Learn how to make this homemade sourdough garlic knots recipe with active sourdough starter, garlic powder, butter, topped with parmesan cheese and fresh parsley. These pull apart sourdough rolls are a tangy twist on a classic garlic knot recipe.
You might be onto me... yes, this is the SAME sourdough sweet dough recipe that I use to make my Sourdough Sandwich Bread in a Pullman Pan, Soft Sourdough Cinnamon rolls and Pull Apart Sourdough Dinner Rolls!
One basic sweet dough recipe, so many delicious possibilities!
This sourdough garlic knot recipe was inspired by the warm spring weather we are finally getting a taste of here in Kansas. Once we fire up the smoker and start grilling venison steaks, it's garlic bread season (with a fancy salad!) as far as I'm concerned!
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Ingredients
- Active sourdough starter
- All-Purpose Flour or bread flour
- Powdered milk
- Honey
- Salt
- Warm water
- Unsalted butter
- Fresh parsley or dried parsley
- Garlic powder
- Fresh grated parmesan cheese
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
1. As with all sourdough recipes, feed the sourdough starter and place it in a warm place several hours before you are ready to bake.
An active starter should be doubled and have large air bubbles when it is at peak activity.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, mix together all of the dough ingredients. This will make a smooth, supple, and not overly sticky dough ball.
Start with a low speed, then gradually increase to a kneading speed for 8-10 minutes.
The garlic knot dough should cling to the hook and be free from sticking to the sides of the bowl.
3. Place the kneaded dough in an airtight container with lid or cover with plastic wrap. Bulk ferment for 4-6 hours at room temperature.
4. Once bulk fermentation is over, grease a pan. The jumbo garlic knots in these pictures were shaped as 8 rolls and baked in a 12" round baking dish.
For smaller rolls, prepare a 11X15 ½ sheet pan.
5. Shape the knots by rolling the dough to make a 14-inch log. If the dough is sticking, you can create a lightly floured surface, but this is dough generally isn't sticky.
- 8 pieces, each weighing approximately 185 grams for jumbo rolls
- 12 pieces that each weigh around 122 grams for medium rolls
- 16 pieces, each weighing about 92 grams for small rolls
Roll the dough pieces into 12" long rope and tie in a knot (it's like tying shoes, but without the bow). Arrange the shaped knots in the prepared pan.
6. Cover the unbaked knots with aluminum foil, plastic wrap and put the rolls in the refrigerator overnight to bulk rise for 8-12 hours or even longer!
7. The next day, take the rolls out the the refrigerator 2 ½ hours before serving. Place the rolls in a warm spot to let the dough rest and preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. For best results, move the rack to a low position so that the rolls can be baked to golden brown.
8. Bake at 375°F for 45-50 minutes. Check the garlic knots after 20 minutes, and if they are over browning, cover with foil. The garlic knots are done when the center temperature of the rolls reach 195°F.
9. Brush the fresh baked rolls with garlic butter mixture while still warm. Grate parmesan cheese over the tops.
These rolls are best served warm. I recommend removing the rolls from the baking dish and letting them cool on a wire rack so that the bottoms don't get soggy from steam.
Serving Suggestions
- Marinara sauce or tomato sauce: Warm a bowl of your favorite sauce for dipping.
- Extra garlic butter: Double or triple the garlic butter to make a garlic sauce for dipping.
Sample Baking Schedule
I typically mix the dough, let it bulk ferment for 4-6 hours, then shape and chill the garlic knots overnight. You’ll need to plan ahead! However, if you want to do a same day bake, you can- I’ve included a tip in the notes below.
- In the morning (AM): Make the dough. Bulk rise during the day at room temperature. Once doubled in size, shape the rolls. Cover and chill overnight.
- The next day (this can be in the morning, afternoon or evening- whenever you are ready to bake): Let the dough second rise for 2 hours at room temperature, then bake. Serve immediately.
Same-Day Bake Instructions
You can add commercial yeast to this recipe to make these garlic knots in just a few hours. When combining the ingredients, add 2 teaspoons active dry yeast. Place the kneaded dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover the bowl, and let the dough first rise for 1 to 2 hours, until doubled in size. Shape the garlic knots and let it rise a second time for 1-2 hours. After the final rise is complete, bake as directed.
How to Store Homemade Garlic Knots
- Room Temperature: Store cooled sourdough rolls in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
- Refrigerator: I do NOT recommend storing sourdough rolls in the refrigerator. They will go stale even faster!
- Freezer Storage: Wrap cooled sourdough rolls individually in plastic wrap, then store in a freezer bag or airtight container for up to 3 months.
- Thawing: Thaw frozen rolls in the refrigerator overnight or at room temperature for a few hours before reheating.
- Reheating: Warm rolls in the microwave for 20-30 seconds per roll or in a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) for 5-10 minutes.
- Storing Unbaked: Freeze unbaked sourdough garlic knots after shaping but before the final rise. Thaw and let rise in the refrigerator overnight before baking as usual.
FAQ
If your dough is too sticky, you can add a little more flour, a tablespoon at a time, until it reaches the right consistency. Be careful not to add too much flour, as it can make the knots dense. Alternatively, you can lightly oil your hands and work surface to help handle the dough.
The dough should roughly double in size during the bulk fermentation stage, which usually takes about 4-6 hours at room temperature. You can also perform the poke test: gently poke the dough with your finger, and if the indentation springs back slowly, it's ready.
