Hot Honey Ricotta Stuffed Garlic Knots (Printable)

Golden protein-packed knots filled with ricotta, garlic butter, and spicy 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 such as Franks RedHot or Sriracha, or to taste
17 - 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional

# How to Make It:

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 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 Tips:

01 -
  • They look fancy enough for company but come together faster than you'd expect, especially if you're tired of the usual appetizer routine.
  • Eight grams of protein per knot means you can actually eat a few without feeling like you're abandoning your goals.
  • The hot honey drizzle is just aggressive enough to wake up your taste buds without burning them out.
02 -
  • Don't overstuff your knots or the ricotta will burst out during baking and brown on the sheet instead of staying creamy inside—a teaspoon is really the right amount.
  • The garlic butter tastes completely different the instant it cools down, so brush it and drizzle the hot honey immediately after the knots come out of the oven for maximum impact.
03 -
  • If your dough feels too sticky, dust it with just a little extra flour as you work, but resist the urge to add flour to the original mixture because that changes the whole texture of the final knot.
  • These are best eaten warm and fresh, but you can make them ahead and reheat gently in a 300°F oven for about 5 minutes if you need to.
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