• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Baker by Nature

A Baking Blog by Ashley Manila

  • About
  • Travel
  • Everyday Inspiration
  • Recipe Box
  • Shop
  • Contact
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
  • Email

March 17, 2016

Homemade Garlic Knots

Chewy and delicious Homemade Garlic Knots! This yeasted dough recipe is straightforward and sure to be a big hit with your family and friends! And the dough is freezer-friendly!

Chewy and delicious Homemade Garlic Knots! It doesn't get more delicious than this!

Garlic Knots Recipe from Scratch

As an Italian woman, and carb lover, I am a HUGE fan of garlic knots. So learning to make garlic knots from scratch was one of my top priorities this year. And guess what? I learned and perfected this recipe way faster than I thought I would. Turns out making bread knots is NOT hard. Like, at all. And they’re made with super basic ingredients you probably have in your kitchen right now!

They’re delicious on their own, but I love serving them with penne arrabbiata and a big batch of easy baked meatballs!

Chewy and delicious Homemade Garlic Knots! It doesn't get more delicious than this!

How to make Garlic Knots

Alright, it’s time to get down to business! And today’s business is teaching you exactly how to make homemade garlic knots. If you’re new to making homemade bread recipes, don’t fret!!!

Working with yeast is not super complicated! But there are quite a few steps, so make sure you take the time to read through the entire recipe before getting started. I also recommend reading through the ingredient list to making sure you have everything on hand!

Chewy and delicious Homemade Garlic Knots! It doesn't get more delicious than this!

How to Shape Garlic Knots

  1. You’ll want to divide your dough into 2 equal pieces. After you divide the dough, let it rest for 10 minutes before you begin shaping.
  2. Next, sprinkle the top of each round of dough with a little flour. Slice each round into quarters.
  3. Press each quarter into a rectangle, then slice in half again. You should have 16 pieces of dough. Dust each piece with a little flour and quickly shape into individual balls.
  4. Roll out each ball into a long rope then tie it into a knot. Place the knots on the prepared baking sheet, covered loosely with plastic wrap, and set aside for 30 minutes.The knots will rise a little more during this time.

Chewy and delicious Homemade Garlic Knots! It doesn't get more delicious than this!

Once the dough has been shaped, you’ll place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake them until golden brown. Then you’ll brush them with a delicious garlic butter and sprinkle with parmesan cheese. If you want extra flavorful garlic knots, you can brush them with melted butter and herbs before and after baking. Just note they’ll be a little darker in color if you do this. But will taste even more like garlic bread!

Chewy and delicious Homemade Garlic Knots! It doesn't get more delicious than this!

This recipe calls for bread flour.

Bread flour is a high-gluten flour that has a tiny amount of barley flour and vitamin C added. The barley flour helps the yeast activate, and the vitamin C increases the elasticity of the gluten and its ability to retain gas as the dough rises and bakes. Bread flour is typically used in pizza dough and garlic knot recipes because of the chewiness that the extra gluten provides. I did test this recipe with all-purpose flour and unfortunately the results were tough, dry, and utterly disappointing.

Moral of the story? If you want soft, chewy, and incredibly delicious garlic knots, don’t skip the bread flour!

Can I freeze the dough?

Yes! If you’re in a time crunch, I suggest making the dough ahead of time and freezing it. Then simply thaw and continue with the following steps as directed in the recipe. I always keep a batch of this dough hidden in the back of my freezer for when a garlic knot craving strikes!

These garlic knots are super delicious on their own – especially straight from the oven – but also go great with a side of marinara sauce. You can check out my homemade marinara sauce here.

Chewy and delicious Homemade Garlic Knots! It doesn't get more delicious than this!

Next, try my Soft Pretzel Garlic Knots!!!

If you try this garlic knots recipe from scratch, I’d love to hear about it! Leave a comment below and don’t forget to snap a pic and tag it #bakerbynature on Instagram! ♥

Chewy and delicious Homemade Garlic Knots! This yeasted dough recipe is straightforward and sure to be a big hit with your family and friends! And the dough is freezer-friendly!

Chewy and delicious Homemade Garlic Knots! It doesn't get more delicious than this!

15 votes

Print

Homemade Garlic Knots

Prep 30 mins

Cook 20 mins

Inactive 2 hours

Total 2 hours, 50 mins

Author Ashley Manila

Yield 16 large garlic knots

Homemade garlic knots made with simple, everyday ingredients! Delicious on their own, or dipped in zesty marinara sauce.

