Herby Garlic Dough Knots (Gluten & Dairy-free)

Pizza dough and herby garlic butter are a match made in heaven. There's nothing more I love than watching a late-night Friday movie while dunking garlic dough knots into a delicious homemade pizza sauce. If you're like me and love garlic pizza dough balls, classic New York-style pizza dough knots, or anything garlicky. Then you will love this gluten and dairy-free garlic dough knots recipe. Oh, and did I say it's 100% vegan too! So our vegan friends don't have to miss out.

Jump to Recipe

What are herby garlic dough knots?

If you have visited a pizzeria in New York City, then at some point, you might have stumbled across these garlic dough knots on the menu. But for those who haven't ventured into a pizzeria for years due to fear of gluten cross-contamination. Or have never been lucky enough to venture to New York City. Then garlic dough knots are strips of pizza dough tied into a knot. Covered in garlic butter before being cooked at a high temperature. Creating an incredible morish garlicky appetizer that will keep the vampires away. If that alone doesn't sound good enough for you. This recipe takes it one step further. Adding oregano and rosemary for a deliciously herby twist. Topping it off with dried chilli flakes to provide a delightful warmth.

Ingredients you'll need

I always recommend using the best quality ingredients, shopping seasonally, and sustainably sourced when possible. If this is your first time cooking gluten-free for someone with Coeliac disease. I recommend checking the ingredients label before using because gluten can sneak into recipes when you least expect it. Below is each ingredient you will need:

• Luke Warm Water - If you're in a region where tap water is safe, then lukewarm tap water straight from the tap is all you need. If not, pour bottled water into a heatproof and place in the microwave. Then blast the water in 10-second intervals until the water is about 38ºc (100ºf).

• Dry Active Yeast - Essential for making the dough rise and giving it that delicious flavour. However, dry active yeast can be processed in factories that handle wheat, barley, and rye. For this reason, always check that the yeast you use is certified gluten-free if baking this herby garlic dough knots recipe for someone with coeliac disease or who's gluten-sensitive.

• Gluten-free White Bread Flour - I only bake with a gluten-free white bread flour blend from Doves Farm FREEE foods. Which is a blend of rice flour, potato flour, tapioca flour and xanthan gum. You could experiment with alternative brands of gluten-free white bread flour or your own gluten-free bread flour blend, but recipe results may vary.

Additional note: You can swap 50-100g of white bread flour for brown bread flour or whole grain flour to add an extra depth of flavour, but you might need to reduce the water ratio.

• Gluten-free Buckwheat Flour - Buckwheat flour is 100% gluten-free, even though it has wheat in its name, and it offers a wonderfully earthy flavour to the pizza dough. But just because it's naturally gluten-free doesn't mean every buckwheat flour is gluten-free. Due to the production process, buckwheat flour is easily cross-contaminated with wheat flour during production. So, if you are cooking for someone with coeliac disease, ensure you use gluten-free certified buckwheat flour. If you can't find buckwheat flour or don't like the flavour, you could replace it with 50g of single-origin flour like quinoa, gram, or millet flour. However, this might result in a slightly different flavour and texture.

• Salt - We want a 2% salt ratio in the pizza dough which is roughly 2 tsp of table salt although I tend to make sure I weigh it correctly to 10g of salt.

• Xanthan gum - Depending on the gluten-free flour blend you use. You might want to omit the xanthan gum or reduce the amount. It's typically needed to give the pizza dough its elasticity, replacing the need for gluten and making it easier to work with.

• Olive Oil or Neutral Oil - Either use a good quality olive oil to add a depth of flavour or a neutral vegetable oil. I have tried this recipe with both and found both delicious. But I prefer olive oil due to its fruity flavour that becomes prevalent in the dough and the garlic glaze.

• Vegan Block Butter - I mostly add the vegan block butter to bulk up the garlic and herb oil mixture, reducing the need for olive oil yet still getting the fruity flavour from the olive oil. You could easily swap out the butter for an extra two tablespoons of olive oil if you want a more intense olive flavour or 2 tablespoons of neutral oil such as rapeseed oil.

• Garlic - I love garlic! You will want to use a large garlic bulb. As you can never have too much of a good thing. Plus, this recipe is about highlighting how delicious garlic is.

