Homemade Garlic Knots Recipe
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These homemade Garlic Knots are made completely from scratch in just over an hour! My recipe is easy (no mixer needed) and makes perfectly chewy, buttery, and garlicky knots. Includes a how-to video!
Quick & Easy Garlic Knots
So many recipes for garlic knots start with pre-made dough, and while I totally understand being in a rush, nothing stacks up to the taste of a completely from-scratch recipe. Maybe I’m biased, but homemade is always better! Especially with a recipe as easy as this one.
Just like my homemade breadsticks, this homemade garlic knots recipe starts with my simple, from-scratch pizza dough. It’s a very easy yeast dough that’s great for beginners, so don’t be intimidated if you don’t often bake with yeast (like I was for the longest time). If you can stir and you can tie a knot, you can make this recipe!
Once your knots are tied and baked, you will generously brush them with garlic butter before serving. The butter (and that garlicky flavor) will absorb into the bread for a burst of lip-smacking goodness. The final result is equally as tasty on its own as it is when dipped in sauce from baked ziti, beef ragu, or chicken pasta. You are just going to love these!
What You Need
Look at that, only 10 ingredients! I told you this recipe was easy 😉 Here’s what you need:
- Flour. Either bread flour or all-purpose flour will work, but you will get slightly different results from each. Bread flour is my preference, as it gives the knots a slightly more crisp exterior and a chewier interior. All-purpose flour will make them softer and fluffier. While I like my cakes to be soft and fluffy, I prefer my garlic knots to be a bit chewier.
- Yeast. This recipe uses instant/rapid rise yeast for quick and easy results. If you’d like to use active dry yeast, you can. I talk a bit more about this below!
- Garlic. We are adding a bit of garlic powder (just half a teaspoon) into our dough, but most of the garlic flavor is going to come from our buttery, garlic-infused topping.
- Fresh basil. Fresh parsley would alternatively work!
- Parmesan cheese. Optional, but highly recommended for restaurant-style knots.
SAM’S TIP: As with many of my yeast recipes, the amount of flour you will ultimately need will vary depending on the conditions of your kitchen. Do NOT dump it all in at once; just add it gradually until your dough reaches the right consistency. Watch the video below if you would like a visual of what this looks like!
Remember, this is just an overview of the ingredients I used and why. For the full recipe please scroll down to the bottom of the post!
How to Make Garlic Knots
- Dry ingredients – Combine 1 cup of flour with the remaining dry ingredients, then stir in the oil and warm water.
- Gradually add more flour as needed until the dough becomes elastic and cohesive.
- Let rise – Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm spot for 30 minutes or until doubled in size.
- Deflate and divide – Gently deflate the dough and form it into a 15″ log before cutting into 9 even pieces.
- Tie into knots – Roll each piece into an 8″ rope, tie in a knot, and place on a parchment lined baking sheet.
- Bake – Brush each garlic knot with olive oil (optional) and let sit for 5 minutes. Bake for 13 minutes at 400F.
- Brush with garlic butter after baking and sprinkle with grated parmesan just before serving.
SAM’S TIP: This is optional, but I like to brush my knots with olive oil before baking to encourage them to turn a beautiful golden brown in the oven. It’s a quick and simple extra step!
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! You can prepare the dough as indicated and place in an airtight container in the fridge overnight. When ready to bake, brush your knots with olive oil and bake as directed.
If you’d like to freeze your homemade garlic knots before baking, make sure to do so in an airtight container as well. Frozen knots can be baked straight from the freezer (don’t forget to brush with olive oil before baking!), but they will need to a minute or two longer in the oven.
Active dry yeast will work, but your rise times will be longer than indicated here. I suggest you proof the yeast with the warm water and a pinch of the sugar before adding it to the dry ingredients.
Just like you would tie a regular knot! Once you have your dough in a rope shape, bring the two ends together, then cross one end over, under, and through the other. I demonstrate this in my video below, if you’d like a visual.
I hope you enjoy this recipe! We make these frequently and pair them with everything from my meatballs to beef stew! If you’re serving them as an appetizer instead of a side, I highly suggest making a batch of my homemade marinara for dipping.
Enjoy!
Let’s bake together! I’ll be walking you through all the steps in my written recipe and video below! If you try this recipe, be sure to tag me on Instagram, and you can also find me on YouTube and Facebook
Garlic Knots
Ingredients
- 2-2 ⅓ cups (250-295 g) bread flour*, divided
- 1 packet instant yeast, 2 ¼ teaspoons
- 1 ½ teaspoons sugar
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- ¾ cup (180 ml) warm water, 105-115F [40-46C]
- Additional olive oil for coating bowl
Garlic Butter:
- 4 Tablespoons salted butter
- 3 cloves minced garlic, about 1 ½ Tablespoons
- 1 Tablespoon minced fresh basil
- Grated parmesan cheese, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F (205C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine 1 cup (125g) of flour, instant yeast, sugar, salt, and garlic powder and stir well.1 packet instant yeast, 1 ½ teaspoons sugar, ¾ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- Add olive oil and warm water and use a wooden spoon to stir until all ingredients are well-combined.2 Tablespoons olive oil, ¾ cup (180 ml) warm water
- Gradually add another 1 cup (125g) of flour. Add any additional flour as needed (I've found that sometimes I need as much as an additional ⅓ cup), stirring until the dough forms a cohesive, elastic ball and is beginning to pull away from the sides of the bowl (see video below recipe for visual). The dough will still be tacky but still should be manageable with your hands.
