Cheesy Sourdough Discard Garlic Knots

Quick, easy, and delicious braided sourdough discard garlic knots loaded with butter, minced garlic, and plenty of cheese! These garlic rolls are so easy to make, but they look like they took a lot of time and energy — which is the best type of recipe in my opinion.

This recipe was inspired by my sourdough discard pull-apart bread — the filling is very similar! For more cozy bread sides, try my sourdough discard garlic butter dinner rolls and same-day sourdough dinner rolls.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

• They look impressive but aren't: The braid makes them look bakery-fancy, but the technique is simple — fold, cut, braid, bake. Pair them with my sourdough cornbread or sourdough cornbread muffins for a full homemade bread basket.
• A great way to use discard: A perfect home for that jar of starter in your fridge, just like my sourdough discard bagels.
• Loaded with cheesy garlic butter: Mozzarella, parmesan, garlic, and herbs in every fold — and burnt cheese on the outside if you bake them a little darker (my favorite).
• Perfect for holidays or weeknights: Dress up a weeknight pasta or bring them to Thanksgiving. They're as crowd-pleasing as my sourdough discard pretzel bites.
• Make-ahead friendly: Assemble ahead, refrigerate, and bake fresh when you need them.

Ingredients You'll Need

For the dough:

• warm water + sugar + yeast: Bloomed together for a reliable, fluffy rise.
• sourdough discard: Fed or unfed, straight from the fridge.
• egg + softened butter: For a rich, tender, enriched dough.
• all-purpose flour + salt: The structure and seasoning.

For the cheesy garlic butter:

• softened unsalted butter: The base of the spread (salted is fine — just reduce the added salt).
• minced garlic, parsley + chives: Fresh or dried herbs both work.
• shredded mozzarella: For the best melt and browning, use high-fat (whole-milk), low-moisture mozzarella bought in block form and shredded fresh — pre-shredded is coated in anti-caking starch that hinders melting.
• grated parmesan: For salty, savory depth and crispy edges.

See the recipe card for quantities.

Easy Substitutions & Variations

• Butter: Use a non-dairy butter or a neutral oil like coconut oil.
• Cheese: Non-dairy shredded cheeses work well if you need them dairy-free.
• Gluten-free: Use gluten-free sourdough discard and a 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose flour (untested by me, but it should work).
• Pizza knots: Add pepperoni to the spread before folding and serve with pizza sauce for dipping — basically a handheld sourdough discard pizza.
• Sweet knots: Swap the cheesy garlic spread for a cinnamon-sugar mixture.
• Extra cheesy: Sprinkle more mozzarella before folding for gooey, burnt-cheese edges (a little messier to braid, but worth it).

How to Make Sourdough Discard Garlic Knots

Note: I bake by weight for accuracy. Cup measurements are approximate and may vary depending on how you scoop.

Step 1: In your mixing bowl or stand mixer, add warm water (110-120 degrees Fahrenheit), sugar, and baker's yeast. Mix and let sit for roughly 5 minutes or until the yeast has bloomed. 

Step 2: In the same bowl, add softened unsalted butter, egg, sourdough discard (fed or unfed), flour, and salt. Mix until the dough is smooth and completely pulls away from all sides of the bowl. Knead for 5-10 mins until it passes the windowpane test.

Step 3: Transfer dough to a lightly greased bowl (you can use the same bowl if you like, the grease just helps the dough from sticking to the sides—not a big deal if you don’t mind getting your hands a bit messy). Let rest covered until doubled in size; usually about 45min-1hr.

Step 4: After the dough has fully proofed, gently punch it down and then transfer to a lightly floured surface. With a rolling pin, roll the dough into a 12x19 inch rectangle.

Step 5: While the dough is proofing, prep the garlic butter by adding softened butter, minced garlic, parsley, chives, salt. Mix with a fork until combined (it will seem like it won’t mix together at first, but be patient with it and it will come together nicely. 

Step 6: Spread the prepared filling over the rolled-out dough. Sprinkle with more cheese if desired (they are delicious with just the butter mixture, but sometimes I like to add extra cheese. Note: they will be a bit messier to braid if you add more cheese, but they will still come out beautifully).

Step 7: Fold the dough over itself in thirds like a letter. Using a pizza cutter, cut the folded dough into 12 equal pieces.

Step 7: Cont.

Step 8: Then cut each piece into three pieces leaving one end connected. 

Step 9: Braid the three strands of dough and pinch the ends together. Gently roll the braid up into a ball and place it in a buttered muffin tin. You will essentially just be folding the ends together and placing them in the pan with the braid facing up. 

Step 10: Preheat the oven to 375F and let the bun’s rolls rest briefly while the oven is preheating. They don’t need to rise a second time. Brush with an egg wash (optional but recommended)

Step 11: Bake in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. I love them a little bit browner because burnt cheese is just too good! Brush with salted butter and enjoy! Top with parmesan and parsley if desired. 

Weigh your ingredients! Using a kitchen scale ensures your measurements are accurate, which is key for getting consistent results in baking. It takes the guesswork out of measuring and helps your recipes turn out exactly as intended every time.

Expert Tips

1. Don't skip the egg wash. It's what gives the knots their glossy, golden-brown finish.
2. Bake until truly golden. Don't pull them early — a little extra color means crispy, burnt-cheese edges that are too good.
3. Shred your own mozzarella. Use high-fat, low-moisture block mozzarella shredded fresh; pre-shredded is coated in anti-caking starch that keeps it from melting and browning well.
4. Flatten before cutting. Lightly press each folded piece with your hand before cutting the strands — it makes braiding much easier.
5. Be patient with the butter. The garlic spread looks like it won't come together at first, but keep mashing with a fork and it will.

