Warm, garlicky bread doesn't have to mean making dough from scratch. These Quick and Easy Garlic Parmesan Knots turn refrigerated biscuit dough into golden, fluffy knots brushed with Parmesan, garlic, and Italian herbs. With no yeast or rising time and just 10 to 12 minutes in the oven, they're an easy addition to pasta night, pizza night, or just about any dinner that could use some warm bread on the side.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
There are plenty of reasons to keep a tube of refrigerated biscuits handy when you can turn them into something this delicious.
- Simple ingredients. Refrigerated biscuits and a handful of pantry staples are all you need.
- Quick and easy. There's no yeast, kneading, or rising time. Just shape, brush, and bake.
- Ready in minutes. Just 10 minutes of prep and 10 to 12 minutes in the oven, make these garlic knots easy to add to a weeknight meal.
- Soft and fluffy. Refrigerated buttermilk biscuit dough gives the knots a tender, fluffy center surrounded by a lightly golden exterior.
- Loaded with garlic and Parmesan. Brushing the knots with the garlic-Parmesan mixture both before and after baking gives them plenty of savory, cheesy flavor.
- Versatile. Serve them alongside pasta, pizza, soup, salad, or with your favorite dipping sauce.
What Makes These Garlic Parmesan Knots So Good?
These canned biscuit garlic knots get an extra boost of flavor from being brushed twice with a savory mixture of olive oil, Parmesan, garlic, and Italian herbs. The first coating bakes into the biscuit dough as the knots turn golden brown, then a second coating goes on as soon as they come out of the oven.
The result is a soft and fluffy center surrounded by plenty of garlicky, cheesy, herby goodness. And since you're making garlic knots from biscuits, you get all that flavor without waiting for homemade yeast dough to rise.
Ingredients and Their Role in the Garlic Knots
You only need a few pantry staples to make these easy homemade garlic knots. Here's what they're made with and what each ingredient brings to the recipe.
- Refrigerated buttermilk biscuits - The shortcut that makes these knots so quick and easy. The biscuit dough bakes up tender and fluffy without the need for yeast or rising time.
- Extra-light olive oil - Carries the Parmesan, garlic, and herb flavors while adding richness to the outside of the knots. Extra-light refers to its mild flavor, not its calorie content.
- Parmesan cheese - Adds salty, nutty, cheesy flavor to every knot.
- Garlic powder - Gives the coating plenty of garlic flavor and distributes evenly throughout the oil mixture.
- Italian seasoning - Adds a blend of herbs that gives the knots their classic Italian-inspired flavor.
- Dried parsley - Adds another layer of herb flavor and a touch of color.
Best Biscuits for Garlic Knots
Large refrigerated buttermilk biscuits are ideal because each biscuit has enough dough to roll into a long rope and tie into a knot. Pillsbury Grands Buttermilk Biscuits work particularly well and are what I use for this recipe.
You can use another size or brand of refrigerated biscuit dough. Just keep in mind that the knots may bake more quickly, so start checking them a few minutes early.
How to Make Garlic Knots with Biscuits
Making garlic knots with canned biscuits couldn't be any simpler. Instead of mixing and waiting for yeast dough to rise, you can go straight to shaping, seasoning, and baking. Here's what to do:
For the seasoned oil:
- In a small bowl, combine olive oil, Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, and dried parsley.
- Mix well.
For the garlic knots:
- Separate the biscuits. Taking one at a time. roll it between your palms or on the counter into a long 12" rope. Tie into a knot and tucking the ends underneath. Repeat with remaining biscuits.
- Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Brush knots with half of the garlic parmesan oil.
- Ready to bake.
- Bake at 400°F for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.
- Remove from oven and immediately brush with remaining garlic parmesan oil.
Just look at those rolls just covered with garlic oil and cheese! Yum! Serve immediately and get ready to lick your fingers so you get every single drop of that Parmesan, garlic, and herb flavor.
Recipe Tips for Success
One of the best things about garlic knots with biscuit dough is how forgiving they are. Still, a few simple tricks will help them turn out soft, fluffy, golden, and flavorful every time.
- Skip the extra flour if possible. You shouldn't need to flour your work surface to roll the dough. Too much flour can make it harder to shape and seal the knots.
