Deep dish gluten free pizza dough is so easy to make and tastes just like you remember. Load up your pizza with your favorite toppings!
I've been making this deep dish gluten free pizza dough, in one form or another, since 2012. It's the sort of pizza that you really sink your teeth into.
Maybe it's the bit of cornmeal in the crust. The crust in this gf deep dish pizza has a lot of work to do, since there are so many more wet toppings in deep dish than there are in classic gf pizza dough!
I love to bake these deep dish pizzas in 6-inch round baking pans, but of course it's not necessary. You really just need something, well, deep. It is deep dish, after all.
The recipe includes cornmeal as an ingredient because it helps make the crust a little more sturdy and gives it the bite you want. The cornmeal does make the crust delicate to work with, as opposed to your standard gluten free pizza crust, but it's worth it!
I've included two versions of the recipe for the gluten free pizza crust below, in case you don't have the bread flour ingredients. If you use my no-bread-flour recipe below, you'll find that it is more difficult to handle.
The idea is to get the crust into the bottom of the pan however you can, as the pan will help it keep its shape during baking. You could probably even just press the crust into pan without rolling it out, but you'll end up with thicker and thinner spots that will bake unevenly.
Deep dish pizza is unique in more ways than one. Not only is it baked in a round pan, but most of the cheese is actually on the bottom of the pizza.
Just line the crust with thick slices of a semi-hard cheese. I really like provolone here, but asiago and Gruyere are also really nice. You don't want a cheese with a lot of moisture, though, as the tomato sauce will have more than enough.
I always add cubed pancetta next, but you can leave it out entirely or add ground beef or pork for texture and flavor. Then, simply cover generously with tomato sauce and a layer of finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.
It's deep, baby.
Deep Dish Gluten Free Pizza Dough
Ingredients
Dough With Bread Flour
2 1/2 cups (350 g) Gluten Free Bread Flour*, plus more for sprinkling
1/4 cup (33 g) coarsely ground yellow cornmeal
1 1/3 teaspoons (4 g) instant yeast
2 teaspoons (8 g) granulated sugar
2 teaspoons (12 g) kosher salt
1/4 cup (56 g) neutral oil
3/4 cup (6 fluid ounces) warm water (about 95°F)
Dough Without Bread Flour
2 cups (280g) all-purpose gluten-free flour (I highly recommend (mock) Better Batter here), plus more for sprinkling
1 1/2 teaspoons xanthan gum (omit if your blend already contains it)
1/4 cup (33 g) coarsely ground yellow cornmeal
1 tablespoon (9 g) instant yeast
1 tablespoon (12 g) granulated sugar
2 teaspoons (12 g) kosher salt
1/4 cup (56g) neutral oil
3/4 cup (6 fluid ounces) warm water (about 95°F)
For the Pizza
2 tablespoons (28 g) unsalted butter, melted
5 ounces thickly sliced provolone cheese
4 ounces cubed pancetta
Leaves from 3 sprigs fresh oregano (or 2 teaspoons dried oregano)
1 cup Tomato Sauce (or store-bought)
2 ounces finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
*BREAD FLOUR NOTES
- 1 cup (140 g) Gluten Free Bread Flour, as discussed more fully on pages 8 to 10 of GFOAS Bakes Bread, contains 100 grams Mock Better Batter all purpose gluten free flour (or Better Batter itself) + 25 grams whey protein isolate (I use NOW Foods brand) + 15 grams Expandex modified tapioca starch.
- For a calculator that helps you build the flour without math, please see my Gluten Free Flour page.
- If you would like to use Ultratex 3 in place of Expandex, please see #6 on my Resources page for instructions.
Instructions
To make the dough using bread flour, place the flour, cornmeal, yeast, and sugar in the bowl of your stand mixer (or a large bowl if you have a hand mixer with dough hooks). Use a handheld whisk to combine well. Add the salt, and whisk to combine. Add the oil and water, and mix to combine. Using the dough hook attachment for your stand mixer or the dough hooks attached to your hand mixer, knead the dough until smooth (about 4 to 5 minutes). Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl or proofing bucket large enough for the dough to rise, and cover with an oiled piece of plastic wrap or the oiled top of the bucket. Place the dough in the refrigerator for at least an hour and up to 3 days.
