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Home » Yeast Breads » Pumpkin Garlic Knots

Pumpkin Garlic Knots

October 22, 2016 By Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan 11 Comments

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Whether it’s autumn or any other time of year, these vegan pumpkin garlic knots are simply phenomenal and will disappear quickly once you make them. If you have any garlic lovers in your life, these are a must-make! Now with a recipe video to help you with the play-by-play.

Close up of baked pumpkin garlic bread knots - soft and buttery pizza dough tossed in garlic and topped with from scratch hemp parmesan and parsley

If you haven’t tried them before, garlic knots are baked morsels of pizza dough, twisted into a knot shape. After baking, the knots are tossed with a mixture of butter or olive oil, minced garlic, and other toppings like spices, herbs, and cheese. My vegan pumpkin garlic knots take this whole thing to the next level:

  • I made them vegan (duh!)
  • I infused the olive oil directly with garlic by gently heating them together. This way, every inch of surface area of the garlic knots is flavored by garlic. As possibly the preeminent garlic lover on this planet, I didn’t see any other choice.
  • I floured the knots before shaping them, and then brushed with the garlic-infused olive oil before, during, and after cooking. The result is a crispy and slightly flaky exterior.
  • I added pumpkin puree to the pizza dough, which helps it stay moist and tender inside even while the pumpkin garlic knots are crispy and browned on the outside.
  • After tossing the baked garlic knots with the rest of my garlic-infused olive oil, I sprinkled them with fresh parsley and homemade hemp parmesan (which is of course, optional) for even more flavor.

Pumpkin Garlic Knots | yupitsvegan.com. The perfect SAVORY pumpkin recipe for fall, baked pumpkin knots smothered in garlic-infused olive oil!

Closeup of vegan pumpkin infused knots of sweet garlic dough tossed in a garlic-infused olive oil and garnished with homemade hemp parmesan and fresh herbs

Folks will be wondering if these pumpkin garlic knots have a very strong pumpkin flavor. They do not. The pumpkin does serve to help with the dough texture and gives the knots a beautiful orange color, but the flavor of pumpkin is quite subtle. This would be a great use of leftover pumpkin puree from other recipes (though it’s also totally justified to make or buy pumpkin puree just to make these garlic knots – the pumpkin really does make these perfect).

Pumpkin Garlic Knots | yupitsvegan.com. The perfect SAVORY pumpkin recipe for fall, baked pumpkin knots smothered in garlic-infused olive oil!

No, these pumpkin garlic knots are not whole grain, and yes, they are absolutely drowning in olive oil. And yes, it was totally worth it. I made them two nights in a row. Yep.

Despite how long the recipe looks, these are extremely easy to make, if a little involved. I have tried to make the instructions as detailed as possible to make it easier for people who don’t often work with yeasted dough. In the notes section I explain how to prepare part of the recipe ahead of time. Below the recipe, I’ve shared many pictures outlining the step-by-step process.

A plate of soy free and nut free vegan pumpkin garlic knots infused with intense garlic flavor and olive oil and topped with fresh nut cheese and parsley

Pumpkin Garlic Knots | Yup, it's Vegan
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5 from 4 votes

Pumpkin Garlic Knots

Crazy-good pumpkin garlic knots, made by baking knots of pumpkin-infused pizza dough until perfectly crispy and then tossing them in garlic-infused olive oil. I highly recommend making a double batch - these disappear quickly!
Course appetizers, bread
Cuisine dairy-free, nut-free, refined sugar-free, soy-free, vegan, vegetarian
Keyword pumpkin garlic knots
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings 12 garlic knots
Calories 128kcal
Author Yup, it's Vegan

Ingredients

For the pumpkin dough:

  • 1/2 cup of warm water divided in half
  • 1/8 ounce of active dry yeast (half of a packet; a little less than 1 and 1/2 teaspoons)
  • 1 tbsp agave nectar
  • 1/3 cup pumpkin puree
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 3/4 tsp salt
  • 1 and 3/4 cup bread flour (I use unbleached), plus more for kneading

For the garlic-infused olive oil topping (makes a little bit more than you probably need, just to be safe):

  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • 6 cloves of garlic minced
  • 1/8 tsp salt (double this if not using vegan parmesan)
  • (optional) pinch of black pepper
  • (optional) pinch of red pepper flakes

