Homemade garlic knots don’t have to be difficult to be delicious! These garlic knots are super easy – they can be made from scratch in just 30 minutes.
These homemade garlic knots are ready – start to finish – in just half an hour. And they taste so good that you’d never guess how easy they are!
This is a great starter recipe if you’ve never made anything with yeast before. It’s pretty hard to hurt this dough (just don’t kill the yeast!).
I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised at just how easy this recipe really is.
Ingredients and substitutions
- Butter – I use salted butter in both the dough and the garlic butter topping. If using unsalted butter, increase the salt to 3/4 teaspoon in the dough and add a pinch or two to the garlic butter.
- Milk – I like to use 2% milk. Using skim milk will give you a leaner dough and using whole milk will give you a slightly softer, richer dough.
- Instant yeast – You can also use active dry yeast. See the section below in FAQs for more information.
- Garlic powder – Be sure to use garlic powder, not garlic salt.
- Parmesan cheese – The cheese is optional. Feel free to omit it if you prefer.
How to make homemade garlic knots
In a small saucepan, melt butter. When butter is mostly melted, stir in milk, and heat mixture to 100-110 F.
Meanwhile, add yeast and honey to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or a large mixing bowl if mixing by hand.
When milk mixture is at temperature, add to yeast and honey; stir to combine.
Add salt and egg, and stir until combined. Stir in 2 ½ cups of flour.
Add remaining flour until dough clings to paddle and cleans the sides of the bowl. Switch to the dough hook, and knead for 2 minutes (or by hand for about 5 minutes).
With lightly floured hands, shape dough into 12 knots, and place dough on prepared baking sheet. Cover, and let dough rest for 10 minutes.
Bake for about 9-12 minutes, or until lightly golden brown. While the knots are baking, prepare the garlic butter.
In a small bowl, stir together ingredients for garlic butter.
After removing the rolls from the oven, brush with garlic butter, sprinkle with cheese if using, and enjoy!
How to tie knots
The knots can be either tied into into a simple knot or shaped into a fancier knot.
Simple knot
To form a simple knot, roll the dough into strips that are about 6 inches long. Tie the strip into a loose knot and place on the baking sheet.
Fancy knot
To form a fancy knot, roll the dough into a strip that’s about 6 inches long.
Tie the dough into a knot leaving the middle open and the ends long.
Pull one end underneath the dough into the center. Pull the other end over the dough.
Press the two ends together to seal them. Then flip the garlic knot over and place it end side down on the baking sheet.
FAQs
You can! Just use an equal amount of active dry yeast. After step 5, let the yeast mixture sit for 5-10 minutes or until foamy. Then continue with the recipe as-written.
I recommend storing the leftover garlic knots in an airtight container.
Garlic knots are best eaten just after they’re made. They will keep for 2-3 days when properly stored.
Absolutely! If you want more garlic butter, simply double the garlic butter ingredients.
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Homemade Garlic Knots
Ingredients
Garlic Knots
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1 cup milk
- 2 tablespoons instant yeast
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg
- 3-3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
Garlic Butter
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 3-4 tablespoons grated Parmesan or Romano cheese optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 Line a 9×13-inch rimmed cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking liner. Set aside.
- In a small saucepan, melt butter.
- When butter is mostly melted, stir in milk, and heat mixture to 100-110 F.
- Meanwhile, add yeast and honey to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or a large mixing bowl if mixing by hand).
- When milk mixture is at temperature, add to yeast and honey; stir to combine.
- Add salt and egg, and stir until combined.
- Stir in 2 ½ cups of flour.
- Add remaining flour until dough clings to paddle and cleans the sides of the bowl.
- Switch to the dough hook, and knead for 2 minutes (or by hand for about 5 minutes).
- With lightly floured hands, shape dough into 12 knots, and place dough on prepared baking sheet.
- Cover, and let dough rest for 10 minutes.
- Bake for about 9-12 minutes, or until lightly golden brown.
- While the knots are baking, prepare the garlic butter.
- In a small bowl, stir together ingredients for garlic butter.
- After removing the rolls from the oven, brush with garlic butter, sprinkle with cheese if using, and enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Butter – I use salted butter in both the dough and the garlic butter topping. If using unsalted butter, increase the salt to 3/4 teaspoon in the dough and add a pinch or two to the garlic butter.
- Milk – I like to use 2% milk. Using skim milk will give you a leaner dough and using whole milk will give you a slightly softer, richer dough.
- Instant yeast – You can also use active dry yeast. Just use an equal amount of active dry yeast. After step 5, let the yeast mixture sit for 5-10 minutes or until foamy. Then continue with the recipe as-written.
- Garlic powder – Be sure to use garlic powder, not garlic salt.
- Parmesan cheese – The cheese is optional. Feel free to omit it if you prefer.
