Make Your Gluten Free Pizza Dough Recipe Using Whole Grain, Dairy-Free and/or Egg-Free, If Desired
There’s one extremely important thing I have learned in my recipe development business when developing gluten free vegan recipes. That one thing resulted in this dairy-free gluten free pizza dough recipe. It’s the best I have made or tasted in my over a decade of recipe development. Learn how to make the crust your way…thick, thin, crunchy or soft edges, and dark or golden brown bottom crust. You can even add whole grain flour, as shown.
When cooking vegan, since you can’t use eggs, you have to use every leavener you can get your hands on to make up for that fluffiness eggs can achieve. So, grab the vinegar, baking soda, and extra yeast, and you’ve got yourself a replacement. Even using a little bean flour helps. The gases in bean flour provide a little rise, too. However, because many members do not have bean flours on hand, I have created this recipe without any bean flour. Plus, bean flours can be costly.
Meanwhile, I’ve applied what I use in vegan recipe development to this gluten free pizza dough. It contains tons of leavening agents to give it a boost. Adding egg or bean liquid makes it perfect.
Gluten Free Pizza Dough Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 large egg whites (scant 1/2 cup) scant 1/2 cup (or equal amount cannellini bean liquid drained from a can)
- 1 cup brown rice flour
- 1/2 cup potato starch or more cornstarch, plus more for dusting
- 1/4 cup cornstarch or tapioca flour
- 2 tablespoons teff flour or your favorite whole grain gluten free flour
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar or honey or agave*
- 1 tablespoon instant dry yeast
- 2 teaspoons gluten free baking powder Rumford or Featherweight
- 1 teaspoon xanthan gum or guar gum or half of each
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup water heated to 110ºF
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- Gluten Free Pizza Sauce (or Dairy Free Pesto Sauce , , extra-virgin olive oil, bacon grease, or gluten free tomato paste)
- Gluten free cold cuts (salami, pepperoni, ham), for topping (optional)
- Sauteed, grilled, or raw vegetables, for topping (optional)
- Shredded mozzarella cheese (or Follow Your Heart or Daiya for dairy-free), for topping
Instructions
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Beat the egg whites (or bean juice) in the bowl of your mixer until soft peaks form. Transfer the whites to another bowl; set aside.
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In a dry bowl, whisk together the rice flour, potato starch, corn starch, teff flour, sugar, yeast, baking powder, xanthan gum, and salt; set aside.
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In to the same mixing bowl in which you whipped the egg whites, add the warm water, oil, and vinegar. Using the whisk/balloon attachment, beat the mixture just until combined.
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Add the dry mixture all at once and beat beginning on low, increasing to medium. Beat until just combined, about 90 seconds.
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Add the beaten egg white. Using the paddle attachment of your mixer, fold in the egg whites until the dough is smooth.
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Gather the dough into one mass. Then, either using olive oil spray or oil and your fingers, coat the exposed dough (no need to oil the bottom of the dough.) Cover with a tea towel and allow to rise in a warm (80ºF) environment for 35 - 42 minutes or until the dough nearly doubles in size and begins to have several holes on top.
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If using a pizza stone, add the stone to the oven on the center shelf. If not, locate a pizza pan or baking sheet; set aside. Preheat the oven to 425°F.
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Divide the dough in half and place each on their own sheet of parchment paper about 12x12-inches. Place a cup of cold water nearby.
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Dust the top of each dough with potato starch and pat to distribute the starch over the entire top of the dough while flattening the dough. Continue to pat the dough out until it is at least 10-inches in diameter. Press the dough down and leave about 1/3-inch or more for edges. Set aside to rise for 15 - 20 minutes.
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For thin crust, after rising, smash the dough down again, but not the edges.
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Cut any excess parchment paper from the dough. (This prevents the paper from burning if you bake it on a stone or higher than your paper allows.)
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Dip your fingers in cold water to smooth out the edges. You'll want to wet any potato starch you see on the edges if you don't want to see it on your baked pizza. At this point, you can cool and freeze the crust for future use, if desired.
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Parbake (partially bake) on the preheated pizza stone, pizza pan, or baking sheet for 7 - 8 minutes.
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Once parbaked, transfer the crust to a wire rack and remove any parchment paper. (This prevents the bottom from softening from the steam that it creates. Baste the top with a little sauce of choice. Then sprinkle on half of the cheese. Top with veggies and/or meat. The remaining cheese goes on last. At this point, you can cool and freeze the crust, uncovered, for future use, if desired. Then wrap or cover and continue to freeze.
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If cooking immediately, bake an additional 7 - 8 minutes if using a stone or 10 - 13 minutes when using a pizza pan or baking sheet or until the crust and topping meet your desired goal. Place under a broiler for a few seconds to brown the cheese and the crust's edges more, if desired. (If baking a frozen pizza, bake the crust as directed above, but for a longer period of time. The length of time will vary on how frozen your pizza is, about 15 minutes or more. (Tomorrow, I'll update the time once I bake my frozen one.)
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Remove from the oven and place on a surface that will not build up steam underneath (a wooden surface, wire rack, or a second pizza stone), and allow to rest 5 minutes. Slice and serve.
Tips
To make a softer crust edges, baste the crust just before the second baking with 1 - 2 teaspoons melted butter (or for dairy-free, half melted coconut milk and half coconut oil.)
Remove the parchment paper for a dark bottom crust.
For firmer crust, bake the crust longer but move it to the bottom rack of your oven. The bottom will become darker their too.
*Honey or agave will make the pizza crust a little softer.
This remains my favorite pizza crust recipe. I double it and freeze the par baked crusts for Saturday night pizza night!
I just made this crust exactly as written with egg whites. I used millet flour instead of teff. Do I need 2 tablespoons of sugar for the yeast to proof? I’d like to use a little less as the dough tasted a little sweet for me.
This will now be my go-to pizza crust recipe! I use Daiya brand dairy free mozzarella shreds, Trader Joe’s marinara, onions and pepperoni for my toppings.
My new pizza stone makes the crust bake all the way through with a browned slightly crispy bottom. I have finally found my perfect pizza!
Theresa,
Glad you enjoyed this recipe.
The sugar provides moisture. You may want to cut it back to 1 teaspoon. If you use honey, it may taste less sweet and it makes the crust a little softer.
Carla
The recipe calls for 2 tablespoons of sugar. Should that actually have read 2 teaspoons?
Theresa,
The 2 tablespoons is correct and important for its soft texture.
Enjoy!
Carla