Hot Honey Ricotta Garlic Knots (Printer-friendly)

Golden protein-packed knots filled with ricotta, garlic butter, and hot honey drizzle

# What You'll Need:

→ Protein Dough

01 - 1 cup plain Greek yogurt, nonfat or low-fat
02 - 1 cup all-purpose flour
03 - 1/2 cup unflavored whey protein powder
04 - 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
05 - 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

→ Ricotta Filling

06 - 3/4 cup whole-milk ricotta cheese
07 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
08 - 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
09 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
10 - 1/4 teaspoon salt

→ Garlic Butter

11 - 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
12 - 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
13 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
14 - Pinch of salt

→ Hot Honey

15 - 1/4 cup honey
16 - 1 teaspoon hot sauce
17 - 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - In a mixing bowl, combine Greek yogurt, flour, protein powder, baking powder, and salt. Stir until a shaggy dough forms. Knead on a lightly floured surface for 2 to 3 minutes until smooth.
03 - In a separate bowl, mix ricotta, Parmesan, lemon zest, black pepper, and salt until well combined.
04 - Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces. Flatten each into a 3-inch round. Place 1 heaping teaspoon of ricotta filling in the center of each. Fold edges over filling, pinching to seal, then roll gently into a rope and tie into a knot.
05 - Place knots seam-side down on the prepared baking sheet.
06 - In a small saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Stir in parsley and a pinch of salt. Brush knots generously with garlic butter.
07 - Bake for 16 to 18 minutes, until golden brown.
08 - While baking, warm honey in a small saucepan or microwave until just runny. Stir in hot sauce and red pepper flakes if using.
09 - Remove knots from oven. Immediately brush with any remaining garlic butter, then drizzle hot honey over each knot. Serve warm.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • They're loaded with protein from Greek yogurt and whey powder, so they actually keep you satisfied, not just full for ten minutes.
  • The dough comes together in minutes without yeast or complicated rises, which means you can make these on a random Tuesday.
  • Hot honey over ricotta is a flavor combination that somehow tastes more complicated than it actually is.
  • They work as an appetizer at parties, a snack with coffee, or even a side to soup when you want something warm and cheesy.
02 -
  • Overmixing the dough makes it dense and tough—stop as soon as everything comes together, even if it looks slightly shaggy.
  • Don't skip the seam-side-down placement when you put knots on the sheet; it helps them bake evenly and seals the filling inside.
  • The hot honey absolutely needs to be added immediately after baking while the knots are still warm, or it won't soak in and will just slide off.
03 -
  • Brown the garlic slowly over low heat—rushing this step turns it bitter and ruins the whole finishing brush.
  • If you want even more protein, use part-skim ricotta and increase the protein powder by 2 tablespoons in the dough.
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