Baking Great Bread at HomeSoft, pull-apart knots loaded with melted sharp cheddar, fresh basil, and toasted garlic butter
IntermediateGarlic Cheddar Basil SourdoughKnots
by Henry Hunter
The knot that started with Ryan asking 'Dad, can you make these?'
Fermentation
5-6 hours bulk plus optional overnight retard
Bake Time
22-25 minutes
Yield
Serves 6-8 as a side or appetizer
Perfection is not required
"Ryan asked me if I could make these. This is what came back."— Henry Hunter
By Henry Hunter Jr., founder of Crust & Crumb Academy and Baking Great Bread at Home.
Authentic Flavor
These started as a request from my son Ryan. Garlic, cheddar, basil. Simple ask, classic flavors, but I wanted to do it right. Built on a fully sourdough levain with a proper fermentolyse, toasted garlic butter brushed on twice, fresh basil folded in at the second coil. They came out of the oven smelling like an Italian grandmother's kitchen and tasting like they belonged there.
Equipment Needed
Ingredients
Levain (Build 6-8 hours before mixing)
Final Dough
Inclusions (added at second coil fold)
Toasted Garlic Butter
Finishing Glaze
For finishing
Pro Tip
Toast your minced garlic in the butter on low heat for 2 to 3 minutes before brushing. Raw garlic baked into dough turns bitter and can burn. Toasted garlic stays sweet, mellow, and aromatic through the bake.
Levain
Build the Levain
Combine starter, flour, and water in a clear container. Mix until smooth. Cover loosely and let rise at room temperature until doubled, domed, and bubbly. This is your timing anchor for the whole bake. Whether you use a pineapple starter, Vitale, or another active culture, what matters is that it's at peak when you mix.
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Combine starter, flour, and water
Mix the ingredients together until smooth with no dry pockets.
⏱ Wait Time
6-8 hours
Pro Tip
Watch for the levain to nearly double with a domed top and small bubbles throughout. Float test optional but reassuring for newer bakers.
Precise Timers
Use these interactive timers to track your stages.
Levain rise
Fermentolyse
Fermentolyse
Combine the active levain, flour, milk, egg, butter, and honey all at once. No salt yet. Mix until no dry flour remains, then cover and rest 1 hour. This is the method, used across every sourdough recipe in the Crust & Crumb Recipe Pantry. The levain starts working with the flour and enriched liquids while the gluten organizes during the rest.
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Combine all ingredients except salt
Add the active levain, bread flour, warm milk, softened butter, egg, and honey to your mixing bowl. Mix by hand, dough whisk, or stand mixer on low until no dry flour remains. The dough will look softer and slightly tacky rather than shaggy. That's the butter and egg doing their work.
⏱ Wait Time
1 hour
Pro Tip
Enriched doughs feel different than lean doughs from the start. The dough will look softer and slightly tacky rather than shaggy. That's normal.
Precise Timers
Use these interactive timers to track your stages.
Fermentolyse rest
Salt
Add the Salt
Sprinkle the salt across the top of the dough. Wet your hand and pinch and fold the salt in for 2 to 3 minutes until fully incorporated.
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Pinch and fold salt into dough
Sprinkle salt across the top. With wet hands, pinch and fold for 2-3 minutes until fully incorporated. The dough will tighten and smooth as the salt organizes the gluten.
⏱ Wait Time
30 minutes
Pro Tip
The dough will start to feel smoother and stronger almost immediately once the salt is in. That's the gluten organizing.
Precise Timers
Use these interactive timers to track your stages.
Rest before coil 1
Coil 1
First Coil Fold
Wet your hand. Lift the dough from the middle, let the bottom unfurl, tuck under. Rotate 90 degrees and repeat. Cover and rest 30 minutes.
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Coil fold the dough
With wet hands, lift the dough from the center and let it fall under itself. Rotate the bowl 90° and repeat until the dough is tucked into a tight package.
⏱ Wait Time
30 minutes
Precise Timers
Use these interactive timers to track your stages.
Rest after coil 1
Coil 2 + Inclusions
Second Coil Fold with Cheese and Basil
This is when the cheddar and basil go in. The two-stage addition distributes the inclusions evenly without crushing the dough structure.
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Add half the cheese and basil
Sprinkle half the grated cheese and half the basil across the dough. Coil fold once.
Add remaining cheese and basil
Sprinkle the rest of the cheese and basil. Coil fold again. The should be visible throughout the dough.
⏱ Wait Time
30 minutes
Pro Tip
Adding inclusions at the second coil fold gives the dough remaining bulk time to heal around them. Adding too early means the cheese melts into the matrix. Adding too late means uneven distribution.
Precise Timers
Use these interactive timers to track your stages.
Rest after coil 2
Coil 3
Third Coil Fold
Standard coil fold. The dough should feel strong, smooth on the surface, and slightly bouncy by now.
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Final coil fold
Wet hands. Coil fold the dough one more time. You should feel real structure now.
⏱ Wait Time
30 minutes
Precise Timers
Use these interactive timers to track your stages.
Rest after coil 3
Bulk Finish
Finish Bulk Fermentation
Let the dough rest undisturbed for the remainder of . Look for 50 to 75% rise, domed top, and side bubbles visible through your container. Total bulk time from levain addition is typically 5 to 6 hours at 78 to 80°F.
