Gluten Free Sourdough Pizza Crust - Best Sourdough Discard Recipes

Gluten Free Sourdough Pizza Crust is one of my go-to sourdough discard recipes for easy, homemade pizza nights. This recipe uses a combination of sourdough discard and yeast, giving you that classic sourdough tang with a fast rise (no more than a 45-minute wait!).

It’s dairy-free, made without psyllium husk, and uses a simple all-purpose gluten-free flour. Press the dough as thin or thick as you like. We’re big fans of thick-crust sourdough pizza around here.

Personalize this pizza with your favorite toppings.

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This post contains affiliate links for products I use and love. You can read my full disclosure here. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own. Thank you for supporting Wonders of Cooking so that I can continue to provide you with free gluten-free recipes.

You’ll need gluten-free sourdough starter discard to make this pizza, ideally from a starter made with superfine brown rice flour or sorghum flour. If you don’t already have a gluten-free sourdough starter, you’ll need to make one first. You can learn how in my step-by-step guide, How to Make a Gluten Free Sourdough Starter.

Looking for more Gluten Free Sourdough recipes?

If you love this recipe, you'll want to try my Gluten Free Sourdough Pie Crust (think chicken pot pies as well as sweet pies), Gluten Free Sourdough Discard Sandwich Bread, Gluten Free Sourdough Discard Chocolate Chip Cookies, Gluten Free Sourdough Bread Bowl, Gluten Free Sourdough Cheddar Biscuits, Gluten Free Sourdough Dinner Rolls, and Gluten Free Sourdough Soft Pretzels.

Tips for Making the Best Gluten Free Sourdough Pizza Crust:

This pizza crust is very easy to make, but a few key tips will help you get the best results.

Most importantly, remember that gluten-free dough behaves very differently from wheat-based dough. There’s no stretching or folding involved, since gluten-free dough doesn’t form gluten strands. Instead, the goal is to incorporate and preserve air in the dough to create light, fluffy pockets. Be gentle when handling the risen dough so you don’t deflate those air bubbles. Keep these tips in mind to achieve a soft, airy crust with beautiful texture:

• Use an electric mixer to beat the dough for 1 minute, or vigorously stir with a fork for about 2 minutes. I actually used the fork method for the pizza pictured—my mixer died—and it still turned out perfectly.
• When shaping, gently tip the risen dough out of the bowl, guiding it with a rubber spatula. Avoid letting it drop onto your work surface, as the impact can deflate the air bubbles. Try to release the dough in one piece so you don’t have to press it back together and overwork it.
• Lightly pat the dough when shaping it. Do not knead, stretch, pull, or roll it out. Instead, gently pat it into shape. I like using three fingers with soft tapping motions.

• When shaping the dough, work from the center outward, pressing gently until it reaches your desired thickness, about ⅛ to ¼ inch, or thicker if you prefer. Lightly press the center and move outward, avoiding the outer edge that will become the crust. This preserves the air pockets in the rim and creates a slightly raised, fluffy crust—think of forming a shallow crater with thicker edges.
• This dough requires two rises for the best texture. First, let the dough rise for 25–30 minutes after mixing and forming it into a ball. This initial rise aerates the dough, develops flavor, and allows the flours to fully hydrate, preventing any grittiness. Second, after shaping the dough into a pizza, cover, and let it rise again for 15–20 minutes. This rebuilds air pockets that may have deflated during shaping and ensures a light, non-gummy crust. Do not skip the second rise, it’s key to great texture.

Ingredients for Gluten Free Sourdough Pizza Crust:

• High quality gluten-free all purpose flour containing xanthan gum. I used Bob's Red Mill GF 1:1 Baking Flour (the blue bag).
• Gluten-free sourdough discard, preferably from a brown rice or sorghum starter.
• Packet Fleischmann's Instant Rapid Rise Yeast. Since this recipe uses discard to make this a fast recipe (no waiting around for hours to rise).
• Water
• Honey, or granulated sugar
• Olive oil
• Apple cider vinegar. Don't skip this ingredient - it doesn't make the dough overly sour. It gives the yeasts a boost, helps make the pizza tender and fluffy, and adds flavor.
• Salt
• Cornmeal for the bottom of the crust, optional. Gives it that pizzeria or delivery-level taste and texture.
• Melted butter for brushing the pizza crust, or dairy free butter. This helps encourage browning. (This pizza crust tends to stay pretty light in color.)

