The Best Gluten-Free Pizza Crust + Sauce

GFVGVDF
Jump to Recipe
Freshly baked pie of The Best Gluten-Free Pizza Ever

This time last summer our friend Laura found out she had food allergies. Not the kind that can be cured with an enzyme pill or avoidance of cheese. The kind that require eliminating half your diet. She was heartbroken for it and we were, too. We ate together all the time and the allergies imparted all kinds of complications. But after rallying our spirits we ventured to explore new and better recipes together, namely ones free of gluten since it seemed to be the main culprit in her diet.

Laura’s family has always had homemade pizza on Sunday nights – a tradition she loved then resented after she couldn’t participate. She and I both searched for gluten-free crust alternatives but always ended up with doughy, bean-flavored, less-than-memorable results. Then Laura had the brilliant idea to try her mom’s traditional crust recipe, only subbing in a gluten free flour blend in place of all purpose to keep it allergen-free.

The result – oh man – no joke, the best gluten free pizza crust I’ve ever had. She even prefers it over restaurant versions now and I nearly prefer it over GLUTEN versions at regular pizzerias! It’s that good. If you have gluten free eaters in your life you simply must try this recipe. As Nacho Libre says, “It’s the baaayyyyysst.”

Mixing wet into dry ingredients for Gluten-Free Pizza Dough
Using a wooden spoon to stir amazing homemade Gluten-Free Pizza Dough

I convinced Laura to let me share her recipe and photograph her making it. So John and I joined her and her husband Ben at their place on a recent weeknight evening. We split a couple bottles of wine, made pizza and I took photos. Oh yes, and we laughed and joked. We always do. These guys are the best. Husbands watched on as the women worked. Typical ; )

John and Ben chatting and enjoying wine
Spreading Gluten-Free Pizza Crust dough onto a pizza stone
Homemade pizza crust spread onto amazing Gluten-Free Pizza Dough
Adding shredded cheese to homemade Gluten-Free Pizza

We went with pepperoni for our main topping, boys’ request. The girls pizza had Daiya mozzarella shreds to keep it dairy-free, since Laura and I try to avoid dairy whenever possible. It was insanely delicious. This pizza is super, seriously. Insanely good. It’s so good, in fact, that just looking at it I want it again, RIGHT NOW.

The best part? Just 7 ingredients (with the gluten free flour blend) and about an hour from start to finish! The result? A crust that actually gets crisp on the outsides and stays a little tender on the inside. It is a bit delicate as most gluten free breads are, but certainly nothing one can’t master. I’ve watched Laura make it dozens of times now and she’s getting quite good at it. She doesn’t even need the recipe and eyeballs when something looks off.

As Shauna Niequist shares in her new book “Bread and Wine,” try a recipe once and follow it to a “t.” Try it a second time and make your own tweaks. Try it a third time by memory and it’s yours. Enjoy.

Adding pepperoni slices to a homemade pizza

Troubleshooting Tips & FAQs

Crust too crumbly or dry?

Make sure to use the blend of gluten-free flours we recommend in the notes. We can’t guarantee results with other combinations of gluten-free flours as we haven’t tried them. For tips on store-bought brands, we recommend checking the comment section to see what others have tried.

Crust too tough or hard?

Next time, try cooking it for less time and/or rolling it slightly thicker.

What’s the best way to freeze this pizza crust?

Par-bake crust 20-30 minutes, then let cool and transfer to a sealed container and store in the freezer up to 1 month.

The Best Gluten-Free Pepperoni Pizza resting on a pizza stone

What are you waiting for? Make. This. Pizza!

Laura cutting slices of pizza

More Gluten Free Pizza Crust Recipes

If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo #minimalistbaker on Instagram. Cheers, friends!

Plate and pizza stone with delicious Gluten-Free Pepperoni Pizza

Note: based on reader feedback and retesting, we reduced the pre-bake time by 5 minutes on 10/17/2021 to ensure a perfectly baked crust every time!

The Best Gluten-Free Pizza Crust + Sauce

A 7-ingredient gluten-free pizza crust that requires 1 hour from start to finish and rivals any pizzeria-style pizza crust.
Author Minimalist Baker
Print
A whole homemade Gluten-Free Pepperoni Pizza on a big plate
4.68 from 581 votes
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings 8 (servings)
Course Entrée
Cuisine Gluten-Free, Vegan
Freezer Friendly 1 Month (par-bake before freezing)
Does it keep? 1-2 Days

Ingredients

  • 1 Tbsp dry active yeast
  • 1 ¼ cup warm water (divided)
  • 2-3 Tbsp sugar (divided)
  • 3 cups gluten-free flour blend (see notes)*
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (176 C).
  • In a small bowl, combine yeast and 3/4 cup (180 ml) warm water – about 110 degrees F (43 C). Too hot and it will kill the yeast! Let set for 5 minutes to activate. Sprinkle in 1 Tbsp (12 g) of the sugar a few minutes in.
  • In a separate bowl, combine gluten free flour blend, salt, baking powder and remaining 1-2 Tbsp (12-25 g) sugar depending on preferred sweetness. Whisk until well combined.
  • Make a well in the dry mixture and add the yeast mixture. Add the olive oil and additional 1/2 cup (120 ml) warm water before stirring. Then stir it all together until well combined, using a wooden spoon (see photo).
  • If using the whole dough to make one large pizza, spread onto a generously greased baking sheet or a pizza stone. Otherwise, make one smaller pizza and reserve the other half of the dough, wrapped in the fridge for several days. Using your hands and a little brown rice flour if it gets too sticky, work from the middle and push to spread/flatten the dough out to the edge (see pictures). You want it to be pretty thin – less than 1/4 inch.
  • Put the pizza in the oven to pre-bake for roughly 20-25 minutes, or until it begins to look dry. Cracks may appear, but that's normal and totally OK.
  • Remove from oven and spread generously with your favorite pizza sauce, cheese and desired toppings. We went with Daiya to keep ours dairy-free. Pop back in oven for another 15-25 minutes (depending on toppings), or until the crust edge looks golden brown and the toppings are warm and bubbly.
  • Cut immediately and serve. Reheats well the next day in the oven or microwave.

