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This Everything Soft Garlic Knots Recipe makes a delicately soft and slightly chewy bread. Each knot is topped with the salty delicious everything spice mixed with a toasted garlic butter melted on top. Each bite is pure bliss.
What are Everything Soft Garlic Knots?
These super soft garlic knots are made using a homemade dough that doubles as a pizza dough recipe but is extremely simple to prepare. Making them takes around 3 hours, but the tips and steps make a great introduction for learning to prepare most bread recipes.
This Everything Soft Garlic Knots recipe has a melted garlic butter brushed on top and then sprinkled with everything spice for a buttery salty finish. They’re perfect for serving pre-pizza or pasta and make a delicious appetizer or weekend snack.
What is Everything Seasoning?
Everything seasoning is a 5 spice blend of poppy seeds, sesame seeds, black sesame seeds, minced dried garlic, and minced dried onion. These ingredients mixed together to create a salty crunchy taste to any recipe and are especially perfect for topping bread.
Where Did Everything Seasoning Come From?
I’ll never forget hearing my Mom mention Regis and Kathy Lee talking about the new “everything bagel” sensation when I was young. The first time I tasted one after they’d become mainstream and hit the stores, I was hooked. Little did I know a fresh NYC everything seasoned bagel was infinitely better.
There are many origins to who first invented the everything seasoning. Legend has it coming from a bagel shop in Brooklyn from the early ’80s. Instead of cleaning up all the toasted spices, such as sesame seeds and minced dried onions, a bagel shop decided to use the fallen seasoning crumbs on toasted bagels.
The result is history and a delicious seasoning that tastes great on many different types of food, most notably bread.
What do Everything Soft Garlic Knots Taste Like?
These bread rolls are pillowy soft with a thick buttery taste. The crunchy everything seasoning adds a salty finish.
Ingredients in Garlic Knots
Making this everything soft garlic knots recipe is easy and only requires some of the most basic pantry ingredients.
- All-Purpose Flour: standard all-purpose flour is best for this recipe, however, you can use bread flour too. Other flours such as white whole wheat, or even whole wheat will not rise properly due to the difference in gluten. This also means you can not use alternative flours such as gluten-free flour for this recipe.
- Sugar: these garlic knots are not at all sweet, but you do need sugar to activate the yeast and get it to rise. Using a standard granulated sugar will work best.
- Active Dry Yeast: This recipe calls for 2 1/2 teaspoons of yeast, which is the equivalent to 1 of the small packets of active dry yeast. You can use Instant Yeast as well, with only a slight recipe change, which I explain more in detail below.
- Lukewarm Water: Make sure your water measures exactly 110ºF to 115ºF. Water temperature below this range will not activate the yeast and any warmer will kill the yeast.
- Canola Oil: This basic oil has little taste so unnecessary flavors are not added, however, you can use vegetable oil or even olive oil as a substitute.
- Salt: Standard table salt is needed as part of the activating process for this recipe. If you have different salts, such as sea salt or Himalayan salt you can also use them.
Toppings Ingredients
- Butter: Since the butter in this recipe is used for added flavor I like to use a high-quality brand. It also does not matter if the butter is salted or unsalted.
- Garlic Cloves: The more you can mince the garlic cloves the better. This way the flavor will spread more evenly and you won’t be stuck with garlic clumps on the knots.
- Everything Seasoning (recipe below): This crunchy seasoning is the perfect salty addition to these knots. Many stores sell everything seasoning in the spice aisle, however, you can make your own using the recipe below.
Everything Seasoning Recipe
This delicious seasoning mix has become so popular recently many stores have their own version such as Trader Joes or you can purchase it from Amazon here. Combine the below seeds and spices in a small bowl to make this seasoning.
- 2 tablespoons Poppy Seeds
- Tablespoon White Sesame Seeds
- Tablespoon Black Sesame Seeds
- 1 1/3 tablespoons Dried Minced Garlic
- 1 1/3 tablespoons Dried Minced Onion
- 2 teaspoons Flaked Sea Salt
How to Make Soft Garlic Knots
These light and airy everything soft garlic knots are easy to make. Though they do require yeast and a little time for rising, as far as bread-making goes, this is a great recipe to learn.
- Proof Yeast
In a small bowl combine warm water, yeast, and 1 tablespoon of the sugar. Let sit for about 10 minutes, until it is foamy.
- Mix
In the bowl of a stand mixer combine the flour, remaining tablespoon of sugar, and salt together. Pour in the yeast mixture and oil. Using the hook attachment beat the dough together on low speed at first and then medium speed for 5 minutes.
- Rise
Place the dough in an oiled bowl and set in a warm or humid spot for 1 to 2 hours to let the dough rise. Once it has doubled in size it’s ready.
- Punch
Gently punch the dough once after it has doubled in size to release the air.
