Soft, chewy, and drenched in garlic butter, these homemade garlic knots capture all the charm of a New York pizzeria. Made from scratch with simple ingredients and finished with parmesan cheese, this Italian-American classic is a delicious upgrade from your standard bread roll.
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Pizzeria-Style Garlic Knots at Home
One whiff of these garlic knots transports me straight back to an American pizzeria — I’m talking the kind with the daggy gingham tablecloths and shakers filled with parmesan cheese and chilli flakes (if you know, you know).
Garlic knots were invented in New York City as a clever way for pizzerias to use up leftover pizza dough. The dough is knotted, baked until golden, then slathered in an herby garlic butter. They’re mouthwatering, to say the least.
Admittedly, “leftover pizza dough” isn’t something I’ve ever had lying around, so I devised a recipe for an enriched dough that’s:
Ingredients
For the dough
- Bread flour: if you want pizzeria-style garlic knots, don’t skip the bread flour! Its higher protein content means more gluten development, which gives the knots their chewy texture and golden outer crust. I use Lighthouse bread and pizza flour.
- Instant yeast: for convenience sake, I recommend using instant yeast because there’s no need to proof it first, plus it gives a quick and reliable rise. If using active dry yeast, check the recipe notes for instructions.
- Garlic powder: this gives the knots a mild garlic flavour without the risk of bitterness or burning that can happen with fresh garlic.
- Salt
- Honey: a bit of honey balances the savoury notes and helps the yeast rise. I prefer it over sugar in this recipe for its more complex flavour and the golden-brown colour that it gives the crust. You can use sugar instead, but it’s less sweet than honey, so you’ll need about 50% more.
- Olive oil: this is for both flavour and moisture, making the dough more elastic and easier to work with. You’ll also need a little extra oil to prevent the dough from sticking to the bowl or work surface.
- Warm water: wakes the yeast up and gets it rising. Aim for water that is comfortably warm to touch (around 38-43°C/100-110°F), not hot. Hot water will kill your yeast!
For the garlic butter topping
- Butter: I use unsalted butter so I can control the seasoning. If using salted butter, just leave out the extra salt.
- Garlic cloves: for a strong (but not overpowering) garlicky flavour, use 4-5 large garlic cloves. You can mince them with either a knife or a garlic press.
- Salt
- Fresh parsley: use flat-leaf parsley, also known as continental parsley or Italian parsley.
- Oregano (optional): I like to add a little dried oregano for a classic Italian-American flavour. You can also use Italian seasoning, or any other herbs you prefer.
*For precise measurements, please refer to the recipe card below
How to Make Homemade Garlic Knots
You don’t need to be an expert bread baker to make these — it’s a dump-everything-in-a-bowl-and-knead kind of recipe! No stand mixer required either, though using one will spare you the arm workout. If you’re not sure how to knead dough by hand, this handy guide from Sally’s Baking Addiction will show you the ropes.
Make the dough
Mix – Toss the bread flour, instant yeast, garlic powder, and salt into a mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, then add the honey, olive oil, and warm water. Give it all a mix until it forms a dry, shaggy-looking dough.
Knead – Use a stand mixer with a dough hook if you have one, or you can knead by hand on a lightly-floured surface. Because this dough is enriched with oil and honey, it will take a little longer to knead than a lean dough — about 7-10 minutes in a mixer or 10-15 minutes by hand.
First rise – Transfer the dough to a lightly-oiled bowl. Turn the dough over to coat it in the oil, then cover the bowl with cling film or a clean kitchen towel. Place it in a warm, draft-free spot to rise for about 45 minutes to one hour, or until doubled in size.
Shape the Knots
Portion – Punch the dough down to deflate it, then transfer to a lightly-oiled surface. Press the dough into a rectangle and cut it into quarters. Cut each quarter into four pieces, so you have 16 pieces in total. I normally just eyeball it, but you can weigh the dough with a scale if you want to be more precise.
