These fluffy sourdough discard garlic knot rolls are buttery, garlicky, and fun to make. If you're looking for a delicious way to use up your sourdough discard, this recipe delivers soft, pillowy rolls with golden brown tops and a savory garlic-butter finish.
Bonus: they make your house smell AMAZING!
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Why These Sourdough Discard Garlic Knots Are So Good
- Great use for sourdough discard – Reduces food waste while adding flavor.
- Soft, pillowy texture – Thanks to enriched dough and a slow rise.
- Packed with garlic butter – Every bite is rich, aromatic, and satisfying.
- Versatile – Serve with soups, pastas, salads, or as a standalone snack.
New to the world of sourdough and discard? Check out this Sourdough 101 to get started. Then once you've got some discard from your starter, come on back and try out this recipe.
Ingredients for Sourdough Discard Garlic Knot Rolls
Here’s what you’ll need to make these garlic knot rolls:
For the Dough
- Sourdough discard (unfed, cold or room temp)
- Bread flour for structure and chew
- Whole milk and egg for a rich, soft crumb
- Instant yeast to ensure a consistent rise
- Sugar and salt for flavor
- Oil to keep the dough tender
- Egg for a shiny egg wash
For the Garlic Butter Coating
- Unsalted butter (for richness)
- Fresh garlic and garlic powder
- Sea salt and fresh parsley
For Finishing
- Marinara sauce for dipping (optional, but highly recommended)
- Flaky sea salt and Parmesan cheese
See recipe card for quantities.
How to Make Sourdough Discard Garlic Knot Rolls (Step-by-Step)
Time needed: 3 hours and 30 minutes
This recipe is beginner-friendly but includes all the little details to make it feel bakery-quality.
- Warm the liquids and add the yeast
In a small saucepan or microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter with the milk and let it cool until just lukewarm (100–110°F). Add the yeast and allow it to sit for five minutes until it gets foamy, indicating it's active.
- Combine all the dough ingredients
Add all the remaining dough ingredients to the mixing bowl with the yeast mixture.
- Mix and knead the dough
Using the dough hook attachment on a stand mixer or mix by hand, mix the dough ingredients and once they come together, knead the dough ball for 7 minutes until the dough becomes elastic and smooth. It might take longer if kneading by hand.
- First rise
Cover the bowl with the dough ball with plastic and let it rise at room temperature for approximately 1 hour to 90 minutes until it's doubled in size. The warmer the room, the faster the rise.
- Portion out the dough
Remove the risen dough ball from the bowl and weigh it to confirm total weight, then divide that by 15 to get the specific weight to measure each individual roll. Mine weigh approximately 68g each.
- Shape the knots
Grease a 9 x 13'' baking pan and then roll each portioned dough ball into a 3 inch rope, then create a knot with it.
- Second rise
Place all the knots in your greased 9 x 13'' baking pan, cover with plastic and let them rise for 30 minutes until puffed up. Also during this step pre-heat your oven to 400F.
- Egg wash
Once your rolls are ready to bake, whisk one whole egg and brush the tops of all the rolls with the egg wash.
- Bake the knots
Bake the rolls at 400F for 15 - 18 minutes. The tops should be golden brown. You can also use an instant read thermometer to gauge doneness. The rolls are done when they reach 200F internal temperature.
- Prepare the garlic butter
Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat, then add the garlic, salt and garlic powder and cook for 2 minutes until the garlic is nice and fragrant.
- Coat the knots with garlic butter
As soon as the knots come out of the oven, brush them with the garlic butter. Yes, ALL the garlic butter. It seems like a lot, but I promise, it's correct. Serve the garlic knot rolls with optional grated parmesan cheese and marinara for dipping.
More Sourdough Recipes
If you find you dig this recipe and are looking for more ways to use up your discard, check out my Discard Breadsticks or the breakfast champ Sourdough Discard English Muffins.
Tips & Tricks
- Be sure to grease the baking pan well with oil, non-stick spray or butter. Stuck knots are such a bummer.
- Weighing ingredients is going to ensure the best results. It's WILD how much variation in measurement there is when using cups and spoons. Precision is key in quality baking.
- A trick to know if the rolls are ready to bake during the second rise is to dip your finger in flour and then lightly press into one of the rolls. If it springs back quickly, they need more time proofing. If it springs back slowly, you're all set to bake.
- Instead of mincing garlic, I grate it on a microplane. It's easier and really brings out the flavor of the garlic.
