I love pizza. Any kind of pizza. And I’m the kind of pizza lover who loves the pizza crust just as much as the pizza toppings. The crust is the main carrier for the toppings and is a very important part of the pizza in my opinion. You can have a thin and flexible crust, a flat and firm crust, or a stuffed crust. However, I think a good ol’ fluffy, soft, yeasty pizza crust is what makes the ultimate traditional pizza crust. And this gluten-free fluffy pizza crust recipe was made with that in mind! I love whipping up a batch of this gluten-free pizza crust for Friday night pizza and enjoying a warm slice of pizza with a soft crust and melty cheese on top…. my mouth is watering already!

Modern Pioneer Recipe

As much as I’d like to call pizza a pioneer food, I do believe that pizza is more along the modern pioneer lines when it comes to heritage recipes. Nonetheless, pizza can easily be turned into a healthy and nutritious modern pioneer recipe!

First off, making the pizza crust from scratch is one step closer to baking and meal prepping like a modern pioneer. Instead of pulling out a frozen crust from the freezer or ordering out a pizza, this gluten-free pizza crust is the perfect recipe to whip up from scratch to enjoy a homemade pizza on the homestead! It is made with simple, wholesome ingredients that are also allergy-friendly!

This homemade pizza crust is….

• gluten-free
• nut free
• dairy-free
• corn free
• refined sugar free

But it’s not just the crust that makes this pizza crust a modern pioneer recipe. You must also consider your favorite pizza toppings! Now I know that pizza toppings vary greatly, but there are some modern pioneer choices you can keep in mind when choosing toppings for your gluten-free pizza crust:

Modern Pioneer Pizza Topping Guide:

• Pizza Sauce– Try home-canning your own pizza sauce or make sure you buy organic, gluten-free pizza sauce with no added sugar.
• Cheese– Try making your own homemade cheese if you have a dairy animal on the homestead, or stick to raw, sharp cheeses that are made from pasture-raised animals. If you are dairy-free (like us!), use dairy-free cheese brands that contain simple ingredients and are organic and gluten-free.
• Meats– Some favorite meat toppings for pizza may include pepperoni, sausage, or ham. Make sure you are buying gluten-free, non-GMO meats that ideally have been pasture-raised.
• Vegetables- Veggies like peppers, onion, arugula, mushrooms, and spinach can also make for unique pizza toppings. Make sure they are organic!
• Other Toppings– Olives, pineapple, organic corn…. the list goes on for pizza toppings! Just make sure you are sourcing your ingredients from sustainable sources and that they are organic and gluten-free.

Tips for Working with Gluten-free Dough

I love playing with dough! A good soft, workable dough is a joy to bake with. When it comes to gluten-free baking, working with that kind of dough can be kind of intimidating when first starting off. Since I have never really worked with gluten-based dough, I don’t really have a comparison. However, I have learned a lot since experimenting with different recipes and using differing gluten-free flours in my baking on the homestead.

Tip #1. Different flours, different doughs.

My first tip would be to consider what flours you are using. Every gluten-free or grain-free flour will create a different dough. Since we try to stick to a gluten-free and grain-free diet on our homestead, I have worked mostly with grain-free flours such as cassava flour, coconut flour, and tapioca flour as well as gluten-free flour blends.

When it comes to choosing a gluten-free flour blend, keep in mind that different blends will perform differently in certain recipes. I have found that in order to get the softest, fluffiest pizza crust I have to use a high-quality gluten-free flour blend.

I like gfJules gluten-free breakfast flour blend. This flour blend is gluten-free and corn free. It doesn’t contain psyllium husk (which can be hard to digest) or cellulose (wood fiber), but it does contain some xanthan gum. However, I love the results this flour blend yields when baking recipes like homemade sandwich bread, pizza crusts, and soft dinner rolls.

Tip #2. Too moist, or too dry?

A key factor to remember when baking with gluten-free flour is that most gluten-free doughs do best when they are slightly more moist than traditional dough. This can result in sticky batter. However, in the case of sandwich bread or this gluten-free pizza crust, sticky dough can easily be managed.

For this fluffy pizza crust, you will find that the recipe yields a dough that is moist, sticky, and not easy to pat out like you would with traditional pizza dough. Instead, you will scrape the dough onto a piece of parchment paper and use a spoon or rubber spatula to spread the dough into a pizza crust shape. Lightly oiling the spoon or spatula can make it even easier to spread out.

You don’t want to add more flour unless the dough is super soft and won’t hold its shape very well. The moist dough is essential for getting a soft, fluffy pizza crust. If the dough seems to dry, add a little more warm water until it reaches a thick, doughy, sticky consistency.

Tip #3. Yeast or no yeast?

