Homemade Garlic Knots Recipe
Introduction
Homemade garlic knots are soft, fluffy, and packed with rich garlic flavor. This recipe guides you through making tender knots from scratch, perfect for sharing as a snack or alongside your favorite Italian dishes.
Ingredients
- Homemade Dough:
- 1 and 1/3 cups (320ml) warm water (100–110°F, 38–43°C)
- 2 and 1/4 teaspoons (7g) instant yeast (1 packet)*
- 1 Tablespoon (13g) granulated sugar
- 3 Tablespoons (45ml) olive oil or (43g) melted butter
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder*
- 3 and 1/2 cups (about 450g) all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
- Topping:
- 5 Tablespoons (71g) unsalted butter, melted
- 3 garlic cloves, minced or 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning*
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- Optional after baking: 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Optional after baking: 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Step 1: Whisk warm water, yeast, and sugar in a large bowl or stand mixer bowl. Cover and rest for 5 minutes until foamy.
- Step 2: Add olive oil (or melted butter), salt, garlic powder, and half the flour. Beat for 15 seconds, then add the remaining flour. Beat on low speed for 2 minutes.
- Step 3: Knead the dough by mixing an additional 5 minutes with a dough hook or by hand on a floured surface. The dough should feel soft and slightly tacky but not sticky.
- Step 4: Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough inside, turning to coat all sides. Cover and let rise at room temperature for 1–2 hours until doubled in size.
- Step 5: Punch down the dough and shape it into a 16×5-inch log on a floured surface. Slice into sixteen 1-inch strips, roll each strip into an 8-inch rope, and tie into knots.
- Step 6: Arrange knots on lined baking sheets, cover lightly, and let rest for 30–45 minutes to puff slightly.
- Step 7: Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C). Mix melted butter, garlic, Italian seasoning, and salt. Brush the knots with half of this garlic butter.
- Step 8: Bake knots for 20–23 minutes until golden. Remove from oven and brush with remaining butter. Sprinkle with Parmesan and parsley if desired.
- Step 9: Serve warm, plain or with marinara sauce for dipping.
Tips & Variations
- Add garlic powder to the dough for extra garlic flavor.
- Use dried oregano, basil, and parsley if you don’t have Italian seasoning.
- You can shape and freeze the knots before baking for up to 3 months.
- For softer knots, let them rise fully and don’t add too much extra flour during kneading.
Storage
Store leftover garlic knots covered at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerate for up to 1 week. Freeze baked and cooled knots for up to 3 months. To reheat, thaw at room temperature and microwave for a few seconds or warm in an oven.
How to Serve
Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.
FAQs
Can I use store-bought pizza dough for garlic knots?
Yes, you can substitute 2 pounds of store-bought pizza dough for the homemade dough. This recipe yields about 16 knots, but you can halve the dough if you want fewer.
What is the purpose of the garlic powder in the dough?
Adding garlic powder to the dough enhances the garlic flavor throughout the knots, making them more flavorful beyond just the topping.
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Homemade Garlic Knots Recipe
- Total Time: 2 hours 40 minutes
- Yield: 16 garlic knots 1x
Description
Enjoy irresistibly soft and flavorful homemade garlic knots with this detailed recipe. Using a simple dough made from warm water, instant yeast, olive oil or butter, and a touch of garlic powder, these garlic knots are skillfully kneaded, allowed to rise, and baked to golden perfection. Finished with a luscious garlic herb butter and optional Parmesan and parsley toppings, these knots make a perfect appetizer or snack to serve plain or with marinara sauce for dipping.
Ingredients
Scale
Homemade Dough
- 1 and 1/3 cups (320ml) warm water (between 100–110°F, 38–43°C)
- 2 and 1/4 teaspoons (7g) Platinum Yeast from Red Star instant yeast (1 standard packet)
- 1 Tablespoon (13g) granulated sugar
- 3 Tablespoons (45ml) olive oil or (43g) melted butter
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 3 and 1/2 cups (about 450g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled), plus more for hands and work surface
Topping
- 5 Tablespoons (71g) unsalted butter, melted
- 3 garlic cloves, minced; or 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- optional after baking: 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- optional after baking: 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Activate the yeast: Whisk the warm water, yeast, and granulated sugar together in the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with a dough hook or paddle attachment. Cover and allow to rest for 5 minutes to activate the yeast. If you don’t have a stand mixer, mix in a large bowl with a spoon or spatula.
- Mix the dough: Add the olive oil (or melted butter), salt, garlic powder, and half of the flour to the yeast mixture. Beat for 15 seconds, then add the remaining flour. Beat on low speed for 2 minutes to combine.
- Knead the dough: Switch to the dough hook and knead for an additional 5 minutes in the mixer, or knead by hand on a lightly floured surface for 5 minutes. The dough should feel soft and slightly tacky. Perform the windowpane test to check if kneading is sufficient.
- First rise: Lightly grease a large bowl and place the dough inside, turning to coat with oil. Cover with foil, plastic wrap, or a kitchen towel. Let the dough rise at room temperature for 1–2 hours or until doubled in size. Alternatively, rise the dough in a warm oven set to 150°F (66°C), then turned off.
- Shape the knots: Punch down the risen dough. On a floured surface, shape it into a 16 by 5-inch log. Slice into sixteen 1-inch strips with a sharp knife, pizza cutter, or bench scraper. Roll each strip into an 8-inch rope and tie into a knot. Arrange on two baking sheets lined with silicone mats or parchment paper.
- Second rise: Lightly cover the shaped knots and let rest for 30 to 45 minutes to puff up slightly for a softer texture.
- Preheat oven: Preheat your oven to 400°F (204°C) toward the end of the resting time.
- Prepare the topping: Stir together melted butter, minced garlic (or garlic powder), Italian seasoning, and salt. Brush the mixture over the knots before baking. Reserve some for brushing after baking.
- Bake the knots: Bake the garlic knots for 20–23 minutes or until golden brown on top.
- Finish and serve: Remove from the oven and immediately brush with remaining garlic butter. Optionally, sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese and chopped fresh parsley. Serve warm, plain or with marinara sauce for dipping.
- Storage: Store leftover knots at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerated for up to 1 week. Freeze baked knots for up to 3 months and reheat by microwaving briefly.
Notes
- Freezing Dough or Overnight Dough Instructions: Refer to the Pizza Dough recipe for details as the doughs are nearly identical.
- Freezing Unbaked Shaped Knots: Freeze shaped knots on a baking sheet uncovered for 1–2 hours, then store in freezer bags for up to 3 months. Thaw and rest for 1 hour before baking.
- Special Tools: Electric stand mixer or mixing bowl and spoon/spatula, dough scraper, pizza cutter, baking sheets, silicone mats or parchment paper, pastry brush.
- Using Store-Bought Dough: You can substitute with 2 pounds of store-bought or homemade pizza dough. This recipe yields about 16 knots or 1 pizza plus 8 knots.
- Garlic Powder in Dough: Adds extra flavor though not always shown in videos—highly recommended.
- Yeast: Platinum Yeast from Red Star is instant yeast; active dry yeast may be used but may require longer rising.
- Italian Seasoning Substitute: Use dried oregano, basil, and/or parsley if Italian seasoning is not available.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 23 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Keywords: garlic knots, homemade garlic knots, garlic bread, Italian appetizer, yeast dough, bread knots
