Traditional pizza crust has five basic ingredients: water, yeast, flour, salt and olive oil. Some doughs also include sugar. Using a pizza crust mix makes the process of making dough even simpler. You can also use the mix to make breadsticks, to serve along with pizza or with dishes, such as pasta, a salad or soup.

If you want to make breadsticks out of a pizza crust mix, prepare the mix as directed on the box. Instead of rolling the dough to form a pizza, spread it onto an oiled baking sheet in a thin layer. The dough might be sticky, so apply a thin coating of oil to your fingers to help you flatten the dough. Use a pizza cutter or knife to slice the dough partway through, making 1-inch-wide strips. Don't cut the dough all the way through. This is a quick way to prepare breadsticks in quantity.

Another, more hands-on way to shape breadsticks from pizza dough is to divide the prepared dough into equal portions. Roll out the dough into a rectangle, then cut the rectangle in half. Continue to divide the dough until you have pieces that are about 2 inches wide. Stretch the strips of dough with your hands into breadsticks that are about 12 inches long by 1 inch wide. Place each stick on a greased or parchment-lined baking sheet.

You can dress up the breadsticks by adding toppings. Sprinkle dried Italian seasoning or crumbled dried oregano on top of the sticks before baking. You can also make a more decadent topping. Brush the sticks with melted butter. Combine some garlic powder, Italian seasoning and Parmesan cheese powder in a bowl. Sprinkle the mixture over top of the dough. Thoroughly coat the top of the breadsticks with it for the most flavor.

Because you aren't making a crispy pizza crust, you will need to adjust the baking time slightly, based on the type of breadsticks you want. To make soft, chewy breadsticks, bake them for about 25 minutes in a 375-degree Fahrenheit oven. The sticks will turn a light golden brown color and will be soft. Use a lower temperature and a longer baking time to make crispy breadsticks. The lower temperature will help the breadsticks dry out without burning.