Say goodbye to carb-envy with my impossibly soft, squishy, and easy gluten-free garlic knots recipe. They are ready to devour in less than 1 hour, with no kneading and a short 20 minute rise. My homemade, doughy garlic twists will have you second guessing they are actually GF!
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Squishy Soft Gluten-Free Garlic Knots With Garlic Butter Topping
I’m all about bringing back the bread basket. When I finally got this homemade gluten-free garlic knots recipe just right I knew it would make a great addition to my collection of no-fail gluten-free bread recipes. It was a delicate dance of getting the dough stiff enough to roll and twist into signature knots, but also having it bake up just as soft and fluffy as I remember.
Because the dough has to be twisted I couldn’t use the easy shaping technique from copycat Olive garden gluten-free breadsticks, where the dough is simply squeezed out of a ziplock bag. To make garlic butter garlic knots using gluten-free flour, the dough has to be more malleable.
A lot of recipes will accomplish this by simply adding more GF flour. While it will make the dough easy to shape, it will also bake up dry and crumbly, and no one wants that. Just as much as we want chewy, soft gluten-fee pretzels to have that old school mall court texture, we want the same from pizzeria-style garlic twists.
The magic is using a quality gluten-free flour, a combination of ingredients for a nice lofty rise, and a special gluten-free baking agent that works wonders for shapeable doughs. Check it out below!
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Ingredients For Success
- Gluten-free flour blend – Using a quality gluten-free flour makes or breaks the texture. I highly recommend using Cup4Cup gluten-free flour because it contains cornstarch, which softens the crumb. A good runner up would be King Arthur gluten-free bread flour, but then I would reduce the psyllium husk powder by half.
- Psyllium Husk Powder – Although with some gluten-free bread recipes, I denote the psyllium is optional, with this recipe it is essential. It maintains moisture, adds softness, and elasticity, helping shaping and forming the dough. I recommended the linked brand because it will keep the baked dough light colored instead of dark or even purple. Weird, I know…
- Potato starch – Instead of adding more GF flour to structure the dough, I like to use potato flour to absorb moisture, but with a lighter, loftier texture. If you need a sub, replace it with 2-4 tbsp additional GF flour.
- Instant (Rapid Rise) Yeast with Baking Powder – This is what helps a fluffy rise in a short amount of time. I find yeast on its own doesn’t go far enough in GF breads. Adding baking powder to the dough increases the rise as it bakes.
Let’s Make This Together!
(Below shows step-by-step photos and modified instructions. For the complete recipe, along with ingredient amounts, scroll down to the recipe card.)
Dump and mix dough
This is the easiest part! First blend all the dry ingredients together on low speed. Then add in the warm water, egg, and olive oil. Once the dough is mixed together, increase the speed slightly and beat for 4-5 minutes. This is essentially our “kneading” step, but done hands off with a mixer.
Shape and rise
To shape the dough I like to use a greased piece of parchment paper or greased silicone baking mat as a work surface. Roll out a portion of the dough into a 9-inch rope. Tie into a knot and then transfer to a baking sheet, about 1 inch apart. Set the pan aside for a short 20 minute rise while the oven preheats oven to 375°F.
Garlic butter brush and bake
For the classic parmesan butter topping, combine melted butter, parmesan cheese, garlic powder, parsley, oregano, and salt. Brush on about half the topping before baking. If you need a dairy-free topping, I share substitutions for that below in the recipe card.
Then it’s time to pop it in the oven for a short 15 minute bake. While they are still warm, brush on more butter sauce and dig in!
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Impossibly Soft Gluten-Free Garlic Knots Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 cups (436 g) gluten-free all purpose flour, Cup4Cup gluten-free flour highly recommended – see recipe notes for optional milk powder addition
- ¼ cup (42 g) potato starch
- 2 tablespoons (26 g) granulated sugar
- 1 (7 g) packet (2 ¼ tsp) instant rapid rise yeast
- 1 ½ tablespoons (17 g) psyllium husk powder, what is psyllium husk?
