Gluten-free Deep Dish Pizza

Name: Gluten-free Deep Dish Pizza
Prep time: 75 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 105 min
Ingredients: 1 ¾ Cups 1:1 Gluten-free Flour (273 grams ); 3 Tablespoons Corn Starch; 1 Teaspoon Salt; 1 Teaspoon Baking Powder; 2 Teaspoons Sugar; 1 Tablespoon Yeast (You can use quick rising or instant. ); 1 ¼ Cups Warm Water; 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil (Plus oil for the baking pan.); You can add cheese, pepperoni, sauce, and vegetables you desire.

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This gluten-free deep dish pizza has the perfect crispy, cheesy edges with a light and fluffy inside. It's the best of Chicago-style pizza but gluten-free.

This gluten-free deep dish pizza crust is seriously the BEST gluten-free pan pizza. This crust gets the beautiful crispy, cheesy edges you know and love. Skip the heavy, dense, gluten-free pizza crust because this crust is light and fluffy on the inside but still holds up to all the delicious toppings you decide to add to it. Trust me; you need this gluten-free crust on your next pizza night.

A square slice of gluten-free deep dish pizza is being picked up to be eaten.

What is Chicago-style pizza?

If you have never had Chicago-style pizza, you are missing out. Unlike regular pizza crust, which is stretched and rolled out, Chicago-style pizza dough is softer. It is then pushed into a pan and baked, which creates a crispy, crunchy cheese outer crust on the edges of the pizza. This makes a thicker, fluffy type of pizza crust.

Is deep dish pizza gluten-free?

I've never been to Chicago, but I have a few friends who live there, and they tell me that some places make a gluten-free crust, but most don't. That is not surprising since gluten-free pizza is a whole other animal at a pizza restaurant where flour is usually flying all over the kitchen. I sent them this recipe to test for me, and all said it's the best gluten-free deep dish pizza, which means you needed this recipe.

Ingredients for a gluten-free deep dish pizza.

1:1 Gluten-free Flour - I use King Arthur 1:1 Blend for this pizza crust.
Corn Starch - You can also use arrowroot starch.
Salt
Baking Powder
Sugar
Yeast
Olive Oil
Warm Water

Overhead view of the ingredients needed for making a gluten-free deep dish pizza crust.

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Can you make this a dairy-free pizza?

Yes, this gluten-free deep-dish pizza crust is already dairy-free. Just use your favorite dairy-free cheese to top it to make it a dairy-free pizza.

How to make a gluten-free pan pizza.

This gluten-free pan pizza crust comes together quickly and, most of the time, is entirely hands-off. Don't worry, though. You can still have a delicious gluten-free pizza night without waiting for hours.

Step 1: Mix the dough.

Overhead step photo collage of the dough for making gluten-free deep dish pizza.

Step 2: Let the dough rise.

Gluten-free deep dish pizza dough in a mixing bowl, after the first rise.

Step 3: Transfer the dough to an oiled baking pan.

Gluten-free deep dish pizza dough in an oiled baking pan after the first rise.

Step 4: Let the dough rise again.

Overhead view of the dough for making gluten-free deep dish pizza after the second rise in the pan before baking.

Step 5: Top, bake, rest, and enjoy!

Overhead step photo collage of a deep dish pizza being topped with cheese and pepperoni.

Tips and tricks to get the best deep dish pizza.

Use a stand mixer with a paddle attachment. - This gluten-free pizza dough must be mixed well to get the right texture. It does not work well to be mixed by hand.
Whip the dough before letting it rise the first time. This is NOT your typical dough that is stretchy. It will look thin at first, but whipping it makes it thicker and helps to create bubbles which make the crust rise more. You want to whip on high with the paddle attachment for 4-5 minutes.
Let the dough rise in a warm place. - This pizza dough has two different rise times, once covered and uncovered, for 30-minutes. I always like to turn my oven on and then place the dough on top of the stove, so it has a warm spot to warm up. If your oven has a proofing setting, you can also use that.
Oil the pan well. - Be generous with your olive oil in the pan. I like to add a good two tablespoons and move it around to get a nice coating on the pan. This helps the bottom not only not stick to the pan, but also get really crispy.
Add the cheese FIRST. - Adding a good layer of cheese over the top of the crust before adding your sauce helps to keep the crust from getting a soft layer on top by blocking some of the moisture in the sauce. Trust me, do this.
Keep the sauce away from the edges. - Keeping the edges with just cheese allows the outer crust to get super crispy and crunchy, which is what we love about a good deep dish pizza. Also, when it comes to sauce, less is more.
Bake in the right places. - You will start baking this gluten-free deep dish pizza at the very bottom of your oven. This might sound strange, and you're probably thinking, my pizza crust will burn. It won't. This helps the crust bake and get that beautiful crispy layer that helps to hold up all your toppings. Once the crust bakes on the bottom, it will be moved to the top of the oven to give the cheese extra melty goodness.
Let it rest. - I know the urge to want to dig right in as soon as it comes out of the oven but trust me, it gets better if you wait. Letting the pizza rest about 10 minutes before cutting into it helps the cheese and toppings stay in place better but also enables it crisp up even more. Cutting it quickly, your crust will be softer.

Gluten-free pan pizza FAQ

What is the best pan for deep dish pizza?

This gluten-free deep dish pizza uses a different type of pan than traditional pizza. You don't need to go out and buy anything fancy. I use my 9x13 metal cake pan to make this pizza crust, but you could also use a nine or 10-inch round cake pan if that's all you have. The biggest thing that I've found is that dark pans give the best results. Baking this with glass pans, the crust stays softer, and you don't get the crisp edges.

How do you get a deep-dish pizza out of the pan?

The easiest way to get a deep-dish pizza out of the pan is to take the edge of a spatula and gently break the edge of the crust from the pan. Once you have the edge free, you can place the spatula under, pull the whole thing out, and place it on a flat surface.

How do you cut a pan pizza?

The best way to cut a deep dish, pan pizza, is to remove it from the pan altogether. You don't want to use a regular pizza cutter for pan pizza. The best way to cut it is with a large chef knife or with kitchen shears.

Gluten-free deep dish pizza cut and being pulled apart showing off a cheesy pull from two slices.

Storing and reheating gluten-free pizza.

I don't tend to have leftovers when I make this gluten-free deep-dish pizza, but when I do, I find it tastes the best when it's eaten within two days. To reheat, I place it on a baking sheet lined with foil in a 375-degree oven for about 10 minutes for the best results.

More gluten-free pizza to love.

We love pizza in this house, so gluten-free pizza has been a passion of mine to get right. I never want to waste a pizza night on lousy pizza. These gluten-free pizza recipes will surely bring some fun and deliciousness to your next pizza night.