Gluten-Free Grilled Pizza

By Ann Fulton

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When my dad had to give up wheat, there were a few things he really missed:  his favorite spice cake, a good cinnamon raisin cookie, and pizza.  To this day, he gets excited when he sees a restaurant in town that offers gluten-free pizza.  Most of the time, however, he reports that he wouldn’t order the pizza again.

A year or two ago, I decided this was a challenge I needed to take on.  I tried several different recipes and, not fully satisfied, tried my regular pizza crust recipe with the mix I use for baking.  (Press HERE for that easy, mix-ahead recipe.)  To his delight–and mine–the crusts turned out beautifully.  They taste slightly different than the wheat version but they are really good.  Grilling makes them crispy and light and they can be topped just like you would any pizza.

I have included a few tips in the notes below, including how I like to make the regular wheat-flour version.  Another suggestion is to keep a light touch with the sauce.  As grilled pizzas have thin crusts, too much sauce will cause them to lose their crispness.

Gluten-Free Grilled Pizza
The dry ingredients, yeast and all, may be mixed in advance and stored in a zipper-top bag in the refrigerator. Click on the pizza category on the Fountain Avenue Kitchen website to see some of the many topping combinations we enjoy.
Ingredients
  • 1 1/2 cups All-Purpose Gluten-Free Flour Blend
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons instant (rapid rise) yeast
  • 1/2 teaspoon sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
  • 1/2 cup warm water (plus an extra tablespoon or two, if needed)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • Toppings, as desired
Instructions
  1. In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients.
  2. In a measuring cup, combine the water and olive oil.
  3. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the water and oil. Stir the flour into the wet ingredients, incorporating all the flour. Mix until dough forms a ball. Add an extra tablespoon or so of water, only if needed to moisten all the flour and bring the dough together.
  4. On a lightly-floured (with the gluten-free flour or cornmeal) surface, knead the dough for about a minute. Return to the bowl, cover, and allow to rest for at least 10 minutes, although I have found the dough becomes easier to work with if I let it sit for closer to 45-60 minutes. (At this point, you may refrigerate for up to a couple of days in an airtight container. Allow dough to sit 30 minutes at room temperature before proceeding.)
  5. Punch down the dough and portion into 6 equal-size portions. Carefully, stretch the rounds into the desired shape and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment or sprinkled with cornmeal until ready to grill. (I have also rolled the rounds with a rolling pin.)
  6. Have grill cleaned and preheated to medium-high heat when ready to cook. Place prepared dough on grill and cook until marks form and turn to the other side. This doesn’t take long; I peek underneath and flip as soon as I see the dark grill marks.
  7. When dough is slightly crisp, remove pizzas from the grill and top as desired. You may put topped pizzas back on the grill over indirect heat to warm the toppings. I often prepare the pizza crusts in advance and finish off in a 425-degree oven for 3-4 minutes to melt the cheese.
Notes
  • For a “regular” crust, you may substitute all-purpose flour or, our favorite combination, half whole wheat and half all-purpose flour.
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Comments

    1. Ann Post author

      Hi John, It has been too long! I did some research, and while Kraft Foods does not officially certify their Miracle Whip products as being gluten-free, there are no ingredients that contain gluten used in them.

      Reply
      1. John Bowling

        Thank You for your research Ann.Were any of the ingredients produced in a facility around wheat? Since being g.f. myself, miracle whip was one of the foods I gave up. Thanks again for your research. Hope You and your family have a wonderful Christmas and happy new year! Be blessed and hope filled.

        Reply
  1. John Bowling

    Hi Ann. Long time no chat. LOL . It’s John B here and I was wondering how do you make a g.f. apple pie? Type of flour, apples, etc. The 1st Lady makes an awesome g.f. apple pie and I was curious how you made yours. Thanks Ann.

    Reply
    1. Ann Post author

      Good to “see” you, John! One of these days I will have to post an apple pie recipe. As it is, I have a pumpkin pie and two GF crust recipes on the site. In the apple department, I’ve veered more towards crisps, cakes, and baked apples. Feel free to share anything that makes the pie you reference special. Perhaps it will provide the motivation I need!