(Optional) for a finishing touch:

  • 2 tbsp finely-chopped fresh parsley
  • 2-3 tbsp hemp parmesan

Instructions

  • In a large bowl, stir together 1/4 cup of the warm water, the yeast, and the agave nectar. Let the mixture sit for 10 minutes, until frothy (this is to make sure the yeast is working).
  • Stir in the rest of the water, the pumpkin puree and olive oil, and whisk to combine. Add the salt, flour, and stir; continue stirring until the mixture starts to come together as a dough. (It will probably be quite sticky).
  • At this point you can either transfer the dough to a floured surface, or keep working on it inside the bowl. I prefer the latter, for easier cleanup. Knead the dough, adding a little bit more flour at a time as needed, for about 5 to 7 minutes, until the dough is smooth and fairly stretchy. I used between 2 tablespoons and 1/4 cup of additional flour during the kneading process. You are looking for a dough that is quite tacky (moist), but doesn't stick to your fingers when you carefully handle it.
  • Very lightly oil the dough and let it rest in the bowl (or a new one), covered with a plate, damp towel, or plastic wrap (this is to keep the moisture in). Let the dough rise in a warm place until doubled in size. The time needed for this will vary depending on ambient conditions; mine took about an hour. I recommend preparing the garlic oil during this time; see instructions below.
  • Punch down the dough and get some extra flour ready. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • One at a time, grab big pinches of the dough, flour them, and roll them out into a thin rope shape. Then tie the rope into a knot. Place the knot onto your baking sheet; leave some space between the knots because they will grow in volume again while baking. The size of the garlic knots is up to you. I make approximately one dozen from this dough. You can weigh the dough and each section of it in order to ensure uniform size of the knots, but it's not necessary to do so.
  • Let the knotted knots rest (for no more than 15-20 minutes) while you preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Brush each knot comprehensively with the garlic-infused oil. Place the tray of pumpkin garlic knots in the oven and bake for 8 minutes. Remove from the oven, rotate the tray, and brush all of the garlic knots with a second coating of oil. Return to the oven and bake until lightly browned and crisp (5 to 10 more minutes; longer if you made them fairly large).
  • Once you remove the garlic knots from the oven, let them cool for a few minutes. Then, add them to a bowl along with the infused oil, and gently toss to coat. Sprinkle the garlic knots with parsley and vegan parmesan, if using, and serve immediately.
  • Leftovers can be kept in an airtight container and reheated in the oven or toaster oven, but they're nowhere near as good as when fresh.

For the garlic-infused olive oil:

  • Warm the olive oil over low heat. Add the garlic, salt, black and red pepper (if using). Continue to very gently simmer the mixture, stirring occasionally, for 6 to 8 minutes, or until the mixture is fragrant, the garlic is softened, and the flavor of garlic can be tasted in the oil itself.

Video

Notes

MAKE AHEAD: After preparing the dough up until the point where you let it rise for 60 minutes, you can cover it in plastic wrap and put it in the refrigerator overnight, instead of in a warm place. The next day, bring the dough all the way back to room temperature before punching it down and continuing with the garlic knot making process. You can also make the hemp parmesan in advance, if using. The garlic infused in oil can be made earlier in the same day, but should also be brought completely to room temperature before using.
ALTERNATE FLOURS: Bread flour, with its high protein content, is what helps make these pumpkin garlic knots so fluffy and easy to work with. All-purpose flour is a workable substitution. Whole grain flour will significantly decrease your enjoyment of these garlic knots, by giving them a grittier, denser texture and a more pronounced flavor that competes with the garlic. I have not tried gluten-free flour with these and imagine the recipe would require significant changes in order to be gluten-free.
Sources consulted: Emeril Lagasse, Never Homemaker

Nutrition

Serving: 1garlic knot | Calories: 128kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 167mg | Potassium: 24mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 600IU | Vitamin C: 1.7mg | Iron: 0.9mg

Whisking together the yeast mixture, pumpkin, and olive oil:

Pumpkin Garlic Knots (Step-by-Step Pictures) | yupitsvegan.com - whisk yeast, pumpkin, and olive oil

Pumpkin Garlic Knots (Step-by-Step Pictures) | yupitsvegan.com - finished product of whisked ingredients

