Hot Honey Ricotta Stuffed Garlic Knots (Printer-Friendly)

Fluffy protein-packed knots stuffed with ricotta, garlic butter, and spicy honey drizzle

# What You Need:

→ Protein Dough

01 - 1 cup plain Greek yogurt (2% or whole)
02 - 1 cup self-rising flour, plus extra for dusting
03 - 1 scoop unflavored or plain whey protein powder
04 - 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

→ Ricotta Filling

05 - 1 cup ricotta cheese
06 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
07 - 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
08 - 1/2 teaspoon dried Italian herbs
09 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
10 - Salt to taste

→ Garlic Butter

11 - 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
12 - 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
13 - 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

→ Hot Honey

14 - 1/3 cup honey
15 - 1 to 2 teaspoons hot sauce
16 - Pinch of chili flakes, optional

# Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - In a mixing bowl, combine Greek yogurt, self-rising flour, protein powder, and salt. Mix until a dough forms. Transfer to a lightly floured surface and knead for 2 to 3 minutes until smooth.
03 - In a small bowl, mix ricotta, Parmesan, garlic powder, Italian herbs, black pepper, and salt until smooth.
04 - Divide dough into 12 equal pieces. Flatten each piece into a disc approximately 3 inches wide.
05 - Place a heaping teaspoon of ricotta filling in the center of each disc. Pinch edges together to seal, then gently roll into a rope and tie into a knot, tucking ends underneath.
06 - Arrange knots on the prepared baking sheet. Cover with a clean towel and let rest while preparing garlic butter.
07 - Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Add minced garlic and cook until fragrant, approximately 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in parsley.
08 - Brush each knot generously with garlic butter.
09 - Bake for 16 to 18 minutes, or until golden brown and cooked through.
10 - In a small bowl, combine honey, hot sauce, and chili flakes if using. Warm in the microwave or on the stovetop just until runny.
11 - Remove knots from the oven. Immediately drizzle with hot honey. Serve warm.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • They're deceptively simple to make but taste like you spent way more time than you actually did.
  • The ricotta filling is creamy and savory, the garlic butter is fragrant and rich, and the hot honey brings this unexpected sweet-spicy punch that keeps people coming back.
  • High protein dough means you can eat more of these without feeling like you've derailed your day.
  • They come together in less than an hour from start to finish, which is perfect for when friends text saying they're coming over.
02 -
  • Don't skip the resting step even though it feels unnecessary—those few minutes let the dough relax and cook more evenly, and they won't be tough and dense.
  • The filling needs to taste good on its own; season it generously before you stuff it into the dough because the dough itself is fairly neutral and won't compensate for underseasoned filling.
  • Drizzle the hot honey immediately after the knots come out of the oven while they're still hot, because warm dough absorbs it and lets the flavors meld instead of just sitting on the surface like a glaze.
  • If you add the hot honey and it immediately hardens into a candy shell, your knots were too cool—next time, work faster or reheat them briefly if needed.
03 -
  • Don't use hot sauce that's just vinegar and heat with no flavor—Frank's RedHot works because it has actual depth, not just burn.
  • If your ricotta filling is too thin, the filling will leak out when you tie the knots; drain it in a fine mesh strainer for 10 minutes if it seems watery.
  • Tying the knots loosely matters more than you'd think—pull them too tight and they don't rise properly, tie them too loose and they unravel while baking, so aim for that middle ground where they're secure but not strangled.
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