- Roll from the center outward. Use your palms to gently work from the center toward the ends to create a long, evenly sized rope.
- Don't worry about perfect knots. They don't have to look identical. Tucking the ends underneath gives even rustic knots a neat appearance.
- Tie the knots loosely. Biscuit dough expands quite a bit in the oven, so don't pull the knot too tight.
- Give them room to rise. Leave space between the knots on the baking sheet so they can puff without baking into one another.
- Divide the garlic mixture. Use only half before baking and save the rest for afterward. That second coating gives the warm knots an extra burst of Parmesan, garlic, and herb flavor.
- Brush them while they're hot. Add the remaining garlic mixture as soon as the knots come out of the oven so it coats the warm bread.
- Use the color as your guide. Ovens and refrigerated biscuit brands can vary, so start checking around 10 minutes and remove the knots when they're puffed and golden brown.
- Serve them warm. Garlic knots are at their best when they're fresh from the oven and the centers are still wonderfully soft.
Recipe Variations to Make Them Your Own
The basic recipe is delicious as-is, but it's also easy to change the seasonings and cheeses to create your own version.
- Butter - Replace some or all of the olive oil with melted butter for an even richer flavor.
- Fresh Garlic - Add a small amount of finely minced or grated fresh garlic to the portion of the oil mixture reserved for brushing the knots after baking.
- Spicy - Add crushed red pepper flakes to the Parmesan-garlic mixture for a little heat.
- Herbs - Add extra oregano, basil, rosemary, or parsley to change up the herb flavor.
- Extra Cheesy - Sprinkle shredded mozzarella over the knots during the last few minutes of baking.
- Cheese-Stuffed - Wrap the biscuit dough around a small cube of mozzarella before shaping for a gooey cheese center.
Dipping Sauce for Garlic Knots
These knots have plenty of flavor on their own, but adding a garlic knots dipping sauce makes them even more irresistible. Keep things classic with marinara, double down on the garlic with melted garlic butter, or try something creamy or cheesy.
- Marinara or Pizza Sauce - A classic choice with bright tomato flavor that's perfect with garlic and Parmesan.
- Asiago Cream Sauce - Rich and creamy with plenty of cheesy Asiago flavor.
- Melted Garlic Butter - Because sometimes there's no such thing as too much garlic.
- Pesto - Fresh herbs and basil flavor pair beautifully with the Parmesan knots.
- Ranch Dressing - Cool, creamy, and loaded with herbs for an easy dipping option.
- Vodka Sauce - A rich and creamy tomato sauce that makes these knots even more indulgent.
What to Serve with Garlic Knots
Warm garlic knots are an easy way to round out Italian-inspired dinners, soups, and other comfort-food favorites. They're perfect for soaking up extra sauce, and they make just about any weeknight dinner feel a little more special.
Italian Stuffed Chicken Breasts - Add garlic knots for an easy bread to complete this Italian-inspired chicken dinner.
Lasagna - Layers of pasta, meat sauce, and cheese are even better with warm garlic knots for soaking up the sauce.
Chicken Parmesan - Crispy chicken, marinara, melted cheese, and garlicky bread make a delicious combination.
Italian Meatball Casserole - Serve the knots alongside this cheesy meatball casserole to scoop up every bit of sauce.
Pepperoni Pizza - Turn homemade pizza night into a feast with warm garlic knots on the side.
Chicken Gnocchi Soup - Soft garlic knots are perfect for dipping into a warm bowl of creamy soup.
How to Store, Freeze, and Reheat
Garlic knots are best warm from the oven, but leftovers are easy to save for another meal. Make sure the knots have cooled completely before storing them to prevent condensation from making them soggy.
Storing: Place leftover garlic knots in an airtight container or resealable plastic bag and store them at room temperature for up to 2 days. You can also refrigerate them for up to 4 days, although refrigeration can cause bread to dry out more quickly.
Freezing: These baked garlic knots freeze well. Once completely cool, place them in a freezer-safe container or bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw them at room temperature or overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Reheating: Warm the knots in a 350°F oven for about 5 to 8 minutes or until heated through. You can also reheat them in an air fryer at 325°F for a few minutes, checking frequently so they don't become too crisp. For a quick option, microwave individual knots for several seconds until warm, although they will be softer. Brush reheated knots with a little melted butter or olive oil if you want to refresh their flavor and texture.