To make the dough without bread flour, in a medium-size bowl or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, place the flour, xanthan gum, cornmeal, yeast and sugar, and whisk to combine. Add the salt, and whisk again to combine. To the flour mixture, add the oil and the water and mix to combine. Press the dough into a disk and place it in a greased bowl or bucket, and cover with oiled plastic wrap or the oiled top to the bucket. Place the dough in refrigerator for at least an hour and up to 3 days.
To shape the pizza dough, preheat your oven to 375°F. Grease two 8-inch round baking dish with sides that are at least 1 1/2 inches high, or 4 6-inch round pans. Set the pans aside. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and place on a lightly floured surface. Sprinkle lightly with extra flour and knead by folding it over on itself until it is smoother. This will be much easier if you used the bread flour recipe.
Divide the dough into two or four equal portions (depending upon the size of your pans), and roll each into a ball. Working with one portion at a time, roll out the dough into a round that is about 1/4-inch thick, flouring the dough and the surface and moving it around to prevent sticking. Lift the prepared round of dough carefully into one of the prepared baking dishes and press it into the bottom and up the sides of the pan, as you would with a pie crust. Repeat with the remaining piece(s) of dough.
To assemble the pizzas, brush the bottom of each crust with the melted butter. Divide the sliced cheese evenly between the crusts, covering the bottom surface of each completely. Divide the cubed pancetta between the crusts next, followed by the oregano leaves and the tomato sauce. Sprinkle the tops evenly with the Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Cover each pan loosely with aluminum foil, and place in the center of the preheated oven. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbling and the pancetta is very fragrant. Uncover the pizzas and continue to bake until the crust is browned and some of the moisture has begun to evaporated from the tomato sauce (about another 15 minutes).
Remove from the oven and allow to cool briefly before removing from the pan, slicing into wedges and serving warm.
Original “without bread flour” recipe published on the blog in 2012. Bread flour recipe adapted from Deep-Dish Chicago-Style Pizza on page 193 of Gluten Free on a Shoestring Bakes Bread (Da Capo 2013).
Gustavo Woltmann says
What a devine looking dish! I love deep dish pizza, but never tried to make it at home. Maybe it’s time!
Elvwnk says
Thank you for 2 options of crust. Isolate upsets my stomach, so a version without it is great. I think I will try it today.
Avneet Singh says
I can’t eat corn – is there a way to replace the cornmeal, or omit it?
lysa says
haha. Last night said to dh, “can you go to gf on a shoestring and find a pizza dough recipe for me?” yay for me this was on the front page! He made it while I bought cheese. It was good even with ice cream salt (because it’s kosher, dh reasoned) and baked in a 9×13 dish. we’ll definitely make this again. But with normal salt so I don’t have to pick huge salt chunks out of the crust.
Nicole says
Hi, Lysa,
I love that you said that to your husband! Good to know that the recipe works well even in a 9×13 inch dish. Yeah, ice cream salt isn’t ideal. ;)
xoxo Nicole
Kristi says
Nik, Jordan is wondering about Churros. Any thoughts?
You ROCK!
Nicole says
Hey, Kristi,
Yup. Churros are in the queue. They’ll make it to the top one of these days :)
xoxo Nik
Heather :) :) :) says
PIZZA? GLUTEN FREE? Yes, please. This is one of my favorite meals, ev-ah :) :) :) Love and hugs from the ocean shores of California, Heather :)
Sarah says
Saw this recipe this afternoon when I was looking up your crisp recipe, just had to make it (and had all the ingredients on hand). It was a breeze and came out so tasty! Thanks so much.
Nicole says
So glad you enjoyed it, Sarah. :)
xoxo Nicole