Ingredients

For the dough:

  • 3 and 3/4 cups bread flour
  • 1 and 1/2 teaspoons granulated sugar
  • 1 envelope active dry yeast
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 1/2 cups warm water, 110 - 115 degrees (F)
  • 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons olive oil, divided

For the garlic coating:

  • 1 stick unsalted butter
  • 6 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/2 cup fresh parsley, minced
  • 1 and 1/2 teaspoons garlic salt
  • 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

Instructions

For the dough:

  1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook add the bread flour, sugar, yeast and salt; gently whisk to combine. Turn mixer on low speed and add the warm water and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil; beat until the dough forms a ball around the hook. If the dough is super sticky, add additional flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dough comes together in a solid ball. If the dough is too dry, add additional water, 1 tablespoon at a time. Scrape the dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead into a smooth, firm ball.
  2. Grease a large bowl with the remaining 2 teaspoons olive oil. Add the dough, cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and place the bowl in a warm area to rise for 90 minutes, or until it has doubled in size.
  3. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide it into 2 equal pieces. Place each round of dough onto a piece plastic wrap and let them rest for 10 minutes. Dust the top of each round of dough with a light sprinkling of flour and, using a sharp knife, slice each into quarters. Press each quarter into a rectangle, then slice in half again. You should have 16 pieces of dough. Dust each piece with a little flour and quickly shape into individual balls. Roll out each ball into a long rope then tie it into a knot. Place the knots on the prepared baking sheet, covered loosely with plastic wrap, and set aside for 30 minutes.The knots will rise a little more during this time.
  4. Preheat oven to 450 degrees (F). When the 30 minutes are up, remove the plastic wrap and place the garlic knots in the preheated oven. Bake for 20 minutes, or until knots are golden brown and firm.
  5. Cool for 5 minutes, then brush the freshly baked knots with the garlic coating. Sprinkle with cheese and serve warm!

For the garlic coating:

  1. Melt the butter in a small pan over medium-low heat. Add in the garlic and simmer for 1-2 minutes, or until fragrant (be sure not to over cook it here). Add in the parsley and garlic salt and stir to combine. Taste to season (add more salt, if needed), then remove from heat. Set aside until needed.

Notes

For darker and more flavorful garlic knots, brush garlic coating on knots before and after baking.

Courses Dinner

Cuisine Italian

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 2-3 garlic knots

Amount Per Serving

% Daily Value

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

233K Shares

Filed Under: Appetizers, Savory Tagged With: appetizer, garlic knots, homemade garlic knots, Italian, snacks

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Liz says

    March 19, 2016 at 5:30 pm

    I love knotted rolls—and your garlic version looks fabulous!!

    Reply
    • bakerbynature says

      March 29, 2016 at 1:16 pm

      Thank you, Liz!

      Reply
  2. David Lum says

    March 26, 2016 at 3:43 pm

    Thank you for the recipe Ashley. The bread knots turned out perfectly! I posted the knots on my IG feed about an hour ago and credited you for the recipe. Have a wonderful weekend!

    Reply
    • bakerbynature says

      March 28, 2016 at 1:59 pm

      So happy to hear it, David!

      Reply
  3. Kayle (The Cooking Actress) says

    April 2, 2016 at 12:40 am

    aghhhhhh SO GOOD! Pinning because these are garlic knot perfection!

    Reply
    • bakerbynature says

      April 2, 2016 at 9:59 am

      Thank you, Kayle! They’re soooo addicting 😉

      Reply
  4. Tara | Smells Like Home says

    April 3, 2016 at 5:33 pm

    OMG these knots look so perfect!! I’m an absolute sucker for garlic knots (growing up on LI will do that to a girl) and I haven’t made them in years. Guess this is a sign… (pinned!!)

    Reply
    • bakerbynature says

      April 3, 2016 at 5:39 pm

      Hahaha I feel the same way about growing up in Philly 😉 Garlic knots for life! I hope you love them!

      Reply
  5. Oana says

    April 4, 2016 at 8:25 pm

    Quick question! How many oz of yeast? I have packets in several sizes! Thanks!

    Reply
    • bakerbynature says

      April 5, 2016 at 2:24 pm

      Hi Oana. I use 0.25 ounce packets 😉

      Reply
  6. Mary says

    April 16, 2016 at 1:12 pm

    Any trick to making the knot?

    Reply
    • bakerbynature says

      April 16, 2016 at 4:10 pm

      Hi Mary. I just roll them into a rope, fold one end around my hand and loop the other side in. They always come out slightly different in size and shape… but always delicious 😉

      Reply
  7. Nanasharom says

    April 24, 2016 at 3:42 pm

    On the menu tonite.