• Rosemary - I recommend only using fresh rosemary in this recipe, either from your garden or bought from the store. The rosemary will be fried in garlic oil. Then roasted. Releasing moisture and natural oils. Sadly, dried rosemary lacks this moisture and oils.

• Dried or fresh oregano - I only use dried oregano in this recipe because I don't grow it in my herb garden (it should change this summer). As I suggest eating these garlic dough knots with pizza sauce that contains oregano, I like to tie the two together by seasoning the garlic dough knots with oregano. You can use parsley or marjoram instead of oregano, but these herbs are more delicate. They should only be added after making the garlic glaze or at the end of the cooking process.

• Chilli Flakes - Chilli flakes are optional in this recipe, but I love the surprising burst of heat they bring. After learning about adding chilli flakes to pizza, I can't imagine it any other way. For milder chilli flakes, I suggest using anchor chilli flakes. For a moderate kick, go with Arbol chilli flakes. And birds-eye chilli flakes for a good amount of heat. Although, generic chilli flakes will do.

• Lemon peel - Just a few strips of lemon peel to add a citrus twist to the garlicky sauce. Not too much though as you want it to be in the background. Plus, you will remove it before glazing the dough knots.

• Garlic Powder - It's not an essential ingredient, but it will increase the garlicky flavour and add a new heat sensation to the overall garlic dough knots. Plus, it's always handy to have garlic powder in the cupboard to add a quick hint of garlic to roast veg, soups, stir-fries, or my personal favourite on a pizza crust.

• Flaky Salt - Flaky salt is always best used as a finishing ingredient sprinkled over the dough just after it comes out of the oven. As my parents in-law live by Maldon it's the only flaky salt we use but any brand will do.

Frequently Asked Questions

If you have a question you want to ask that isn't in the frequently asked questions section, please send me your question or drop a comment at the bottom of the recipe. I try to answer every question, ensuring you create perfect gluten-free recipes every time.

Can I make this herby garlic dough knot recipe gluten-free?

As someone with coeliac disease, all my recipes are 100% gluten-free. Although you can easily trick gluten eaters into thinking it's not gluten-free with how delicious these garlic dough knots are. This is achieved through the perfect balance of gluten-free flours and the perfect ratio of water and oil. But with this in mind, ensure all the ingredients you use are gluten-free by checking the labels. Even yeast can contain gluten due to being processed in the same factories as wheat flour. Lastly, if you're cooking for someone with Coeliac disease, be cautious of cross-contamination, if your household kitchen isn't 100% gluten-free and inform your guest of any risks.

Can I make this herby garlic dough knot dairy-free?

Nearly all of my recipes are dairy-free due to feeling better not eating dairy. Plus, my partner is lactose intolerant. So, I like to ensure my recipes are dairy-free for him! Even the delicious garlicky herby glaze in this recipe is dairy-free as it's created with vegan block butter and olive oil.

Can I make this herby garlic dough knot recipe vegan?

This recipe is 100% vegan. Even the delicious garlicky herby glaze is vegan. All thanks to the recipe using the perfect blend of vegan block butter, olive oil, garlic and herbs.

How do I store this herby garlic dough knot recipe?

These herby garlic dough knots are best eaten on the day, straight out of the oven when they're still warm. By the next day, they will taste a bit stale. You can splash them with water or wrap them in a damp paper towel and place them in the microwave for 30 seconds to rehydrate them. This will turn them into a tasty afternoon snack or a savoury breakfast treat. However, I would still suggest eating them within 24-36 hours.

Additional note: You can store the fresh raw dough for up to 3 days in the fridge.

Can I freeze this herby garlic dough knot recipe?

You can freeze these herby garlic dough knots after they have been par-baked. To par-bake these dough knots, put them in an oven heated to 230ºc (450ºf) for 7 minutes. Lift out and allow to cool. Once cooled, place in an airtight container and freeze for up to three months. You can cook them straight from the freezer. To recook, heat the oven to 230ºc (450ºf). Bake for 10 minutes. Ensure they are piping hot before lifting them out. Serve with a pizza sauce dip. Or eat as they are.

Additional note: Freezing par-baked garlic dough knots might cause a loss in overall garlic flavour due to losing some delicious herby garlic sauce during par-baking and storing. You could try to minimise this by pouring all the oil into the airtight container with the par-baked garlic dough knots.

