Homemade Garlic Knots are the perfect side for any kind of dish, and so easy to make from scratch. The knots are brushed with homemade garlic butter (twice), and are soft, fluffy and packed with flavor. Your family and friends will love these!
Step-by-step photos and instructions are below, but you can jump right to the recipe card if you wish!
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There is nothing quite like the smell, taste and feel of fresh homemade bread, right? I love to have a bread option to serve with dinner, they really round out a comfort food meal! When I’m not making my Red Lobster Biscuits, these are the next go-to recipe I use!
You are also going to want to check out my Cheesy Garlic Bread and my Garlic Cheese Bread Rolls
These buttery garlic knots are perfect for serving alongside pretty much any family dinner, but always with soup and stew! We love to eat these with Spaghetti Bolognese, Ravioli Lasagna. They are also great to set out as “bread for the table” whenever we have guests over.
You can serve as an appetizer as well. Just pour some marinara sauce into a bowl (choose your favorite, or make your own), and use as a dipping sauce.
This is an easy recipe that can be made ahead, frozen, or made right before serving. We make a basic bread dough recipe, let it go through the first rise, then punch down and shape into knots. Then, we bake and brush with a delicious garlic parmesan topping.
Typically, these are served in Italian pizzerias and are made of pizza dough. If you happen to pizza dough hanging about, by all means – use it for this! I use a basic bread roll recipe to create mine. See the tip box for more variations and options.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you make these bigger?
I make make garlic knots pretty small, but if you want bigger ones, just split the dough into 12 equal balls instead of 24.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Basic Ingredients. No need for a run to the store for anything crazy.
- Super easy to make. This recipe can be made in a bread machine, in a stand mixer, or by hand.
- Homemade. Homemade is always better than anything you can buy.
I have included step-by-step photos and instructions, as well as tips and tricks in the post. If you’d rather skip all that, scoot right on down to the full recipe card located at the bottom of the post.
Key Recipe Ingredients
The full list of ingredients and amounts is found in the printable recipe card below.
- Milk. Warmed slightly (to about 110°F) to help activate the yeast. You can use any type of milk, but whole milk will give the best texture.
- Egg. Adds richness and helps with the structure of the dough.
- Butter. Used both in the dough and for the topping. Melted for easy mixing.
- Bread flour. Provides the necessary gluten for a chewy texture. You can substitute all-purpose flour, but the texture may be slightly different.
- Granulated white sugar. Adds a touch of sweetness and helps with yeast activation.
- Salt. Enhances the flavor of the dough.
- Yeast. You can use active dry yeast or instant yeast.
- Garlic. Fresh garlic is best, but jarred minced garlic can be used in a pinch or garlic powder.
- Italian seasoning. You can substitute parsley or leave it out if preferred. Make your own Italian Seasoning!
Homemade Garlic Knots Recipe (Step by Step)
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This next part is only a photo tutorial of the recipe steps. The full list of ingredients, quantities and instructions can be found in the printable recipe card below.
Make the garlic butter topping
Combine the butter, garlic and Italian seasoning. Set aside.
Make the dough
Add the dry ingredients into the bowl of your stand mixer. Blend together the wet ingredients and pour in. Mix with the paddle until a dough forms.
Switch up for the dough hook and knead until smooth and elastic.
1st Rise
Transfer to a large bowl greased lightly with olive oil, cover with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel, and allow to rise to double in size (about an hour).
Punch down, and place the dough on a floured surface.
Shape garlic knots
Flatten the dough in a rectangle or square, then divide dough into 24 pieces, and roll each ball into a long rope.
Tie the dough into knots. Tuck the ends underneath the roll.
2nd Rise
Place the knots on a prepared baking sheet (lined with parchment paper), and set somewhere warm until puffy (about 30 minutes, up to 45 minutes).
Bake the garlic knots
Heat the oven to 375°F. Brush with garlic butter before baking.
Bake the knots for 12 to 15 minutes, or until golden brown.
Remove from the oven
Brush hot rolls with remaining garlic butter (and sprinkle with parmesan cheese if desired)
Devour.
Kylee’s Notes & FAQs
What to do with leftovers
Store in a covered container at room temperature for 3 days. Reheat in the microwave or oven until soft. You may wish to keep some of the garlic butter mixture to brush over before serving!
Substitutions/Additions
You can replace the butter in the dough with olive oil for a more “pizza dough” type of flavor.
You can use store-bought pizza dough, or frozen bread dough if you prefer.
Biscuit dough will also work if that’s what you have access to!