Rest – Cover the dough pieces with cling film or a tea towel and let rest for 10-15 minutes to relax the gluten.
Knot – Roll each piece into a 20 cm (8-inch) rope. Tie the rope into a loose knot, tucking the ends underneath (or leave them out if you prefer). Place the knots on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Second rise – Cover the knots and let them rise for 20 minutes while you preheat your oven to 200°C (180°C fan/400°F).
Bake
These only need about 10-12 minutes in the oven. Pull them out once they have a nice golden-brown crust.
Finish with garlic butter
Melt the butter on the stovetop, then add the minced garlic, dried herbs, and salt. Cook over low-medium heat until the garlic is lightly golden, being careful not to let it burn. Remove from the heat and stir through the fresh parsley. Brush the butter over the freshly baked garlic knots, then sprinkle with parmesan and flaky sea salt if desired.
Serving Suggestions
Homemade garlic knots are best served hot and fresh from the oven. Try them:
- As an appetiser: Pair them with a marinara or pesto dipping sauce for dunking. This is the classic way!
- On the side: Serve with comfort foods like creamy or tomato-based soups, hearty stews, and pasta dishes.
- For grazing: Add them to an Italian-themed party spread, alongside cured meats, cheese, and olives.
Homemade Garlic Knots
* Please note: all cup measurements are approximate and based on Australian standard cups (250ml). For best results, weigh your ingredients with a kitchen scale.
Equipment
- stand mixer with dough hook, optional (can knead by hand)
- baking sheet(s)
- small saucepan
- pastry brush
Ingredients
For the dough
- 390 g (3 ¼ cups) bread flour, spooned and levelled if using cups
- 2 ¼ tsp (1 x 7 g packet) instant yeast, see notes for active dry yeast
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 ¼ tsp salt
- 2 tsp honey
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 250 ml (1 cup) warm water, 38-43℃ (100-110℉)
For the garlic butter topping
- 60 g (¼ cup) butter
- 4-5 garlic cloves, minced
- ¼ tsp salt, omit if using salted butter
- 1 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
- ½ tsp oregano, or other dried herbs of choice, optional
Optional garnishes
- freshly-grated parmesan
- flaky sea salt
Instructions
- Combine the bread flour, instant yeast, garlic powder, and salt in a mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Drizzle in the honey, then add the olive oil and warm water. Mix together until a shaggy dough forms.
- If using a stand mixer, mix on low-medium speed with the dough hook until the dough is smooth and elastic (about 7-10 minutes). If kneading by hand, turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until the dough comes together into a smooth ball (about 10-15 minutes). The dough should be slightly tacky but not overly sticky. If it's too wet, add additional flour 1 tsp at a time.
- Lightly grease a large bowl with olive oil, place the dough inside, and turn to coat in the oil. Cover the bowl with cling film or a clean tea towel, and leave to rise in a warm place for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
- Gently punch the dough down and transfer to a lightly oiled work surface. Pat the dough into a rectangle or log shape and cut into 16 portions. Cover with cling film or a towel and let rest on the countertop for 10-15 minutes — this relaxes the gluten and makes shaping easier.
- To form the knots, roll each piece of dough into a 20 cm (8-inch) rope and tie into a loose knot. You can either leave the ends out or tuck them underneath for more of a bun shape. Place the knots on a parchment-lined baking sheet, then cover and let rise for another 20 minutes. While you wait, preheat your oven to 200℃ (180℃ fan/400℉).
- Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. If your oven cooks unevenly, rotate the tray halfway through baking. Meanwhile, prepare the garlic butter.
Make the garlic butter topping
- Place the butter into a small saucepan and set over low heat. Once the butter has melted, add the minced garlic, oregano, and salt, and cook until the garlic is fragrant and lightly golden. Remove from the heat and stir in the fresh parsley.
- Brush the garlic butter over the warm garlic knots, and sprinkle with freshly-grated parmesan and/or flaky sea salt (optional, but highly recommended). Serve immediately!
