If you’ve never tried Cheesy Garlic Fingers, what are you waiting for? These are a classic East Coast Canadian treat that everyone loves. Made with homemade Pizza Dough, topped with garlic butter and lots of mozzarella cheese. Great served as an appetizer, a side dish or a starter. Great however you choose to serve them. Take a look!
What are Garlic Fingers
If you don’t know what Garlic Fingers are, you need to know right now because you’re seriously missing out! I first came across Garlic Fingers back home in Newfoundland at Pizza Delight. It was love at first bite. That was probably 30 or so years ago. We would have them as a starter to our pizza. Yes, I know, dough and then more dough.
What Do We need To Make This Garlic Fingers Recipe
You need only few ingredients to make this delicious Appetizer. I used my Homemade Pizza Dough, but you can buy dough or use your own favourite recipe.
- Pizza Dough
- Butter (unsalted)
- Fresh garlic
- Mozzarella cheese
- Parlsey
- Salt
REMEMBER, The full recipe and instructions is found in the recipe card at the end of the post!
How To Make This Garlic Fingers Recipe
- Combine dry ingredients – In a large mixing bowl combine the flour, salt, instant yeast and sugar. Mix well to combine. Drizzle over the olive oil and just give a quick stir.
- Add liquid – Make a well in the middle of the flour and pour in the warm water. Using a fork, start pulling the flour into the water until you have incorporated all the flour. If it seems too dry, add a little more water. The dough should be really sticky at this point.
- Knead dough – Take the dough out of the bowl and place on a clean and lightly floured surface. Lightly flour your hands and start kneading the dough. Flip and knead the dough until it’s soft, elastic and springs back when touched. This will take between 5 – 10 minutes.
- Leave dough to rise – Place the ball of dough in a large flour-dusted bowl. Cover the bowl with a damp cloth and place in a warm room for about an hour or up to two hours until the dough has doubled in size.
- Get the oven preheated – Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Place a cast iron plate, pizza stone or baking steel in the oven on the lowest rack.
- Divide the dough – Divide the dough into two equal parts and form into balls. Place one ball of dough on a lightly floured surface and press down with your hands until you have a disk. Roll it out it about a 10 inch circle. Place it on a sheet of parchment paper.
- Make garlic butter – In a small saucepan set over low heat, add the butter until it melts. Add the crushed garlic and salt. Cook for just a minute and remove from heat.
- Put together the garlic fingers and cook – Using half of the ingredients, brush the garlic butter over the dough, top with cheese and sprinkle with parsley. Transfer to the oven and cook for 6 – 8 minutes or until bubbly, golden and risen.
- Cut and serve – Cut into strips using a pizza cutter and serve immediately.
WANT TO MAKE THE BEST PIZZA DOUGH? HEAD TO MY STEP-BY-STEP PIZZA DOUGH RECIPE FOR ALL THE TIPS AND TRICKS FOR PERFECT PIZZA EVERY SINGLE TIME.
Generally these are served with a dipping sauce, Donair Sauce to be exact. Personally, I find them perfect just the way they are and no dipping required. But if you need to dip, check out this super easy Donair Sauce recipe and you’ll be all set.
The sauce is basically a mix of mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar and garlic. So, it’s pretty straight forward.
You could even dip them in Marinara Sauce for a fresher taste if you prefer. Or eat them just like I do, on their own! Or even serve them as a side to a comforting pasta dinner like the One Pot Creamy Chicken Pasta. They also go great on the sides of refreshing salads like the Creamy Cucumber Salad with Sour Cream and Mayo.
Notes about the Cheesy Garlic Fingers
- This recipe below is written out for two 10 inch round garlic fingers. You could just as easily make one at a time and save the other dough ball for later.
- The dough will keep in the fridge for a week. Just put it in zip lock bag and you’re good to go!
- I strongly recommend baking these on a preheated pizza stone or cast iron pan. It gives them a very crispy base that I’m not sure you will achieve on a non preheated strong surface. I applied the same rules to cooking these as I would with pizza.
- If you want to read more about that, head on over the Pizza Dough recipe for all the details!
- I used my own Pizza Dough recipe to make these and they turned out perfect. I’ve made them now about a half a dozen times and each time they are fantastic. Yes, you can buy dough if you don’t feel like the going the whole nine yards and want to keep life simple. Again, not sure about the end result, but I’m sure they would still be Garlic Fingers.
Apart from that, it’s all explained in the recipe below and they make a fantastic appetizer or nibble food.
Happy cooking friends!
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Get the recipe!
Cheese Garlic Fingers
Ingredients
For the dough:
- 2 Cups strong bread flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 Tablespoon instant yeast
- 1/2 Teaspoon sugar
- 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 3/4 Cup warm water hot to touch
Topping:
- 4 Tablespoons butter
- 2 cloves Garlic crushed
- Pinch salt
- 8 oz Mozzarella cheese shredded
- Small bunch of fresh chopped parsley
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl combine the flour, salt, instant yeast and sugar. Mix well to combine. Drizzle over the olive oil and just give a quick stir.
- Make a well in the middle of the flour and pour in the warm water. Using a fork, start pulling the flour into the water until you have incorporated all the flour. If it seems too dry, add a little more water. The dough should be really sticky at this point.
- Take the dough out of the bowl and place on a clean and lightly floured surface. Lightly flour your hands and start kneading the dough. Flip and knead the dough until it’s soft, elastic and springs back when touched. This will take between 5 – 10 minutes.
- Place the ball of dough in a large flour-dusted bowl. Cover the bowl with a damp cloth and place in a warm room for about an hour or up to two hours until the dough has doubled in size.
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Place a cast iron plate, pizza stone or baking steel in the oven on the lowest rack.
- Divide the dough into two equal parts and form into balls. Place one ball of dough on a lightly floured surface and press down with your hands until you have a disk. Roll it out it about a 10 inch circle. Place it on a sheet of parchment paper.
- In a small saucepan set over low heat, add the butter until it melts. Add the crushed garlic and salt. Cook for just a minute and remove from heat.
- Using half of the ingredients, brush the garlic butter over the dough, top with cheese and sprinkle with parsley. Transfer to the oven and cook for 6 – 8 minutes or until bubbly, golden and risen.
- Cut into strips using a pizza cutter and serve immediately.
- Repeat for other dough ball if using.
*A note on times provided: appliances vary, any prep and/or cook times provided are estimates only.
Notes
Thanks For Stopping By & Hope To See You Soon!
Authentic donair sauce is NOT made with mayonnaise. NEVER. Please just make the real stuff, the only ingredients are sweetened condensed milk, white vinegar, and garlic powder.
Hi, this recipe is for Garlic Fingers. The Donair Sauce is a link to an external site (not mine). I think all recipes are suggestive anyway. I’ve never made Donair Sauce myself, I was just talking about it. People like to always take their own spin on recipes. But I know many people like to stick to the classics.