      Reply
    1. Ann Post author

      I don’t have a GF cinnamon roll currently, John…but I have some delicious coffee cake and other breakfast items! 🙂

      Reply
    2. John B

      Hi Ann. John B here. Remember the question about a chewier pizza crust? The 1st Lady made g.f. naan bread the other day. Each piece was roughly 1/4 in. thick, soft and chewy. Then I got this idea. Why not try a g.f. naan bread grilled {of course} pizza? Have you ever heard of that and also do you have your own g.f. naan bread recipe? As always, thanks a ton Ann.

      Reply
      1. Ann Post author

        Hi John, I don’t have a GF naan bread recipe but you could experiment, using the other GF crust recipe I mentioned as a starting point. Naan bread pizza is wonderful, but I haven’t tried a grilled version!

        Reply
        1. John B

          Hi Ann. Do you have a g.f. fish fry batter? With summer upon us, I like to go crappie fishing. Thanks.

          Reply
          1. Ann Post author

            That’s one thing I don’t have, John! I tend to make oven “fried” variations instead. Rice flour does tend to work very well in those applications, however, as it creates a light, crisp crust.

  2. John B

    Hi Ann. John B here. Love the g.f. pizza and pumpkin pie recipes! One thing that has been consistent though, and that’s the crust. It seems to have a ‘grainy’ consistency to it. Is there any way to get rid of that? Or is that part of the g.f. deal?

    Reply
    1. Ann Post author

      Hi John, That is a great question. The grainy consistency you refer to can vary from one GF flour to the next, but it is mostly due to the white rice flour. I find that this quality can be better hidden in cakes, muffins and quick breads and is most apparent in yeasted breads and things like pizza crust, where there is little else to mask it. A few tips I’ve found that help include letting the dough sit for a time before cooking. This allows time for the rice flour to absorb some moisture, which seems to help. Also, look at a few different brands. One that contains a variety of other ingredients usually makes or a better blend. In my homemade blend, I like to mix in brown rice flour, and the extra fine variety is even better. White rice better mimics traditional white bread, but brown rice flour actually lends less of that grainy quality. I hope this provides a few new ideas!

      Reply
      1. John B

        Hi Ann. Thanks so much for a all the g.f. recipes. They’ve certainly been a blessing. Hope You and your family had an awesome Christmas! May all of you be richly blessed throughout this coming new year! Thanks again for all the awesome recipes.

        Reply
        1. Ann Post author

          You are very welcome, John! I’m so glad the recipes have been helpful. Our Christmas was delightful and I hope you and yours enjoyed the day, too. All the best in the New Year!

          Reply
          1. John B

            hi Ann. I was wondering, do you have a recipe for g.f. apple crisp? Jonathon or honey crisp are my 2 favorites. Or is there a better apple for apple crisp that you prefer?

  3. John B

    Hi Ann. Hope you and you’re family are having a wonderful week end. Was just wondering, do you have a recipe for gluten free chicken parmesan? A favorite food of mine from Olive Garden. Thanks again Ann.

    Reply
    1. Ann Post author

      Our weekend is off to a good start, John, and I hope yours is, too! I don’t have a recipe for chicken parmesan posted yet, but you might like to adapt the following eggplant recipe: https://fountainavenuekitchen.com/deconstructed-eggplant-parmesan/. The first recipe you will see is for a “deconstructed” eggplant parmesan, and below that shows how I coat the eggplant. I think you could use that coating for chicken and add a favorite marinara sauce. You can certainly purchase a ready-made sauce, but I do have some good marinara options if you’d prefer to make yourself. Let me know if you have any questions!

      Reply
      1. John B

        Hi Ann, it’s been a while. Sorry ’bout that. Do you have a gluten free grilled pizza recipe that the crust is more chewy? Or do I need to grill the existing recipe for less time? Look forward to hearing from you. You and your family take care.

        Reply
          1. John B

            Hi Ann. With thanksgiving and Christmas fast approaching, I was wondering, do you have a g.f. recipe for pumpkin pie?

