Garlic Parmesan Knots

I keep a can of biscuit dough in my fridge because sometimes you just need something fast that still feels like you tried. These Garlic Parmesan Knots are what happens when you’re too tired for actual bread making but still want something that smells like you care.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Takes 25 minutes start to finish which means you can pull these off on a weeknight.
• The stretching part is weirdly satisfying once you get the hang of it and the dough stops fighting back.
• Garlic butter soaks into all those twisted crevices.
• You probably have everything already except maybe the biscuit dough.
• They look way harder to make than they actually are.
• That first bite when they’re still warm and the Parmesan is slightly crispy on top but the inside is soft.

The Story Behind This Recipe

Last Tuesday I got home around 6:30 and didn’t want to order takeout again. I had a can of biscuit dough that was getting close to its date and I remembered my mom used to do something similar with frozen rolls but that takes like 4 hours to rise. I figured I could stretch these out and tie them up with some garlic butter I threw together. Honestly I was just trying to use what I had and not go to the store. The first couple knots looked rough but by the fourth one I had it down. When they came out of the oven my kitchen smelled better than it had all week and I ate three of them standing at the counter before I even thought about plating them.

What You Need

You’ll need 1 can of biscuit dough with 10 biscuits inside. I used the Pillsbury kind in the cardboard tube that you whack on the counter edge because that’s what was in my fridge. The dough needs to be stretchy enough to roll into a rope without snapping back immediately which is why the refrigerated kind works better than those frozen hockey pucks.

For the butter mixture you’ll melt 1/4 cup of butter. I did it in the microwave for 30 seconds because I wasn’t trying to dirty a pan. Then you need 1 teaspoon garlic powder which gives you that garlic hit without having to mince actual cloves at 7 PM on a Tuesday. The 1/4 cup grated Parmesan is the stuff in the green can for me but if you want to grate fresh that’s cool too. It’ll just taste a bit sharper.

You also need 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning which is basically dried basil oregano and whatever else they throw in that jar. If you skip it the knots won’t be bad but they’ll taste more one-note. The 1/2 teaspoon salt is important because biscuit dough on its own is kind of bland and the salt wakes everything up once that garlic butter soaks in.

How to Make Garlic Parmesan Knots

Turn your oven to 350°F and grab a baking sheet. Spray it with nonstick spray or use parchment if you’re out of spray like I was the first time and then spent 10 minutes scraping stuck dough off the pan later.

Pop open the biscuit can and pull the rounds apart. Take one biscuit and start rolling it between your palms like you’re making a Play-Doh snake. You want it to stretch into a rope that’s 10 to 12 inches long. The dough fights you at first and wants to spring back but if you keep working it eventually it gives up and stays stretched. This is the part where the first couple look weird and lumpy but you get better fast.

Once you’ve got your rope tie it into a simple overhand knot. Just loop it over itself once like you’re starting to tie your shoe. Pinch the ends together at the bottom so the whole thing doesn’t unravel in the oven. Put each knot on your baking sheet with a little space between them because they puff up.

Now make the butter mixture. Melt your 1/4 cup butter and dump in the 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/4 cup Parmesan, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Whisk it all together and it’ll smell really good right away. The Parmesan doesn’t fully dissolve which is fine because those little bits get crispy on top.

Spoon that butter mix over each knot generously. Don’t be shy with it. You want it pooling in all those twisted spots because that’s where the flavor lives. I used a spoon instead of a brush because I’m lazy and it worked fine.

Slide the pan into your 350°F oven. At around 12 minutes you’ll start hearing this faint crackling sound and that’s when I opened the door to check. They need about 15 minutes total to get golden brown on top with the edges just starting to crisp up. The bottoms should be set but not dark. When I pulled mine out one of the knots in the back corner was a shade lighter than the others because my oven runs uneven but it still tasted the same.

Let them sit for a minute when they come out because the butter’s basically molten and you’ll burn your mouth. I didn’t wait and regretted it.