Recipe

Here's the recipe for my super garlicky dairy and gluten-free garlic dough knots using the best gluten-free pizza dough base.

Special Equipment  

• Stand mixer with a dough hook

• Microplane or garlic crusher

• Bench scraper or pizza cutter

• Pastry brush

Ingredients

Dough

• 450g gluten-free bread flour

• 50g gluten-free buckwheat flour

• 1 tsp of xanthan gum

• 10g salt

• 325ml warm water

• 1 tsp active dried yeast

• 25g olive oil

Herby Garlic Glaze

• 2 tbsp vegan Butter

• 4 tbsp olive oil

• 1 tbsp fresh rosemary

• Large bulb of garlic

• 1 or 2 lemon peels

• 1/4 tsp oregano

• 1/4 tsp chilli flakes

• 1/4 tsp garlic powder

• Flaky sea salt

Method

This recipe is simple to make. But it will take a bit of time to go through each step. I recommend making the dough in the morning or the night before. The herby garlic glaze can be made just before baking or at the same time as the dough. The longer you let the oil infuse with the garlic, lemon, and herbs, the stronger the flavour.

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Rest Time: Min 2 hours

Bake Time: 15 minutes

Make the dough

1. Mix 1 tsp of active dried yeast into the jug of warm water.

2. Add the gluten-free bread flour, gluten-free buckwheat flour, xanthan gum, and salt into the bowl of the stand mixer. Stir the dry ingredients by hand until everything is evenly distributed.

3. Attach the dough hook to the stand mixer and pour the yeast infused water into the flour. Lower the dough hook and mix on low for 5 minutes until combined.

4. Once the dough has formed into a ball. Stop mixing and place a damp cloth over the stand mixer. Allow the flour blends and xanthan gum to absorb the water for a further 5 minutes.

5. Next pour in the olive oil and mix on low speed for 5 minutes. It will take a while before the dough accepts the oil, so don't panic if oil swirls around the bottom of the bowl.

6. Once the oil has been absorbed, gently oil a work surface and place the dough on top. You will want to gently knead and form the dough into a round ball.

7. Place into a lightly oiled bowl, cover with cling film or a damp cloth and leave it to rest. You will want it to rise to 1.5 the size before placing it into the fridge for a couple of hours or overnight.

Make the herby garlic glaze

1. Put the butter and olive oil in a saucepan over the stove.

2. Crush and peel the garlic. Using a microplane or garlic press. Mince the garlic into the saucepan.

3. Chop a handful of rosemary and add to the saucepan.

4. Using a vegetable peeler. Peel a few strips of lemon zest and add to the pan.

5. Once the oil, butter, garlic, rosemary, and lemon are added to the saucepan. Place the saucepan over medium heat. Once the mixture bubbles, stir for 30 seconds, then remove from the heat. You only want to partially cook the garlic and soften the herbs.

6. Add the oregano and chilli flakes to the garlic oil mixture and set aside.

Make the dough knots

1. Lift the dough out of the fridge.

2. Line a baking sheet with greaseproof paper.

3. On a lightly oiled surface, roll the dough out to a 1-inch thick rectangle.

4. Cut the dough into strips using a bench scraper or pizza cutter.

5. Taking it one strip at a time. Twist the individual strips into knots or plaits. Before placing them onto a baking sheet.

6. Cover the baking sheet with a clean damp cloth. Let rise for 30 minutes.

Cook the dough knots

1. Preheat the oven to 230ºc (450ºf).

2. Meanwhile, uncover the dough knots. With your pastry brush, coat the dough knots with a generous amount of the garlic herb glaze.

3. Bake in the oven for 15-18 minutes until golden brown.

4. Allow the dough knots to cool for 5 minutes before eating. Serve with a dip of pizza sauce.

Additional Tips

• You could grate parmesan or mozzarella cheese over the glazed garlic dough knots just before baking, giving it a delicious cheesy twist. Go for vegan mozzarella if you still want to keep it dairy-free.

• Rosemary and oregano are great herbs but not the only herbs that go great on pizza dough. Try parsley, marjoram, chives, or all three for an intense herbaceous flavour.

---

For more gluten and dairy-free recipes, visit proudlyglutenfree.com