Video

Notes

*To make 3 cups GF flour: 1 cup (160 g) white rice flour + 1 cup (160 g) brown rice flour + 1 cup (120 g) tapioca flour + 3/4 tsp xanthan gum)
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated with lesser amount of sugar and without toppings.
*Recipe yields enough for 2 small-medium pizza crusts or 1 large.
*The gluten-free flour blend is a suggestion, but a strong one. However, try your own blend if you prefer, or sub all-purpose if not gluten-free.
*You can make this recipe ahead of time, up to 1-2 days in advance, stored covered in the refrigerator until time of use. However, it is best when made fresh.
*If the dough is finicky or sticky when spreading out, simply sprinkle on a little more brown rice flour to keep it from sticking.
*Recipe by my dear friend, Laura (and Laura’s mom).
*Laura’s favorite sauce is 1 small can of tomato paste, 1/2 cup water and equal pinches salt, pepper, dried basil, oregano, thyme, and garlic powder.

Nutrition (1 of 8 servings)

Serving: 1 serving Calories: 215 Carbohydrates: 48 g Protein: 3.2 g Fat: 1 g Saturated Fat: 0.2 g Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.27 g Monounsaturated Fat: 0.35 g Trans Fat: 0 g Cholesterol: 0 mg Sodium: 7 mg Potassium: 89 mg Fiber: 2 g Sugar: 3.3 g Vitamin A: 0 IU Vitamin C: 0 mg Calcium: 6.43 mg Iron: 0.64 mg

Did You Make This Recipe?

Tag @minimalistbaker on Instagram and hashtag it #minimalistbaker so we can see all the deliciousness!

If you love this recipe...

Get Our Fan Favorites eBook Here!

Reader Interactions

Leave a Comment & Rating!

Have a question? Use ctrl+f or ⌘+f on your computer or the "find on page" function on your phone browser to search existing comments! Need help? Check out this tutorial!

My Rating:




  1. Jen says

    Thanks for this! My friend was touched that I made homemade crust –my first time cooking for a GF diet! I liked it too! Thanks for the animation of shaping the dough onto the crust. That definitely helped this newbie out!

  2. Jenni says

    Hi, I’m looking forward to trying your recipe tonight and its my first attempt at a GF crust, I’m nervous!
    I was wondering if I could use “Bread Machine” yeast for this recipe, or if it has to be a different kind?
    Thanks!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerDana @ Minimalist Baker says

      Not sure about the differences in yeast. If at all possible, use the one I recommend and no a bread machine one. Good luck!

  3. Vickie says

    Absolutely love this crust! Several members of my family are gluten free, including my 5 year old grandson. I make 4 pizzas at a time, 1 to eat and 3 to put in the freezer for later. My daughter, who is not gluten free, says this is the best pizza she has ever eaten.

  4. Dan says

    Another possibility is the specific flour combo. The Krusteaz flour I use leaves it kind of moist and chalky (in a pleasant way).

  5. Dan says

    Shaleesa,

    I’ve made it twice, once without additional xanthum gum and once with. Actually mine wasn’t really hard either time, but I did prefer it with the xanthum gum (it didn’t make a huge difference just gave it a bit more substance).

    But in neither case was it very crispy. It was firm enough that it it didn’t droop at all but it wasn’t crunchy, maybe you pre-baked the crust a bit too long? I did add a tiny bit more oil to my dough (less than a teaspoon).

    • Shaleesa says

      Thanks for the response! I will try again with a little extra oil and a little less bake time :) Maybe I will try to keep it a bit thicker when I roll it out on the pan, too.

  6. Shaleesa says

    Hi there, I loved the flavor of this crust recipe!
    My only problem was this: the crust was so crunchy that it literally cut up the roof of my mouth. :(

    The only thing I did differently was not use the xantham gum because it was pretty expensive! Could this be the problem? Or something else?

    Thank you!!

  7. randomguru says

    bookmarked! and definitely will give this pizza recipe a try very soon. lately, i’ve been baking my own vegan pizzas in the oven in a 12″ cast iron skillet. but i’ve been buying the pizza dough & sauce from Whole Foods. i promise to try yours soon, though.

    thanks for sharing!

  8. Kat says

    I really liked the making of this recipe, it was super easy and the dough was actually doughy and not like sticky cookie dough like most GF dough recipes. Spreading it out on the cookie sheet was like bliss. The taste was great but next time I think I will let the dough rise before cooking it and then cook it for less time. The crust, although tasty, was super hard on the edges. But I will definitely try this again and tweak it for my oven and humidity.

  9. Dan says

    Just tried this tonight and turned out great. Far better and cheaper than the store bought frozen gluten free crust I had been using (Udi’s, which aren’t terrible but not great either).

    One tip for those trying to get the texture right, I’ve found Krusteaz brand gluten free flour is pretty great (not just for this but in general). You can buy it at Sam’s Club in giant bags and it is WAY CHEAPER than Bob’s or any of the other alternatives I’ve found and (equally important) works fantastic.

    I did goof up slightly when I made this and forgot to pre-bake. But I had extra sauce on and it did just fine with about 35 min in total. Not too dry and not tough.

  10. Suzanne says

    Thank you for a wonderful recipe. I made this for a gf friend who has tried many different gf pizzas and she declares this one the best ever. The dough was perfect, and we cooked it on a terracotta flowerpot base in the bbq.
    5 stars!

  11. Jess says

    I passed this recipe up at first because it looked dry and crumbly in the picture. I went back to it because it was one of the few that I already had the ingredients for. So glad I did! So good! We liked this crust better than any of the store-bought or even restaurant GF pizzas we’ve had. Thanks for sharing!

  12. April Goodrich says

    What kind of yeast? Active dry yeast or instant/rapid rise yeast? If you are using a tbsp., I would assume active dry, but could you clarify? Thank you!

  13. Rocio Paz says

    I got the instant yeast, do I also have to put this in warm watter first or I can skip that step?

