Easy Gluten-Free Pizza Dough

Gluten free pizza dough is often seen to be a bit of a hassle or tricky to make. The main reason is that gluten plays an important role in creating the structure and texture of traditional pizza dough. Without gluten, it can be a challenge to get the same level of elasticity and structure.

But...with the right ingredients and techniques, it really is possible to make delicious gluten-free pizza at home.

A few of our close friends are coeliac and we’d never want them to miss out on a pizza night at ours. so we have made it a priority to learn how to make a great gluten-free pizza.

So, where do you start to make gluten-free dough? Here are some pointers.

Source good gluten-free flour

A good gluten-free pizza dough starts with a high quality flour blend that is specifically made for pizza dough.

Look for a blend that contains a mix of flours, such as rice flour, potato starch, and tapioca starch to create the right texture and flavour.

We've found Caputo fioreglut gluten-free flour to be of superior quality to others we have tried. It really makes a light and airy crust that is hard to distinguish from a regular crust. Result!

A handy place to find it online is Fifo Store or Sous Chef.

That’s not to say we haven’t experimented with other gluten-free flours. We've tried doves farm gluten-free pizza base mix and even tried almond flour and coconut flour. But caputo gluten-free still tops our poll for consistent results.

other top tips

Use warm water

Using warm water to speed up activation of the yeast will help the dough rise properly. Gluten-free doughs can be dry and crumbly, so it's important to add enough liquid to let the starches hydrate, help the dough come together and hold its shape.

Use gluten-free yeast

Be careful with yeast as most are not gluten-free. We stick to caputo active dry yeast which is gluten-free.

Follow a reliable recipe closely

It's really important to measure your ingredients accurately and follow all the steps correctly.

Gluten-Free Neapolitan Style Pizza Dough

Ingredients

This recipe will make enough for four 250g dough balls.

1000g caputo fioreglut gluten-free flour
800g warm water
15g instant gluten-free yeast
35g olive oil
35g salt

For a margherita pizza

tomato pizza sauce
Mozzarella cheese
Fresh basil

Method

Mix the flour, yeast, warm water, and salt in a stand mixer with a dough hook at a low speed for 5 minutes. (You can use a flat paddle, but gluten-free dough loves to “climb the paddle” so we’d recommend using a hook).
Add the olive oil and continue to mix on the lowest speed for another 4 minutes.
Cover and let the dough rest in the fridge for 30 minutes.
When it's time, divide the dough into four 250g pieces (follow our guide for advice).
Shape each piece into a ball, dunk in a bath of gluten-free flour and place each ball in a Babadoh.
Cover with the lid and leave to prove for at least 3 hours, up to a maximum of 24 hours.

Stretch or roll the dough

Gluten-free dough can be more delicate than regular pizza dough, so be extra gentle when stretching it out. To stretch each dough ball into a pizza base:

Place a ball onto a well-floured (gluten-free) pizza peel.
Using your fingers, press down into the dough, flattening and spreading it into a round base. don't press right out to the edge, so you leave a nice puffy edge when the pizza is cooked.
Press your hands, palms down on the dough and gently pull your hands apart towards each edge, aiming to streatch the dough to a thickness of about 5mm.
Gently shake the pizza peel to check the base is not stuck before you top your pizza.

If you prefer to roll the dough with a rolling pin, beware that gluten-free dough can be difficult to roll without tearing or sticking to the work surface. A top tip is to roll between two sheets of parchment paper. Aim to roll the dough to a thickness of about 5mm, then carefully transfer to a well-floured (gluten-free) pizza peel.

Top the pizza

Once the base is ready, top with a thin layer of tomato sauce, sprinkle with mozzarella and launch your pizza into the pizza oven.

Depending on the oven temperature, the pizza will take between 2mins (450°C) and 12 minutes (220°C) to cook.

Add some fresh basil and the pizza is ready to serve.

gluten-free detroit style pizza dough ingredients

this dough is based on a focaccia dough recipe, and will make enough for a large 10" x 14" detroit pizza to serve up to 8 people.

1000g caputo fioreglut gluten-free flour
950g warm water
20g instant gluten-free yeast
50g olive oil
35g salt

for the toppings

mountains of grated mozzarella and red leicester cheese
250g grated parmesan cheese
lots of gluten-free pepperoni

and some olive oil to grease the pan

method

mix the flour, yeast, warm water, and salt in a stand mixer with a dough hook at a low speed for 5 minutes. (you can use a flat paddle, but gluten-free dough loves to “climb the paddle” so we’d recommend using a hook).
add the olive oil and continue to mix on the lowest speed for another 4 minutes.
cover and let the dough rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
grease a detroit style pizza pan* with olive oil.
place the dough into the greased pan and gently stretch the dough out to fit the shape of the pan. if it won't stretch into the corners at first, cover the pan with a damp cloth and let it rest for another 15 mins or so, then try again. it can take time, but its time well spent, don’t rush.
cover the pan with a damp towel and let the dough rest for another 4 hours.

top the pizza

preheat your oven as hot as it will go. most domestic ovens have a maximum of 250°C (490°F). ideally use a pizza stone which will help transfer heat to your base.
sprinkle the grated cheese liberally across the dough, paying special attention to pile high at the edges and in the corners. you want to create the famous detroit style cheese crown.
run two lines of tomato sauce about 2" wide across the top of the cheese.
cover with as much pepperoni as you like. bear in mind, when you slice the pizza into 8 slices, you want every bite to include cheese, sauce and pepperoni.
sprinkle with oregano.
bake the pizza for 15-20 minutes or until the cheese is nice and bubbly and the pepperoni looks cooked. keep an eye on it to make sure the toppings don't burn and leave for longer if needed.

*this is a square or rectangular baking pan, specifically designed for making detroit style pizza. these pans are typically made of steel or aluminium and have tall, straight sides that create the deep, crispy crust. most pans are also coated with a non-stick material to make it easy to remove the pizza from the pan. you can buy these from lloyds pans.

experiment with pizza toppings

gluten-free pizza dough can be a bit different from traditional pizza dough, so you might need to experiment and find the perfect toppings to complement the dough and find what works best for you.

add gluten-free pizza toppings like jalapeños, caramelised onions, roasted peppers, ham & pineapple, mixed charcuterie meats or chicken pieces.

check out our best pizza toppings blog for more inspiration for your gluten-free pizza.