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Watch the dough, not the clock
Final bulk continues until the dough shows clear signs of fermentation: visible volume increase, domed top, side bubbles, and a soft jiggle when you nudge the container.
⏱ Wait Time
2-3 hours
Precise Timers
Use these interactive timers to track your stages.
Final bulk
Divide
Divide and Pre-Shape
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide into 12 equal pieces (about 90 to 95g each). Pre-shape each piece into a loose round. Rest 15 minutes uncovered.
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Divide into 12 pieces
Use a scale for consistency. Each piece should be 90 to 95g.
Pre-shape into rounds
Roll each piece into a loose ball using your palm and the counter. Don't overwork.
⏱ Wait Time
15 minutes
Precise Timers
Use these interactive timers to track your stages.
Bench rest
Shape
Shape the Knots
Roll each pre-shaped round into a rope about 9 to 10 inches long. Tie a simple overhand knot in the middle. Tuck the two ends underneath the knot. Place seam-side down on a parchment-lined sheet pan, leaving 2 inches between each knot.
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Roll into ropes
Roll each round into a rope 9-10 inches long. Use the heels of your hands and gentle pressure.
Tie an overhand knot
Make a loop in the center of the rope. Pass one end through the loop. Tuck both ends underneath.
Place on sheet pan
Arrange knots seam-side down with 2 inches of space between each one for room to puff.
Pro Tip
If the rope keeps snapping back when you try to roll it, the gluten is tight. Let it rest 5 minutes and try again. Don't fight the dough.
Proof
Final Proof
Cover loosely with plastic or a damp cloth. For same-day bake, proof at room temperature 60 to 90 minutes until the knots look puffy and a gentle springs back slowly. For overnight, cover and refrigerate 8 to 14 hours. Pull from the fridge 30 to 45 minutes before baking.
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Same-day proof
Proof at room temperature 60-90 minutes until puffy. Poke test: dough springs back slowly with a slight indent remaining.
Overnight cold retard (optional)
Cover and 8-14 hours. Pull out 30-45 minutes before baking to take the chill off.
⏱ Wait Time
1-1.5 hours or overnight
Precise Timers
Use these interactive timers to track your stages.
Final proof (same-day)
Butter
Make the Toasted Garlic Butter
Make this during the final proof so it's ready when you need it. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Add the minced garlic, salt, and dried herbs if using. Cook gently for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly. The garlic should turn pale gold and smell sweet, not brown or bitter.
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Melt the butter
Low heat. No browning. Just melted.
Toast the garlic
Add minced garlic, salt, and dried herbs. Cook 2-3 minutes stirring constantly until garlic is pale gold and aromatic.
Pro Tip
Do not let the garlic brown. Brown garlic equals bitter garlic. Pull it off the heat early if needed.
Bake
Bake the Knots
Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C) with a rack in the center position. Brush each knot generously with the toasted garlic butter, reserving about half for after the bake. Sprinkle grated parmesan and a pinch of flaky salt over the tops.
Step by Step
Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C)
Center rack position. Let the oven come fully up to temperature before baking.
Brush with garlic butter
Generously brush each knot with the toasted garlic butter. Save half the butter for after baking.
Top with parmesan and flaky salt
Sprinkle grated parmesan and a pinch of flaky salt over each knot.
Bake
Bake 22-25 minutes until deeply golden brown and internal temp reaches 195-200°F (90-93°C).
Bake
Baking Methods
Individual knots, golden all around, easy to grab and serve.
Equipment: Half sheet pan, parchment paper
Arrange with space
Place knots 2 inches apart on a parchment-lined half sheet pan.
Bake
Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 22-25 minutes until deeply golden and internal temp hits 195-200°F (90-93°C).
"Brush with toasted garlic butter before AND after baking for maximum flavor and that signature glossy finish."
Finish
Finish and Serve
Immediately brush the hot knots with the remaining toasted garlic butter. Sprinkle a little more parmesan and flaky salt over the top. Let cool 10 minutes before serving. They're at their best warm, when the cheese pulls and the garlic butter is still glistening.
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Brush with reserved butter
Brush the hot knots with remaining garlic butter for maximum flavor and shine.
Final parmesan and salt
Sprinkle a final touch of parmesan and flaky salt.
Cool 10 minutes and serve
Let cool 10 minutes. They're best served warm.
Precise Timers
Use these interactive timers to track your stages.
Cool
Nutrition Facts
Per 1 knot • 12 servings per recipe
* Values are estimates based on standard ingredients; actual values vary by brands and portion size.
Storage
Room Temperature
2 days in a paper bag or covered loosely with a cloth
Refrigerated
Not recommended, dries them out
Frozen
Up to 2 months. Wrap individually in plastic, then in a freezer bag.
Refresh
Warm at 325°F (165°C) for 8-10 minutes, or microwave individual portions for 15-20 seconds.
💡 To refresh: wrap in foil and warm at 325°F (165°C) for 8 to 10 minutes, or microwave 15 seconds for a single knot.
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Troubleshooting
Baker's Notes
Common questions and solutions for perfect results
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