- Drizzle a separate, large, clean bowl generously with olive oil and use a pastry brush to brush up the sides of the bowl.Additional olive oil for coating bowl
- Transfer your dough to prepared bowl and roll the dough through the oil until the entire surface of the dough is lightly coated with oil, then cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and place on top of your oven to rise for 30 minutes or until doubled in size.
- Once the dough has risen, use your hands to gently deflate it and transfer to a lightly floured surface. Form into a log about 15” long and cut into 9 even pieces.
- Roll each piece between your palms and slightly pull it to form a rope about 8” long (lightly dust the dough with flour if needed).
- Carefully tie each rope into a knot (see video for guidance) and place on prepared baking sheet. Lightly brush with olive oil if desired.
- Set tray on top of warm oven and let garlic knots rest/rise for 5 minutes before baking.
- Transfer to oven and bake on 400F (205C) for 13 minutes or until just beginning to turn a light golden brown. Meanwhile, prepare garlic butter.
Garlic Butter
- Combine butter and garlic in a small saucepan over medium/low heat. Cook until butter is melted and garlic is fragrant.4 Tablespoons salted butter, 3 cloves minced garlic
- Remove from heat and stir in minced basil. Once knots have finished baking, use a pastry brush to generously brush garlic butter mixture over each knot. Sprinkle with grated parmesan, if desired.1 Tablespoon minced fresh basil, Grated parmesan cheese
- Enjoy served warm.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this? Leave a comment below!
Sam, this recipe work wonders! It saved my marriage! DELIZIOSO!
I am so glad it was enjoyed that much! 🙂
So good I am so hooked my family just loves them
I am so glad everyone enjoyed them so much, Gloria! 🙂
I havnt made it yet, plan to tonight with my stuffed shells, and just wondering, so you said we can refrigerate it, but what if we want to freeze it, do we have to let it thaw out after we bring it back out, or just pop it on the tray and bake?
Hi Zena! You can make the individual garlic knots then freeze them and put them straight in the oven from frozen. You will need to add a minute or two to the bake time. 🙂
Thanks so much! Also they were so good!
Best bread I’ve made so far!! I used 1 cup of bread flour and then added AP to achieve the right consistency. Thank you for the recipe.
I am so glad you enjoyed them so much, Melanie! 🙂
these are so simple to make like the video says. OMG theyre amazingly delicious. there are no words to describe them.
I am so glad you enjoyed them so much, Laurie! 🙂
Have you tried to rise any of your breads like this one with sourdough instead of yeast?
I have not but I would love to know how it turns out if you do it!
I only have regular yeast, not quick acting. Would I just let the dough rise longer?
Hi Leslie! That will work just fine. Your rise time will definitely be a little longer. 🙂
Could I make these right up to not baking and freeze to bake later. For a wedding
Hi Laura! That should work just fine. 🙂
I just baked these….it’s been on my to-do list for the past week. And I’m very happy with the outcome. My folks loved it. This is an amazing recipe, will definitely try it again
I am so glad you enjoyed them so much, Maryam! 🙂
My family absolutely LOVES these! We make them all the time, they are soooooo good. I have been asked to make them for a large dinner gathering tomorrow, and I have never made more than one batch at a time. I would like to make the dough tonight and refrigerate it so it’s ready to go for me to start baking when I get off work. Once the dough comes out of the fridge do I need to allow it to come to room temperature or anything? Or do I just roll out the refrigerated dough, cut it, tie the knots and let it do a short rise before putting them in the oven? Thank you for your help!
Hi Jenna! Sorry for the delayed response! I hope they turned out well. You don’t have to do anything when removing them from the fridge, just roll it out cut it up and tie it in knots then bake. 🙂
Could I make these as breaksticks instead?
Thank you for this recipe! I grew up on my moms yeast rolls and can never replicate them so im always scared to try breads. I did this recipe with a baby on my hip half the time. And hubby loved them!
Doing it with a baby is an accomplishment! I’m impressed! You could make these into breadsticks if you’d like. Just roll them out instead of twisting them up. 🙂
I made this for my family and everybody loved it! My dad said it was the best garlic knots/bread that he ever had! I would definitely make this again!
I am so glad everyone enjoyed them so much, Kyra! 🙂
I made these tonight for family dinner. They are amazing. I was a little nervous as I do not have much experience baking with yeast. These were very easy to make and my family loved them.
I am so glad you enjoyed them so much, Heather! 🙂
I stumbled across your site looking for a biscuit recipe, needless to say I have about a dozen re pies printed that my kids want to try 😂 My question is, what kind of yeast do you use? Is it the regular dry active or the rapid rise? Me and yeast don’t get along, at all!! But I’m going to give it a try again 😊
Hi Jessica! I use instant yeast here, but active dry yeast will work. The rise time will just be a little longer. 🙂
if i don’t have plastic wrap can i cover it with a damp towel instead?
I haven’t tried it but that should probably work. 🙂
I use a towel for other recipies and it works.