If you’re looking for a way to get dinner on the table FAST, this yeast free gluten free pizza dough recipe is exactly what you need. Trust me, I’m a professional. A professional at doing things the last minute.
Everyone needs a last-minute dinner solution
I work at home developing recipes all day, every day. About half the time, I’m sitting down at the computer developing new recipes and writing them up.
The other half I’m up and around the kitchen cooking, baking, photographing, and shooting a video. But I still struggle to get dinner on the table at the last minute. OFTEN.
And I still dread dinnertime, quite often. How can that be? Because this is not a hobby blog. It’s work—and as work, it doesn’t revolve around me and my family.
It’s really about you and your family. What recipes haven’t I published yet that you might need.
And sometimes, it’s dinner. But often, it’s not dinner since most dinners are naturally gluten free.
If you’ve ever wondered why there are more recipes for cakes than dinners on this blog, that’s why. And since you can’t serve your three children cake for dinner and keep your self-respect (I’ve tried), when all you’ve made all day is cake.
You’re scrambling to make dinner. And you need a quick solution. A gluten free flatbread recipe always saves the day.
This quick gluten free pizza is the last-minute gluten free pizza that can really save my sorry behind. When we have nothing planned for dinner but still have a hungry family waiting, this is the recipe to turn to.
How to make this gluten free pizza recipe—two ways
The method that we use to make this yeast free gluten free pizza is very similar to the method we use to make yeasted gluten free pizza—but the rise here comes from baking powder instead of yeast.
There’s less flavor because there’s no yeast development, but there’s no need to allow the crust to rest in the refrigerator for at least 12 hours like with traditional gluten free pizza.
All I did to create this recipe was take the yeast free pizza crust recipe from GFOAS Quick & Easy, and combine it with the gluten free bread flour blend from GFOAS Bakes Bread. The result is nothing short of a dinnertime miracle.
To make this recipe, you mostly just dump the ingredients into a mixer and mix until it’s all well-combined. One of the methods of making this recipe calls for the specialized gluten free bread flour blend from Gluten Free on a Shoestring Bakes Bread.
I prefer this pizza when it’s made with the bread flour blend since it still crisps up like a champ on the bottom and browns beautifully. But if the extra ingredient seem overwhelming, this isn’t the time to use them.
The purpose of this recipe is ease. So you can absolutely make it with one of our all purpose gluten free flour blends. The dough just needs some more water, and it won’t be as easy to handle.
Chill the dough
With either flour blend (the straight-up all purpose GF blend or the GF bread flour blend), you’ll need to chill the dough for about 10 minutes in the refrigerator. It isn’t necessary for yeast development of course since this recipe has no yeast.
A quick rest in the refrigerator makes this pizza dough significantly easier to shape. You’ll find yourself using less flour in shaping, which keeps the dough properly hydrated. That means it will the proper crisp-tender pizza.
The point is this: you can make yeast free gluten free pizza. It can be done at the last minute—and it can be delicious.
Next thing you know you’ll be paging through the rest of our gluten free pizza combinations, wondering which you’ll make next with this crust recipe! And with any luck, you too can become a professional—at last minute dinner-making, just like me. :)
Oh, and by the way, you can also make gluten free bread without yeast for sandwiches. Will wonders never cease?
Ingredients and substitutions
There aren’t many ingredients in this recipe. In that way, it’s similar to our Weight Watchers-friendly gluten free pizza recipe. There aren’t many additional allergens in the recipe, as it’s already naturally egg-free and nut-free. It is worthwhile to discuss a few of the ingredients, in case you have questions:
Dairy
The recipe for the crust is naturally dairy free—unless you’re using using the gluten free bread flour. That calls for the addition of milk protein.
If you are dairy-free, I recommend using the all purpose gluten free flour, not the bread flour blend. For toppings, use your favorite dairy-free shredded cheese. I like Daiya brand and Violife brand.
Honey
If you’d like to avoid using honey, you can substitute an equal amount of brown rice syrup. You can even use light corn syrup.
I don’t recommend using maple syrup. That has a different consistency and an incompatible flavor.
Olive oil
In place of olive oil, you can use almost any neutral oil, like vegetable oil, canola oil, or grapeseed oil. Olive oil does lend a nice flavor, so it’s preferred.
