Detroit Style Pizza

So, I’ve shared a great gluten-free pizza crust recipe before, and that original recipe was perfectly fine for satisfying any pizza craving I might have.

It was definitely a gluten-free crust, both in the way the dough handled, and the final product. A very GOOD gluten free crust, but still.

Lately, I’ve been frustrated because there’s a local pizza joint - Mai Pai - makes such wildly good gluten-free pies, anything I’ver ever tried pales in comparison.

And I’m REALLY GOOD at gluten free baking!

Anyway, they’re an award winning tiki style restaurant that makes Detroit style pizzas, both regular and gluten free. Absolutely mind blowing pizza.

I knew I’d have to figure out how to make something similar, both to deal with my frustration AND because they have limited hours!

After a bunch of research, I decided that they’re probably using Caputo’s Gluten-Free flour. It’s a special Italian flour, and known to make the BEST gluten free bread products.

So, I played around with it and eventually landed on the BEST gluten-free pizza recipe possible.

This gluten-free pizza dough behaves like regular dough, rises like regular dough, and bakes up super airy, with a structure that actually supports air pockets... like regular dough.

My homemade pizza was ALMOST as good as Mai Pai’s, and the only thing that set theirs apart is one that I couldn’t do anything about, without a major investment.

My crust wasn’t QUITE as crispy along the outer edge, simply because my oven does NOT get as hot as their commercial oven.

Anyway, it was still an absolutely fantastic pizza, and it’s since become our go-to recipe for pizza night.

In honour of Mai Pai, this easy recipe is done up Detroit-style as well - a pan pizza with a long fermentation, a crust that’s essentially fried during the baking process. Toppings and cheese go on before the sauce, which is done in a stripe formation, rather than spread.

Feel free to bake yours traditional style (sauce, cheese, toppings) if you prefer - there’s no need to par bake the crust.

Of course, there are all kinds of different options for what you can top it with, so have fun topping it with all of your favorite things!

Anyway, it’s a great recipe - let’s look at what you’ll need, and how to make it:

Ingredients

This recipe uses MOSTLY simple ingredients. With one exception - a very specific, imported gluten-free flour blend - you’ll be able to find everything you need in any grocery store.

Some ingredient notes for you:

Caputo Fioreglut Flour

If you’ve been following this blog - or, before it, my gluten free cookbooks - for a while, you know that I am *vehemently* anti-all purpose gluten free flour mixes.

Just due to the way different flours have different flavours and properties, you’re WAY better off using ingredients individually, in ratios specific to whatever you want the flour to do.

I was skeptical of the Caputo flour at first, but between the amazing reviews, and my STRONG suspicion that it was what our favourite local pizza place was using... it was definitely something I was willing to try.

Caputo Gluten Free Flour is a blend of gluten-free wheat starch, dextrose, maize starch, buckwheat flour, rice starch, psyllium seed fibre, thickener, guar, and flavouring.

So, if you’re allergic to *wheat*, this may not be a great option for you... though apparently it’s safe for anyone else on a gluten-free diet - even for celiacs!

I’ve got to say, this stuff made the absolute most beautiful gluten-free pizza dough I’ve ever seen.

... and I’ve made a LOT of gluten-free doughs over the years! Once I had it kneaded together, it looked and behaved like regular pizza dough.

The only way, visually, that you could see a difference was that the inside was more white than the inside of a non gf pizza crust.

As a note, though - you’re going to want to look at this as being a gluten free bread flour, specifically. While it’s great at breads and bread based recipes like homemade gluten-free pizza crust, I hear it’s not great at things like cookies, cakes, etc.

We bought our first bag on Amazon - spendy, but worth it! - but then found a local import grocery store that carried it at a much lower price. SCORE! Check your local Italian grocers, you may find similar deals.

As always, this recipe is *highly* unlikely to work if you substitute any other kind of gf flour for the Caputo Fioreglut Gluten-Free Flour.

All gf flour mixes behave differently, based on their content - and that goes at LEAST double for this recipe, on account of the wheat starch involved.