I use fresh garlic in my butter mixture. Using garlic powder will still get a great garlic flavor!
Fresh parmesan cheese is fantastic! However, the powdered stuff from the green can is actually a little better for brushing on the knots.
I use Italian seasoning in my butter mixtures, but dried parsley, basil and or dried oregano works very well also.
Freezing instructions
Can garlic knots be frozen?
Yes, absolutely. Freeze the knots after shaping, but before baking. Freeze on parchment paper, and when solid – remove to a freezer bag. Thaw on the counter and allow to rise for 30-45 minutes before baking and topping with garlic butter.
More delicious bread recipes:
- Red Lobster Biscuits. Soft, fluffy biscuits packed with cheddar cheese, and brushed with flavorful garlic butter after baking, these cheddar biscuits are dreamy!
- Naan Bread. This is a great beginner recipe! This Naan bread recipe is so easy to make, and super yummy! We use yogurt to make this Indian style flatbread soft and fluffy, and it’s done in just a few hours.
- Whole Wheat Dinner Rolls. Quick and easy to make, these deliciously soft Whole Wheat Dinner Rolls make the perfect amount for your family! They make a hearty side to any dinner. Yum!
- Homemade Hamburger Buns. These soft rolls are so easy to make, taste amazing and go perfectly with burgers! Make these ahead for burger night!
- Fluffy Golden Skillet Cornbread – a cinch to make, and is a fantastic side for any meal!
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Update: This recipe was originally published in January of 2021. It was updated and republished in April of 2025.
Homemade Garlic Knots
Ingredients
- 1.5 cups milk – warmed slightly
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons butter (melted )
- 3.75 cups bread flour
- 0.25 cup white sugar
- 0.5 teaspoon salt
- 1.25 teaspoon yeast
TOPPING
- 2 tablespoons butter (melted )
- 2 teaspoon garlic (minced)
- 1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning ((can sub parsley, or leave it out))
Directions
Make the topping
- Combine 2 tablespoons butter (melted), 2 teaspoon garlic, (minced), and 1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning. Set aside.
Make the dough
- Add the dry ingredients into the bowl of your stand mixer.2 tablespoons butter, 3.75 cups bread flour, 0.25 cup white sugar, 0.5 teaspoon salt, 1.25 teaspoon yeast
- Blend together the wet ingredients and pour in.1.5 cups milk – warmed slightly, 1 large egg
- Mix with the paddle until a dough forms.
1st Rise
- Switch up for the dough hook and need until smooth and elastic.
- Transfer to bowl greased lightly with olive oil, cover and allow to rise to double in bulk (about an hour).
Shape the garlic knots.
- Punch down, and divide into 24 pieces.
- Roll each strip into ropes, and tie the dough into knots. Tuck the ends underneath the roll.
2nd Rise
- Place on a greased baking sheet, and set somewhere warm until puffy (about 30-45 minutes)
Bake the garlic knots
- Heat the oven to 375°F.
- Brush rolls with topping and bake for 12-15 minutes.
Remove from the oven
- Brush hot rolls with topping (and sprinkle with parmesan if desired)
- Devour.
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Notes
BREAD MACHINE DIRECTIONS:
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Add all ingredients to a bread machine, and use the dough function.
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When done, punch down, and divide into 24 strips.
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Roll each strip into ropes, and tie the dough into knots. Tuck the ends underneath the roll.
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Place on a greased baking sheet, and set somewhere warm until puffy (about 30-45 minutes)
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Heat the oven to 375 degrees F.
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Brush rolls with topping and bake for 12-15 minutes.
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Brush hot rolls with topping (and sprinkle with parmesan if desired)
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Devour.
Nutrition Facts
Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
3 responses
I love all your recipes. This is my boyfriends favourite appetizer. He would eat it everyday, 3 times a day if I allowed it lol thank you so much!! It’s an easy recipe to play with as well! I’ll serve it with gravy, or sit them together, touching in a spring form cake pan for pull apart greatness. I’ve even brushed with a cheesecake icing and mixed in some cinnamon and sugar for a desert variation. Just love love love! Thank you!
These were amazing and easy to make! My family loved them. Next time I make them I’m going to try putting the butter on before I tie the knot so there’s butter and garlic throughout the knot. Also, I’ll likely add a bit of sea salt to the top after the final butter.
I was surprised at how easy these were to make!! I did use about 5 tbsp butter for the topping as we like them dripping with butter once they’re removed from the oven. I did like the hint of sweetness to the rolls, but others might want to cut the sugar back to 3 tablespoons the first time you make these and take it from there.