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
