Golden, glistening, and absolutely drenched in garlic butter. That’s the goal. These are the garlic knots you get at a great pizza place, but somehow better because you made them yourself.
The dough is simple (but uses bread flour for that perfect chew) and the real star is the topping: melted butter loaded with fresh garlic, a little Italian seasoning, and a pinch of red pepper flakes. You brush half on before baking, and the rest the second they come out.
Warning: your kitchen will smell incredible. There will be no self-control left.
How to Tie the Perfect Knot Shape
Roll each dough piece into an 8-inch rope on a lightly floured surface. Keep it smooth and even.
Tie the rope into a simple knot by bringing ONE end OVER and UNDER the other. (This is the key move!)
Gently tighten to secure the shape. No need to pull too hard!
Tips for a Good Dough Rise
A solid rise is non-negotiable. Listen to your yeast, not your impatience….
- Check WATER with a thermometer. Too hot kills yeast, too cold won’t wake it up
- NO FOAM after 5 minutes means dead yeast. Toss it and start over
- Cover with a DAMP towel. Dry covers form a crust and block rise
- Knead just until SMOOTH (about 5 minutes). Overworking restricts rise
- Park it in a warm, DRAFT-FREE spot. Yeast hates cold air
- Go easy on extra flour. Too much = dense knots that won’t puff up
Can You Make Garlic Knots Ahead?
YES. Bake, freeze, reheat, done.- FREEZE BAKED KNOTS: Cool them fully, then stash in a sealed freezer bag for up to 2 months. Reheat straight from frozen at 350°F for 5-7 minutes, then brush with fresh garlic butter before serving.
- FREEZE UNBAKED KNOTS: Shape them, freeze on a parchment-lined sheet until solid, then bag. Thaw overnight in the fridge, let rise 30-45 minutes at room temp, and bake as directed.
- GARLIC BUTTER AHEAD: Mix it up to 3 days in advance and refrigerate. Just remelt before brushing.
- DON’T DO THIS: Refrigerate shaped raw dough longer than overnight. It over-proofs and the texture falls apart.
Plan smart once and you’ve got warm, buttery knots whenever the craving hits.
Storage & Reheating Tips
- STORE in an airtight container at ROOM TEMPERATURE for up to 2 days. (Texture softens, but garlic flavor holds strong!)
- REFRIGERATE for up to 5 days. Bring to room temperature before reheating for best results.
- FREEZE for up to 1 month. Flash freeze on a tray first, then transfer to a bag to prevent sticking.
- REHEAT in a 350°F oven for 5-10 minutes. This RESTORES crispiness and re-melts the butter topping.
- Microwave in short bursts if rushed. (Texture will be chewier, not crispy.)
More Recipes to Try
- Irresistible Greek Yogurt Garlic Bread
- Irresistible Bread Machine Garlic Bread
- Korean Cream Cheese Garlic Bread
- Classic Garlic Bread No Oven
- Blueberry Butter Swim Biscuits
- Jalapeño Popper Biscuits
Estimated Nutrition
Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):
- Calories: 2100-2200
- Protein: 45-55 g
- Fat: 75-85 g
- Carbohydrates: 320-340 g
Ingredients
For the dough:
- 1 cup water (warm to the touch, about 110°F)
- 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 3 1/3 cups bread flour (plus 1-2 tablespoons if needed for tackiness)
For the garlic butter topping:
- 6 tablespoons salted butter, melted
- 4 garlic cloves, freshly minced
- 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1/3 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 3 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
Step 1: Bloom Yeast and Mix Dough
- 1 cup warm water
- 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 3 1/3 cups bread flour
In a large bowl, combine the warm water, active dry yeast, and honey.
Let this sit undisturbed for 5 minutes until it becomes foamy—this bloom ensures your yeast is alive and active.
Stir in the olive oil, salt, and garlic powder, then add half the bread flour (about 1 2/3 cups).
Mix until combined, then add the remaining flour gradually while mixing on low speed for about 2 minutes.