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ cups (360 g) warm water (110°F)
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 3 tablespoons (40 g) olive oil
Garlic Butter Parmesan Topping
- 6 tablespoons (85 g) melted butter, see recipe notes for dairy-free
- 2 tablespoons grated parmesan, see recipe notes for dairy-free
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon dried parsley
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt or sea salt
Instructions
- Using a stand mixer with paddle attachment, mix together the gluten-free flour, sugar, yeast, psyllium husk powder, baking powder, and salt on low speed until combined.3 cups gluten-free all purpose flour, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, 1 packet (2 ¼ tsp) instant rapid rise yeast, 1 ½ tablespoons psyllium husk powder, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt, ¼ cup potato starch
- Add warm water, egg, and olive oil. Mix on low speed to let the dough come together, about 1 minute.1 ½ cups warm water (110°F), 1 large egg, 3 tablespoons olive oil
- Keep on low speed and beat for 4-5 minutes, scraping down paddle and bowl halfway through. The dough will be stiff, yet sticky and still able to move around the bowl.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spray with nonstick cooking spray.
- Grease a ¼ cup measuring cup with nonstick cooking spray. Scoop out a level scoop (2.5 ounces) and roll on a greased silicone mat (recommended) or counter into a 9-inch rope. If the dough sticks, spray your hands with nonstick cooking spray. Bring one end around to tie into a knot and place on the greased baking sheet, about 1 inch apart from each other. Repeat with remaining dough.
- Set the pan in a warm, draft-free place to rise for about 20-30 minutes (depending on how warm your kitchen is) while the oven preheats oven to 375°F and the garlic butter topping is made.
- Melt 6 tablespoons butter and cool slightly. Add the remaining topping ingredients and stir to combine. Brush half the topping on top of the unbaked knots. Reserve the rest for when the come out of the oven. If you need additional topping, melt more butter and stir into the remaining. (Do not melt the butter with remaining topping or the cheese will melt and harden.)6 tablespoons melted butter, 2 tablespoons grated parmesan, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon dried oregano, ½ teaspoon dried parsley, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt or sea salt
- Bake for 15-17 minutes, or until the bottoms are lightly browned and the internal temperature of the bread reaches 190°F. Immediately brush on remaining topping and serve warm.
Notes
Optional Milk Powder
This is a new addition to the recipe, so it’s completely optional, but adds moisture to the baked knots. Recently Cup4Cup removed milk powder from their formulation, so now I remove 2 tablespoons GF flour and replace it with 2 tablespoons gluten-free certified milk powder. You can do this with King Arthur Measure-For-Measure as well, but not Bob’s Red Mill.Dairy-Free Modification
Replace the melted butter with olive oil or vegan butter, then top with one, or a combination, or minced garlic, sesame seeds, everything bagel seasoning, nutritional yeast, or fresh herbs, like basil, oregano, or parsley.Serving, Rewarming, and Freezing
For best results, enjoy the garlic knots immediately or within the day. They are best served warm for optional texture, alongside marinara or gluten-free alfredo sauce. Refrigerating is not recommended. To rewarm, wrap the knots in a paper towel and microwave for 10-15 seconds. For oven rewarming, wrap in foil and place in a 350ºF oven for 5-7 minutes. Leftover knots may also be frozen. Wrap each individually and transfer to a ziplock freezer bag. Freeze up to three months.This post contains affiliate links. My opinions are always my own. If you purchase a product through an affiliate link, I make a small commission – at no cost to you. Read full disclosure policy here.
I am trying to work through all of my king Arthur gf flour before I buy more cup4cup 🥴
Do you have any recommendations for using KA in this recipe? I have both measure for measure & bread floud.
Hi Danielle,
If you have both, I would use the bread flour. The only thing you would have to do is cut the psyllium in half. If you want to use the measure for measure, I would reduce the water by a couple tablespoons.
