How long to cook garlic knots in an air fryer

At-a-glance cooking parameters

Temperature

350 °F

177 °C

Total time

8 min

per single layer

Shake at

4 min

shake once

Internal temp

—

use visual cue

Garlic knots cook fresh in the air fryer in about 8 minutes at 350 °F (177 °C) with a shake at 4 minutes — knotted pizza dough that comes out golden and bready, then gets tossed in warm garlic butter the moment it leaves the basket. The one technique-flag that matters: the garlic butter (melted butter, minced garlic, parsley and parmesan) goes on after baking, not before, because raw garlic and butter scorch and turn bitter in the dry convection. Shape them from store-bought refrigerated pizza dough, deli dough or homemade: cut strips, roll into ropes, tie loose knots and tuck the ends under. 4 variants: the classic garlic-parmesan benchmark (the pizzeria side-order standard); a refrigerated-dough shortcut; cheese-stuffed knots with a molten mozzarella centre; and frozen store-bought knots straight from the freezer at 350 °F for 6–7 minutes. Don't crowd the basket — knots expand and fuse where they touch. Distinct from Garlic Bread (a split loaf spread with garlic butter) and Calzone (a folded, stuffed pizza-dough pocket) — same dough family, different shape and finish.

Per serving

Approximate values for a single portion of garlic knots (USDA baseline, cooked, includes light air-fryer oil spray).

Calories

340 kcal

Protein

7 g

Fat

13 g

Carbs

46 g

Garlic Knots in popular air fryer brands

Adjusted for how each brand actually heats. Tap a brand name to see every food we calibrate for it.

How to tell it’s done

Garlic knots are done when the dough is an even deep golden-brown all over, the surface is firm and sounds hollow if you tap the underside, and the centre of a torn-open knot is fully baked and bready — not pale, wet or doughy. They puff and set as they cook. A pale, soft knot needs another minute or two; one darkening past golden is about to scorch, so watch the last minute closely. The garlic-butter gloss goes on after they come out, so judge doneness by the bare dough's colour, not by the butter.

Step-by-step method

1. 1

   Prep

   Bring ingredients close to room temperature. Lightly spray or brush the shaped knots with olive oil before cooking so the bare dough browns evenly. The signature garlic butter (4 tbsp melted butter + 3 cloves minced garlic + chopped parsley + grated parmesan) goes on after baking, not before — raw garlic and butter scorch and turn bitter in the dry convection if brushed on first. Toss the hot knots in it so it soaks in.

2. 2

   Season

   Season with Classic garlic-parmesan knots (the benchmark): pizza dough knotted, baked golden, then tossed in melted butter with minced garlic, parsley and parmesan — the pizzeria side-order standard., Refrigerated / canned-dough shortcut: tie knots from a tube of refrigerated pizza dough or biscuit dough for a fast version — same 350 °F bake, then the garlic-butter toss., Cheese-stuffed knots: tuck a small cube of mozzarella into the centre before tying the knot for a molten middle; seal the dough well so the cheese doesn't leak out., Frozen garlic knots: cook store-bought frozen knots straight from the freezer at 350 °F for 6–7 minutes — most come pre-buttered, so check before adding more..

3. 3

   Load

   Arrange 8–10 garlic knots in a single layer with space between them (about 2–3 servings). shaping: cut a ball of pizza dough (store-bought refrigerated, deli fresh dough, or homemade) into roughly 1-inch strips, roll each into a 5-inch rope, tie it in a loose single knot and tuck the ends under, then air-fry 350 °f / 8 min / shake at 4. the moment they come out, toss them in warm garlic butter (melted butter, minced garlic, parsley, parmesan). cook in batches rather than crowding — knots expand and fuse if they touch. for best convection airflow.

4. 4

   Cook

   Set the air fryer to 350 °F (177 °C) and cook for 8 minutes total, shaking once at 4 minutes.

5. 5

   Check & rest

   Check the visual doneness cue and serve immediately for best texture.

6. 6

   Store

   Garlic knots are best fresh and warm. Refrigerate cooled leftovers up to 3 days and re-crisp at 320 °F for 2–3 minutes — the microwave makes them gummy. Shaped, unbaked knots freeze well: freeze on a tray, then bag, and air-fry from frozen (add a couple of minutes). Hold off on the garlic butter until they're reheated and hot.

Watch out for

• !Brush the garlic butter on after baking, not before. Raw minced garlic and butter scorch and turn bitter in the air fryer's dry heat; toss the knots in the warm garlic butter the moment they come out so it soaks into the hot dough.
• !Don't crowd the basket. Knots expand as they bake and fuse together where they touch, then tear apart unevenly. Leave space between them and cook in batches.
• !Tuck the loose ends of each knot underneath. An untucked tail unravels as the dough rises, and a thin end can over-brown or scorch before the body is cooked through.
• !Watch the last minute or two. Small dough knots go from golden to scorched fast at this temperature — pull them as soon as they're an even deep golden-brown and sound hollow.

FAQ about garlic knots in an air fryer

What temperature should I cook garlic knots at in an air fryer?

Cook garlic knots at 350 °F (177 °C). The convection air at this temperature cooks the food gently — higher temperatures dry it out or scorch the surface.

How long do garlic knots take in an air fryer?

Garlic knots take 8 minutes total at 350 °F (177 °C). Shake the basket once at 4 minutes so both sides cook evenly.

Do you need to shake garlic knots in an air fryer?

Yes — shake the basket once at 4 minutes. Loose pieces (garlic knots) settle into the basket and the bottom layer stays pale unless you redistribute them halfway through.

Do you need to preheat the air fryer for garlic knots?

Preheating is optional for garlic knots — most modern air fryers reach temperature in under 2 minutes and the food's total cook time already accounts for the ramp-up. If you do preheat, reduce the total time by 1–2 minutes and check earlier than usual.