    Reply
    • bakerbynature says

      April 25, 2016 at 7:15 pm

      Yay! How did they turn out?

      Reply
  8. Jasmine says

    May 9, 2016 at 8:51 pm

    I made these, as a part of the menu for our Mothers Day dinner. My mom (and everyone else in attendance) loved them. They were delish and quite pretty. Thanks so much for sharing your recipe!

    Reply
  9. Mamoona says

    May 11, 2016 at 9:06 am

    Awesome recipe! I will definitely try it later!

    Reply
  10. Sarah says

    June 17, 2016 at 9:20 pm

    These turned out perfect when I made them as garlic knots, even better it’s hands down the best pizza dough I have found.

    Reply
  11. Anna says

    July 31, 2016 at 10:04 pm

    Looking at the pics, it looks like you brush them before they go into the oven, but I don’t see that in the recipe.

    Reply
  12. Keyona Wever says

    August 3, 2016 at 12:49 am

    YUMM!!! I can’t wait to make these this week! I was wondering if you could freeze an extra batch for another date. Would you freeze before or after baking?

    Reply
  13. Kristin H says

    September 6, 2016 at 12:57 am

    I made these tonight for my family, and they are delicious! I definitely ate more than I should. I’ve seen similar recipes on Pinterest using store-bought dough, so I really liked this recipe that I can make from scratch. Definitely a keeper! Thanks for sharing the recipe.

    My only comment about the recipe is that for me, and my oven, 450 degrees for 20 minutes is a long time for these rolls. Mine definitely baked for less time, maybe 13-15 minutes.

    Reply
  14. Elizabeth A. says

    October 5, 2016 at 3:48 pm

    I made these last night. They were delicious. Thanks for posting!

    Reply
  15. Jeff P says

    November 19, 2016 at 12:55 pm

    I am planning to make these knots for dinner tonight. One question: the photo looks like you brushed the garlic coating on prior to baking; the instructions call for baking for 20′ then brushing the garlic coating on after’. I can clearly follow directions, but the photo looks like the garlic coating is on top of completely uncooked knots. Can you clarify, please?

    I am looking forward to making these…

    Reply
    • bakerbynature says

      November 19, 2016 at 2:39 pm

      Hi Jeff. There’s a little note at the very bottom of the post about this. You can brush the garlic coating on before and after if you’d like darker, more flavorful garlic knots 🙂 I can’t wait to hear how they turn out!

      Reply
      • Jeff P says

        November 19, 2016 at 6:48 pm

        Well then, I shall be brushing twice. Thanks for the clarification, and sorry I didn’t read the NOTE at the bottom.

        Reply
        • bakerbynature says

          November 19, 2016 at 7:05 pm

          No problem at all 🙂 I personally love them dark and really chewy, so I brush twice too!

          Reply
        • Jeff P says

          November 20, 2016 at 1:00 pm

          These garlic knots were fantastic! Thank you!

          Reply
  16. Bonnie Kwong says

    November 25, 2016 at 11:36 pm

    I made these garlic knots the other day and they were wonderful, but i don’t know if it’s just me but they’re fantastic fresh out of the oven but mine turned “tough” and hard after they cooled down/left covered in the oven over night. And yes i have reheated them but they’re still on the tougher side. Am i doing something wrong?

    Reply
  17. Mic says

    December 23, 2016 at 3:08 am

    At what point can you freeze the dough?

    Reply
    • kh says

      December 26, 2016 at 11:50 pm

      I’m also interested to know – at what step it’s suggested to freeze the dough?

      Reply
  18. Jill says

    December 26, 2016 at 11:04 pm

    I made these, followed the recipe exactly, but they came out perfectly baked on top and burnt on the bottom (they were NOT towards the bottom of the oven). I was very disappointed after spending most of my morning on them 🙁 anyone else have this problem?

    Reply
    • Danell says

      July 7, 2018 at 2:08 am

      I used to be a professional baker. Here is my advice for you about this:

      It is your oven. My oven at home also has this problem. Just put them higher in the oven (I bake a lot of things in the top third of the oven.) Or you can double up the sheet pans when you bake. I hope this helps someone!

      Reply
  19. Jordan Cannon says

    January 8, 2017 at 5:50 pm

    Could you make the dough and then freeze them? Thaw them and bake them at a later time?

