Garlic Knots with Double Garlic Butter
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Soft knots of dough, brushed with garlic butter before the oven and again after, then Parmesan and parsley. The smell reaches the living room first, and the kids start hovering by the oven door.
The short version
Mix a simple yeast dough, let it double, cut it into 16 strips, tie each into a knot and rest 30 minutes. Brush with garlic butter, bake at 400°F for about 20 minutes, brush again. Don't skip the second coat of butter.
What makes ours better
the tricks Nonna pretends she never taught me
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Brush the garlic butter twice. Half goes on before baking so the knots brown and the garlic perfumes the dough; the other half goes on the hot knots so the flavor is bright and fresh, not baked flat.
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Warm the garlic in the butter first. One minute over low heat takes the raw bite off the garlic and spreads it through the butter. Raw garlic on top of a 400°F knot scorches and turns bitter.
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Put garlic powder in the dough. The knots taste of garlic all the way through, not only on the crust.
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Rest the tied knots for 30 minutes. They puff before they hit the oven, which keeps the inside soft and pillowy instead of dense and bready.
What you need
the cast, in order of appearance
- Instant or active dry yeast2¼ teaspoons
- Granulated sugar1 tablespoon
- All-purpose flour3½ cups
- Olive oil3 tablespoons
- Unsalted butter5 tablespoons
- Garlic3 cloves
- Dried oregano or Italian seasoning1 teaspoon
Dough
Garlic butter
tap each one as it goes in. no double-salting.
Steps
nobody opens the oven door. looking at you, Dad.
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Start the yeast
Whisk the warm water, yeast and sugar together in a large bowl. Let it sit for 5 minutes until it looks foamy on top.
If nothing foams, the water was too hot or the yeast is old. Start over; the dough won't rise.
About 5 min. Cook mode has a timer for this step.
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Mix and knead the dough
Add the flour, olive oil, salt and garlic powder. Stir until a shaggy dough forms, then knead on a floured counter for about 8 minutes (or 5 minutes with a dough hook on low) until smooth and springy. It should feel soft and a little tacky, not sticky. Add flour a teaspoon at a time only if it clings to your hands.
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Let it rise
Put the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, turn it once to coat, and cover. Let it rise somewhere warm until doubled, 1 to 1½ hours.
About 60 min. Cook mode has a timer for this step.
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Cut and tie the knots
Punch the dough down and pat it into a 16×5-inch rectangle on a lightly floured counter. Cut it crosswise into 16 strips, about 1 inch wide. Roll each strip into an 8-inch rope, tie it in a single loose knot, and tuck the ends underneath. Set the knots 1 inch apart on two parchment-lined baking sheets.
Tie them loosely. A tight knot bakes into a hard little rock.
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Rest the knots
Cover the knots loosely with a towel and let them puff for 30 minutes. About 15 minutes in, set a rack in the middle of the oven and heat it to 400°F.
About 30 min. Cook mode has a timer for this step.
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Make the garlic butter
Melt the butter with the garlic, oregano and salt in a small saucepan over low heat. Cook for about 1 minute, until the garlic sizzles gently and smells sweet; don't let it brown. Brush half of it over the knots.
Stir the butter before every brush stroke. The garlic sinks to the bottom.
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Bake
Bake one sheet at a time until the knots are deep golden on top and sound hollow when tapped on the bottom, 18 to 22 minutes.
About 20 min. Cook mode has a timer for this step.
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Brush and finish
Brush the hot knots with the rest of the garlic butter, then sprinkle with Parmesan and parsley. Serve warm, with marinara for dipping if you like.
Good to know
things I learned the hard way, so you can skip that part
- Bread flour works one for one and gives a chewier knot. Keep the water the same.
- You can use half of a 1-pound ball of store-bought pizza dough instead. Let it come to room temperature, then start at "Cut and tie the knots" with 8 knots.
- To make ahead, tie the knots, freeze them on a sheet until firm, then bag them. Thaw on the counter and let them puff for about an hour before brushing and baking.
- Storage. Covered at room temperature, 2 days. Frozen after baking, 3 months. Reheat at 350°F for 5 to 8 minutes, or microwave for 15 to 20 seconds.
Questions, answered
the questions my cousins text me
Can I make garlic knots with store-bought pizza dough?
Yes. A 1-pound ball makes 8 knots. Let it sit out for 30 to 60 minutes until it relaxes, then cut, tie, rest and bake exactly as written.
Why are my garlic knots hard or dense?
Usually the knots were tied too tight, the dough didn't double, or they skipped the 30-minute rest. Tie loosely and let each stage finish before moving on.
Can I use fresh garlic only, without garlic powder?
Yes, the dough will just taste less garlicky inside. The topping carries most of the flavor either way.
Can I make the dough ahead?
Yes. After kneading, put the dough in an oiled covered bowl in the fridge for up to 2 days. Let it sit out for 30 minutes, then shape, rest and bake.
How do I keep the garlic from burning?
Warm the garlic gently in the butter for a minute instead of brushing it on raw. Raw garlic on the surface of a 400°F knot scorches before the bread is done.
From the table
Made it? I want the full report: first bite, best compliment, and who tried to take the leftovers home.
Made it?
be honest. I can take it. probably.
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Published October 29, 2026.