Yes, you can substitute whole wheat flour for part or all of the all-purpose flour in the recipe. Keep in mind that whole wheat flour absorbs more liquid, so you may need to adjust the hydration of the dough accordingly. Additionally, whole wheat flour will result in a denser texture and slightly nuttier flavor.
Recipe
Sourdough Garlic Knots
Equipment
- stand mixer with dough hook attachment
- baking dish 12" round, 12X15" half sheet pan, 9X13
- measuring cups and spoons
Ingredients
Garlic Knots
- 300 grams sourdough starter active
- 630 grams all-purpose flour
- 340 grams water warm
- 57 grams butter melted, (4 tablespoons)
- 50 grams honey
- 42 grams powdered milk can be omitted, but do not substitute with liquid milk
- 15 grams salt
Garlic Butter
- 2 tablespoons butter melted
- 2 ounces parmesan cheese fresh grated
- 1 tablespoon parsley fresh, chopped
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- As with all sourdough recipes, feed the sourdough starter and place it in a warm place several hours before you are ready to bake.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, mix together all of the dough ingredients. This will make a smooth, supple, and not overly sticky dough ball. See note 1 for same-day baking instructions.Start with a low speed, then gradually increase to a kneading speed for 8-10 minutes.The garlic knot dough should cling to the hook and be free from sticking to the sides of the bowl.300 grams sourdough starter, 630 grams all-purpose flour, 42 grams powdered milk, 50 grams honey, 15 grams salt, 340 grams water, 57 grams butter
- Place the kneaded dough in an airtight container with lid or cover with plastic wrap. Bulk ferment for 4-6 hours at room temperature.
- Once bulk fermentation is over, grease a pan. See note 2 below for sizes.
- Roll the dough pieces into 12" long rope and tie in a knot (it's like tying shoes, but without the bow). Arrange the shaped knots in the prepared pan.
- Cover the unbaked knots with aluminum foil, plastic wrap and put the rolls in the refrigerator overnight to bulk rise for 8-12 hours or even longer!
- The next day, take the rolls out the the refrigerator 2 ½ hours before serving. Place the rolls in a warm spot to let the dough rest and preheat the oven to 375℉ degrees Fahrenheit. For best results, move the rack to a low position so that the rolls can be baked to golden brown.
- Bake at 375℉ for 45-50 minutes. Check the garlic knots after 20 minutes, and if they are over browning, cover with foil. The garlic knots are done when the center temperature of the rolls reach 195℉.
- In a microwave safe bowl, melt together the butter and garlic powder. Brush the fresh baked rolls with garlic butter mixture while still warm. Grate parmesan cheese over the tops and sprinkle with fresh parsley.2 tablespoons butter, 2 ounces parmesan cheese, 1 tablespoon parsley, 1 teaspoon garlic powder
Notes
Note 1: Same-Day Bake Instructions
You can add commercial yeast to this recipe to make these garlic knots in just a few hours. When combining the ingredients, add 2 teaspoons active dry yeast. Place the kneaded dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover the bowl, and let the dough first rise for 1 to 2 hours, until doubled in size. Shape the garlic knots and let it rise a second time for 1-2 hours. After the final rise is complete, bake as directed.Note 2: Roll Sizes & Recommended Baking Dish
- 8 pieces, each weighing approximately 185 grams for jumbo rolls. Can be baked in a 12" round baking dish, 9X13 baking dish or spread out (not touching) on a half sheet pan.
- 12 pieces that each weigh around 122 grams for medium rolls. These will be best baked on a half sheet pan.
- 16 pieces, each weighing about 92 grams for small rolls. Bake this on a half sheet pan.
Nutrition
That's a wrap!
Well this has been fun, but it's time for us to wrap things up! Mastering the art of sourdough garlic knots can be quite a fun recipe to have up your sleeve, especially for if you are new to sourdough baking!
And as you gain confidence in your sourdough adventure, feel free to explore my other recipes for more tasty treats. Share your baking questions (and successes!) in the comments below, and be sure to pin this recipe to Pinterest for easy access later.
Here's to happy baking and many more batches of the easiest sourdough cinnamon rolls!
- Meg
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Morgan
So delicious! Thanks so much!!!!
Alicia
The knots were alright, but I was disappointed that they turned out more like giant rolls with the medium instructions. I may have misunderstood, but I measured 122 grams of dough for each knot. I ended up with 10 and they were just enormous.
Also, 2 ounces of parmesan cheese was way too much for the mere 2 tablespoons of butter. Maybe it should be 2 grams of cheese? Ended up having to use a whole stick of butter
to make the sauce close to brushable.
The garlic flavor hardly came through so I tripled the recommended amount of powder. They were overdone on the bottom even though I put an extra baking tray on the bottom rack, but the tops were fluffy. Overall I didn't get the results I wanted. They're still good but this recipe definitely has some flaws.
Meg
Hi Alicia! Thanks for taking the time to leave a review. Your feedback is very helpful and shows me what I need to emphasize in the recipe more clearly.
The two ounces of parmesan cheese is to be grated over the top of the rolls after they are brushed with the garlic butter. The garlic butter isn't intended to be a dipping sauce, just a tasty tool for getting the garlic powder, parmesan and parsley to stick to the rolls. I can totally see how adding that much cheese to the melted butter would create a blob that wouldn't brush nicely, and I don't recommend doing it that way.
Garlic flavor is a tricky thing. Three teaspoons would be too intense of a flavor for my taste buds for a dinner roll, but I'm glad you found a way to make it more your style! I'm going to stick with the 1 teaspoon as written, but I will add a note at the bottom encouraging bakers who love a bolder flavor to add more.
Thanks again and happy baking!
Meg