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      The recipe as written is for dry active yeast, but instant should still work with the instructions as written.

  14. Sarah says

    This was the best– and easiest– gluten-free pizza crust I have made to date! I made two pizzas on baking sheets, spread out on parchment paper for damage control. I topped mine with jarred sauce (Rao’s was on sale!), Daiya, olives, and fresh basil; I made my guy’s the same except I used fresh dairy mozzarella. He hopes this pizza goes into regular rotation around here. It was so easy it actually might. THANK YOU! :)

  15. abby says

    I have tried a lot of gluten free pizza crust variations, including a heavy reliance on Bob’s GF pizza mix. This crust is by far the best. Very easy to put together, and very easy to adapt a little depending on what we have on hand (this time I used half Bob’s GF AP and half brown rice flour for my flour mix). We just finished leftovers from last night and we’re already looking forward to making pizza again. I’ve really been enjoying your blog, which I just discovered a few months ago. So many great recipes, and I especially appreciate the simplicity of your ingredients.

  16. Janey P says

    I am an Aussie GF who has tried several GF pizza crust recipes with not much success ,,,, read the reviews and decided to give yet another a go …. turned out to be the best ever!!!! Fantastic result for the first time trying this recipe …. as extra goodness for my GF kiddies I added a few chia and sesame seeds to the dry dough mix prior to combining – once cooked – I KNOW they are in there, but the children could not detect! …. the dough spread out exactly on a full size rectangular oven tray quite thinly – the end result was not dry and crumbly at all which has been my past experiences, this cooked base is flexible like regular pizza base, holds the topping well and has a slight chew to it, lovely. This is the pizza base I will definitely stick with. Thanks Dana and John.

  17. Sarah Conaway says

    There is not a thing wrong with this recipe–in fact, I didn’t even use it for a pizza crust. I made broccoli and cheddar roll-ups which I’ll including in my April 1st blog (I’ll link you). I used half a cup of organic Greek yogurt and all brow rice flour from Bob’s Red Mill. I also included fresh organic chopped oregano and half a cup of Sprite for added moisture. It rolled beautifully and tasted great!

  18. RM says

    I never usually post on these things but had to comment. I had been using a no-yeast GF recipe before and had very good results. This, however, blew that one out of the water. Awesome.

    Just another hint – I added a small scoop of potato flour to make it a bit more chewy and it came out great – worth a try.

  19. Summer says

    This is such a great, simple recipe. Right now I have to eat gluten, dairy, AND corn-free and the fact that I can still make pizza (as long as the xantham gum isn’t corn derived and I made a baking powder substitute) is sooo relieving.

    • Betty Lou Scott says

      xanthan gum is corn, use plain gelaten or guar gum instead. Google “corn allergens”, corn has probably 100 hidden names. I carry a list of them with me at all times. Taking citric acid for vitamin C is 1000 mg of nothing but corn. I react to corn, wheat,barley, oats,spelt,and cow dairy. I have to do all my own cooking and baking. I am 89 in March.

      I haven’t tried this recipe yet, but plan to this week.

      Betty Lou

  20. Julie says

    Hi Dana,

    Thank you for a fabulous GF pizza crust recipe. I tried it twice so far – first with not-so-good results and second with out-of-this-world results. I wanted to share my experience with it in hopes that my trial & error may help other readers on your site.

    Trial #1:
    – I followed the recipe exactly except I mistakenly used the entire batch of dough to make a 12-in pizza.
    – Result: crust was way too thick and dense; texture was not appetizing at all.

    Trial #2:
    – For my gluten free flour blend, I used: 1 c of brown rice flour (bob’s red mill), 1 c of tapioca starch (bob’s red mill), 1/2c millet flour (bob’s red mill), 1/2 c super fine sweet rice (aka: glutinous) flour (bulk from Amazon), and 3/4 tsp xanthan gum.
    – I used “quick rise” dry active yeast
    – After mixing dry and wet ingredients and forming everything into a dough, I reserved 1/3 of the dough in the fridge (not freezer) and took 2/3 of the dough to make a very thin (1/4-in thick) pizza that was slightly larger than 10-in in diameter. I then baked it for 25 min in 350 F, added topping, and finished baking for 15 min in 350 F. Result: this resulted in a great thin-crust pizza with a perfect crispy-ness on the bottom and a slight chewiness.

    But what I did next got me most exciting:
    – With 1/3 of the dough I reserved in the fridge (I let it sit in the fridge for about 50 minutes), I rolled it out to a thin (but thicker than my last pizza; about 1/3-in) crust and baked it for 15 min in 400 F. At this point, the crust looked very dry with cracks emerging on top. I added toppings and baked it for about 12 minutes in 400 F.
    – Result: this gave me a pizza that reminded me of a true, NY style pizza (chewy but not crispy on the bottom; more dough-y and lighter). I could tell the yeast had definitely been activated and worked its magic here.

    Thank you so very much for a wonderful recipe – it made my gluten-free boyfriend so happy and it made me even happier knowing that this is the last pizza recipe I will ever need for him. Thank you!!

    Best,
    Julie

  21. kirsten says

    Hi! I made this tonight, and it was very tasty, my whole family enjoyed it! I had a few problems though: I used Bob’s Red Mill GF 1-1 Ratio Flour, and ended up needing to add a bit of water to the dough (maybe 1/3 cup) as it was very dry and not mixing. But then I ended up with a quite chewy/tough crust, especially on the edges. Was this due to the added water, overmixing, rolling it out too flat, or the Bob’s flour I wonder? Any thoughts? I will try it again. Either way, it was a very successful first try at GF pizza dough. Thank-you!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerDana @ Minimalist Baker says

      Kirsten, it is by nature a chewier, tougher crust, but I happen to like that! Next time you can roll it a little thinner so you don’t have to bake it as long. Good luck!

  22. Pk says

    Just made this recipe. the sauce is GREAT! And easy too. The crust dough however turned out to have a bit of an awkward powdery feel and took way less time to bake- ended up pretty much rock hard. I have a question about the yeast…the recipe just says “yeast” so I used my glass tub of Fleishmann’s yeast. Not instant yeast, not active dry yeast; just “yeast”. Is that my problem? I also thought it interesting that the recipe didn’t call for the dough to have to rise. Maybe I need to do some yeast research. Is there a specific yeast everyone is using?