Have Questions?
Scroll down below the recipe card to find frequently asked questions about garlic knots and this recipe.
More Easy Bread Recipes
Nothing completes a meal quite like warm bread on the side. From fluffy rolls and focaccia to savory garlic bread, these easy recipes make it simple to add freshly baked bread to dinner.
- Air Fryer Garlic Bread - Crispy around the edges, soft in the middle, and loaded with buttery garlic flavor.
- Air Fryer Dinner Rolls - An easy way to make warm, soft rolls without turning on the oven.
- Fried Bread Cakes - An old-fashioned bread recipe that's fried until golden brown.
- Focaccia - A shortcut focaccia made with frozen rolls for an easy alternative to making dough from scratch.
- Garlic Rosemary Skillet Bread - A savory skillet bread flavored with fragrant rosemary and garlic.
Find lots of easy bread recipes here on 2CM!
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Easy Garlic Knots
Ingredients
- 1 tube refrigerated buttermilk biscuits (I used Pillsbury Grands Buttermilk Biscuits)
- 7 Tablespoons Extra Light Olive Oil
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- 1 ½ teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or simply spray with non-stick spray.
- Open biscuit can and separate biscuits. Taking one biscuit at a time, roll into a long 12" rope with the palms of your hands. Tie into a knot, tuck under the ends and place on the prepared cookie sheet. Repeat with remaining biscuits.
- Mix oil, cheese, garlic powder, and herbs in a small bowl.
- Brush knots with half of the oil mixture.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.
- Brush remaining flavored oil over rolls as soon as they come out of the oven.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
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Nutrition
This post has been updated with new photos, step-by-step directions, and delicious recipe tricks and variations. It was first published on October 21, 2015.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can you make garlic knots with canned biscuits?
Yes. Refrigerated canned biscuit dough is a great shortcut for garlic knots because there's no need to make yeast dough or wait for it to rise. Simply roll each biscuit into a rope, tie it into a knot, brush with the garlic-Parmesan mixture, and bake.
What biscuits are best for garlic knots?
Large refrigerated buttermilk biscuits, such as Pillsbury Grands, work particularly well. The larger biscuits provide enough dough to make a 12-inch rope that's easy to tie into a knot.
Smaller refrigerated biscuits can also be used, but they'll make smaller garlic knots and may need less time in the oven.
How do you shape garlic knots?
Roll one biscuit into a long rope using the palms of your hands. Loosely tie the rope into a simple knot, then tuck both ends underneath. Don't pull the knot too tightly because the biscuit dough needs room to expand as it bakes.
How long do you bake garlic knots?
These biscuit garlic knots bake at 400°F for about 10 to 12 minutes. They're ready when they've puffed up and turned golden brown. Baking time can vary depending on your oven and the size and brand of biscuits, so start checking them around the 10-minute mark.
Can I use butter instead of olive oil?
Yes. You can replace some or all of the olive oil with melted butter. Butter will give the garlic knots a richer, more buttery flavor.
Can I use fresh garlic instead of garlic powder?
Yes, but fresh garlic can burn at the oven temperature used for this recipe. For the best results, use garlic powder in the mixture brushed onto the knots before baking. If you want fresh garlic flavor, add finely minced or grated garlic to the portion of the mixture that's brushed over the knots after they come out of the oven.
Can I make garlic knots ahead of time?
Yes. For the best texture, bake the garlic knots ahead rather than shaping the raw biscuit dough and letting it sit. Once baked and cooled, store the knots in an airtight container and reheat them shortly before serving.
Can you freeze garlic knots?
Yes. Let the baked knots cool completely, then place them in a freezer-safe container or bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw before reheating for the best results.
How do you reheat garlic knots?
Reheat garlic knots in a 350°F oven for about 5 to 8 minutes or until warmed through. You can also use an air fryer at 325°F for a few minutes. For an extra burst of flavor, brush the warm knots with a little melted butter or olive oil before serving.
What do you dip garlic knots in?
Marinara and pizza sauce are classic choices, but there are plenty of other delicious options. Try melted garlic butter, pesto, ranch dressing, vodka sauce, or a creamy cheese sauce.
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