These garlic knots are made from a five-ingredient yeast dough — no eggs, no milk, no shortcuts — and finished with a garlic-Parmesan butter glaze applied twice: once before baking, once the moment they come out of the oven. The recipe makes 16 knots, which is enough to serve alongside dinner and still have plenty left for the next day.
Substitutions that actually work
- Canola oil: Any neutral oil works — vegetable, sunflower, or light olive oil. Avoid extra-virgin olive oil; the flavour is too assertive in the dough itself.
- Instant yeast vs. active dry: Active dry yeast works but needs to be dissolved in the warm water for 5–10 minutes before mixing. Add a pinch of the sugar to help it along.
- Parmesan: Pecorino Romano is a direct swap and gives a slightly sharper, saltier result. Pre-grated shelf-stable Parmesan will work in a pinch but won’t melt into the glaze as cleanly.
- Butter in the glaze: Unsalted butter gives you more control over saltiness. If you only have salted, skip adding extra salt to the glaze.
Before you start
The one thing that matters most here is the bench rest after you roll the dough into ropes. Freshly worked dough is tight and elastic — it will spring back when you try to tie it, and you’ll end up with misshapen knots that unravel in the oven. Letting the ropes sit covered for 5–10 minutes relaxes the gluten enough that they hold their shape when tied. Don’t rush this step. Everything else in this recipe is forgiving; that rest period is not.
Mistakes to avoid
- Crowding the baking sheet: Knots that are too close together steam each other instead of browning. Leave at least 2 inches between each one, and use two sheets if needed.
- Using all the garlic butter before baking: The recipe splits the glaze in half deliberately. Brushing too much on before the oven causes the garlic to scorch and turn bitter. Use only half pre-bake.
- Skipping the hollow-tap test: Golden colour alone isn’t a reliable indicator of doneness — the inside can still be doughy. Lift a knot and tap the bottom; a hollow sound means it’s cooked through.
- Letting the knots cool before the second glaze: The second brush of garlic butter needs to go on immediately out of the oven. Once the knots cool even slightly, the butter sits on the surface instead of soaking in.
- Over-flouring the counter: A lightly floured surface is all you need. Too much flour gets worked into the dough during shaping and makes the knots dense.
Storage and reheating
Store leftover knots in an airtight container or zip-lock bag at room temperature for up to 2 days — skip the garnish of extra Parmesan before storing, since it doesn’t hold well. For longer storage, freeze them in a single layer on a baking sheet until solid, then transfer to a freezer bag; they keep well for up to 2 months. To reheat from the fridge, wrap knots loosely in foil and warm in a 350°F oven for 8–10 minutes. From frozen, give them 15–18 minutes at the same temperature. A quick brush of plain melted butter before reheating brings them back close to fresh — the garlic flavour is already baked in, so you don’t need much.
Garlic Knots
Ingredients
Dough Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups warm water about 110°F / 43°C
- 2 teaspoons instant yeast
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4 cups all-purpose flour plus more as needed
Garlic/Butter Glaze Ingredients
- 6–8 cloves garlic finely minced or pressed through a garlic press
- ½ cup butter melted
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 2 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan cheese
- 2–3 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan cheese for sprinkling
Instructions
- In a stand mixer bowl (or a large mixing bowl if working by hand), combine 2 cups (250g) of flour with the salt, yeast, and sugar. Add the oil and warm water, then mix on low speed until combined. Gradually add the remaining 2 cups (250g) of flour and continue mixing until the ingredients form a shaggy dough.
- Switch to a dough hook and knead until dough is smooth and elastic (about 5 minutes in a stand mixer or 8–10 minutes by hand).
- Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap until doubled (about an hour).
- After the dough has doubled, lightly punch it down and turn it out onto a lightly floured counter.
- Divide the dough into 16 equal pieces and shape it into round balls.
- Roll the balls into ropes, cover with a towel or loose plastic wrap and let rest for 5–10 minutes.
- Tie the ropes into knots and tuck in the loose ends.
- Place the knots on baking sheets that are lightly greased or lined with parchment paper.
- Cover loosely with a towel and let rise for 45 minutes.
- For the garlic/butter glaze, combine the minced garlic, oregano and melted butter in a bowl. Set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F / 200°C (180°C fan-forced).
- Brush the knots lightly with only half the butter/garlic mix.
- Bake for 12–14 minutes at 400°F / 200°C (180°C fan-forced) until the tops are golden brown and the knots sound hollow when tapped on the bottom.
- Immediately after the knots are out of the oven, brush with the remaining garlic/butter mixture and sprinkle with extra Parmesan cheese if desired.
Nutrition
Frequently asked questions
Can I make the dough ahead of time?
Yes — after the first rise, punch the dough down, cover it tightly, and refrigerate it for up to 24 hours. When you’re ready to bake, let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before shaping, then proceed with rolling, resting, and the second rise as written.
My dough isn’t rising — what went wrong?
The most likely cause is water that was too hot and killed the yeast, or yeast that was past its expiry date. Check your yeast by dissolving a small amount in warm water with a pinch of sugar — if it doesn’t foam within 10 minutes, the yeast is dead and the batch won’t recover.
Can I bake these and freeze them for later in the week?
Fully baked and cooled knots freeze well for up to 2 months. Freeze them before adding the second glaze, then brush with fresh garlic butter as they come out of the reheating oven — this keeps the garlic flavour bright rather than muted.
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