Toppings

You can top the pizza any way you want, really. For this one, we did a double pepperoni deluxe pizza.

We used regular pepperoni right against the crust, then topped the whole thing off with “cup” style pepperoni, for a bit of flare.

Beyond that, we used pepperoni, bacon, mushrooms, green peppers, and red onions.

Everything Else

Rounding out this recipe, you will need:

Shredded Mozzarella Cheese (I get Pizza Mozzarella specifically)
Pizza Sauce (I use either homemade, or Rao’s Marinara)
Active Dry Yeast
Granulated Sugar
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Baking Powder
Salt
Cooking Spray (I use olive oil spray)

... I just really don’t have anything to add, for these last few ingredients. Basic pantry staples, if you do any baking!

How to Make Gluten Free Detroit Style Pizza

The full recipe is in the printable recipe card at the end of this post, here is the pictorial walk through:

Make the Gluten Free Dough

Measure warm water into a glass measuring cup or bowl. Stir in yeast and sugar, allow to stand for 10 minutes – it should get very bubbly.

Dump dough out onto a floured surface, knead until soft and smooth, about 3-5 minutes. (Alternatively, knead together by hand, then use a stand mixer with a dough hook for about 3 minutes, or until dough is smooth).

If the dough isn’t a little sticky, add up to1 tablespoon of water, and knead it in. You want the dough smooth, but just very slightly sticky.

Once dough is fully kneaded, swirl remaining 2 tablespoon Olive Oil in a nonstick 9 x 13" pan.

Press dough evenly across the bottom of the pizza pan. Lightly spray the top of the dough with cooking spray, cover pan with plastic wrap.

Transfer to the fridge and let the dough rise overnight.

Assemble and Bake the Gluten Free Pizza

2 hours before baking, take the pan out of the fridge.

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 500 degrees F, set a pan at the lowest position. For best results, use a pizza stone - we usually don’t, though.

Spray fingers with a little olive oil or nonstick spray, and dimple the top of the dough as shown in the post.

Arrange half the toppings directly on top of the dough.

Cover with all of the cheese, spreading out to the corners. Top with remaining toppings, the spoon the sauce over in 3 rows.

Bake for 15-20 minutes on lowest rack

Loosen pizza from pan with a spatula, then carefully transfer it out of the pan an onto a cutting board.

Cut into squares and serve hot.

Leftovers

Once cooled to room temperature, leftover pizza slices can be wrapped in plastic wrap - or stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Best served reheated.  We like to microwave it for 30 seconds or so to get the chill off it, then finish in the air fryer (375F) for a few minutes to crisp it up.

More Gluten-Free Main Dish Recipes

Looking for more dinner ideas for the whole family? I’ve got you covered, with all kinds of tasty gluten free recipes!

Chicken Cordon Bleu (Low Carb)
Creamy Mustard Chicken
Elk Bourguignon
Gluten-Free Bacon Poutine Pizza
Gluten Free Beet Gnocchi
Gluten-Free Chicken Mushroom Tourtiere
Keto Chicken Pot Pie Soup
Gluten-Free Coconut Shrimp
Gluten Free Cod Au Gratin
Gluten-Free Cod Cheeks & Dressing
Gluten Free Crab Cakes
Gluten-Free Creamy Chicken Wild Rice Soup
Gluten Free Creamy Creole Pasta
Gluten -Free Creamy Creole Soup
Gluten Free Fennel Chicken Soup
Gluten-Free Fish Fingers & Custard
Gluten Free French Onion Soup Tart
Gluten-Free Fried Chicken
Gluten Free Perogies
Gluten-Free Sesame Chicken
Gluten Free Spicy Orange Chicken
Gluten-Free Square Root Tart
Gluten Free Tourtiere
Keto Taco Soup
Gluten Free Tuna Casserole
Mushroom Risotto
Pesto Chicken Lasagna (Low Carb)
Spinach Feta Lasagna (Low Carb)