What Makes This Recipe Special?

These look like they came from a bakery, but the braided shape is genuinely simple once you see it done — fold, cut, braid, bake. That high-impact, low-effort payoff is the same reason I love my easy sourdough discard hotdog buns and soft sourdough discard burger buns.

The cheesy garlic butter is the other star. Layered into every fold and crisped on top, it gives you gooey centers and crackly, browned cheese edges. Serve them alongside a batch of chewy sourdough discard ciabatta rolls and you've got a bread spread worth the table space.

Sourdough Discard Garlic Knots FAQ

Sourdough Discard Garlic Knots Troubleshooting Guide

Storage

• Store in an airtight container or bag at room temperature for up to 5 days.
• Freeze in a freezer-safe container for up to 6 months — reheat in a warm oven to re-crisp.

Other Savory Recipes to Consider

Sourdough Discard Garlic Knots

Audrey Grubb

Quick, easy, and delicious braided sourdough discard garlic knots loaded with butter, minced garlic, and plenty of cheese! These garlic rolls are so easy to make, but they look like they took a lot of time and energy to make, which is the best type of recipe!

5 from 1 vote

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Resting Time 1 hour hr

Total Time 1 hour hr 55 minutes mins

Course Appetizer, Side Dish

Cuisine American

Servings 12 Knots

Calories 411 kcal

Equipment

• ▢
  Stand Mixer
• ▢
  12-muffin pan
• ▢
  Medium bowl for butter
• ▢
  Spreading knife
• ▢
  Knife for cutting

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

For the Sourdough Discard Dough

• ▢ 171 grams warm water ¾ cup
• ▢ 2 teaspoons baker's yeast
• ▢ 3 tablespoons sugar
• ▢ 2 large eggs
• ▢ 113 grams unsalted butter softened (½ cup)
• ▢ 150 grams sourdough discard ½ cup
• ▢ 600 grams all-purpose flour 5 cups
• ▢ 2 teaspoons salt

For the Cheesy Garlic Filling

• ▢ 113 grams unsalted butter softened (8 tablespoons)
• ▢ 3 tablespoons fresh parsley or 3 teaspoons dried
• ▢ 2 tablespoons finely chopped chives
• ▢ 8 cloves garlic minced
• ▢ 1 cup shredded mozzarella plus more for sprinkling (use high-fat, low-moisture block mozzarella shredded fresh)
• ▢ ½ cup grated parmesan plus more for sprinkling
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon salt optional

Instructions

 

Make the Dough

• In your mixing bowl or stand mixer, add the warm water (110–120°F), sugar, and baker's yeast. Mix and let sit roughly 5 minutes, until the yeast has bloomed.
  171 grams warm water, 2 teaspoons baker's yeast, 3 tablespoons sugar
• In the same bowl, add the softened butter, eggs, sourdough discard (fed or unfed), flour, and salt. Mix until the dough is smooth and pulls away from all sides of the bowl. Knead 5–10 minutes until it passes the windowpane test.
  2 large eggs, 113 grams unsalted butter, 150 grams sourdough discard, 600 grams all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons salt
• Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl. Cover and let rest until doubled in size, usually about 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Make the Cheesy Garlic Butter

• While the dough proofs, mix the softened butter, cheese, minced garlic, parsley, chives, and salt with a fork until combined. It will seem like it won't come together at first, but be patient — it will.
  113 grams unsalted butter, 3 tablespoons fresh parsley, 2 tablespoons finely chopped chives, 8 cloves garlic, 1 cup shredded mozzarella, ½ cup grated parmesan, ¼ teaspoon salt

Assemble the Garlic Knots

• After the dough has fully proofed, gently punch it down and transfer to a lightly floured surface. Roll into a 12x19-inch rectangle.
• Spread the prepared filling over the dough. Sprinkle with more mozzarella if desired (delicious with just the butter mixture, but extra cheese makes for gorgeous burnt-cheese edges — just a bit messier to braid).
• Fold the dough over itself in thirds like a letter. Using a pizza cutter, cut the folded dough into 12 equal pieces. Then cut each piece into three strands, leaving one end connected. Lightly flatten each piece with your hand before cutting to make it easier.
• Braid the three strands and pinch the ends together. Gently roll the braid into a ball and place it braid-side up in a buttered muffin tin.

Bake

• Preheat the oven to 375°F and let the knots rest briefly while it heats. They don't need a second rise. Brush with egg wash (optional but recommended).
• Bake 20–25 minutes, or until golden brown. I love them a little browner — burnt cheese is just too good! Brush with salted butter and enjoy. Top with parmesan and parsley if desired.

Notes

Shred your own cheese: For the best melt and browning, use high-fat (whole-milk), low-moisture mozzarella bought in block form and shredded fresh. Pre-shredded mozzarella is coated in anti-caking starch that hinders melting.

Make-ahead: Assemble the knots, refrigerate overnight (or up to 2 nights), then bring to room temperature and let rise in a warm spot before baking as directed.

Storage: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Freeze for up to 6 months.

Nutrition

Calories: 411kcalCarbohydrates: 47gProtein: 10gFat: 20gSaturated Fat: 12gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.5gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0.003gCholesterol: 38mgSodium: 582mgPotassium: 86mgFiber: 2gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 223IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 98mgIron: 3mg

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