have a coarser texture.
📖 Recipe
Cypriot Paximadia Recipe (Sesame Seed Breadsticks)
Ingredients
- 750 grams All purpose flour roughly 5 cups
- 1.5 tablespoon Dry yeast 1 packet
- ½ teaspoon Mastiha ground (masika)
- ½ teaspoon Mahlepi ground
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 2 tablespoon Tahini
- 1 cup Water warm
- 1 cup Orange juice
- 1.5 cups Sesame seeds boiled
Instructions
- Mix dry ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, combine 80% of the flour (roughly 4 cups of flour), yeast, mastiha, mahlepi, and salt. Stir well to ensure everything is evenly mixed.
- Prepare tahini mix: In a separate cup, whisk the tahini into warm water until it dissolves. Add this mixture to the dry ingredients.
- Add orange juice: Pour the orange juice into the bowl and mix until a dough begins to form.
- Knead the dough: Lightly flour your workbench with some of the reserved flour. Knead the dough for 5 minutes, incorporating the rest of the flour as needed until the dough is smooth and non-sticky.
- Let the dough rise: Place the dough in a clean bowl. Cover it with a towel or plastic wrap and leave it in a warm spot for about 1 hour, or until it doubles in size.
- Prepare sesame seeds: While the dough rises, boil the sesame seeds in a saucepan filled with water. Once the water starts bubbling, remove the pan from heat and drain the seeds. Then spread them out onto a clean kitchen towel.
- Shape the paximadia: Punch down the dough to release air. Divide into smaller portions, rolling each into balls, and keeping them covered to avoid drying.
- Roll and cut: Roll each portion into a stick about 1 cm in diameter. Use a sharp knife to cut each stick into 15 cm long pieces.
- Coat in sesame: Roll each piece in sesame seeds, ensuring they’re fully coated. Place the coated sticks in a single layer on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Cover them to prevent the unbaked dough from drying out. Let them rise for another 15-20. They will puff up and retract slightly to about 12 cm in length.
- First bake: Preheat the oven to 160°C (fan-forced). Bake the paximadia for 25-35 minutes, or until they are lightly golden. Let them cool for 30 minutes.
- Second bake: Reduce the oven temperature to 100°C (fan-forced) and bake for another 1-2 hours until they’re fully dried and crispy. Test one or two to check the texture. The lower temperature is crucial to allow further cooking without further browning.
- Cool and enjoy: Once fully baked, remove the paximadia from the oven and let them cool. Serve and enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Work with smaller portions: Roll out smaller portions of dough to make shaping easier.
- Keep your hands wet: Slightly wet your hands while rolling the dough. I find this helps create a slight stickiness, making rolling easier.
- Keep the dough covered: Cover the dough with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel while rolling and when the paximadia are rising to prevent drying out.
- Don’t over-brown in the first bake: Keep an eye on the paximadia during the first bake. They should be lightly golden.
- Check during the second bake: Monitor the paximadia closely. Gently press them with your fingers to ensure they are not soft. You may also want to bite into one or two to check that they are crispy. Be careful, as they will still be hot!
- Yield: The number of breadsticks you make depends on how big you roll them, but you can expect to yield between 70 and 90 paximadia.
Eleni says
My family loved this!
Nikolopaa says
Glad to here Eleni 🙂 This is honestly my favourite biscuit/ snack!
Franca Circelli says
Hi what can I use instead of Mastiha and mahlepi. Please . TIA. Franca.
Nikolopaa says
Hi Franca! I’ve heard others substituting mastiha with a bit of anise or fennel seeds for a similar aromatic touch. For mahlepi, some use a small amount of almond extract or ground cardamom as an alternative. Hope this helps 🙂
Franca says
Thankyou will try.