Yeast Free Gluten Free Pizza | Two Ways
Ingredients
For the pizza crust
3 cups (420 g) Gluten Free Bread Flour*, plus more for sprinkling**
4 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons (28 g) extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon (21 g) honey
1 cup (8 ounces, by weight (or 8 fluid ounces)) lukewarm water (11 to 11 1/2 ounces if using all purpose gluten free flour in place of bread flour)
For the pizza
1 cup (8 fluid ounces) tomato sauce
1 pound (16 ounces) freshly grated mozzarella cheese
2 tablespoons (28 g) extra virgin olive oil (only if using all purpose gluten free flour in place of bread flour)
*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.
**To use All Purpose Gluten Free Flour in place of Gluten Free Bread Flour, you will need to make the following changes to the recipe and instructions:
- In place of the 1 cup (8 ounces) warm water, use 1 1/4 cups + 2 to 3 tablespoons (11 to 11 1/2 ounces) lukewarm water.
- I can only recommend using one of the following 3 all purpose gluten free flour blends: Better Batter, my Mock Better Batter blend, or my Better Than Cup4Cup blend. If you would like to try another flour blend, you’ll really have to experiment!
- Pizza crust made with the all purpose gluten free flour blend will need to be handled differently, and baked differently. Please refer to the recipe instructions for details.
Instructions
First, make the pizza crust. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the bread hook (or fitted with the paddle attachment if using all purpose gluten free flour in place of bread flour), place the flour blend, baking powder and salt, and whisk to combine well. Add the olive oil, honey and water, and mix on low speed with the dough hook (or paddle if using all purpose flour) until combined. Raise the mixer speed to medium and knead (or mix) for about 5 minutes. The dough will begin as a rough ball and become very sticky, but should be smooth and somewhat stretchy (if using all purpose flour, the dough will first clump and then come together in shards, more like play-doh). Spray a silicone spatula lightly with cooking oil spray, and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl or proofing bucket, and cover with an oiled piece of plastic wrap (or the oiled top to your proofing bucket) and place in the refrigerator to chill for about 10 minutes. This will make it easier to handle.
Shape the pizzas. Once the pizza dough has chilled, place it on a lightly floured surface and sprinkle lightly with more flour. Shape into a smooth ball (this will be much, much easier if you used bread flour) and divide the dough evenly into two separate pieces and shape each into a separate ball. Sprinkle both lightly with flour, and cover one with a moist tea towel so that it doesn’t dry out. Using well-floured hands and a rolling pin, pat and roll out the first piece of dough on a lightly floured surface into a 12-inch round, rotating the dough and flouring it frequently, to prevent sticking. Roll and pat the dough more thickly as you work from the center of the dough to the edges to create a crust (if using bread flour, your shaping will be as shown in the gluten free pizza shaping video). Transfer the round of dough to a piece of unbleached parchment paper. Repeat with the second piece of dough. Place a pizza stone (or overturned rimmed metal baking sheet) on the bottom rack of your oven and preheat the oven to 375°F (350°F if using all purpose gluten free flour).
Bake the pizzas:
- If using bread flour: Top your pizzas with tomato sauce and scatter with cheese, then place the pizzas, one at a time, on the pizza stone. Bake for about 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted, the sauce is bubbling and the crust is puffed and browned. Allow the pizza to set for a few minutes before slicing and serving.
- If using all purpose gluten free flour: Brush the entire surface of each pizza crust with the olive oil to aid in browning. Bake for about 15 minutes, or until the crust begins to puff and brown. Remove it from the oven. Top your pizza with tomato sauce and scatter with cheese, then place the pizzas again, one at a time, back on the pizza stone. Bake just until the cheese is melted. Allow the pizza to set for a few minutes before slicing and serving.
Adapted from both the recipe for Yeast Free Gluten Free Pizza in GFOAS Quick and Easy, and the recipe for Thick Crust Gluten Free Pizza from GFOAS Bakes Bread.
JRS says
My son was diagnosed with a handful of allergies, including wheat and dairy, three months ago and we’ve been trying so many mixes and frozen crusts. They were all bad and expensive. I actually gave up on our pizza night because it was just stressful, expensive, and everyone was disappointed.
This crust (and we had to use all purpose flour, because we can’t do the whey protein isolate) is the best we’ve tried. It was delicious, quick, and easy. I only made two pizzas, and they all wanted more! This hasn’t happened since switching to GF. Thank you for the amazing pizza. Our Friday pizza and movie nights are back on!
