Gluten-Free Pizza Crust Recipes
Thick Crust, Thin Crust, Batter Crust... you choose
This blog posting was inspired by a friend contacting me the other day looking for a gluten-free pizza-crust recipe he could bake that would satisfy his craving for a good pizza (he has just recently joined the ranks of the Celiac / GF population). He had just tried some store-bought pre-made GF pizza crust and was quite disappointed with it, so I pointed him in the direction of our gluten-free recipes library after quickly mentioning what types of crust recipes we had made available online. And, I figured I might as well recap the discussion here too for anyone else wanting a better gluten-free pizza crust than they can find at the store.There are a few gluten-free pizza-crust recipes and approaches that we use regularly. Each is quite different from the other, and offers substantial variation in taste, texture, and complexity (for creation). Depending on how much time you have to prepare your pizza and/or what ingredients you have available and what type of crust style you prefer, one of these recipes should do the trick or serve as a great starting point for your own GF pizza creation.
Note: the section-headings below link to the recipes when clicked.
Gluten-Free Thick-Crust Pizza Dough Recipe
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| Gluten-Free Pizza Crust Recipe : Thick Crust |
This is my own personal favorite — a lovely Thick-Crust Pizza that is very much like the "real thing"; and, though it takes a bit of investment with regards to preparation time, the satisfaction of eating a near-real pizza makes up for that. This is a wonderful traditional raised pizza crust with thick bread-like outer crust edges that is both dairy-free and gluten-free, with great taste and texture.
We make use of Millet and Teff flours as well as yeast (combined, these all help result in a very convincingly "real pizza crust" flavor). This is a yeast-raised dough, and as such it takes a bit of time to make (crust needs time to raise... about 40minutes just for that), but it is worth it if you really miss "real" pizza. And, though I typically avoid Xanthan Gum and all gums in my foods, I make a rare exception when it comes to this Pizza crust my wife developed.
Load the crust down with your favorite pizza sauce and toppings and enjoy! I know I do.
We make use of Millet and Teff flours as well as yeast (combined, these all help result in a very convincingly "real pizza crust" flavor). This is a yeast-raised dough, and as such it takes a bit of time to make (crust needs time to raise... about 40minutes just for that), but it is worth it if you really miss "real" pizza. And, though I typically avoid Xanthan Gum and all gums in my foods, I make a rare exception when it comes to this Pizza crust my wife developed.
Load the crust down with your favorite pizza sauce and toppings and enjoy! I know I do.
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| Gluten-Free Pizza Crust Recipe : Thin-Crust Variety |
Though this recipe contains yeast, it is really a baking-powder leavened recipe (the yeast is for flavor) so there is no waiting for the dough to rise prior to baking. The crust is pre-baked (before placing sauce/toppings on it), and then baked a bit more to melt the cheese(s) and cook any toppings.
And, though I posted this picture of the thin-crust pizza on my blog in the past, I just noticed that I have yet to post the picture(s) onto our recipe library. oops! I will update that soon, but at least the recipe is there for all to see. :)
The batter-type approach to a pizza-crust makes for a decent pizza in a bit less time than some other alternatives, as it is made quite similarly to a pancake. It is also baking-powder leavened so there is no wait for dough to rise. The batter is poured into pan(s) on the stovetop where it is fried before applying toppings. Once toppings are added, the pizza(s) are finished by baking in the oven.
PIZZA SAUCE NOTE:
ENJOY!
Batter-type Thin/Medium Gluten-Free Pizza Crust (simple/quick Recipe)
The batter-type approach to a pizza-crust makes for a decent pizza in a bit less time than some other alternatives, as it is made quite similarly to a pancake. It is also baking-powder leavened so there is no wait for dough to rise. The batter is poured into pan(s) on the stovetop where it is fried before applying toppings. Once toppings are added, the pizza(s) are finished by baking in the oven.
Sauce: there is a homemade gluten-free pizza sauce recipe on our website in case you need or want one. It's really simple to make, and has a good flavor on pizzas.
The techniques used in these various crust approaches should give you a nice foundation for creating your own variations too. I have made all sorts of related recipes and have even created adaptations using things like Whey Protein and pre-hydrated Chia Seed slurries and more (in lieu of Xanthan Gum). Experiment with various flours and create your perfect taste and texture; perhaps you like Buckwheat or flax seed more than other flavors... the sky is the limit.
All this talk of pizza has me craving one now! mmmmmm... pizza!
Continue to read this Gluten-Free Blog for all sorts of gluten-free recipes, product-reviews, and related information. In addition, visit my Gluten-Free Recipes Site where many of the recipes I have featured on this blog are available.
You mention avoiding gums in your cooking. Why? I am new to Gluten free cooking and am curious about that statement.
ReplyDeleteThis looks really good, I'm going to try to make this recipe. I miss eating pizza.
ReplyDeleteChris,
ReplyDeleteRegarding gums (xanthan, guar, etc) and why I avoid them: simply put, my body does not like them :)
I have found that if I consume any significant amount of Xanthan gum, I end up with abdominal discomfort and symptoms that rival gluten-ingestion in some ways. I have tried them off/on over the years with the same results every time if I consume either too much of them or have gums too regularly in my diet. And, I have run into other people with the same issue. So, for me it was just easier to get rid of them and avoid the problem.
In addition, I found that there is this perception among much of the Gluten-free population that you "must" use gums in baking gluten-free things in order to achieve the desire results. This is definitely false. We do not use any added gums in any of our recipes in our Gluten-Free Dessert Recipes book (same in Kindle version of Gluten-Free Desserts book). We have sold the print version of the book for years with a money-back satisfaction guarantee to back up our claims that the desserts are as good as the "real" thing, and so far no returned books but rather a pile of testimonials about how the cakes and desserts are wonderful. And, those recipes use zero added gums. So, if they are not needed, why are unnecessary gums added to so many gluten-free foods? Habit and lack of trying things without - that is all I can think.
Now, I will admit that SOME items like breads and pizza-crusts are very difficult to make without gums. I have come up with alternatives in many cases (like isolated whey-protein, chia seed, etc - see blog history for such discussions).
Hopefully that helps clarify my position. I could write much more on the subject, and for some reason I recollect doing so but could not find a link to where I put such an article. :)
Best wishes with your new Gluten-Free baking and cooking. Make the call on gums yourself, but I suggest keeping an open mind and learning where there are truly needed vs. where they are not. Thanks for reading my blog and commenting.
mike
Thanks so much for having this blog! I know someone who is gluten-sensitive, and this is the perfect recipe blog for them! :P
ReplyDeleteI have been looking for a recipe for myself for pizza crust that doesn't have yeast. I do not eat egg, and dairy either. I came across your batter version recipe. I substituted flax for the egg and coconut milk for the dairy and I was beyond thrilled. I could enjoy pizza with my family and not feel so bad afterwards. Thanks for taking the time to write and help others.
ReplyDeleteYummy This is delicious and great recipe.I love Pizza, thanks for sharing......
ReplyDelete