Best,
Melissa
Hi! Thank you so much! This was a very last minute decision and I made 2 batches. AI said to use measure for measure and to add water 1-2 tbsp at a time, no more than 4 tbsp. The 1st batch I did that, but i kept adding water until the dough looked like your photo. Then I let it rest for 10 minutes before scooping. The 2nd batch, I started with 400 grams of water and still needed more 2-3 tbsp more. They came out perfect!
P/s- I cant wait to be done with this flour & go back to c4c lol
I made these dairy free and egg free and they came out great. I used bobs red mill 1:1 with potato starch as recommended. I also used a flax seed egg and added applesauce when the dough wasn’t sticky enough about (1/4 cup or so). Very impressed with this recipe! Thanks!
Thanks so much for sharing, Sarah! I appreciate it.
Best,
Melissa
Awesome recipe! The texture was fluffy and melt-in-your-mouth just like regular wheat rolls! I used instant yeast, whole psyllium and I used a custom blend of cornstarch, potato starch, brown rice flour & sorghum. The dough was not sticky at all and very easy to work with. Thanks for sharing! Will definitely be making again 🙂
Thank you for sharing your flour blend. So helpful for others!
Best,
Melissa
These were awesome, I’m new to gluten free recipes and I have to make my own flour blend as I can’t have potato either. Next time I’ll add xanthan gum as I forgot this time. My whole family loved them!
Thank you so much, Sarah! I’m happy to hear they work with your allergen-friendly blend as well. I really appreciate the time you took to let me know! 🙂
Best,
Melissa
Can these be made using sourdough starter instead of yeast?
Hi Allison,
I haven’t tried them with a sourdough starter. Does that usually work out for you with gluten-free yeast bread recipes?
Best,
Melissa
I tried making these but they were way too dry! I added everything exactly as the recipe said. Any suggestions?
Hi Emmy, I’m so sorry that happened. I know from personal experience that it’s frustrating to feel like you’ve wasted expensive ingredients. Can you tell me which GF flour brand you used?
Best,
Melissa
I used the red mill, 1 to 1 baking gf flour
Thanks, Emmy. This is helpful! BRM does absorb a lot more moisture, which makes it easy to work with for shaping, but also leads to a really dry texture. If you want to continue using BRM, I would suggest cutting the flour by 3/4 cup and adding in 1/2 cup potato starch. This will absorb moisture for shaping, but not dry it out. If you find the dough isn’t stiff enough to shape at this point (it will still be sticky, but manageable to work with by using greased hands), add a little it more GF flour. If you can tolerate dairy, I would really recommend giving Cup4Cup a try, especially for GF bread recipes!
Best,
Melissa
I am going to make these, but I am wondering about the psyllium husks. Do they cause any digestive issues as I know that they are typically used for regularity. Just wondering before making these. I did order the ones you suggested as well as the yeast you suggested.
Hi Sandy,
You are right, psyllium can be used for digestion. However, the amount used in the recipe divided by the serving amount would mean you are only consuming less than a gram, so it wouldn’t have an affect in that department!
Best,
Melissa
I know you stress that psyllium is essencial but I can’t tolerate it. Would subbing xanthan help in the process?
Hi Linda,
I would try ground flaxseed instead. It may change the color of the bread slightly, but will help with binding. Hope this works! Please let me know 🙂
Best,
Melissa
I made this for the first time and it turned out great! However, after baking it turned a gray almost purple color. I am dairy free and used king Arthur’s flour blend and topped it with nutritional yeast and ground up cashews.
Hi Sarah, The color is from the psyllium husk. You can learn more about which kind to buy in this article. Although, it doesn’t affect the taste, it’s sold in varying colors. The darker one gives baked goods a dark, purplish color. I’m glad you enjoyed them!
Best,
Melissa
What does the psyllium husks do for the recipe? Is there a substitute ingredient for this?
Hi Karyl,
It helps with binding, moisture, and structure – basically helps mimic gluten. Typically I do say you can leave it out, especially if you are not shaping the bread. Since this bread needs to be rolled and shaped, it will be a lot less frustrating to work with if you add it. It’s really affordable to buy and I use it in a lot of GF bread recipes because it makes a good difference!
Best,
Melissa