The dough should come together into a shaggy mass.
Step 2: Knead and Proof the Dough
- dough from Step 1
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 5 minutes until it becomes smooth and elastic.
If the dough feels too sticky, add 1-2 tablespoons more flour as needed.
Place the kneaded dough into an oiled bowl, cover with a damp kitchen towel or plastic wrap, and let it rise at room temperature for about 2 hours, or until doubled in size.
I like to let it rise on my kitchen counter away from drafts—a warm, undisturbed spot really makes a difference in rise time.
Step 3: Mix Garlic Butter and Shape
- 6 tablespoons salted butter, melted
- 4 garlic cloves, freshly minced
- 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- dough from Step 2
While the dough rises, prepare your garlic butter mixture: combine the melted salted butter, freshly minced garlic, dried Italian seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and crushed red pepper flakes in a small bowl.
Set aside.
Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Once the dough has doubled, punch it down gently and divide it into 16 equal pieces.
Roll each piece into an 8-inch rope on a lightly floured surface, then tie each rope into a simple knot shape by bringing one end over and under the other.
Step 4: Rest Knots and Preheat Oven
- shaped knots from Step 3
Place the tied knots onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches between each one.
Cover them loosely with a damp towel or plastic wrap and let them rest for 30-45 minutes until puffy and risen.
While they’re rising, preheat your oven to 400°F.
I find that letting them rise just until they’re soft and pillowy—not overly puffy—gives the best texture when baked.
Step 5: Coat, Bake, and Garnish
- risen knots from Step 4
- garlic butter mixture from Step 3
- 1/3 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 3 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
Once the knots have risen and the oven is preheated, brush them generously with half of the garlic butter mixture from Step 3.
Bake for 20-23 minutes until they’re golden brown and cooked through.
Remove from the oven and immediately brush with the remaining garlic butter mixture.
While still warm, sprinkle the freshly grated parmesan cheese and finely chopped fresh parsley over the top.
The heat will help the flavors meld beautifully.
Best Homemade Garlic Knots
Ingredients
Method
- In a large bowl, combine the warm water, active dry yeast, and honey. Let this sit undisturbed for 5 minutes until it becomes foamy—this bloom ensures your yeast is alive and active. Stir in the olive oil, salt, and garlic powder, then add half the bread flour (about 1 2/3 cups). Mix until combined, then add the remaining flour gradually while mixing on low speed for about 2 minutes. The dough should come together into a shaggy mass.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 5 minutes until it becomes smooth and elastic. If the dough feels too sticky, add 1-2 tablespoons more flour as needed. Place the kneaded dough into an oiled bowl, cover with a damp kitchen towel or plastic wrap, and let it rise at room temperature for about 2 hours, or until doubled in size. I like to let it rise on my kitchen counter away from drafts—a warm, undisturbed spot really makes a difference in rise time.
- While the dough rises, prepare your garlic butter mixture: combine the melted salted butter, freshly minced garlic, dried Italian seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and crushed red pepper flakes in a small bowl. Set aside. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Once the dough has doubled, punch it down gently and divide it into 16 equal pieces. Roll each piece into an 8-inch rope on a lightly floured surface, then tie each rope into a simple knot shape by bringing one end over and under the other.
- Place the tied knots onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches between each one. Cover them loosely with a damp towel or plastic wrap and let them rest for 30-45 minutes until puffy and risen. While they’re rising, preheat your oven to 400°F. I find that letting them rise just until they’re soft and pillowy—not overly puffy—gives the best texture when baked.
- Once the knots have risen and the oven is preheated, brush them generously with half of the garlic butter mixture from Step 3. Bake for 20-23 minutes until they’re golden brown and cooked through. Remove from the oven and immediately brush with the remaining garlic butter mixture. While still warm, sprinkle the freshly grated parmesan cheese and finely chopped fresh parsley over the top. The heat will help the flavors meld beautifully.
you say instant yeast further up before the recipe and said if you only have active then what to do but in the actual recipe you have it listed as using active?