  23. ramona k says

    In January I decided to go Gluten free because of joint pain. Here it is almost two months later and I have no pain and off of my nerve and muscle relaxer meds. This will be the 2nd time I’ve made your pizza crust recipe and it’s the best. Love your site and all you offer. Keep up the good work.

  24. Kate says

    Hi, I tried this recipe twice, but the crust came out hard. Please give me some advice on making it softer, bendable as mentioned earlier.
    Thank you!

    • Jake says

      Hi, Kate!
      I know what you’re talking about; a hard, break-your-teeth-when-you-bite-it crust can be tasty but not very enjoyable to eat. The crust can get like that when there isn’t enough moisture and air in the dough. To get more moisture, keep the dough slightly sticky (don’t add too much flour) and pre-bake the crust after it has risen (all ingredients mixed, no kneading required) for 30 min – 2 hours.
      For a softer, more airy crust: use the xanthan gum (gives the dough some fluffiness that translates to chewiness). By going GF, you omit the ability of your food to trap air. Xanthan gum is your friend in this case.

  25. Dave says

    Gluten free baking is a journey and takes a developed “feel” to get quasi-consistent results.

    It’s been my experience, when working with this kind of sticky dough, that after you’ve mixed the dough, cover the bowl with plastic wrap until roughly doubled in volume. This allows the yeast to work, the flours to properly hydrate and the flour-yeast flavors to develop. Then work the dough.

    Another tick I use, is to cover/line whatever surface/pan you’re using, with parchment paper; spread the dough into the rough shape, cover it with sprayed plastic wrap then work the dough into the finished shape. Next, REMOVE the wrap THEN par-bake it at 350 degrees per the recipe.

    After it’s par baked and cooled, put the stone (if using) on the lowest rack and allow it to come up to temperature (Personally, I use a 450-475 degree oven). Ideally, you would bring the stone up to temperature in a cold oven to prevent thermal stress and possible breakage.

    Next, prepare the pie with your toppings. If you don’t have a peel, get one, they’re cheap, or use an inverted baking sheet for the next step. Next, slide the par-baked crust off the parchment paper and onto the peel or the inverted baking sheet then to the oven and CAREFULLY slide it onto the hot stone or leave it on the inverted sheet. It won’t stick anyway. A stone makes for a nicer crust and more even baking.

    Bake until desired doneness is reached. This method makes a crunchy crust. If you don’t like it so crunchy, don’t par-bake it as long to retain more moisture and then bake at the lower temperature.

    Hope this helps.

  26. Doris says

    This pizza crust is FANTASTIC! I’ve been trying to find the perfect GF pizza crust since my daughter was diagnosed with Celiac Disease almost a year ago. This is it! I found another one we liked as well, but the dough was a sticky, impossible mess. This dough was so much easier to work with. My kids devoured it, even my picky ones! Thank you so much for this recipe! You made our family so happy. We are having this tonight and everyone is so excited. Pizza night! Yay!

  27. Lacie says

    Hi there! Was excited to try this but mine turned out a little tough – as in my jaw was tired after eating it. I had to use two cups brown rice flour because I did not have any white, and I also think it was a little thicker than yours (I couldn’t get it under a quarter inch – and it kind of shrinks up also to be thicker when cooked). Do you think either of these could be why it ended up tough? I didn’t overcook it. How thick was yours after it was cooked?

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Lacie, we think either of those factors could have contributed, but probably more so the thickness. Better luck next time!

  28. jamie says

    I love this recipe! I have tried others and keep coming back to this one! My daughter and I have been gluten free for a few years now and finding a good pizza crust has been the hardest thing to find over the years. This one is definitely the best!

  29. Mike Pfirrman says

    As a home cook for 40 years, this crust looks / sounds incredibly dry. You can visually tell it looks like gunpowder.

  30. Kristin says

    This is amazing!!! I’m newly gluten and dairy free (like Laura not by choice) and starting to miss things like pizza. Tried this recipe (with daiya cheese and a multitude of other toppings) and it turned out GREAT. So much so that my husband got tired of hearing me talk about how fantastic my dinner was! Thanks for such a fantastic recipe.

  31. Ashley says

    Worked beautifully!! I used Namaste GF flour blend because well I was just too lazy to make my own ;). It is awesome though. It makes me sad that there are negative comments because chances are something just didn’t go as planned, please don’t blame it on the recipe or the recipe developer- they are both wonderful!!

  32. Jen says

    Hi,
    My husband was recently diagnosed with Celiac. We tried a store-bought gf pizza and it was terrible. I tried your recipe, excluding the xanthan gum (what does that do?) and it came out pretty darn good! Miles better than the store-bought.

    My question is this. Is there a way to make the crust just a little bit fluffier? I don’t know if maybe my yeast I had on hand had maybe spent a year or two too long in the freezer or if there was something else I could try? Also, when we went back for seconds, they dough seemed a bit more gummy than round one. I followed your baking directions completely. I may have used too much tomato sauce, I’m not sure.

    We will definitely try this again though!

    Thank you so much for sharing!
    -Jen

    • Jake says

      Hi, Jen.
      The xanthan gum is a type of gum that actually makes the crust chewier, “fluffier” just like you are looking for. I would strongly recommend this small yet important ingredient to achieve the best consistency of the crust. I am speaking from years of experience with working with this awesome GF pizza crust recipe.

  33. Joni Marcellino says

    My 12 year old Daughter and I make this pizza at least 4 times a month… Last night I switched the sugar for Organic Coconut Sugar… I highly recommend it… it made the yeast and water mixture bubble up but it worked fine… also I just realized last night that we have been using baking soda rather than baking powder and that is just fine too… We use the whole box of Glutino non GMO pantry flour for this recipe… We use all of the dough for our pizza so the crust is soft and thicker than the recipe photo … on my half I add finely chopped up brocolli and sometimes other veggies… Super Yummy… So Thankful for this Recipe!