What I Did Wrong the First Time

I didn’t stretch the dough long enough on my first few knots and they ended up thick and doughy in the middle instead of light. When you tie a knot with short fat dough it bakes into this dense blob that’s undercooked inside even when the outside looks done. By the time I got to knot number seven I’d figured out that thinner is better and those last few came out way lighter with more surface area for the garlic butter to cling to.

Garlic Parmesan Knots

By Emma

Prep:

10 min

Cook:

15 min

Total:

25 min

Servings:

8 servings

Ingredients

• 1 can biscuit dough, 10 biscuits
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Method

1. 1 Heat the oven to 350°F and spray a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray so the knots won’t stick.
2. 2 Open the biscuit can and separate each biscuit. Take one biscuit and stretch it by rolling between your palms into a 10 to 12-inch snake of dough. Stretching enough will make the dough thinner and easier to knot without tearing.
3. 3 Form the dough rope into a knot and pinch the ends tight at the bottom so it holds shape. Set each knot on the prepared sheet, spacing them slightly apart because they’ll expand as they bake.
4. 4 In a small bowl, whisk together the melted butter, garlic powder, grated Parmesan, Italian seasoning, and salt. The aroma thickens here from the garlic and herb mix.
5. 5 Generously spoon the butter mixture over each knot so it seeps into every curve and pockets of dough.
6. 6 Load the tray into the oven. Listen for the faint crackle starting around 12 minutes; that’s your cue to check the color of the knots. They should turn golden brown with a slightly crisp exterior but still tender inside—about 15 minutes total baking.
7. 7 Once the knots have that warm, golden look and the kitchen smells like garlic and cheese, pull them out and let cool a minute before serving.

Nutritional information

Calories

271

Protein

6g

Carbs

22g

Fat

18g

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Tips for the Best Garlic Parmesan Knots

Let the biscuit dough sit on the counter for 5 minutes before you start stretching. Cold dough snaps back and fights you the whole time but room temperature dough cooperates and holds its shape better once you’ve got it rolled out.

When you’re stretching the rope don’t roll it all in one go. Work from the center outward in short pushes with your palms otherwise you end up with thick lumpy ends and a skinny middle that tears. I learned this around knot number five when I finally stopped rushing.

Use the back of a spoon to really push that butter mixture into the crevices of each knot before baking. If it just sits on top it slides off onto the pan and burns instead of soaking into the dough where you actually want it.

Don’t space them too far apart on the sheet. They need to be close enough that the edges almost touch because the butter pooling between them creates these crispy connected spots that are honestly the best bites. Mine were about an inch apart and that worked.

If your oven runs hot check them at 13 minutes instead of waiting the full 15. The difference between golden and overdone happens fast and once the bottoms get dark they taste bitter no matter how good the tops look.

Serving Ideas

I ate mine with marinara for dipping which turned them into a deconstructed pizza situation. The acidity from the tomato sauce cut through the butter in a way that made me keep going back for more.

They’re good alongside soup especially if it’s something simple like tomato or minestrone that needs a carb on the side. The garlic butter soaks up whatever broth drips onto your plate.

You could also tear them apart and toss the pieces into a salad while they’re still warm. The Parmesan and garlic turn into a makeshift crouton that’s softer in the middle and actually tastes like something.

Variations

Swap the Parmesan for shredded mozzarella and you get these stretchy cheesy knots that pull apart differently. The mozzarella melts into the dough more than Parmesan does so they’re gooier but you lose some of that sharp salty hit.

Add 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes to the butter mixture if you want a little heat. It doesn’t make them spicy exactly but you get this warm tingle on the back of your tongue that works with the garlic.

Use 2 minced garlic cloves instead of garlic powder for a sharper more assertive flavor. Fresh garlic tastes different — less mellow, more in your face — and sometimes the pieces get a tiny bit crispy on top which I didn’t hate. You just have to actually mince garlic which I wasn’t up for on a Tuesday.

Brush them with honey butter after they come out instead of the garlic mix and you’ve got sweet rolls. Sounds weird for this biscuit dough recipe but my neighbor tried it and said her kids destroyed them in under 10 minutes.

FAQ

Can I use homemade biscuit dough instead of canned?