    Reply
  20. Christie says

    January 11, 2017 at 12:05 am

    These were wonderful! I’m baking these with a few tweaks for the higher altitude I’m at and they turned out great! My in-laws request these every time they know I’m coming over now.

    Reply
  21. Zandi says

    January 20, 2017 at 1:10 am

    They are delicious! I just wanted to share that I really wanted to make this recipe but did not have bread flour. I could have gone to the store, but I was just being lazy. I read your post about how the all purpose flour makes them too tough/hard, so I cut down the all purpose flour amount to 3 cups instead of 3 + 3/4 cups. I also used my bread machine on the dough cycle (because again, I was being lazy). They came out great. I baked them for 15 minutes, and the bottoms were a dark brown (but still yummy), so next time I will only cook for 13 minutes. My family loved them. Thanks again for the recipe.

    Reply
  22. Cheryl says

    February 3, 2017 at 10:17 pm

    These are sooo delish!! Had them with a big bowl of sauce and salad….pure perfection

    Reply
  23. Traci Jagger says

    March 1, 2017 at 6:02 pm

    I made these for a Cub Scout Blue and Gold Spaghetti dinner last night. They were inhaled. Even with the garlic, the kids were fighting adults for them. Crowd pleaser for sure

    Reply
  24. Michelle Baker says

    March 24, 2017 at 10:34 pm

    These ate fabulous! Thank you for the recipe. I had to adjust the measurement to UK grams but they turned out great. I posted a picture on Instagram and tagged you.

    Reply
    • bakerbynature says

      March 28, 2017 at 3:17 pm

      Yay! I’m so happy they were a hit, Michelle! And thank you for sharing on Insta as well 🙂

      Reply
  25. Nicole says

    April 21, 2017 at 5:51 pm

    I’m so going to have to try these!

    One question has anyone tried to freeze them before baking? SO they can just be pulled out and popped into the oven for a fast week night dinner?

    Thanks

    Reply
  26. Lisa says

    May 9, 2017 at 11:28 pm

    Made these for the sixth time tonight and they are still a hit! Thanks for a great, easy recipe. Even with all-purpose they are still delish- the bread flour does make them more tender though.

    Reply
    • bakerbynature says

      May 10, 2017 at 11:01 pm

      Wow that’s AWESOME!!! I really need to make them again soon 🙂

      Reply
  27. Julia says

    June 3, 2017 at 5:18 pm

    Would I need to do anything differently if I wanted to double this recipe? They turned out great, but were gone in three hours! Would they turn out the same if I doubled them?

    Reply
  28. Ange says

    September 17, 2017 at 2:07 pm

    Can I use instant dry yeast imdtrad of active yeast? How much of it should I put in the recipe? Thanks!

    Reply
  29. Aasa says

    December 27, 2017 at 8:09 am

    Made these yesterday and they turned out PERFECT. I made them smaller though so doubled the count – 32 in all. Everyone at the dinner party loved them! Thank you Ashley for a wonderful recipe!

    Reply
    • bakerbynature says

      December 28, 2017 at 2:48 pm

      Yay! So happy to hear it, Aasa 🙂

      Reply
  30. Stephanie McCoy says

    January 10, 2018 at 7:20 pm

    They look sssoooo yummy but I don’t have a bowl mixer.., I do have the bread prong. Will results be the same? II’ve read everything.. Headed to store for bread flour.. Then game on.. I can taste them now. 🙂

    Reply
  31. Teena says

    July 22, 2018 at 7:44 am

    These knots were just perfect for after school snacks for my children. Added a few bacon bits to the dough and it was even yummier!

    Reply
  32. Heidi says

    December 29, 2018 at 10:43 pm

    These came out so perfect. The kids enjoyed it.. Of course they said we are never buying restaurant knots again . Made mine with vegan butter.

    Reply
  33. Sarah Mckinley says

    January 20, 2019 at 5:06 pm

    These were a hit! Will be making again for sure!

    Reply
  34. Sarah says

    April 11, 2019 at 10:45 pm

    Made these today with all purpose flour and they turned out great! They are quite lovely, as well!

    Reply
  35. lisa says

    July 16, 2019 at 5:15 pm

    I read through the comments and have the same question as others – at what point would you freeze them? After shaping but before baking? If so, do you defrost in the refrigerator overnight? I plan on making them today!

    Reply
  36. Veronica says

    October 5, 2019 at 6:50 pm

    At what point in the process do you freeze them? When it’s one big batch of dough? After they’ve been formed into knots? Or after the knots proof?

