Packed with cheese, pepperoni and sauce, the classic pizza flavours are all here in these gluten free pizza rolls. If you’re on a gluten free diet and have been missing out on perfectly portable pizza snacks - you’re definitely going to want to make these!
Jump to:
- Are pizza rolls gluten free?
- Is pepperoni gluten free?
- Is mozzarella gluten free?
- Ingredients
- Substitutions
- How to make gluten free pizza dough
- How to make gluten free pizza rolls
- How to make this recipe even easier
- Ideas for pizza roll fillings
- Tips for making the best pizza rolls
- How to store homemade pizza rolls
- Recipe
Are pizza rolls gluten free?
Pizza rolls are typically made with wheat flour pizza dough, so they are not gluten free. Popular brands such as Totino’s and Pillsbury Pizza Bites are made with wheat flour, so they are not gluten free.
Gluten free options are available from other companies, but nothing beats a homemade version. Especially when you can customize them with your favourite pizza flavours!
Is pepperoni gluten free?
Pepperoni is a classic pizza topping, but is it gluten free and safe for someone on a strict gluten free diet?
The answer is maybe.
Pepperoni is a processed meat, which means there is always risk of cross contamination in the facility where it’s manufactured. Some processed meats do contain wheat additives, so before buying pepperoni be sure to check the product labelling. Look for gluten as an added ingredient or any warnings related to cross contamination.
I recommend always purchasing pepperoni that is labelled gluten free.
Is mozzarella gluten free?
Mozzarella cheese is typically used on pizzas. If you’re on a gluten free diet, you’ll be happy to know that cheeses are gluten free! Cheese is made from dairy products, bacteria and enzymes, which are all naturally gluten free.
As always, be sure to check the label on products that you’re buying because manufacturers may use gluten ingredients (such as wheat, barley, or rye) as additives.
Ingredients
Ready to make homemade gluten free pizza rolls? Here is what you’ll need:
For the pizza dough:
- Gluten bread flour: I use a homemade version that contains tapioca starch, millet flour, and sorghum flour. Check out the recipe right here: Gluten Free Bread Flour
- Psyllium husk: to bind the ingredients together (since there is no gluten in this recipe)
- Salt
- Active dry yeast: to give the pizza dough its fluffy texture.
- Warm water: to activate the yeast
- Sugar: to feed the yeast and sweeten the dough slightly
- Olive oil
- Apple cider vinegar: to make the dough slightly acidic and help the yeast do its job
For the toppings:
- Cheese: mozzarella is classic, but any of your favourites will do!
- Pepperoni: make sure they are gluten free.
- Any other toppings you might want to include inside your pizza rolls (keep reading for inspiration)
Substitutions
The pizza dough for this recipe is gluten free, dairy free and vegan!
To make the pizza filling vegan, substitute the cheese for your favourite vegan version and use plant-based meat instead of the pepperonis. Or remove the pepperonis completely and make it veggies only!
To make the pizza rolls dairy free, substitute the cheese for your favourite dairy free version.
If you don’t have active dry yeast, you can substitute for instant yeast. Use 1 ½ teaspoons (6g) of instant yeast and add it directly in with the gluten free flour, psyllium husk and salt. The water, sugar and olive oil can be mixed together in your second bowl. There’s no need to activate instant yeast, but you won’t be able to tell if it’s working or not. The truth will be in the final pizza roll!
How to make gluten free pizza dough
Making gluten free pizza dough is so easy. You don’t even need a stand mixer with a dough hook to do it!
In a small bowl, mix together the warm water, active dry yeast, and sugar. Let the mixture sit and you’ll notice it start to get slightly foamy. This is activating the yeast to do its job as a leavener. After 10 minutes, add in the olive oil and apple cider vinegar.
In a second, larger bowl, mix together the gluten free bread flour, psyllium husk, and salt. Once mixed, add the yeast/water/sugar/oil mixture into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Mix fully until all ingredients are combined and the dough is workable. Add 1-2 tablespoons of water if it feels dry, to make the dough slightly sticky.
Wrap the top of the bowl in plastic wrap, or cover with a clean, dry tea towel and set in a warm area to proof for 1 hour. The yeast will cause the dough to rise - it won’t double, but it will expand.
How to make gluten free pizza rolls
On a well-floured surface, roll the previously prepared pizza dough into a rectangle that’s approximately 16x12” (40x30cm) in size.
Spread the pizza sauce, shredded cheese, and pepperonis on top of the pizza dough. Starting at the short edge, roll the dough into a tight log. Slice the log in ½” (1cm) sections and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Bake the pizza rolls in the oven at 400°F for about 20 minutes.
How to make this recipe even easier
Making pizza rolls is fun, but it does take some planning in advance. If you’re short on time, here are a few tips to make this recipe even easier:
- Make the dough ahead of time. Prepare the dough until the 1-hour proof is done and store it in the fridge in an airtight container or wrapped in plastic. The next day, put the dough on the counter to bring it to room temperature and continue the recipe as written.
- Double the dough and freeze it. The pizza dough freezes well, so double the batch you’re making and after the proof, divide it and store the dough in the freezer. Once you’re ready to make the pizza rolls, defrost the pizza dough in the fridge overnight, then put it out on the counter to bring up to room temperature. Roll it out and prepare your pizza rolls as per the recipe.