- Portion
Either roll the dough out into a 16-inch long log and slice into 16 equal pieces or use a food scale to measure out pieces weighing approximately 45 grams.
- Roll
Roll each piece of dough out to an 8-inch long rope before shaping it into a knot.
- Shape
To shape the cross one end over the other like the picture below and tie into a knot. Tuck the small pieces underneath the knot and set on a greased baking sheet. Let the knots sit on the baking sheet for 20 to 30 additional minutes to once again rise. While the knots are rising set the oven to 425ºF.
- Butter
Before placing the knots into the oven melt the butter in a small saucepan and brush on top of each knot.
- Bake
Place a rack in the center of the oven and bake the bread for 3 minutes and then lower the oven temperature to 375ºF and bake for an additional 12 to 15 minutes.
- Season
While the knots are baking mince the garlic and stir with the everything seasoning. Remove the knots from the oven and brush the remaining butter on top and sprinkle with the seasoning mixture. Place back in the oven for an additional 3 minutes until the garlic knots begin to brown on top.
Tips for Making this Everything Soft Garlic Knots Recipe
How to Shape Garlic Knots
Once the dough has finished rising to double it’s original size lightly punch it down so it begins to deflate. Next, divide the dough into 16 equal parts or use a scale to measure it. Follow the guide below for step-by-step information for shaping garlic knots.
- Measure the Size: Divide the though into 16 equal portions, weighing at about 45 grams. If you don’t have a food scale, use your hands to shape the dough into a 16-inch sized log and then cut into 16 1-inch sized strips.
- Roll into Strips: Using your hands roll each piece into an 8-inch long rope.
- Tie a Knot: Carefully tie the rope into a knot and tuck the ends underneath the bottom of the roll.
- Place on a prepared baking sheet.
Can I use Instant Yeast instead of Active Dry Yeast?
Yes. If using Instant Yeast skip step 1 and all the dry ingredients to the mixer and combine before moving to step 2.
Why did my dough not rise?
Answering this question can always be tricky because there are many factors that can cause the dough to not rise.
- Check the expiration date first.
- If the climate isn’t humid enough the dough will take longer to rise. If your dough hasn’t doubled after 2 hours you can place it in the oven on the lowest setting (preferably 100ºF).
Can I freeze leftovers?
Yes! You can place them in a plastic Ziplock bag and store them in the freezer.
For more easy bread recipes try these next:
Ingredients
- 3 cups All Purpose Flour
- 2 tablespoons Sugar divided
- 2¼ tablespoons Active Dry Yeast
- 1 cup Luke Warm Water 100ºF – 115ºF
- 3 tablespoons Canola Oil
- 1¼ teaspoon Salt
Topping
- 8 tablespoons Butter
- 4 Garlic Cloves minced
- 2 tablespoons Everything Seasoning
Instructions
Proof the Yeast
- To proof the yeast place 1 cup of lukewarm water (110ºF – 115ºF) in a small bowl and stir in the active dry yeast, and 1 tablespoon of sugar. Let sit for 7 to 10 minutes or until the top is foamy.
Knead Dough (Using a stand mixer or by hand)
- Using a bread machine or the hook attachment on a stand mixer mix the flour, remaining 1 tablespoon of sugar, and salt together. Setting the mixer to a low speed add the yeast mixture and oil. Once the dough begins to form, after about 2 to 3 minutes increase the speed to medium and continue to mix for about 5 minutes, until the dough begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl.(If using your hands to knead the dough combine the same ingredients in a large bowl and stir together using a wooden spoon. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and begin to knead using your hands and folding over the dough as your knead it).
- Spray a large bowl with oil and place the dough into the bowl. Loosely cover with plastic wrap and either place in a slightly humid area to rise for 1 to 2 hours or place the bowl in the oven set to 100ºF (if your oven has a proof setting you can also use it). Once the dough has doubled in size it is ready.
- Once the dough has doubled in size gently punch it down to release the air.
Shape the Knots
- Either roll the dough out into a 16-inch long log and slice into 16 equal pieces or use a food scale to measure out dough weighing approximately 45 grams. Coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray.
- Roll each piece of dough out to an 8-inch long rope before shaping it into a knot.
- Cross one end over the other and tie in a knot. Gently tuck the ends under the roll and place on the prepared baking sheet.
- Preheat the oven to 375ºF and let the rolls sit for 20 to 30 minutes to rise again before baking.
Topping
- Melt the 1/2 the butter in a small saucepan and brush on top of the knots before placing them in the oven.
- Bake the knots for 15 minutes and remove from the oven to finish garnishing them.
- While the knots are baking place the remaining butter and minced garlic into the small saucepan and cook until the garlic becomes fragrant, about 2 to 3 minutes Brush on top of the knots, and sprinkle each one with everything seasoning. Place back in the oven for 3 to 5 minutes to brown the tops.
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