          2. Ann Post author

            I do John! Here is a link to a maple pumpkin pie, and an almond flour crust is linked from there: https://fountainavenuekitchen.com/maple-pumpkin-pie/. You could also make a pressed graham cracker crust (with gluten-free graham crackers) if you prefer. It’s much like an Oreo crust I have on this site, only with graham instead of cookie crumbs. Let me know if you’d like details on that. Finally, my family enjoys this pumpkin pie cake:
            https://fountainavenuekitchen.com/pumpkin-pie-cake/. It’s sort of the best of both worlds!

  4. John Bowling

    Hi Ann. John B. here again. Was just wondering if there was a thick crust version of this recipe. It seems so crunchy or a little hard whenever I make it. Am I just cooking it too long? Or not doing something ? The 1st Lady and I have pizza more frequently now thanks to this recipe. Thank you again for all your hard work! May you and your family be richly blessed in all your endeavors. P.S. Do you have a gluten free caramel popcorn recipe? Hope that’s not too tall of an order. LOL

    Reply
    1. Ann Post author

      Hi John! Grilled pizza crust recipes tend to be thin crusted and can become crisp depending on how long they’re on the grill and how hot the grill is. Here is another option that I really like: https://fountainavenuekitchen.com/gluten-free-pizza-crust/. The dough is a little stickier so it’s not suited to grilling, but the crust bakes up beautifully.

      As for the caramel corn recipe, you’re in luck! The following recipe is quite popular among my extended family. If you try, I hope you agree: https://fountainavenuekitchen.com/caramel-popcorn-with-salted-peanuts/

      Reply
  5. rhonda bowling

    Hi Ann. My name is John B. the First Lady (my wife) and I have tried this pizza recipe and love love love it! My wife and I have been gluten free since fathers’ day of 15. She really missed not being able to have pizza until I found your recipe. Now, we have it quite frequently. WELL DONE ANN! I cook it on my grill/smoker with hickory, apple, or maple wood for that smokey flavor. Yummy! Thank you for all your hard work, research, and dedication. It has really paid off. This recipe is so simple and easy to make. The longest part is waiting for the smoker to get to the desired temperature. Again, well done! P.S. the email is in my wifes’ name.

    Reply
    1. Ann Post author

      You are so sweet to report back with such terrific feedback, John. Thank you! I’m delighted this recipe has become a favorite with you and your wife, and I bet that smoky flavor makes the pizzas extra special!

      Reply
  6. Pingback: Gluten Free Grilled Pizza on the Big Green Egg » Super Girl Grillers

  7. Sarah

    I’m not supposed to have sugar. Do you think this recipe would work using honey or maple syrup, but put it in with the wet ingredients instead of the dry?

    I’m making this tonight and plan to try it. I’ll post the results.

    Reply
    1. Ann

      Absolutely, Sarah! I have used honey for the pizza dough, adding to the wet ingredients as you mentioned, and it works perfectly. I can’t wait to hear how you like it…thank you for letting me know!

      Reply
  8. Melissa Underwood

    Have you ever tried to freeze this dough? I do cooking lessons with children and we were planning on making this dough one week and then making the pizza’s the next.

    Reply
    1. Ann

      Hi Melissa,
      I have never frozen the gluten-free dough but have frozen the version with wheat flour. I often freeze the grilled rounds, and I think you should be fine freezing the gluten-free dough as well. I hope that helps and the kids enjoy. How great that you teach those classes!

      Reply
      1. Melissa Underwood

        Thanks Ann. I’ve already used the gluten free flour blend in a pancake recipe for them. It was a hit and you couldn’t really tell the difference.

        Reply
        1. Ann

          I am so glad, Melissa. Thank you for letting me know. With the gluten-free blend, the pizza dough will not rise as much as with the regular flour, but it does work. Especially once topped, the difference is minimal. Have fun!

          Reply
  9. Brianne @ Cupcakes & Kale Chips

    Grotto is a chain near my mom in Delaware, though they are elsewhere. Being from central NJ, with a big Italian population and an abundance of small pizza joints, I am really not a fan of chain pizzerias, but Grotto’s gluten-free pizza is actually not bad. Satisfies my cravings.

    Reply
    1. Ann

      Great to know, Brianne! It’s not an easy thing to get right since there isn’t much except the flour in the crust. Hopefully, a few people will check out Grotto’s: )

      Reply