    Reply
  37. Rachel says

    December 30, 2019 at 3:26 am

    I’m making these tonight, but am curious if they have to be served fresh? Is there a stage where I can refrigerate them safely to cook tomorrow? At what point can you freeze them?

    Reply
  38. nan says

    January 14, 2020 at 4:14 pm

    So many recipes call for big mixer and dough hook. I don’t have one and don’t want to buy or store one. Any other directions that might enable me to make this recipe?

    Reply
    • nan cooper says

      January 14, 2020 at 4:15 pm

      Is it possible to make thee without as big mixer and bread hook?

      Reply
    • Kylie says

      August 14, 2020 at 6:47 am

      I needed this by hand! A little inconvenient as it really does stick at first, but if you don’t mind it then it works just as well! mine came out perfect.

      Reply
  39. Terri Greenwald says

    March 7, 2020 at 7:10 pm

    amazing. nothing else even comes close.

    Reply
  40. Leslie Bauer says

    March 24, 2020 at 11:53 pm

    These garlic knots are so fail proof! I started off by trying to half the recipe and added the full amount of water accidentally. I quickly added the rest of the ingredients to make up for the water. I froze half of the dough because I didn’t want that many at once. Oh my. The first ones were so amazing I thawed out the dough the next day and they were just as good if not better! Thank you for the recipe. I did not want to use canned biscuits like most recipes call for.

    Reply
  41. Kathleen says

    April 13, 2020 at 5:26 pm

    Hi, I don’t have a thermometer to check the water temp to add to the yeast to activate it. How do I know if the water is hot enough but not too hot? Thank you.

    Reply
  42. Afreen Ali says

    May 2, 2020 at 8:11 am

    Could I use all-purpose flour instead of bread flour? How much of a difference would it make?

    Reply
  43. Sarah says

    May 2, 2020 at 2:26 pm

    I have made these 4 times in the last 2 months. They are AMAZING! I have recommended your recipe to all my friends. I’m making them again today to take to a friends for a social distancing dinner.

    Reply
  44. Elaine says

    May 8, 2020 at 5:06 pm

    Tried this recipe and it turned out so good! I did not have bread flour at the moment so I had to use all-purpose flour. It’s still very tasty! We could keep eating this over and over again! Also don’t be stingy with the garlic – if you love garlic flavor, the more the better in my opinion!

    Reply
  45. Julia says

    June 4, 2020 at 6:32 am

    These garlic knots look amazing! Putting them on my to do list!

    Reply
  46. ali says

    June 15, 2020 at 5:56 pm

    how would using AP instead of bread change this? is it still worth doing it with AP?

    Reply
  47. Michelle says

    June 25, 2020 at 12:47 pm

    Thank you for not posting how many carbs this recipe contains

    Reply
  48. Emma Seidel says

    June 29, 2020 at 6:03 am

    These look amazing! Would there be a difference if I were to use regular flour instead of bread flour?

    Reply
  49. chm says

    August 13, 2020 at 3:18 pm

    Can this dough be made in a bread machine?

    Reply
  50. kylie says

    August 14, 2020 at 6:44 am

    These turned out AMAZING!! Total hit at my dinner party tonight. The recipe was super easy to follow too. I actually put the butter on directly after removing the knots from the oven and the butter seeped throughout the entire bun. They were delicious. Definitely a favorite!

    Reply
  51. Diane Hooper says

    September 30, 2020 at 11:54 pm

    At what point in the process do you freeze the dough.

    Reply
  52. Kathleen says

    October 13, 2020 at 11:03 pm

    These were delicious. I put the garlic butter on before and turned down the temp 25 degrees and baked for a few less minutes. They were fluffy and chewy and garlicky. Great recipe!

    Reply
  53. Macy McFarland says

    November 25, 2020 at 11:30 pm

    Would minced garlic work?

    Reply
  54. Gaby says

    January 26, 2021 at 5:01 pm

    Hey! I was wondering how much is a stick of butter? There are so many sizes. How many grams should I use?

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Meet Ashley

Hey! I’m Ashley, a creative spirit with a major sweet tooth. Most days you can find me in my happy place: the kitchen. If I’m not there, I’m probably snapping photos of food, planning a party… or dreaming about my next trip to Paris (AKA my favorite place in the entire world). I’m a story teller, recipe developer, and photographer who firmly believes that a homemade life is a happy life. Learn More.

Subscribe

Footer

Instagram

Instagram did not return a 200.

Copyright© 2021 · Baker by Nature | Privacy Policy