  34. Samantha says

    I wrote in October saying that I would probably give this a better rating once I used the flours specified in the recipe, and here I am! The first time I made it, I just used the GF flour blend I had on hand. I have since hit up the bulk aisle at my local food co-op and yes, it is the absolute best with the rice/tapioca flour blend. I recommend this recipe to all my gluten-free friends!

  35. Chad says

    Looks like a great recipe and I can’t wait to try it. However, I noticed your recipe calls for yeast, yet you don’t allow the dough to rise. Is that correct?

  36. Julie says

    Wow! I just pitted a shop bought base against this recipe, filling both with identical toppings, and this one won hands down. I’ve tried numerous g-f pizza base recipes over the last 3 years, but this is really the best. I used bread flour, but otherwise follows the recipe. Perfection – many thanks!

  37. christi flaherty says

    Hey there. I was searching for a crust to tie in with my Kale recipe roundup (Kale and smoked mozzarella pizza) and found your site. I have tried so many recipes for pizza crust and been disappointed. I can’t wait to try yours. I love your site by the way, I will be subscribing!

  38. Nikki says

    Hey Dana,

    I was just wondering if you can put this pizza in the freezer? Or should y0u pre bake it first and then put it in? Or just leave it as the dough?

    Thank you (and Laura) so much for a pizza crust that I can actually enjoy!!

  39. Carol says

    Like all things gluten free, flour really matters with this recipe. I thought it was just okay with the suggested flour blend, but OUT OF THIS WORLD DELICIOUS using Mama’s Almond Flour blend. The Mama’s blend makes the crust a bit softer and more moist. Best pizza I’ve ever eaten! I use this recipe over and over.

  40. Thomas Meadows says

    I did this recipe incorrectly the first time, rather than baking powder I used baking soda, but in doing so I have discovered that it actually makes the crust crispier than the recipe posted here. I have tried other variations as well but that by far has made the biggest difference for me on this recipe. I would give it a try if this recipe is not crispy enough on the crust for you.

  41. Laura @ TheGreenForks.com! says

    This recipe truly is deserving of its’ great ratings. Not only was it so SO simple and quick to prepare, it was delicious! It was moist with a great texture. Not to mention that its structure was solid enough to hold up to toppings. I patted mine out on a 13×9-inch sheet pan lined with parchment. I would suggest using an 11×15-inch sheet pan instead because this does make quite a bit of dough. I also used the sauce recipe suggested and it was wonderful. Great recipe.

  42. Mica says

    Hi Dana thanks for sharing this awesome recipe! I’m not even 100% GF, but it’s our new pizza go to. Of course recipes are always tweaked to ones liking so I made a few small substitutes as already mentioned by others, unsweetened psyllium husk for xanthan and honey for sugar. Have you experimented with letting it rise? Thanks again, delicious!

  43. Amanda Morey says

    Hi,
    I’m new to GF baking and was really excited to find this recipe. When I told my husband I needed to be GF for a while, his words were “WHAT ABOUT PIZZA???”. I’m following the low FODMAP eating plan and are staying away from gluten foods due to the fructans in them.

    I tried to make this dough tonight (and I’m a fairly experienced cook), but did not have good results. I used a GF flour that I assume contained the ingredients listed above. I added in everything else, in the exact order and steps. It was almost entirely liquid. I added in more GF flour to try and thicken it, but it was still very runny. I eventually added in whole wheat flour and it helped to thicken it.

    Is there something I could have done differently? I have a feeling the answer is in the type of GF flour I used.

    Thanks!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerDana @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hmm, not sure. It must be your gluten free flour. Check the ingredients next time and take heart! Gluten free baking has its learning curve!

      • Amanda Morey says

        Thank you for your reply! I actually found an article from Cook’s Illustrated and it’s helped me understand more of the science behind GF cooking. Looks like flour was the culprit ;)

        Have a good one!

  44. Mandy D says

    This look so great Dana!

    I can’t wait to try this! Your photography is beautiful! I love your blog!! x0x0

    Mandy

  45. Kalyani says

    Thank you. My husband has been GF for 5 years. This is the first pizza for him. Such a perfec recipe. Loved it. Thank you

  46. Mike says

    I just want people to know, this person is a life saver. I’m gluten intolerant so this comes as a big moral boost. I’ve been gluten intolerant for the last two years. I’ve tried many frozen pizzas and god fathers gluten free version. This by far, I mean by really far. Beats all the rest. It also saved me a lot of money.

    I followed the recipe to the dot but I did add an egg and alittle cornstarch/potato starch. Because I do not have xanthan. I also left the doe to bake for only 20 minutes and then heated it for only 15 minutes after placing the toppings. Because I wanted it to be more soft. Using simple mushroom prego as the sauce. Oh was it good. So good I’m going to definitely make this again in the future.

    Thank you again for this recipe.

  47. Lisa says

    How can we make the crust a bit softer? I have a two year old and the crispy crust is a little hard for her to chew. She’s not gluten free but I am and this is one of our favorite meals to cook together.

  48. Amanda says

    I am very excited to try your Gf pizza crust recipe. It truly sounds great, feeding an eight year old JVD w/ celiac disease is hard I need all the help I can get. Btw, The nacho libre reference is the cheese on the crust! (happens to be my favorite movie)
    I will come back and rate as soon as my daughter and I make it and eat it. Lol

  49. Kim says

    Happy Holidays! I just premade your pizza crust recipe for making GF, vegan pizzas for dinner on Christmas night. I can hardly wait! Also made your pumpkin sage biscuits for Thanksgiving dinner — yum! They were also very tasty the next night served with mushroom gravy.

    I was wondering if you can make anything else with the pizza crust flour recipe? If so, could you post some recipes?

    Love your site. Thanks!