Adding and stirring in the flour:

Pumpkin Garlic Knots (Step-by-Step Pictures) | yupitsvegan.com - adding and stirring the flour

Pumpkin Garlic Knots (Step-by-Step Pictures) | yupitsvegan.com - result of adding flour and mixing

You can now start kneading the dough with your hands – here it is just after starting to knead, and after finishing:

Pumpkin Garlic Knots (Step-by-Step Pictures) | yupitsvegan.com - photo before kneading

Pumpkin Garlic Knots (Step-by-Step Pictures) | yupitsvegan.com - photo after kneading

Garlic knot dough after rising to double its size:

Pumpkin Garlic Knots (Step-by-Step Pictures) | yupitsvegan.com - the garlic dough will double in size during its rise stage

Cute little pumpkin garlic knots ready to go in the oven! Note that mine don’t look very “perfect” at all. Doesn’t matter, they’re delicious!

Pumpkin Garlic Knots (Step-by-Step Pictures) | yupitsvegan.com - knots before the oven

Lightly browned pumpkin knots, just out of the oven and ready to be doused with garlicky olive oil!

Pumpkin Garlic Knots (Step-by-Step Pictures) | yupitsvegan.com - baked fresh knots right out of the oven

Filed Under: Appetizers, Autumn, Yeast Breads Tagged With: baking, nut-free, refined sugar-free, soy-free, sweetener-free, thanksgiving, winter squash, yeast

« Vegan Hemp Parmesan (Nut-free)
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Comments

  1. Stine says

    January 27, 2018 at 08:49

    <3 They are so delicious
    Can you replace pumpkins with another vegetable?

    Reply
    • Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says

      January 29, 2018 at 12:44

      Pureed sweet potato or butternut squash would definitely work! You might also be able to use beet puree if you want a red version. I’m not sure about other veggies aside from this but let me know if you try it!

      Reply
  2. Barbie says

    February 9, 2017 at 17:42

    5 stars
    These look super yummy! Is it possible to replace the agave nectar with something else? Maybe honey?

    Reply
    • Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says

      February 9, 2017 at 18:12

      Yes you can definitely replace the agave. You just need something with sugars to activate the yeast. Honey, maple syrup, cane sugar etc. would all work.

      Reply
  3. Rachel says

    January 7, 2017 at 20:18

    5 stars
    Oh man these slay me. It’s the type of bread so good you make a meal around it (out of it? Haha). Thanks for posting a reminder about this recipe, so I could make it again and remember to grovel at your feet over the result!

    I have made it with various types of leftover roasted puréed squash and it works wonderfully!

    Reply
    • Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says

      January 7, 2017 at 20:21

      Lol, Rachel, I have so been there. I think there was one day that I had a normal breakfast and then the only other thing I ate that day was garlic knots for lunch and then the rest of the garlic knots for dinner. Thanks for your comment, I’m so glad that you like them 🙂

      Reply
  4. Mikaela Eley says

    December 19, 2016 at 14:52

    5 stars
    Hi there,

    i am so wanting to make these but are gluten intollerant, any suggestions for how much flour to use?

    Thanksyou so much!

    Reply
    • Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says

      December 19, 2016 at 15:12

      I so wish that I had a better response for you, but I don’t think these would be very easy to make gluten-free. Sorry 🙁 if I were going to attempt it I’d probably start by substituting a gluten-free all-purpose blend that includes xanthan gum, and decreasing the liquid a bit, but I have a feeling it might need more changes than that. I’d love to hear the results of any experimenting if you ever do it!

      Reply
  5. Hannah says

    October 25, 2016 at 22:12

    Whoamygoodness! These look amazing! My husband and I used to go to this cheesy Italian restaurant in southern California that served incredible garlic knots, and we haven’t had them since the last time we were there. This makes me want to make some for sure!

    Reply
  6. Kate says

    October 25, 2016 at 14:11

    5 stars
    UGH these look SO GOOD!! Going to need to make these…ummmm..tonight! 😀

    Reply
  7. Amy says

    October 24, 2016 at 22:52

    Sounds good

    Reply

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I'm Shannon, founder of Yup, it's Vegan! I'm a morning person based in Baltimore, USA. I create healthy plant-based recipes that everyone will love, using seasonal produce and global inspiration.
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