Fresh Milled Sourdough Garlic Knots (Long Fermented)
In my humble opinion, there isn’t much better than garlic and butter:) These soft, buttery 100% fresh milled garlic knots are long fermented for deep flavor!

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Looking for a fresh milled sourdough bread recipe? CLICK HERE!
Why you’ll love this recipe
- 100% Fresh Milled – Fresh milled flour adds so much flavor and nutrition to these garlic knots!
- Long Fermented – Fermented with sourdough starter overnight, these knots have that signature tang of sourdough and the benefits of improved digestibility.
- Easy to make – This recipe is easy to put to together the night before and shape and bake the next day. The shaping process is beginner friendly, as well!
- Freezer friendly – These knots freeze really well for a great make ahead bread!
Why is this recipe different?
- Fresh Milled Flour – Fresh flour has over 30 key nutrients and is high in fiber. This amazing flour is also much more flavorful than store-bought flour. All purpose flour is sifted of all the bran and germ leaving behind the starch with has no real nutrition, fiber, or flavor.
- Long Fermented – Sourdough products that are long fermented (rising for at least 8-12 hours) is helpful for digestibility as it breaks down the starch and gluten in the dough. This process is commonly referred to as a pre-digestion. The fermentation process also lends a tangy, delicious flavor to the bread.
Give my SOURDOUGH GARLIC DINNER ROLLS!

Ingredients you will need to make Fresh Milled Sourdough Garlic Knots
For the Knots
Flour – I used 1/2 Hard White Wheat and 1/2 Spelt for my knots, but you can use Hard Red Wheat or all Hard White Wheat. Keep in mind, hard white or hard red has a high gluten count and will knead more quickly.
Milk or Water – If you are uncomfortable leaving a dough on the counter overnight with milk it in, you can use water. I prefer to warm my liquid slightly in the winter to jumpstart the fermentation process.
Sourdough Starter – Use active starter for best results.
Olive Oil – You can also use avocado oil, melted coconut oil, or melted butter.
Salt
For the Garlic Butter
Butter, softened – You can use salted or unsalted butter. Leave out on the counter until it is spreadable.
Minced Garlic
Full ingredient amounts found in the printable recipe card below
New to milling your own flour? START HERE!
Tools you’ll need to make this recipe
Grain Mill – To mill my wheat berries, I use the NUTRIMILL GRAIN MILL (use my coupon: rose20 for $20 off!)
Stand Mixer – Although you can mix this in a bowl and hand knead it, a STAND MIXER sure does make that task a lot easier! (use my coupon code: rose20 for $20 off!)
Large Mixing Bowl – My favorite large bowl is the OHIO STONEWARE BOWL.
Bench Scraper – When dividing dough, a BENCH SCRAPER makes the job easy!
Baking Sheet – I use the USA PAN BAKING SHEET for baking these garlic knots.
Try my FRESH MILLED SOURDOUGH GARLIC PULL APART BREAD!
Step by step instructions for making Fresh Milled Sourdough Garlic Knots
Mill your flour
Mill the wheat berries on the fine setting of your grain mill. On the Harvest grain mill, I use the 8-9 o’clock setting and on the Classic grain mill, I use the 10-11 o’clock setting.

Mix the dough
Optional: Warm the milk or the water slightly before mixing
In the bowl of a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment, add the milk or water, olive oil, and sourdough starter.
Mix until the mixture is combined.
Add the flour and salt and mix on speed 1 until a soft dough forms.
You are looking for a cohesive dough that leaves very little dough on the side of the bowl. A little dough clinging to the bowl is fine, but you want the dough to cohesive and not soupy.
Turn to speed 2 and knead the dough for 8-10 minutes or until the dough is glossy and stretchy.
For quicker kneading, let the dough rest for 15-20 minutes prior to kneading.
TIP: Take a small piece of the dough and stretch it out with it pinched between your fingers. You want the dough to be able to stretched until almost see through without it breaking
Bulk Fermentation
Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap or a food safe bowl cover.
Let the dough rise at room temperature (in a warm spot) for 8-12 hours.
Make Garlic Butter
In a small bowl, mix the softened butter with the minced garlic.

Divide and Shape the Dough
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured or oiled work surface.
Use a rolling pin to roll out the dough into a rectangle that is approximately 1/4-1/2 inch thick. No need to get this exact.
Spread with the garlic butter evenly. Reserve some for brushing the tops of the knots when they come out of the oven.
Using a pizza cutter, cut the dough into 18 strips as equally as possible, but again this doesn’t have to be perfect.
Take each strip of dough and twist the dough. Now take the twisted piece of dough and tie it into a knot.
Place the shaped knots on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Final Proof/Second Rise
Cover with plastic wrap or a damp tea towel and let rise for an additional 1-2 hours.
When the knots have risen for an hour, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Bake the Knots
Bake the garlic knots in the preheated oven for 12-14 minutes or until golden brown.
Cool the garlic knots on a wire rack completely before storing.
Baking Timeline for this recipe
9am – Feed sourdough starter.
7pm – Mix and knead the dough. Put in bowl to rise overnight.
7am – Shape the dough/Second Rise.
9am – Bake the Knots.
Tips for Success
- Use active sourdough starter – Make sure your starter is bubbly prior to mixing for best results.
- Avoid over-fermentation – If your kitchen is really warm, mix the dough and let it rise for 2-3 hours at room temperature and finish the bulk fermentation in the fridge overnight for a cold ferment to prevent over fermenting the dough.
- Adjust hydration for certain fresh milled flours – If you choose to use 100% Spelt or Kamut, only add 3 cups of the flour at first and gradually add more flour to get to a soft cohesive ball of dough.
How to store Fresh Milled Garlic Knots
Store in an airtight container on the counter for 3-4 days.
Freeze in freezer safe bag for up to 3 months. Reheat in the oven at 300 degrees F until warmed through, about 8-10 minutes.

Fresh Milled Sourdough Garlic Knots (Long Fermented)
Equipment
- Grain Mill
- Stand Mixer
- Baking Sheet
Ingredients
For the Knots
- 1 cup Warm Milk or Water 221 grams
- 1/2 cup Sourdough Starter 127 grams
- 2 tbsp Olive Oil 20 grams
- 3 cups Fresh Milled Flour 390 grams
- 1 tsp Salt 7 grams
For the Garlic Butter
- 1 stick Softened Butter 113.5 grams
- 4-6 cloves Minced Garlic
Instructions
- Mill your wheat berries on the fine setting of your grain mill.
- Warm the milk or water slightly in a small saucepan.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment, add the warm milk or water, oil, and sourdough starter.
- Mix until combined.
- Add the flour and the salt. Mix on speed 1 until combined into a cohesive ball of dough that is soft.
- Turn the mixer on speed 2 and knead for 8-10 minutes until the dough is glossy and stretchy.
- Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap or a food grade plastic bowl cover.
- Let rise in a warm spot for 8-12 hours or overnight.
- The next morning or just before you shape the knots, combine the softened butter and garlic in a small bowl.
- Turn the dough onto a lightly floured or oiled surface.
- Roll out the dough into a rectangle that is 1/4-1/2 inch thick.
- Spread the dough with the garlic butter reserving a small amount to spread on them when they come out of the oven.
- Using a pizza cutter, cut this rectangle into 18 pieces. These do not have to be exactly the same size.
- Next, take on of the pieces and twist it before tying it into a knot.
- Place the shaped knots on a parchment lined baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap.
- Let rise for 1-2 hours.
- After 1 hour, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- Bake the knots in the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes until golden brown.
- Let the garlic knots cool completely on a wire rack before storing.