  50. Jo says

    Seriously best GF pizza base EVER!!! I’ve tried so many and just about gave up when I came across yours. Well done guys, such a good base and my kids don’t even notice the difference. Thanks for sharing!!!! (we eat it cold out of the fridge next day and kids take it for lunches too.)Jo

  51. Amanda Lewis says

    This is a perfect recipe for my gluten-free diet. You’ve such a great help to my problem.
    I’ve read that the FDA recently set a standard for gluten-free on food products. May I ask what specific flour that is gluten free did you use?

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Amanda, you can find what’s included in the flour in the notes section of the recipe. Hope that helps!

  52. Mandy says

    This is our go-to pizza crust recipe now. Thank you! I love how simple it is. We have multiple food allergies in our home, so I was excited to find one without eggs, potato starch or corn starch. I’ve made it on a pizza stone and a baking sheet and I definitely prefer the texture of the crust made on the pizza stone. I’ve made it twice for get-togethers with gluten-eaters and they loved it, too.

  53. Nic says

    Hi!
    I’m really looking forward to trying this recipe. My partner and I have tried several gluten free pizza crusts over the last couple years but nothing worth keeping yet – usually it’s too complicated or doesn’t taste very good. But the comments make this recipe look very promising!
    We just got a few new varieties of all purpose gluten free flour mixes. One of them is Bob’s “1 to 1 Baking Flour”. I thought the other commenters would like to know this mix has no garbanzo bean flour! I’m not a big fan of that mix either. Not sure if this Bob’s mix is new but it just contains, “Sweet White Rice Flour, Whole Grain Brown Rice Flour, Potato Starch, Whole Grain Sweet White Sorghum Flour, Tapioca Flour, Xanthan Gum.”
    I’m wondering if you think this mix is fine the way it is or would you add something to your existing recipe to make this mix work better in your recipe?
    Thanks a bunch!
    Nic

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Nic, we haven’t tried it with the Bob’s GF 1:1 Baking Flour, but we think it would work! It is similar to the DIY blend we use in this recipe. Let us know if you try it!

  54. Heidi says

    Hi from Portland, Oregon!
    I wanted to say thanks for this recipe, it was excellent! I tweaked it using what I had in my own pantry. I ended up Using one cup of Pamela’s artisan gluten free flour mix ( because it doesn’t have xanthan gum which gives me an upset stomach.) and one cup millet flour and one cup of corn flour. I put a generous amount of oil in the bottom of the pan and all over my hands before pressing it into the pan. It behaved just like regular pizza dough before and after it was baked, it even tasted like real pizza crust! :)

  55. Pam Betro says

    This is absolutely THE BEST gluten-free pizza crust I have found!!! My grandson and I need to eat gluten-free, my hubby does not. I made this the other night and everyone agreed it tasted every bit as great as the pizza house pizzas! Delicious and it made a large pizza and a small pizza that I baked partially and put in the refrigerator for lunch the next day. Thank you so much for sharing this… it was wonderful to actually enjoy pizza again as we remember it!

  56. Angela says

    I finally made this tonight – using Bob’s Red Mill APF. Super good – I halved the recipe because it was just for me:-P I think my son might even like this. I just used a good jarred pizza sauce and added veggie toppings. No cheese or mock cheeses (vegan and GF here) – didn’t even miss it. Used onions, mushrooms and pineapple as my toppings. The crust has a nice crunch and chew – next time I might add some Italian seasoning to the mix.

    Thanks so much!!

  57. Emelia says

    I have made this recipe exactly as it is a couple times but I have a habit of playing around and I discovered an even better recipe which will be on my blog :-) Thank you for the starting point!

  58. Rin says

    Thank you I’ve been trying so long to find a workable consistent recipe that can easily be varied to taste. Even going straight in after the par bake its great, I’m going to give it a bit more time and make some a bit thinner perhaps build up the sides a little. The crust was so very good and tasty, no more bland gf pizzas ever again. I know a lot of people will absolutely love this crust.

  59. Kay says

    I tried this pizza crust for the first time this evening. It was excellent! I made a large pizza and then made the extra dough into cheese bread. Very, very good! Thanks for sharing this recipe!

  60. Åsa says

    I am gluten intolerant and love this crust. I spread out some olive oil on the crust (with a brush) after baking it the first time and added lots of sauce (the suggested sauce, plus pesto made with sundried tomatoes). It was deliscious and not dry.

    I wonder, what’s the point of adding the yeast if you don’t give the crust time to rise before baking it? I will give the yeast time to work a bit next time before baking, in the hopes the crust will become a bit less dense. I will also make it a bit thinner.

  61. Mark says

    This crust was amazing, I’ve tried a bunch of different gf recipes recently for pizza and this one is easily the best yet.

  62. Carol says

    I have tried this crust multiple times, with and without the xanthum gum. I have to say that, without xanthum or arrowroot, this crust is absolutely perfect (for gluten free :) ) and I actually prefer it without an adhesive agent–the crust is wayyyyy easier to spread in a pan and makes a thin crust, and it always stays together despite. Par-bake the crust for 5 minutes, and it’s the perfect crispy, cracker-like crust. Thanks for sharing this amazing recipe! :)

  63. Laura says

    I forgot to add the Xanthum Gum and it didn’t even matter, which is awesome! Crust turned out wonderful: crisp, tasty, chewy. I am so grateful. I have tried too many disappointing gluten free crust. And the Rice/tapioca blend is so affordable and easy. Thank you!

  64. Samantha says

    I’ve been gluten free for over a year and oddly enough, never tried making pizza crust from scratch before now. I love that this is so close to “regular” pizza crust and doesn’t require eggs. Buying an expensive mix and THEN having to add more of my own stuff at home always seemed silly. This turned out pretty good. I didn’t have the specific flours listed so used the Betty Crocker GF Rice Flour blend. I definitely think using the flours in the recipe would have made it better, but it was still good! Like the recipe says, I feel like this takes more than one try to get perfect, and I’m sure after I try it again I will be giving it 5+ stars! This site is AMAZING for gluten free bakers like me who just want to eat tasty stuff without going out and buying 35 different ingredients! Thank you, thank you, thank you!

  65. Jenny S says

    This was a fantastic recipe! So far this is the best gluten free crust recipe I’ve found. It wasn’t gummy like so many of them and had a nice crunch on the outside of the crust yet still chewy in the middle. I’ll definitely be using this as my go to recipe.