Gluten Free Sourdough Pizza Topping Ideas:

Classic Favorites:

• Margherita: fresh mozzarella, tomato sauce, fresh basil, drizzle of olive oil
• Pepperoni
• Cheese lovers: extra mozzarella, cheddar, and Parmesan
• Veggie: bell peppers, onions, mushrooms, black olives, spinach

Meaty & Savory

• Italian sausage, roasted red peppers, and onions
• Chicken, pesto, and sun-dried tomatoes
• BBQ chicken with red onion and cilantro
• Ham and pineapple (Hawaiian style)
• Beef, peppers, onions, and provolone

Fresh:

• Arugula, prosciutto, shaved Parmesan, balsamic drizzle
• Fig jam, goat cheese, caramelized onions, arugula
• Smoked salmon, cream cheese, capers, red onion
• Feta cheese, Kalamata olives, red onion, cherry tomatoes, oregano

How to Make Gluten Free Sourdough Pizza Crust:

• In a large mixing bowl, combine the yeast, honey, and water (115–120°F). Stir until the yeast dissolves (using a meat thermometer can help ensure the water is the right temperature). Let sit for 5 minutes, or until the mixture becomes foamy.
• Once foamy, stir in the sourdough discard until dissolved.
• Add the oil, vinegar, flour, and salt to the same bowl. Mix on low for 1 minute with an electric mixer fitted with greased dough hooks, or vigorously stir with a fork for 2 minutes. The goal is to whip air into the dough.
• Gently shape the top of the dough into a dome with your hands, being careful not to compress it. The mixture will resemble a thick batter more than a traditional dough.

• Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, a clean kitchen towel, or a plate, and set it aside in a warm spot to rise for 25–30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, prepare a large sheet pan by lining it with parchment paper and dusting it with cornmeal, optional.

• Carefully transfer the risen dough ball from the bowl onto the prepared parchment paper, guiding it with a rubber spatula. Avoid letting it drop, as this could deflate the air bubbles you worked to create.

• To shape the dough, lightly dust the top with a pinch of flour. Gently pat the dough from the center outward, working around the newly exposed sides while avoiding the outer rim that will become the crust. This helps preserve the air pockets in the crust. Repeat as needed until the dough reaches your desired thickness, about ⅛ to ¼ inch, or thicker if you prefer.

• Lightly pat the dough when shaping it. Do not knead, stretch, pull, or roll it out. Instead, gently pat it into shape. I like using three fingers with soft tapping motions.

• Cover the shaped pizza and sheet pan with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel, and place in a warm spot to rise for another 15–20 minutes.

• Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 420 F.
• Once the dough has finished rising, remove the plastic wrap and lightly brush the top with melted butter using a basting brush.
• Bake for 10-12 minutes.

• Remove the pizza crust from the oven. Spread your pizza sauce evenly over the crust, add cheese and your desired toppings, and brush the edges with melted butter once more.

• Bake for an additional 10 minutes, then broil on low for 2–5 minutes to encourage browning, or until the cheese is fully melted and bubbly.

• Remove the pizza from the oven and let it cool for 5 minutes before slicing with a pizza cutter.
• Enjoy!

Equipment

You only need basic kitchen tools to make this Gluten Free Sourdough Pizza Crust. I recommend:

• A pizza stone is optional. Pizza stones absorb moisture, help make the bottom crust crispy, and distribute heat evenly.
• A pizza pan with holes also achieves a really crispy crust.
• A pizza cutter is a must whenever cutting pizza to get the perfect slices.
• A basting brush is recommended for basting the crust with butter.
• You can use an electric mixer to whip up the dough, but I actually used a fork to rapidly stir and got great air pockets. (Mine went kaput on me)
• Parchment paper is always a must when working with gluten-free dough.
• Or a non-stick baking mat with measurements (perfect guide for rolling out a circular pizza)
• If you're a pizza-aholic, you might want to consider an indoor pizza oven (comes with a pizza stone).
• Don't want to make a starter from scratch? This Sourdough Starter Culture packet gives you a head start with a dehydrated gluten-free sourdough starter culture and directions to follow to maintain it for years to come. I love this website because there's also cheesemaking, yogurt, kombucha, and fermented vegetable kits. (Use the code WONDERS15X on Cultures For Health's website to get 15% off!) The GF starter is also available for purchase on Amazon here.

How to Reheat Gluten Free Sourdough Pizza Crust:

This pizza crust makes great leftovers. It's best when reheated in the oven. Preheat to 350 F and bake 20-25 minutes, or until sizzling hot.

Notes on Gluten Free Sourdough Pizza Crust:

• The older your sourdough starter, the more developed its flavor. My starter is 7 months old and very reliable, and I used 4-day-old discard for a nice tang. If your starter tends to over-proof, you can reduce the yeast. Using a combination of discard and yeast gives the discard a boost—since it’s not as active as a fully fed starter—and keeps rise time short.
• Brushing the crust with butter prevents dryness and helps encourage browning. This crust doesn’t get deeply golden on its own, so I recommend broiling on low for the last few minutes. If you need a dairy-free option, substitute with dairy-free butter or olive oil.
• One reader in the GF sourdough FB group got creative with their melted butter rub and added in Italian seasonings, onion powder, and garlic powder. Other great additions would be Parmesan, oregano, red pepper flakes, etc.

Tried this Gluten Free Sourdough Pizza Crust? Leave a 5-Star Rating Below!

You can also join my Facebook group, Gluten Free Sourdough Baking Recipes and Advice, to share recipes, post photos, and get advice in live time. Currently we have 6000 members and growing!