Easy Homemade Garlic Knots

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These golden, buttery homemade garlic knots have crisp edges and soft centers. Start with store-bought or homemade pizza dough and they’re ready in under 30 minutes.

THIS IS THE EASIEST HOMEMADE GARLIC KNOT RECIPE

If there’s one thing I’ve learned from years of baking bread from scratch, it’s this: sometimes shortcuts can still be really, really good.

These homemade garlic knots have been a staple around here (my site and my kitchen!) for a long time, and for good reason. They deliver everything you want from classic garlic knots (pillowy centers, crisp edges, and plenty of garlicky butter) without turning dinner into an all-day project.

These easy homemade garlic knots are made with pizza dough (store-bought or homemade) and baked until golden, buttery, and irresistible. They’re crunchy on the outside, soft and fluffy on the inside, and ready in under 30 minutes. Believe me when I say this is the garlic knot recipe you’ll come back to again and again.

Originally, this recipe leaned fully into convenience with store-bought pizza dough. And honestly, that’s still how we make them most of the time. Since first publishing this recipe back in 2020, I’ve also shared a quick homemade pizza dough that works beautifully here if you’re in the mood to make everything from scratch. The good news is that both options work equally well, and neither one requires a ton of brain power or time (the homemade pizza dough is honestly so quick).

Whether you decide to grab a 13-ounce tube of pizza dough from the store or use a full 1-pound batch of homemade dough, the process stays exactly the same. You’ll divide the dough into 12 pieces, tie your knots, and bake. If your pieces end up a little bigger or smaller than the ones pictured, that’s totally fine! The butter and seasoning will stretch right along with them.

These truly are are low-pressure, high-reward garlic knots– exactly how they should be.

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Garlic Knot Ingredients

PIZZA DOUGH: again, store-bought or homemade works just fine here. If you’re using frozen dough, be sure it’s thawed completely.

UNSALTED BUTTER: feel free to use salted here if you prefer. We’ll add some additional salt, so add carefully if you’re going the salted route.

GARLIC: fresh! If you’re in a pinch, you can use 1 teaspoon of garlic powder, but fresh is really the best option for these garlic knots.

OREGANO, BASIL, & SALT: these dried herbs and seasoning add some flair to the flavor alongside the butter and garlic.

GRATED PARMESAN CHEESE: this is a final touch ingredient that goes on the knots after they come out of the oven. If you’d prefer fresh cheese, pop them back in the oven for an additional minute or two so the cheese can melt a bit.

How to Make Homemade Garlic Knots

Portion the dough: whether you’re starting with premade or homemade dough, portion it out into 12 equal pieces. This doesn’t have to be perfect, but I do like to weigh mine to ensure they’re all as close to equal as possible.

Roll dough into logs: aim for about 8″ in length for each piece of dough. Allow the dough to rest while you prepare the herbed garlic butter.

Make the garlic butter: you can do this in the microwave or on the stovetop (my preference). Melt the butter and minced garlic, then stir in the dried oregano, dried basil, and salt. Allow it to cool a bit while you tie the knots.

Form the knots: don’t overthink this! Take each dough log and loosely tie it into a knot. You don’t need perfection here. One end can tuck underneath, the other can stick out– whatever! Garlic knots are meant to look a little rustic.

Brush + bake: place formed knots on a lined baking sheet and generously brush with the garlic butter, making sure some chunks of garlic makes it onto each knot. Bake the knots until they are lightly golden.

One final brush: once the garlic knots are out of the oven, brush them an additional time with more with garlic butter and finish with a sprinkle of grated Parmesan cheese.

That’s it! They’re so simple to make and wildly snackable.

How to Serve Garlic Knots

These homemade garlic knots are incredibly versatile. Serve them:

• With marinara (or homemade sauce!) for dipping
• Alongside soup or pasta
• As a side for pizza night
• Sliced in half for mini garlic sliders

Honestly, they are guaranteed to disappear fast no matter how you serve them.

Garlic Knot Variations

• Swap out the dried herbs for Italian seasoning
• Add some red pepper flakes for heat
• Use olive oil instead of butter for a dairy-free option
• Skip the cheese or use a dairy-free alternative

If you’re using homemade pizza dough, you can also season the dough itself for extra flavor.

STORAGE AND REHEATING

You can store leftover garlic knots tightly covered at room temperature, but keep an eye on them so they don’t mold too quickly (they have a lot of moisture).

To reheat: microwave for about 8-10 seconds for a softer bite, or heat in the air fryer for 2-3 minutes for a little more of a crispy finish. My preference is a combo of both to soften the center and then crisp up the outside! Like the perfect chocolate chip cookie.

These are the kind of homemade garlic knots that show up everywhere around here! We use them for weeknight dinners, holidays, birthday parties, you name it. They’re fast, familiar, and always a hit.

So consider this your warning: if you come to our house, there’s a very good chance garlic knots will be involved. And honestly? I’m not sorry about it, and you’ll be glad you came!