  66. tracy says

    I love love love this crust! Being allergic to corn and gluten, I’d almost given up. on pizza. This recipe and the magic that is goat mozzerella have made delicious, non-pain -inducing pizza a reality again! I like the flavor of garbanzo flour, so I use that in place of the white rice flour, and sub guar gum for xantham(corn derived), and the results are delicious! Thanks for sharing it!

  67. Crystal says

    I made this crust for my two-year old daughter who has multiple food allergies. However, it was so tough she (and I) could barely bite through it. She loves pizza, and I really want to give it another try. Any ideas on what I did wrong or what I could do better the next time?

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerDana @ Minimalist Baker says

      Perhaps you overbaked it? Did you add sauce after par-baking? Not sure! It shouldn’t be that hard. Although sometimes the outermost crust does get a little crisp.

  68. Casey Jones says

    Seriously the best gluten-free crust I’ve ever had! Made this the other night for my family, who are huge authentic pizza fans and hate all things gluten-free, and they LOVED it! Thank you thank you thank you! So delicious!

  69. Keri says

    OMG this was amazing! I loved it even better than regular pizza! Made it exactly as per the recipe. I’m going to try to freeze this for my daughters lunches (if there’s even any left!) I’m still new to GF so any suggestions on freezing would be helpful!

  70. Keith says

    Just because this is gluten-free doesn’t mean you shouldn’t rise the dough once, it really enhances flavor. Also it only gets cracks when it’s either too dry or not enough oil.

    If it’s dry when baking, the top quickly heats up, dries out, and contracts. If you like a wet dough like toothpaste or a brownie mix, a top drizzle in oil might be needed before baking.

    Once I get rid of the stockpile of white rice flour I have, I’ll try replacing the white 1 cup with brown. I grind my own brown, so no sourcing problem there.

  71. Liz says

    This was a great pizza crust recipe! It was way better then the ones you get at the store or at the pizza restaurants. I used a different gluten free flour blend to make it a bit more “whole grain”. I used 1 cup white rice flour, 1/2 cup tapioca starch, 1/2 cup sorghum flour, 1/2 cup millet flour and 1/2 cup oat flour. Perfect combination!

  72. Eline says

    I want to make a few pizzas to be frozen. We have busy schedules and sometimes it is just nice to come home and pop a pizza in the oven. Would this recipe work for that?
    Thanks,
    Eline

  73. Alycia says

    This recipe is just awesome! My husband and I are on month two of going gluten-free cold turkey and boy have our lives improved. Can’t tell you how much we appreciate minimalist baker for all your wonderful GF recipes. Pizza night is the most fun for us and I’m just now making pizza for dinner. This recipe is perfecto (and so is the sauce)! :-)

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerDana @ Minimalist Baker says

      Ah, thanks Alycia! So glad you love this recipe! It’s always so wonderful hearing from people who have reclaimed pizza night because of this crust! xo

  74. Ash says

    I have made this twice now and both times it has turned out great! It is definitely the best crust I’ve had since altering my diet a couple of years ago. My partner (who never eats gf pizza) loves it and always goes back for seconds.

    I use the Orgran brand of flour with rice flour which always makes for a nice blend :)

    The first time I made it I rolled it a bit thicker than suggested, topped the dough straight away and put it in to bake, if you like your pizza a little on the softer side it turns out just fine and is the perfect amount of firm on the outside but soft to taste. The second time I pre-baked the dough and found it cracked a little (nothing major) and was much crispier, as to be expected.

    Either way the pizza was delicious!, Thank you for such a simple tasty recipe!

  75. Sarah says

    I’m so amazed I’ve suffered so long with problems & after 12years found out that I was gluten intolerant, my worst thing was I couldn’t have a great pizza again! But found this few weeks ago made it for my family even my fussy daughter eaten the lot, my husband didn’t notice and said it was great make it again !!
    I used the left overs for a galic bread – which went down well also
    Thank you so much for this god send of a recipe xx

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerDana @ Minimalist Baker says

      Of course! Glad we could share our friend’s amazing recipe! It’s helped so many people reclaim pizza night!

  76. Bee says

    I followed this recipe to the letter and it was OUTSTANDING. I mean, SERIOUSLY AMAZING. The taste was beautifully toasty (just exactly like standard pizza), and the texture was firm on the crust and delightfully chewy-yet-solid on the bottom. As a gluten free gal, sometimes you just want a good ol’ slice of pie and it’s hard finding a good recipe that’s not gluey, crumbly or eggy (or made out of flax / cauliflower) and this totally hit the spot.

    I think the bake times depend on your oven – mine is a reliable gas oven and I pre-baked for 25 and baked for 20. In my experience, the pre-bake step was a great idea – I think the last commenter who had a problem had substituted a different brand of flour. I had no such problems – if I’d skipped it, the ingredients would have sank into the dough and made a gooey mess – I can’t even image trying to spread sauce!

    I did find that rubbing a little water or olive oil on my hands to handle the dough worked really well – I didn’t try to use flour because it seemed liked that might have made it stickier.

    Highly versatile recipe for any number of toppings – I used a pesto base with garden herbs, fresh mozz, fresh tomatoes, basil and anchovies. Scrumptious! Thank you SO MUCH for sharing.

  77. Melissa says

    This recipe was great and I have tasted a lot of gluten free items that were lackluster and a compromise. We did this pizza with half Daiya Cheese for me and half real Colby Jack and Mozzarella for hubby and my son. They loved the pizza! We were really surprised when just as you stated, the Daiya cheese side was actually just as good or better truly than the real cheese side! The next thing I want to ask is if I can freeze this? Thank you soooo much- it has been a very long time since I have had pizza, not to mention something that is not a horrendous compromise. Mellow Mushroom was the only place I could find that had any kind of crust I could eat. You have made my day for sure!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerDana @ Minimalist Baker says

      I’ve never tried freezing but scan the comments for other people’s adaptations – there may be something in there!

