Easy Homemade Garlic Knots Recipe - Cook with Kushi (2024)

Published: Sep 7, 2016 · Modified: Nov 6, 2022 by Kushi · This post may contain affiliate links.

Garlic Knots are addictive and flavorful bread bites that are crispy on the outside with a light and airy texture inside.

These knots are so super delicious that they can be served alone, but traditionally they are served either with a marinara sauce dip or as an accompaniment with a bowl of soup, pasta or pizza. These can also be a great substitution for dinner rolls. I highly encourage you to try these out at least once, and I am sure they will become regulars on your dinner table.

About the recipe

My love for pizza is not a secret. And I believeyou alsoknow that I am a huge fan of garlic and herbs as well. I use these flavors frequently in my recipes. Last evening we had some friends over for dinner, so I prepared some pizza for the kids. While preparing pizzas, I realized I had some extra dough on hand.Rather than putting it away in the freezer, I prepared these delicious garlic knots as appetizers for the adults.

To prepare these garlic knots, you need a few simple ingredients, such as basic pizza dough, garlic cloves, and herbs like parsley, basil, or mint. If you do not have fresh herbs, you can use dried ones.

If you still need to plan your menu for Thanksgiving, Christmas or Gameday, I highly recommend adding this. You can simply use store-bought pizza dough to make this recipe.

Ingredients for Best Garlic Knots

You can even use store bought pizza dough

Active dry yeast - 1 packet ( 2 ¼ tsp)
Warm water - ¾ cup
Sugar - 1 tsp
All-purpose flour / Maida - 2 cups ( or more as needed)
Salt - 1 tsp

For the topping
Olive oil - ¼ to ⅓ cup
Garlic cloves - 4
Fresh mint leaves or parsley - 2 tablespoon (optional)
Dried parsley leaves - 1 tsp
Dried basil leaves - 1 tsp
Black peppercorns - ¼ tsp
Garlic powder - ¼ teaspoon
Salt - to taste
Parmesan cheese / Vegan cheese - 2 tbsp

How to make Garlic Knots

Making of pizza dough for garlic knots

(If using store-bought pizza dough, ignore this step)

• Add sugar and yeast to a bowl with warm water and let it sit until yeast is activated.
• Add salt and flour, and knead until you get a smooth elastic dough. You may have to vary the amount of flour depending on the weather condition. Add in increments.
• Cover and let it sit for 30 minutes to 1 hour or until nearly doubled in size.

Making of topping

You can do it two ways :

1. In a chopper or blender, add olive oil, garlic cloves, mint leaves, parsley, basil leaves, peppercorns, garlic powder, salt, and Parmesan, and blend it to a coarse paste. OR
2. In mortal and pestle, crush the garlic cloves and peppercorns. Transfer this to a bowl. To this, add all the remaining ingredients and mix.

Baking Garlic Knots

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• On a working surface, transfer the dough and roll it out using a rolling pin to form a 10 inch by 10-inch square, ½-inch thick.
• Cut them into 10 strips that are approx 1 inch wide. Keep the strips covered using a kitchen towel. Cut and roll each strip into 2 ropes. approx. 5 inches each.
• Tie each strip loosely into knots (over, under, through), tucking the ends. Stretch them if necessary. If your dough is sticky, dust lightly with flour. You can tuck the ends of the knot underneath the knot or leave them out.
• Place these knots on a baking sheet making sure they are 1 inch apart, and repeat the process for the remaining strips.
• Cover both the strips and knots using a clean kitchen towel to prevent them from drying.
• Once all the knots are ready, brush each one with the garlic mixture prepared. Reserve some to brush once they are done and out of the oven.
• Bake for about 15 to 20 minutes or until it is light golden on top.
• Finally, brush garlic knots with the remaining garlic herb mixture, Serve warm and enjoy.

Pro Tips:

• If you find it difficult to make knots, you can prepare sticks, rolls, or buns using the same dough or simply dominos-style bread twists.
• Vary the amount of garlic cloves and herbs as per your taste. While making herb garlic mixture, I generally used fresh and dried herbs available in the pantry. Any herbs and seasoning you love work here.
• You may use butter instead of olive oil for the non-vegan version.
• Fresh herbs can be used instead of dried ones.
• If you are making the dough for garlic knots from scratch, you can add garlic powder and fresh herbs. This is going to enhance the flavor.

How to store garlic knots

Any leftovers can be stored at room temperature for 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. You can even freeze the baked and cooled knots for 3 months. Just thaw and reheat before serving.

One of the best make-ahead recipes for your Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner.

Some more bread recipes to serve as a side or appetizer

• Dominos-style bread twists
• Cheese garlic bread
• Christmas tree pull-apart bread
• Savory Cranberry Pull Apart Bread

Recipe card

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