Soft & Fluffy Garlic Knots
Soft, fluffy homemade garlic knots with a tender center and plenty of fresh garlic-herb flavor. The dough is intentionally beginner-friendly: soft and slightly tacky, but easy to shape. The knots get a light garlic brushing before baking and a generous second brushing while hot for maximum flavor without burning the garlic.
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Check the water. Use comfortably warm water, not hot. If using a thermometer, aim for 100-110°F / 38-43°C.
- Start the yeast. Combine the warm water, sugar, and yeast. If using active dry yeast, wait 5-10 minutes until foamy. Instant yeast can be used without waiting.
- Make the dough. Add the flour, salt, optional garlic powder, and oil. Mix until a rough dough forms. It may look messy at first; that is normal.
- Knead. Knead 5-6 minutes with a dough hook on low to medium-low speed, or 7-10 minutes by hand. The dough should become soft, smooth, elastic, and slightly tacky. Slightly tacky means you can feel a little stickiness when you touch it, but it should not remain pasted all over your fingers. Do not keep adding flour until the dough feels dry. If it is genuinely wet and smearing everywhere after several minutes of kneading, add flour only 1 Tbsp at a time.
- First rise. Lightly oil the bowl, return the dough, cover, and let rise in a comfortably warm place for about 60-90 minutes, or until roughly doubled. A cool kitchen may take longer.
- Divide. Gently press the air out of the dough and divide into 12 equal pieces. Each piece should be roughly 48 g if using a scale.
- Roll the ropes. Roll each piece into a rope about 8 inches / 20 cm long. If the dough keeps shrinking back, stop and let it rest for 5 minutes, then continue.
- Tie the knots. Cross one end of the rope over the other, bring one end through the opening, gently pull into a loose knot, and tuck the loose ends underneath. They do not need to look perfect.
- Second rise. Arrange on a parchment-lined baking sheet, cover loosely, and let rise for 30-45 minutes. They should look noticeably puffier and softer.
- Preheat. Toward the end of the second rise, preheat the oven to 400°F / 205°C.
- Make the topping. Combine the oil, minced garlic, Italian seasoning, and salt. For the dairy version, use melted butter instead of oil.
- Brush lightly before baking. Brush each knot with only a light coating of the garlic mixture. Reserve most of the topping for after baking so the garlic does not burn on the pan.
- Bake. Bake at 400°F / 205°C for 16-20 minutes. Start checking at 16 minutes. The knots should be puffed and lightly golden on top, with slightly deeper color around the edges. Do not wait for them to become dark brown.
- Finish while hot. Immediately brush the hot knots generously with the remaining garlic-herb mixture. Add parsley if desired. For the dairy version, sprinkle with Parmesan.
- Rest and serve. Let sit about 5 minutes, then serve warm.
Notes
Make Ahead
For an overnight option, cover the dough and refrigerate for a slow rise of about 8-12 hours. Bring it out, shape the knots, allow the shaped knots to become puffy, then bake as directed.
Storage
Garlic knots are best the day they are baked. Once completely cool, store airtight at room temperature for up to 2 days. They may also be refrigerated airtight for up to 1 week, although freezing generally preserves bread texture better than prolonged refrigeration.
Freezing
Cool completely, seal in a freezer-safe bag or airtight container, and freeze for up to 3 months. Shaped unbaked knots can also be frozen; thaw, allow them to come to room temperature and become puffy, then bake.
Reheating
Warm at 350°F / 175°C for about 5-8 minutes, until heated through. A light fresh brushing of garlic oil or butter after reheating refreshes the flavor.
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