These soft and ripable sourdough garlic knots are brushed in a roasted garlic butter sauce, making them the perfect side for any pasta dish or pizza night. This is a delicious and easy same day sourdough recipe that is sure to wow your family and friends.
I adapted this recipe from my Sourdough Pizza Crust Recipe, and I am sure glad I did. These sourdough garlic knots are the thing of dreams.
They are soft, buttery, and completely melt in your mouth. They make the perfect addition to any pasta dish, like Creamy Bacon and Mushroom Pasta, or family pizza night.
The best part of this recipe as that the dough can be made in the morning and ready to bake by dinner.
Plan Ahead: Take a look at my Sample Bakers Schedule to see how you can fit these buttery knots into your next meal plan.
Sourdough Garlic Knot Ingredients
The Dough Ingredients
- Water – When working with sourdough starter I always use filtered water. Tap water contains fluoride which can slow down the fermentation process.
- Sourdough Starter – If you don’t have a sourdough starter but would like to learn how to make one, check out my How to Make a Sourdough Starter post.
- Bread Flour – For this recipe I used organic bread flour. Bread flour will ensure your garlic knots are soft and fluffy. If using all-purpose flour your garlic knots will be dense with a tough exterior.
- Salt – Salt adds strength and flavor to the dough.
- Butter – Melted butter added to the dough makes these sourdough garlic knots extra tender.
The Garlic Butter Ingredients
- Olive Oil – I used organic olive oil in this recipe to cook the garlic in. I also think the olive oil adds a nice touch to the garlic butter sauce.
- Garlic – Fresh garlic makes these knots so much better, but if you would like to use garlic powder just substitute the garlic in this recipe for 1/2 a teaspoon of garlic powder.
- Butter – It wouldn’t be garlic butter without the butter!
- Salt – A touch of salt rounds of the garlic butter sauce nicely. If you are using salted butter reduce the amount of salt called for in this recipe.
- Parsley – Parsley is optional, but it adds a lovely pop of color to your garlic knots.
How to Make Sourdough Garlic Knots
Step 1: Make the Dough
In a large mixing bowl, stir together the water and sourdough starter until the starter is completely dissolved.
Sift in the salt and flour, mixing until a shaggy dough forms.
Then add in the melted butter once it is no longer hot to the touch and use your hands to work the dough until it is full combined.
Step 2: Strengthen the Dough
After mixing, cover the bowl with a damp cloth and allow your dough to rest for 30 minutes.
Once rested, use a stand mixer to knead the dough on medium speed for about 8 minutes.
Alternatively, you can strengthen the dough by hand by preforming two sets of stretch and folds.
How to Stretch and Fold:
- Lightly wet your hands before handling the dough to prevent sticking.
- Scoop up an edge of the dough and gently pull it upwards.
- Once the dough reaches a point where it resists being pulled go ahead and fold the dough over itself.
- Give the bowl a quarter turn and repeat this stretching and folding motion.
- You will turn the bowl, stretch and fold until the bowl comes full circle. These four stretch and folds are called a set.
- Repeat this step one more time so that you have completed 2 total rests and sets.
Step 3: Bulk Ferment
Cover your dough with a damp cloth and allow to bulk rise in a warm spot for 5-6 hours at 72°F(22°C).
Your dough should be doubled in size at the end of bulk ferment. This can take more or less time depending on the temperature of your home.
Step 4: Shape and Second Rise
After the bulk ferment lightly flour your work surface and turn the dough out, being careful not to deflate it too much.
Gently shape the dough into a log and use a bench scraper or large knife to divide it into twelve pieces. Don’t worry about making each piece perfectly equal.
Once the dough is divided use lightly floured hands to gently pull each piece into 9″ to 11″ ropes.
Take each rope of dough and tie it into a loose knot. You can tuck the ends of the rope under each knot for a more uniform look if you like.
Evenly space your dough knots on a parchment lined baking sheet.
Cover them with a damp cloth and allow them to rise for 1-2 hours at 72°F(22°C), or until they are poofy and have risen at least half their original size.
Step 5: Bake and Brush
Preheat your oven to 400°F(200°C) and bake your knots on the center rack for 15 minutes, or until the tops begin to lightly brown.
While the sourdough garlic knots bake, make the garlic butter sauce.
Add the olive oil to a small frying pan over medium heat. Once the oil is hot add the finely minced garlic and sauté it for a minute or so.
Add the butter to the frying pan and once it is fully melted remove the pan from the heat and stir in the salt.
When your sourdough garlic knots are done cooking, brush them with the garlic butter and sprinkle with chopped parsley.
Allow them to cool for 5 minutes before serving.
Sample Bakers Schedule
9PM (the day before): Feed your sourdough starter.
10AM: Mix the garlic knot dough.
10:30AM: Preform a stretch and fold set.
11AM: Preform a stretch and fold set.
4PM: Divide the dough and shape the knots.
6PM: Bake the knots and make the garlic butter.
6:20PM: Brush the knots with garlic butter and serve.
My dough is at the 5hr mark and hasn’t done anything at all. Any advice?
Hey Kim! I would wait until the dough is at least doubled in size.
Can I bulk ferment in the fridge overnight and pull out a few hours before I need it?
Good question Donna! The temperature of the refrigerator is too cold for bulk fermentation. The yeast will sleep at temperatures that low while the bacteria will remain active, leaving you with extra sour and poorly risen garlic knots. If you cannot make these same day I suggest placing the dough in the fridge either before or after bulk fermentation. Then the dough can be pulled to finish the process, but be sure to add an hour to either bulk ferment or proofing time, depending at what stage you chilled the dough, to allow the dough to come back to temp.
Hello!
Should the dough be tacky and stiff?
I am using stretch and fold method and finding it difficult to stretch. I imagine the butter cooling in the dough may have something to do with it. I see the hydration level is about 40% not including the melted butter… some sort of comment in your post about how the dough should feel would be reassuring!
Let me know if I am on the right track. Thank you
Hey Emily! Yes the dough should be tacky and stiff. If you prefer to knead it by hand that is always and option.
Delicious! I followed the recipe up until shaping it into knots. My husband requested garlic monkey bread so instead I rolled balls and put into a loaf pan. Turned out so good! Next day he requested cinnamon sugar monkey bread so came back to this recipe again and put my own spin on it again. I will continue to come back and use this recipe time after time. So good and easy to follow!
Thank you so much for sharing Amber! I love reading reviews like these. 🙂
Incredible recipe! My starter wasn’t very lively and these still came out wonderfully. So good with soup 🥣:)
Thank you for sharing Summer! I am so happy to hear.
Hi I was wondering if you could freeze these and bake as needed. And if so should you freeze before you bake or after and just reheat/defrost – how long could they last frozen?
Hey Jess! I think either freezing method would work. If you choose to freeze them before baking make sure to place them in the refrigerator the night before you plan to bake so they can fully thaw.