- Double the batch and freeze finished pizza rolls. If you’re planning ahead, you can always double the batch of pizza rolls that you’re making and freeze the second batch. Put them in a freezer bag or store in an airtight container for up to a month. Warm up frozen pizza rolls in an oven preheated to 400°F until the pizza rolls are warm and bubbling.
Ideas for pizza roll fillings
Cheese and pepperoni are pizza classics, but they might not be your thing. Change up the toppings by trying these different combinations:
- Deluxe: pepperoni, mushroom, bell peppers, and cheese.
- Hawaiian: diced ham, pineapple and cheese.
- Vegetarian: onions, mushrooms, tomatoes, black olives, spinach and bell peppers.
- Canadian: pepperoni, bacon and mushrooms.
- Margherita: basil and mozzarella cheese, with pizza sauce of course!
- Buffalo chicken: a spin on my Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Pepper recipe, use some buffalo chicken, coleslaw, and bell peppers.
Tips for making the best pizza rolls
Here are a few pointers on how to make this recipe a success:
- Roll the pizza dough into the tightness log possible. Rolling the dough super tight will ensure that the pizza rolls stick together during baking. Using a silicone baking mat will help roll the dough into a log.
- Chill the dough prior to cutting. If you’re finding it tough to cut the pizza rolls, try chilling the rolled log in the fridge for 10-20 minutes. Place it on a cutting board, pop it into the fridge and then cut once chilled. It will make things easier.
- Use a sharp, serrated knife to cut the pizza rolls. To make this recipe, I used a bread knife to cut them into individual rolls. It worked really well and none of the pizza rolls fell apart during cutting! Yay!
- Reshape pizza rolls after cutting. Got a few pizza rolls that went wonky during cutting? Thankfully, the pizza dough is really pliable, so you can reshape them before baking, if needed.
How to store homemade pizza rolls
These pizza rolls taste the best right out of the oven, but they’re also great for longer term storage, too! Store them in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days and reheat as needed. (I use the oven, since the microwave makes them a bit soggy.)
For longer storage, freeze the baked pizza rolls in an airtight container or sealed freezer bag for up to a month. Reheat them in the oven at 400°F until they are warmed through.
Recipe
Gluten Free Pizza Rolls
Ingredients
Pizza Dough
- 2 teaspoons (8g) active dry yeast
- 1 cup (240g) warm water
- 1 tablespoon (14g) sugar
- 3 ¼ cups + 2 tablespoons (385g) gluten free bread flour (see note below)
- 2 tablespoons (12g) psyllium husk
- 1 teaspoon (8g) salt
- 3 tablespoons (33g) olive oil
- 2 teaspoons (10g) apple cider vinegar
Pizza Fillings
- ½-¾ cup pizza sauce
- 2 cups shredded cheese
- 35-40 pepperonis cut into quarters
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine the warm water, sugar, and yeast. Allow the mixture to sit for 10 minutes until it becomes slightly foamy and the yeast activates. If nothing happens, new yeast is needed.
- In a separate larger bowl, mix together the gluten free flour, psyllium husk, and salt.
- After the yeast has bloomed/activated, add in the olive oil and apple cider vinegar.
- Add the yeast mixture into the bowl containing the dry ingredients and mix vigorously. Ensure the dough is completely wet and no dry ingredients remain unmixed. If the dough feels too dry, add an additional 1-2 tablespoons of water until it becomes slightly sticky.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a clean, dry tea towel and set in a warm place to proof for 1 hour. On the counter works, as does a warmed oven (approximately 100℉ or less). The dough will expand, but will not double in size.
- After the dough has expanded, preheat the oven to 400°F.
- On a well-floured surface, roll the dough out into a rectangle about 16x12” (40x30cm) in size. I recommend using a silicone baking mat as your surface, which will help with making the 'pizza log'. The dough should be approximately ⅜-¼” (30mm) in thickness and will feel slightly dry (a bit like play dough).
- Spread the pizza sauce over the dough, covering right up to the edges. Next, sprinkle the cheese on top of the pizza sauce and add the pepperonis on top.
- Starting at the shorter edge of the rectangle, roll the pizza dough into a tight log. If using a silicone baking mat, gently lift the short edge and begin to roll the dough overtop of itself, peeling off the baking mat from the dough as you roll. The log should be 12” (30cm) long once fully rolled.
- Using a serrated knife, cut the pizza rolls into ½” (1cm) wide sections and place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Place the pizza rolls about 1” (2.5cm) apart, as they will expand as they bake.
- Bake for approximately 20 minutes until pizza dough is cooked through and the cheese is melted and bubbly.
Notes
- Gluten free bread flour: I used a blend of 45% tapioca starch, 40% millet flour, and 15% sorghum flour. You can blend your own by following this recipe: Gluten Free Bread Flour. Another blend can be used; however, results may not be the same.
- Storage: Store fully baked pizza rolls in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days and reheat as needed. For longer storage, freeze the baked pizza rolls in an airtight container or sealed freezer bag for up to a month. Reheat them in the oven at 400°F until they are warmed through.
- Make the dough ahead of time: Once the 1-hour proof is done, store the dough in the fridge in an airtight container or wrapped in plastic overnight. Freeze dough for longer term storage, up to a month, and defrost in the fridge overnight prior to using.
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