Yeah but it won’t be as fast and the whole point here is speed. Homemade dough usually has a different texture — more crumbly, less stretchy — so the knots might tear when you try to tie them. If you’re going homemade anyway you might as well make actual bread dough.

What if my dough keeps snapping back when I stretch it?

Let it rest for a minute on the counter. The gluten needs to relax or it’ll just keep fighting you. I’d stretch one, let it sit, move to the next, and by the time I came back to the first one it was easier to work with.

Can I make these ahead and bake them later?

You can tie the knots and refrigerate them for a few hours before brushing with butter and baking. Any longer than that and the dough starts to dry out and get weird. I wouldn’t freeze them because biscuit dough gets dense and heavy after freezing and these need to stay light.

How do I store leftovers?

Put them in an airtight container or a zip bag once they’re completely cool. They’ll keep on the counter for a day or in the fridge for three days. The butter makes them go soft after a while so they won’t be as good as fresh but they’re still edible.

What’s the best way to reheat Garlic Parmesan Knots?

Oven at 300°F for about 5 minutes brings back some of the crisp on the outside. Microwave makes them chewy and sad. If you’re reheating a bunch put them on a sheet pan so they’re not stacked because the ones on the bottom steam and get soggy.

Can I double this recipe?

Sure just use 2 cans of biscuit dough and double the butter mixture. You’ll need two baking sheets or bake them in batches because crowding the pan makes them steam instead of crisp up. I didn’t do this myself but the math works.

Why did my knots come out doughy in the middle?

You didn’t stretch the dough thin enough before tying. Thick dough takes longer to bake through and by the time the middle’s done the outside is overdone. Make sure your rope is actually 10 to 12 inches long and skinny enough that you can see light through it if you hold it up.

Can I use salted butter?

You can but cut the added salt down to 1/4 teaspoon or they’ll be too salty. I used unsalted because that’s what I had but if salted is all you’ve got just adjust. Taste the butter mixture before you brush it on and you’ll know if it needs less salt.

Do I have to use Italian seasoning?

No but without it the knots taste flat. If you don’t have the jarred blend just throw in a pinch of dried basil and oregano. I wouldn’t skip herbs entirely because the garlic and Parmesan alone don’t have enough going on.

What if I don’t have garlic powder?

Use garlic salt and skip the added 1/2 teaspoon salt or you’ll overdo it. Garlic salt isn’t quite as strong as garlic powder but it works in a pinch and I’ve done it when my powder jar was empty.

Can I brush them with the butter after baking instead of before?

That’s backwards from how this works. The butter needs to bake into the dough so it soaks in and crisps up the Parmesan on top. Brushing after just makes them greasy and the cheese won’t stick right.

How do I know when they’re done if my oven doesn’t have a window?

Check at 13 minutes. They should be firm when you press the top lightly and the edges should look dry not wet. If they’re still pale give them 2 more minutes and check again. The bottoms should be set and starting to color but not dark brown.

Can I add fresh parsley on top?

Yeah chop some and sprinkle it on right when they come out of the oven while the butter’s still wet so it sticks. It makes them look less beige and adds a little freshness but it’s not necessary for flavor.

What size baking sheet should I use?

A standard half sheet pan works. I used a 13x18 inch one and all 10 knots fit with room between them. If your pan is smaller just bake in two batches so they’re not crowded.

Why do the ends of my knots keep coming undone?

You’re not pinching them tight enough at the bottom after you tie the knot. Really squeeze those ends together and tuck them under if they’re long. I had one come undone in the oven the first time and it just baked into a flat weird strip.

Can I use a different cheese?

Asiago works and tastes similar to Parmesan just a bit milder. Cheddar doesn’t really fit with the garlic and Italian seasoning combo and turns these into something completely different. Romano is sharper and saltier than Parmesan so if you use it cut back on the salt a little.

Do these work as easy snack recipes for a party?

Yeah they’re fast enough that you could make a double batch and people eat them warm. Just keep in mind they’re best fresh so don’t bake them hours ahead. I’d time it so they come out of the oven maybe 20 minutes before people show up and the smell hits them when they walk in.