- Nutrition facts have been estimated.
Nutrition
Did You Make This Recipe?
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Originally published 1/6/14. Updated with new photos on 10/5/19. Updated again on 1/3/22 with additional photos, tips, and information.
Reader Interactions
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Comments & Reviews
Mads says
I subbed the butter for vegan earthbound butter and the milk for oat milk- and sugar for the honey, because I was out of honey. It still turned out so tender and delicious!
Kate says
I’m so glad!
Debra says
Very easy I used 2 oz of dough to make each knot which I feel resulted in 13 very big knots I’ll try 1.5 ozdough/knot next time
Kate says
Thanks! Yes, they’re good-sized knots. =)
Kylie R Kotlarczyk says
So good! I will add 3tbs butter for topping next time.
Freaking delicious, so easy! Great last minute add to any dinner
Kate says
Thank you so much! More butter is always a good thing! =)
Nikki says
These are amazing! The dough is soooooo soft. I used Vit D milk (full fat).
Do you have a conversion for whole wheat with these??
Kate says
Thank you! I haven’t made a whole wheat version, but I’ll have to try it!
Patty says
I made them for our Valentine’s Day dinner and called them Love Knots! Were delicious, thank you!
Kate says
How fun! I’m so glad that you liked them!
Sarah says
I want to start out by saying this dough is dreamy. It comes out soft and supple and feels amazing.
I made the garlic knots last week. Hubby and I both loved them. Our girls refused to try 🤦🏼♀️. I passed the leftovers onto a neighbour who immediately asked for your link. (I shared!)
Today I made the dough and shaped into 8 hoagie shape rolls. And we had Italian beef sandwiches on them. Let me tell you, it didn’t disappoint.
Thanks for an easy/quick recipe I can whip up last minute.
Kate says
Thank you so much! I’m so glad that you like the knots!
Earlene says
I made this tonight to go with our pasta and meatballs and It was a good thing I made an extra half batch. I didn’t have honey as it’s quite a pricey ingredient here in Trinidad as well as parmesan so I just added a tblsp of brown sugar and left the Parm out for another time. Also used about 6 LG cloves of garlic
crushed in a mortar and pestle with a little paprika blend and grated a small clove into the dough mixture and it was wonderful (we just love garlic🥰). The texture of the dough was so amazing. I wish I could have posted pics for you to see. I’ll be doing this again soon with some pork sliders for the kids lunch box. Thanks a million.
Kate says
Thank you! I’m glad that you liked the knots!
Suzanne says
I don’t have my ads blocked and don’t see a link for the video. When I press “jump to video” button at top, it takes me to an ad. Any suggestions? Thanks!
Kate says
Hi! I apologize that the button didn’t work for you! On desktop and on mobile, the video should be immediately under the first picture at the top of the post. Please let me know if you don’t see it!
Kim says
I made these, put the garlic butter on before baking, then again half way through an sprinkled with Parmesan cheese. They were good but a little dark on the outside.
Kate says
Hey! If the knots turned out darker than you’d like, next time I’d suggest trying the butter after baking. Brushing the rolls before (and during) baking with butter will increase the color.
Rose says
Hi, can you please post a video showing how to form the knots? That would be great if you could ,thanks 😊
Rose says
Just found the video! Sorry
Kate says
Glad you found it!
Ryan Chvala says
Where did you find the video?
Kate says
Hi! Are you using an ad-blocker? I’ve heard from several people who have had trouble seeing the video, and it turned out that an adblocker was preventing them from seeing the video.
Clare says
I had a houseful of family and not a lot of time to come up with a meal. These garlic knots impressed everyone. They’ve requested them with the next get-together.
Kate says
Thank you! They’re a favorite around here, and I’m glad that other people are enjoying them, too!
Anugrah says
Did you use salted or unsalted butter?
Kate says
I use salted butter.
Bread Lover says
These tasted amazing!!! I made them with spaghetti. Personally, they needed some salt but it could’ve been bc I used unsalted butter. The only thing I changed is that I just used 1 packet instead of 2.
Kate says
I’m glad that you liked them!
Pokemon Fan says
These are the best garlic knots ever!!!
Kate says
Thank you! I’m so glad that you liked them!
Erin Volz says
Amazing! Immediately printed and posted on board of “things I need to make every night”!
Kate says
Thank you! I’m so glad that you liked the knots!
Mary says
Delicious rolls. So quick and easy. They taste like more time and effort went into them than actually did.
Kate says
Thank you! I’m so glad that you liked them!
Amy says
These are so good! We run a small guest house at the base of the Himalayas and they are frequently requested with our spaghetti and meatballs for dinner. Our children love them as well.
Kate says
Thank you! I’m so glad that they’ve been a hit!