Easy Cheesy Pull-Apart Garlic Knots
Golden knots of pizza dough stuffed with mozzarella, brushed with garlic butter and baked pull-apart in a skillet — the bread basket, upgraded.
In a nutshell: This authentic american easy cheesy pull-apart garlic knots comes together in just 45 mins using simple whole ingredients. The chef's secret: a single pinch opens in the oven and the mozzarella escapes, while a double seal keeps. Perfect for home cooks seeking a dependable, restaurant-quality finish with minimal effort.
Easy cheesy pull-apart garlic knots: pizza dough knots stuffed with mozzarella, garlic butter, baked pull-apart. A golden bread-basket bake.
Key Equipment
- 10-inch cast-iron skillet
- Pastry brush
- Small saucepan
- Cutting board
Chef's Pro-Tips
- Pinch the dough sealed twice: a single pinch opens in the oven and the mozzarella escapes, while a double seal keeps the cheese inside.
- Tie loose knots, not tight ones: tight knots squeeze the cheese out as the dough puffs, while loose knots bake up plump and cheesy.
- Brush with garlic butter twice: once before baking for flavour in the crust, once after for that glossy, restaurant-style finish.
Ingredients
8
servings
-
1 lb pizza dough, store-bought or homemade, room temperature
-
8 oz mozzarella cheese, low-moisture, cut into 16 cubes
-
5 tbsp butter, divided
-
4 cloves garlic, minced
-
2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
-
½ cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
-
½ tsp Italian seasoning
-
¼ tsp red pepper flakes, optional
-
1 cup marinara sauce, warm, for dipping
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Step-by-Step Instructions
Make the Garlic Butter
Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Melt 4 tablespoons of butter with the garlic over low heat for 2 minutes, until fragrant. Stir in the parsley and set aside.
Stuff and Tie the Knots
Divide the dough into 16 pieces. Flatten each, place a mozzarella cube in the centre, pinch sealed, then roll into a rope and tie into a loose knot, tucking the ends underneath.
Arrange in the Skillet
Brush a cast-iron skillet with the remaining butter. Arrange the knots snugly in a circle, leaving just a little room to puff. Brush generously with half the garlic butter.
Bake Golden
Bake for 20-25 minutes, until deeply golden and the cheese is bubbling at the seams. Brush immediately with the remaining garlic butter and scatter with Parmesan and Italian seasoning.
Serve Pull-Apart
Rest 5 minutes, then serve straight from the skillet with warm marinara for dipping — everyone pulls their own knot.
Chef Clara's Kitchen Picks
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View on AmazonFrequently Asked Questions
Yes — split each biscuit, stuff with mozzarella and tie the same way. They bake faster, so check at 15 minutes.
Assemble up to a day ahead, cover and refrigerate. Let them warm for 20 minutes while the oven preheats, then bake.
Low-moisture mozzarella is ideal — it melts stretchy without releasing water. Fresh mozzarella is too wet and leaks.
Yes — freeze baked knots for up to 1 month. Reheat at 350°F for 10-12 minutes and brush with fresh garlic butter.
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