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freshly baked sourdough garlic knots

Sourdough Garlic Knots

My husband absolutely loves anything that contains garlic, so of course these sourdough garlic knots are one of his favorites! They're super soft and fluffy, perfect as a side for homemade pizza, pasta, and soups. It's not uncommon to see these knots on our supper table once a week!
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Fermenting & Proofing 14 hours
Total Time 14 hours 25 minutes
Course Appetizer
Cuisine Sourdough
Servings 6 garlic knots

Ingredients
  

  • 1/4 cup fed sourdough starter feed it 4-12 hours before using
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp avocado oil or melted butter
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • 1 tsp raw honey
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Garlic Butter

  • 4 Tbsp butter salted
  • 3/4 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • Optional - 1/2 tsp dried parsley

Instructions
 

  • BEFORE YOU GET STARTED: Feed your starter 4-12 hours before starting this recipe. I recommend feeding it a 2:1 ratio of unbleached flour to filtered water to get the same results as I do when you make this recipe. Example: Feed 1 cup flour + 1/2 cup water and let the starter sit on the counter at room temperature until it's bubbly and has grow in the jar. Your starter needs to be active, bubbly, and a thicker consistency to begin this recipe.
  • Add all ingredients into a large mixing bowl and stir to combine (dough will be shaggy).
  • Use your hands to bring dough into a ball (add 1 Tbsp extra water if needed).
  • Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead by hand for 3 minutes.
  • Place dough back into the bowl and cover with a damp kitchen towel, seran wrap, or a lid loosely for 10 hours to bulk ferment. The dough should double in size. See notes for helpful information.
  • When the dough has finished fermenting, line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • Turn dough out onto the counter, no flour needed.
  • Cut dough into 6 even pieces.
  • Roll each piece into a rope about 8 inches long
  • Then using your hands tie the rope into a knot in the center and tuck the ends underneath it.
  • Place the knots 2 inches apart on the baking sheet and cover with a dry kitchen towel for 3-4 hours to rise. See notes for helpful information.
  • Once doubled in size, preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Place the butter in a small oven-safe dish and place it in the preheating oven until melted.
  • When the butter is melted take it out of the oven and add in salt, garlic powder, and parsley. Stir to combine.
  • Brush knots with half of the garlic butter mixture then bake for 15-18 minutes.
  • Remove from oven and brush with the other half of the garlic butter. Enjoy!

Notes

IMPORTANT INFORMATION!
  • Make sure your starter is active! BEFORE YOU GET STARTED: Feed your starter 4-12 hours before starting this recipe. I recommend feeding it a 2:1 ratio of unbleached flour to filtered water to get the same results as I do when you make this recipe. Example: Feed 1 cup flour + 1/2 cup water and let the starter sit on the counter at room temperature until it's bubbly and has grow in the jar. Your starter needs to be active, bubbly, and a thicker consistency to begin this recipe.
  • Let the dough bulk ferment for 12 hours. It is important to let your dough bulk ferment for the full 12 hours. It should double in size and have air bubbles in it.
  • Place the dough in a warm spot to rise. For both the bulk ferment and the second rise after shaping, your dough needs to be at room temperature in a non-drafty place.
 
What to do if your dough isn't doubling in size during the bulk ferment and/or 2nd rise:
  • If your dough doesn't look like it's doing anything halfway through the rises, you need to place it in a slightly warmer area.
  • This can be in a turned-off oven with the light on and oven door open, or you can slightly warm the oven to about 75-80 degrees Fahrenheit, then turn it off and place your dough inside with the door shut.
  • Never leave the oven on, even on the keep warm setting, with fermenting dough inside. Your dough, for both rises, needs to double.
 
What to do if your dough won't double in size even in the warmer place (and your baked good is dense):
  • If your dough doesn't double even in the warmer area, there is a problem with your starter. It is too weak to ferment the dough even in a warm environment.
  • To fix this, you will want to leave your starter out on the counter for 2 days and feed it every 12 hours at a 2:1 ratio of unbleached flour to filtered water. 
  • For example, 1 cup unbleached flour + 1/2 cup filtered (or bottled) water.
  • Make sure you're using unbleached flour and filtered or bottled water to do this. If you don't, it will affect your starter strength. Reverse osmosis water (or any water that uses salt in the filter) can make the starter weak.
  • This will strengthen the cultures in your starter to give you fluffy baked bread and treats. After the 2 days, you can go back to feeding it like usual (once a week if stored in the fridge or once a day if stored on the counter). Be sure to use the 2:1 ratio feeding from here on out.
 
Recipe Notes Disclaimer
I feed my sourdough starter a 2:1 ratio of unbleached flour to filtered water, this creates a 50% hydrated starter. If you feed your starter differently or it isn't active before you start making this recipe, results may vary.
Keyword garlic knots sourdough, sourdough garlic knots