Yeast is a fungus. When it comes to determining if yeast is healthy to use in grain-free and gluten-free baking, you have to look at what context it is used in. Consuming too much yeast can lead to a yeast imbalance in your body, which leads to health issues. However, when consumed in moderation, yeast is perfectly safe and can even be beneficial.

I don’t use yeast in a lot of my gluten-free and grain-free baked goods. Instead, I use baking powder or baking soda to get the rise that is usually provided with yeast. But I do love the taste of a yeasty bread product, so baking with yeast on occasion is something I enjoy doing!

When using yeast in gluten-free and grain-free baked goods, you have to keep in mind that you are still not working with the structure provided by traditional gluten-based flours. The yeast will still produce a rise and a yeasty flavor, but it won’t be the same as traditional gluten-based baking.

Either way, I have successfully made multiple grain-free and gluten-free recipes using either active dry yeast or baking powder with good results each time. This fluffy pizza crust performs best when made with yeast, however, you can safely omit the yeast and substitute in 2 tsp. of baking powder instead.

For a yeast-free pizza crust, make sure you check out this grain-free pizza crust recipe that I also love making!

Pizza Crust Recipe Questions

Can I use a substitute for the gfJules flour?

I have not tried this recipe with any other gluten-free flour substitutes. I do know that the gfJules gluten-free all-purpose flour blend would work just as well, however, I don’t use that blend as much since it doesn’t contain corn.

Other gluten-free flour blends that I have baked with before include King Arthur gluten-free flour blend and Bob’s Red Mill gluten-free flour blend. While I think that both of those blends could be used in this recipe, I do not think that they will yield the same soft, fluffy results that the gfJules flour provides.

Can I use an oil substitute for olive oil?

You can use any liquid oil substitute instead of olive oil in this recipe! Melted butter, melted coconut oil, or avocado oil should all work fine for this gluten-free pizza crust. I like to use olive oil because it has a mild flavor and it makes for a soft, smooth dough. It is also dairy-free. Make sure you only use organic, extra-virgin olive oil!

Will quick yeast work just as well as active dry yeast?

I have not tried making this crust with quick yeast, but I have used quick yeast in other gluten-free and grain-free recipes with just as good success as active dry yeast.

Are you a yeast lover like I am? Then you will definitely want to check out these gluten-free cinnamon rolls… they are the epitome of a soft, yeasty, sweet cinnamon roll!

Do I need to proof the yeast?

You do not need to proof the active dry yeast before adding it to the dough. BUT, you do need to make sure you use warm water in the dough. Use a candy thermometer or a digital meat thermometer to test the temperature of the water before adding it to the mixing bowl. The water temperature should be between 100-110°F.

I find it helpful to just use warm tap water, which I then adjust until I am getting water that reads 100-110°F. Allowing the pizza crust to rest for 30 minutes after shaping the crust kind of acts as a ‘proofing’ time for the yeast to get activated before you bake the crust.

Can I make this pizza crust egg free?

I have not tried making this pizza crust egg free. The eggs give the dough some structure, add moisture to the dough, and make it easy to handle.

Do I have to bake the pizza at a high temperature?

I don’t generally like baking at high temperatures because of the energy that is needed to heat my oven up to such high temperatures. And thankfully, this pizza crust can be baked at a lower temperature than most other pizza crusts!

If you are baking with a convection oven, then you only need an oven temperature of 375°F with the convection turned on. If you are baking without convection, an oven temperature of 395°F should be used. You want to bake the crust until it is golden brown and firm but fluffy to the touch. If the toppings are browning too much before the crust is done, cover the pizza with foil or parchment paper until the crust is done baking.

You can also bake this pizza crust in a convection toaster oven! Program the toaster oven to bake and set the temperature at 375°F with the lowest convection setting turned on. The crust will probably bake faster in the toaster oven since it is a smaller oven area.

This gluten-free fluffy pizza crust is the perfect base for any of your favorite pizza toppings! My favorite way to top this crust is with organic pizza sauce, garlic salt, dairy-free cheese, and non-GMO pepperoni. It’s the perfect Friday night pizza on the homestead!

Where to Find the Ingredients

• gfJules gluten-free breakfast flour
• Pompeian organic extra virgin olive oil
• NOW Foods oat milk powder
• Simply Organic garlic powder
• Anthony’s gluten-free active dry yeast
• Redmond sea salt
• Supplies: unbleached parchment paper, pizza stone, KitchenAid stand mixer

This gluten-free fluffy pizza crust has the perfect soft texture and mild, yeasty taste that rivals any traditional pizza crust! I don’t feel like I am missing out on anything when I enjoy a slice of pizza made with this simple, wholesome gluten-free pizza crust. It’s one of my favorite recipes to make Friday night pizza with on special occasions. The recipe turns out perfectly every time and is the perfect from-scratch pizza crust option for a modern pioneer pizza! Pizza night on the homestead never had it any better!

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