Go Back
Print

the best gluten-free pizza crust

From Gluten-Free Artisan Bread in Five Minutes A Day

Light, crispy and delicious.  Finally ... a gluten-free crust your entire family will love.

Don't let the long list of ingredients & instructions intimidate you.  The flour blend is whisked together in a matter of minutes, then set aside on your pantry shelf.  The dough takes about 10 minutes to pull together, then after a 2-hour rise, you have enough to create at least a half-dozen pizzas and flatbreads over a period of 5 days.  Thereafter, it can be frozen for up to 2 weeks.

Servings 10 (6-ounce) pizzas
Author Rosemary Stelmach

Ingredients

Mixture #1: Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour

  • 6 cups stone ground white rice flour * (36 ounces / 1,020 grams)
  • 3 1/4 cups sorghum flour (16 ounces / 455 grams)
  • 1 3/4 cups tapioca flour or starch (8 ounces / 225 grams)
  • 1 1/4 cups potato starch ** (8 ounces / 225 grams)
  • 1/4 cup xanthan gum *** (1.4 ounces / 40 grams)

Gluten-Free Pizza & Flatbread Dough

  • 5 cups mixture #1: gluten-free all-purpose flour (27 ounces / 755 grams)
  • 1 1/2 cups cornmeal (9 ounces / 255 grams)
  • 1 cup potato starch (6 ounces / 170 grams)
  • 2 teaspoons xanthan gum (or ground psyllium husk****)
  • 1 tablespoon granulated yeast (0.35 ounce / 10 grams)
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt (0.9 ounce / 25 grams)
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar (1.75 ounces / 50 grams)
  • 3 3/4 cups lukewarm water, at 100° or below (30 ounces / 850 grams)
  • 1/2 cup olive oil (3.75 ounces / 110 grams)
  • 4 egg whites (4 ounces / 115 grams)
  • parchment paper (or cornmeal for the pizza peel)

Neapolitan-Style Pizza Margherita

  • 6 ounces gluten-free pizza & flatbread dough (large peach-sized portion)
  • 1/3 cup thick prepared tomato sauce
  • 3 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, torn into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 6 fresh basil leaves, thinly slivered or torn (plus more for garnish)
  • coarse salt, for sprinkling
  • gluten-free flour (for dividing dough)
  • parchment paper (for forming dough & baking pizza)
  • olive oil (for forming dough)

Instructions

Mixture #1: Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour

  1. Whisk and mix the ingredients in a 5- to 6-quart lidded container. Finish by picking up the container and vigorously shaking until the flours are completely blended.
  2. The ingredients must be very well mixed, otherwise, the xanthan gum will not be evenly distributed and your baked or fried goods will be inconsistent. 

  3. * Do not substitute with sweet white rice flour.

  4. ** Do not substitute with potato flour.

  5. *** Psyllium can be used as a substitute for xanthan gum only if the dough is to be used in recipes that are baked in a loaf pan. Psyllium causes the dough to become crumbly after refrigeration. 

  6. If you’re measuring using U.S. cup-measures, be sure to pack the flour tightly into the cup, as if you were measuring brown sugar.

Gluten-Free Pizza & Flatbread Dough

  1. Whisk together the flour, cornmeal, potato starch, xanthan gum, yeast, salt, and sugar in a 5-quart bowl or the large bowl of a heavy-duty stand mixer.

  2. Combine the liquid ingredients in a medium-sized bowl and add the mixture to the dry ingredients.  Mix well using a wooden spoon or a heavy-duty stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, until all of the dry ingredients are well incorporated.

  3. Cover (not airtight) and allow to rest at room temperature until the dough rises, approximately 2 hours.

  4. The dough can be used immediately after the initial rise, though it is easier to handle when cold.  Refrigerate in a lidded (not airtight) container and use over the next 5 days. Or store the dough for up to 2 weeks in 1/2-pound portions in the freezer then thaw in the refrigerator overnight before use.

  5. **** If replacing xanthan gum with ground psyllium husk, double the quantity.

Neapolitan-Style Pizza Margherita

  1. Preheat a baking stone (or heavy-duty baking sheet) to your oven's highest temperature at 500°F to 550°F, placing the stone near the bottom of the oven to help crisp the bottom crust without burning the cheese.  Most stones will be hot enough in 20 to 30 minutes.

  2. Prepare and measure all toppings in advance.  

  3. Brush a piece of parchment paper with a teaspoon of olive oil in a 10-inch circle.  Dust the surface of the prepared dough with gluten-free flour and pull off a 6-ounce piece.  Quickly pat into a ball on the prepared parchment paper and drizzle with more oil.  Cover with a piece of plastic wrap or another piece of parchment paper.  Press with your fingers or roll out to form a 10-inch circle.  Check occasionally to be sure the dough is not sticking to the top layer.  If it is, gently peel back the paper or wrap and drizzle a tiny bit more olive oil.

  4. Once the dough is the right size (keep in mind that it doesn't have to be perfect - rustic is good) remove the top layer of paper or plastic wrap.  Spread the tomato sauce evenly over the dough, using the back of a spoon or a pastry brush.  Scatter the torn mozzarella and basil over the surface and give it a light sprinkling of coarse salt.

  5. Slide the pizza into the oven, along with the bottom layer of parchment paper, onto the preheated stone or pan.  For the crispiest crust, carefully slide the parchment paper out from under the pizza once it's set, about 5 minutes into the baking.

  6. Check for doneness in 8 to 10 minutes.  The time will vary depending on your pizza's thickness and your oven's temperature.  When ready, remove from the oven and let the pizza cool slightly on a rack to allow the cheese to set before serving.  Top with additional fresh basil and enjoy.

Recipe Notes

Resist the temptation to use a lot of sauce and/or heavy toppings on gluten-free pizzas, even if the sauce is nice and thick.  Gluten-free dough is pretty wet in the first place and using lots of sauce will make it difficult to get a crisp crust.