Kamia Starfire says
Many thanks for posting this recipe. My son has one set of allergies and my wife another which makes meal time interesting and often results in more than one main dish. Come Friday night I just want quick, easy and something we can all enjoy together. Gluten, dairy, yeast and nut free makes us one happy household!
Amelia says
Hello, I just saw this recipe and it looks amazing. I was looking for a yeast free pizza dough recipe because I really want something quick! I however do not eat gluten free, therefor do not have gluten free flour. This recipe still looks really tasty though, can I substitute gluten-free flour for unbleached white all purpose flour?
Thanks,
Jaci Ganendran says
Hi Nicole, Many thanks for this. Just a question about ‘freezability’ of the dough. I will be using the GFOAS bread flour mix. I would like to freeze on pizza base and wondered if I should freeze it unbaked or par bake the base.
Thanks again – you’re a life saver
Nicole Hunn says
Good question, Jaci. Since it doesn’t have any yeast, it should freeze fine raw, but it will take longer to defrost than if you just roll it out, parbake it and then freeze it. If you do decide to freeze it raw, defrost it overnight in the refrigerator.
Moy Page says
Thanks again & again Nicole! And to the newbies, buy her books, all you need to know is in there & a lot is on her blog. Great stuff, you have my word…
Jen Small says
I always wondered why your parchment paper is all wrinkled up in pictures. Then I had an epiphany…duh… so it doesn’t roll up and drive you bonkers. Now I feel kind of silly since that never occurred to me. I’m excited to see this recipe, by the way, as a mom who frequently needs a meal in a pinch!
Nicole Hunn says
Yup, Jen. That’s exactly why! It makes it much easier to handle. :)
Vivian says
you always say gluten free bread flour, is this the actual bread flour you buy to make gluten free bread? Because here in Australia there is no such thing in the supermarket aisle with the gluten free products. Just the Lauke gluten free flour pack or the simple plain or self raising flour?
Jen Small says
Just after the list of ingredients there is a section about Bread Flour notes where she explains the blend used for it. Hope that helps!
Lucy says
Tomorrow is pizza night. The crust looks fabulous, thanks Nicole :)
Christy says
I was going to use a fridge rise crust for the first time, but may go with this instead. But what does the honey do for the recipe? Would maple syrup work in equal amounts, do you think? My daughter cannot even remotely pretend she is going to ingest honey. It is too high in fructose.
Nicole Hunn says
I honestly don’t know, Christy. You might have to cut back on the water a bit, since maple syrup has more liquid than honey. Worth a shot!
Christy says
Thanks for the tip. I have to do a lot of adjusting because we can’t use Better Batter (my daughter can’t have brown rice flour or pectin), we can’t use sugar unless it is a very small amount to feed yeast. In place of sugar I use dextrose powder. She does not tolerate honey, brown sugar, molasses, etc. Still I love your recipes because they do work, usually, with all my adjusting. :)
Jennifer S. says
Yummy, yummerson! love us some pizza. I was just going to mix up a batch for the fridge rise, but now am rethinking to use this! how well do you think this dough would do for say wrapping up some mini hot dogs? as well as the other?
Nicole Hunn says
I honestly don’t think it would be quite as good, Jennifer, but it should “work,” if that helps. The dough is really surprisingly still quite easy to handle when you use the bread flour. I say give it a shot!
GFDF in OH says
What type(s) of non dairy/non whey protein powders can you recommend as an alternative to those who can’t handle whey? I’ve used pea protein powders for smoothies, would that work? What recommendations can you offer?
Thanks!!!!
Nicole Hunn says
I discuss nondairy protein substitutions in my book for the bread flour, but if you’re dairy free I’d just go with the all purpose gluten free flour blend here in place of bread flour, as described in the recipe.
Nia says
Hi Nicole! Another gorgeous recipe! Thank you! I just wanted to ask, can I use goat milk protein instead of whey protein? Will it make a huge difference to the finished product? Thanks so much!
Nicole Hunn says
It’s not whey protein, it’s whey protein isolate, Nia, which is almost pure protein. Is there such a thing as goat milk protein isolate? If so, give it a shot! If not, it won’t work for sure. And you’ll still need Expandex to build the bread flour, either way.
Donia Robinson says
I made individual heart shaped pizzas on Valentine’s Day using the recipe in Quick and Easy. Everyone had fun topping their own, and they tasted great!
Jennifer S. says
donia – you are the best mom ever!
Nicole Hunn says
Fun!