  78. Amber says

    Hi,

    I’ve made this a few times now, cutting the sugar a bit and using Authentic Foods’ GF Multi Blend flour.

    The first time, I pre-baked it as directed and the crust was nearly inedible. Taste was good, but crust was really hard. The second time, rolled it out and topped the dough right away, baking at 425 degrees for about 20 minutes, and it was perfect. I rolled half of the dough out a bit on the thin side, the second a little thicker (resulting in more of a bread-y crust). Worked perfectly either way. Then, I ran out of yeast (oops!) and followed the recipe without it. The pizza still came out well though without any sort of rise at all, perfect if you like a more thin, doughy crust.

    My kids really love chili cheese fry pizza, with a thin base of chili as “sauce”, a layer of crinkle fries, and topped with cheese. I use Daiya shreds on mine with fresh basil underneath and fresh veggies on top.

    Adding herbs like Alessi to the dough really perks up the flavor even more.

    I *highly* recommend skipping the pre-bake step.

    Great, versatile recipe. Thanks so much for sharing!

  79. suzie says

    I love this recipe!! The flour mix was not very extensive and the dough tasted DE.LI.CIOUS. It was quite wet, but with a little extra brown rice flour I didn’t have a problem. Being gluten free I appreciate easy and tasty recipes! I will always use this in the future for my gluten free pizzas!

  80. Jan says

    Can’t wait to try this, especially after reading GRAIN BRAIN by Dr. David Perlmutter. Once you read this book and find out that most grains can and do alter genes you will find ways to eliminate our typical American diet that is causing a rise in illnesses early man never had, not to mention brain disease, mental illness, diabetes, you name it….the list goes on!

  81. Andres says

    I made this for my wife today, and not only did she love, but so did I even though I eat gluten regularly. I think we are going to be making a lot this pizza in the future. THANKS!

  82. Debbie says

    I Made this crust but substituted 1 cup of white rice flour with 1 cup of spelt flour. The dough was the texture of brownie batter. I lined my pizza pan with non stick pan lining paper( one side parchment and one side foil). Spread the batter then baked as directed. Once baked I took the paper/foil off from under the pizza, loaded the shell with garlic sauce , roasted veggies, herbs and mozzeralla cheese and cooked as directed.. This was so easy and so good, this was great. I just found out I have a wheat allergy and thought I’d never eat a good pizza again! Thanks for the recipe!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerDana @ Minimalist Baker says

      That warms my heart! Glad you found a good pizza crust for your new dietary needs. Hugs!

    • Claire says

      Sorry to disappoint you, but spelt is an ancient wheat species and therefore not allowed in celiac diets. If you are just “intolerant” then it is probably fine as it contains much less gluten than modern wheat. Gluten appears to have been selected for in wheat domestication–making the bread chewier etc.

      • Debbie says

        A great deal of confusion has risen concerning spelt recently. The United States Government is now requiring that foods be labeled to indicate whether they contain any of eight food allergens. As part of the implementation of this law, the FDA has declared that spelt is wheat and that spelt must be labeled as wheat. Although spelt and wheat are indeed closely related, they are two different species in the same genus. Spelt is Triticum spelta and wheat is Triticum aestivum. When asked why they had decided that spelt is wheat, an FDA official said that it was because spelt contains gluten. (They had no answer to the question of whether rye would also be considered wheat because it contains gluten, and indeed, bags of rye flour in the health food store are still labeled “wheat-free”). Spelt does indeed contain gluten and should not be eaten by anyone who is gluten-sensitive or has celiac disease, but the presence of gluten does not make spelt wheat. Being that I have an allergy to Wheat not Gluten this is a perfect substitute for my needs.

        • Claire says

          I agree with you that food labeling for wheat is confusing and I’m not in the food industry. I’m glad you don’t have the gluten allergy and can enjoy ancient wheats like spelt. My husband is celiac, so he can’t. It’s probably why I have taken such an interest in wheat. I am going to try the pizza recipe but substitute in some cornmeal.

          In my profession we refer to all members of the Triticum genus as wheat (Triticum spp.). Triticum dicoccum (emmer wheat) s one of the earliest domesticated wheats in the world and comes from Triticum dicoccoides (a wild wheat). Spelt is a later wheat species (~8,000 years ago) that appears to have developed as a hybrid of an earlier wheat, such as emmer wheat, and a wild grass. Interestingly bread wheat Triticum aestivum may well have developed from the hybridization of spelt.

          Wikipedia gives a list of many of the different species of wheats–wouldn’t it be fun to try them all?
          T. aestivum
          T. aethiopicum
          T. araraticum
          T. boeoticum
          T. carthlicum
          T. compactum
          T. dicoccoides
          T. dicoccon
          T. durum
          T. ispahanicum
          T. karamyschevii
          T. macha
          T. militinae
          T. monococcum
          T. polonicum
          T. spelta
          T. sphaerococcum
          T. timopheevii
          T. turanicum
          T. turgidum
          T. urartu
          T. vavilovii
          T. zhukovskyi

        • db says

          in Australia we have much clearer labelling laws. although a product maybe wheat free it can still contain gluten, this includes rye, oats and barley. even if a product that contains no gluten has been processed in a factory that also processes gluten, a statement on the product advises this.

      • Debbie says

        Yes it does. I made just a wheat free pizza crust not a gluten free crust. My dietary restrictions are on wheat not gluten.

  83. Mara says

    This really WAS the best pizza crust.

    I used Bob’s GF flour and added 2 teaspoons of xanthan gum to the dry ingredients.

    Subbed powdered sugar for the sugar cause I didn’t have any.

    Followed the rest of the instructions exactly.

    My crust came out much thicker than the one in your pics (which I liked), and I didn’t have any problems with it cracking. This would definitely pass a taste test of GF vs. non-GF pizza! Thank you!

  84. Madeleine says

    This recipe is awesome!!!! We have made it twice and had wonderful results. I substituted chia seed for the xanthan gum and it turned out great. Both the gf and non-gf family likes it. We made a thai chicken pizza and even the picky 11 year old requests this! Thank you!