Storage & Reheating
- Store cooled knots in an airtight container at room temp for 2 days.
- Reheat in a 300°F oven for 5–8 minutes, or until warmed through.
FAQ
This recipe relies on instant yeast for proper rise. Sourdough discard adds flavor but isn’t strong enough to leaven the dough on its own.
Yes! Shape the knots, freeze on a tray, then transfer to a zip-top bag. When you're ready to enjoy, thaw in the fridge overnight, let rise at room temp, then bake per the recipe card.
Any flour base will work (white, whole wheat, rye), as long as it’s unfed and no more than a week old. Avoid discard that smells off or has been sitting too long.
Yes! If using instant (or rapid rise) yeast, skip the blooming step. Simply mix it in with the flour and other dry ingredients. The rise time may be slightly shorter, so start checking the dough a little earlier during each rise.
Bread flour is ideal for a chewier texture, but you can substitute all-purpose flour.
Discard can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 7 days. Make sure it doesn’t smell off, overly alcoholic, or develop mold before using.
The Dinner Bell Custom Post Template
- Prep Time: 3 hours
- Cook Time: 18 min
- Total Time: 3 hours 18 minutes
- Yield: 15 rolls
- Category: sourdough
- Method: baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Description
Soft, fluffy garlic knots made with sourdough discard, brushed with buttery garlic and topped with Parmesan.
Ingredients
For the Dough:
- ¼ cup (57g) unsalted butter
- 1 cup (237g) whole milk
- 1 large egg (lightly beaten)
- 2 tablespoons (25g) granulated sugar
- 1½ teaspoons (9g) fine salt
- 2¼ teaspoons (7g) active dry yeast
- ½ cup (140g) sourdough discard
- 4 cups (508g) unbleached bread flour
For the Garlic Coating:
- ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter
- 6 cloves (18g) fresh garlic, grated
- 1½ teaspoons (4g) garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon (3g) fine sea salt
For Finishing:
- 1 large egg (lightly beaten, for egg wash)
- Flaky sea salt, such as Maldon
- ⅓ cup (30g) Parmesan cheese, finely grated
- Marinara sauce, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- In a small saucepan or microwave-safe bowl, combine ¼ cup (57g) unsalted butter and 1 cup (237g) whole milk. Heat gently until the butter melts. Let cool until just lukewarm (100–110°F).
- Stir in 2¼ teaspoons (7g) active dry yeast and let sit for 5–10 minutes until foamy.
- Combine the yeast mixture with 1 large egg, 2 tablespoons (25g) granulated sugar, 1½ teaspoons (9g) fine salt, ½ cup (140g) sourdough discard and 4 cups (508g) bread flour in the bowl of a stand mixer or mixing bowl and mix until a shaggy dough forms. Using the dough hook on a stand mixer (or knead by hand), knead for about 7 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic. Kneading by hand might take closer to 9 minutes until smooth.
- Cover the dough in the bowl with plastic wrap, and let rise at room temperature until doubled in size—about 1 to 1½ hours. The warmer the room, the faster the rise.
- Turn the risen dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Weigh the entire dough and divide that number by 15 to get the weight for each roll. Portion the dough into 15 equal pieces (about 68g each).
- Roll each piece into a 6-inch rope and tie into a knot. Grease a 9×13-inch baking pan and arrange the knots inside in 5 rows of 3 knots.
- Cover the pan with plastic wrap and let the knots rise for 30–45 minutes, until puffy. Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C) during this time.
- Whisk 1 large egg and brush the tops of the knots with the egg wash.
- Bake for 15–18 minutes, or until golden brown. Internal temperature should register 200°F (93°C) for doneness.
- While the knots bake, make the garlic butter: In a small saucepan, melt ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter. Add 6 cloves (18g) garlic (minced or grated), 1½ teaspoons (4g) garlic powder, and ½ teaspoon (3g) fine sea salt. Cook for 2 minutes until fragrant.
- As soon as the knots come out of the oven, brush generously with all of the garlic butter. Yes, all of it. It will seem like a lot but it's the correct amount.
- Sprinkle with flaky sea salt and ⅓ cup (30g) finely grated Parmesan cheese, if desired. Serve warm with marinara sauce for dipping.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 knot
- Calories: 235
- Sugar: 2.7 g
- Sodium: 326.5 mg
- Fat: 10.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 1.4 g
- Protein: 5.8 g
- Cholesterol: 37.1 mg
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