These homemade gluten-free pizza pockets make your favourite childhood snack healthy and allergy-friendly. A crispy yet soft dough filled with tomato sauce, melty cheese, and other fun fillings make this the perfect snack or appetizer.
These homemade gluten-free pizza pockets are the perfect allergy-friendly make-ahead snack. A crispy crust filled with your choice of meats and cheese, pizza pockets are great to stash in the freezer for whenever you get a snack craving, or to eat straight out of the oven!
Also known as gluten-free hot pockets by some, this recipe is super easy to make with just a few gluten-free pantry staple ingredients. You'll be taken back to your childhood with this easy snack! Perfect for kids (and adults too!), these gluten-free pizza pockets are sure to be a hit in your kitchen.
Not to mention they are gluten-free, and can be made dairy-free or vegetarian if needed with a few easy substitutions.
Looking for some gluten-free snacks? Check out my Vegan Buffalo Cauliflower Wings, Gluten-Free Banana Bread, or Vegan (Heluva Good! Copycat) French Onion Dip recipes.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Made with pantry staples: Almond flour and tapioca starch make up the base of the dough. These gluten-free flours are likely in your pantry already and are fairly accessible at large grocery stores (or online!) these days.
- Customizable: Easily use vegan cheese, leave out the meat, or add vegetables to suit your dietary preferences.
- Freezer-friendly: Gluten-free pizza pockets store wonderfully in the freezer. Toast one up whenever you get the pizza craving and you're enjoying within minutes.
- Pizza on the go: We all know that making gluten-free pizza is a labour of love. It's hard to get right and it takes a long time. Now you can make your own handheld pizza pockets to enjoy whenever you get the craving!
Ingredients Needed
Here is everything you'll need to make these gluten-free pizza pockets:
The great thing about this recipe is that it comes together with just a couple of items. A few notes on the ingredients...
Gluten-Free Pizza Pocket Dough
- Eggs: 1 egg is required to bind the dough together. The second egg is used as an egg wash on top of the pizza pockets just before they're baked. This results is a deliciously crisp, golden crust.
- Apple cider vinegar: Helps achieve the crisp exterior and soft interior of the pizza pocket. You could substitute another type of vinegar if you need to, like white vinegar or plain rice vinegar.
- Olive oil: Helps to smooth the dough.
- Almond flour: Gives softness to the dough. Do not substitute.
- Tapioca starch: Gives structure and stability to the dough. Could substitute with potato starch.
- Baking powder: Reacts with the vinegar to give rise to the dough.
- Xanthan gum: A common ingredient in gluten-free baking, xanthan gum helps to prevent a dry and crumbly dough. Just a little goes a long way, and this is a very important ingredient. You can easily find xanthan gum online or in your local health food store. Do not omit.
- Salt: Intensifies the flavours!
- Water: A few teaspoons of water may be required at the end of mixing the dough to fully incorporate everything if it seems a bit crumbly.
Fillings
This is where you can make these pizza hot pockets your own! Feel free to customize the fillings based on your preferences.
- Tomato sauce
- Shredded mozzarella: Use lactose-free or dairy-free if preferred.
- Gluten-free meat: Use your favourite! Pepperoni, salami, sausage... just ensure it is gluten-free! Some processed meats can contain gluten in the fillers or casing, so be sure to check the package.
- Spices: I find a sprinkle of dried oregano and garlic powder inside the pizza pocket adds great flavour. Use your favourites! Chili flakes would be great as well.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Be sure to read the recipe card below for the full ingredient list and instructions.
Making the Dough
Begin by adding 1 egg, the apple cider vinegar, and olive oil to a medium-sized bowl. Whisk together. Add the almond flour, tapioca starch, baking powder, xanthan gum, and salt to the same bowl.
Use your whisk or a fork to gently swirly the dry ingredients together on top, then switch to a spatula and mix to fully incorporate the dough together. (1) It may also be easier to use your hands. Add water by the teaspoon if you find the dough is a bit crumbly. It should be smooth and somewhat oily, but not too sticky or dry. Form into 2 balls of equal size.
Rolling the Dough
Once the dough is formed, preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Cut 2 additional pieces of parchment paper, about the size of your baking sheet.
(2) Place 1 dough ball in between the 2 pieces of parchment paper. Use a rolling pin on top of the parchment to roll the dough to ⅛" thickness. It should be slightly see-through but still thick enough to handle without ripping.
(3) Use a sharp knife or pizza cutter to slice into 3 x 4" rectangles. You may have to re-form the scraps and roll again to get 6 rectangles. Place the rectangles on the parchment-lined baking sheet with room between them.
Repeat the rolling and slicing process with the second dough ball. Cut these top pieces to be slightly longer than 3 x 4" so they will still cover the fillings and seal on the edges. Set aside on a piece of parchment while you fill the pizza pockets.
Filling & Baking
(4) Place about 1 tablespoon of tomato sauce in the middle of each of the 6 rectangles on the baking sheet. Top with a sprinkle of mozzarella, and meat if you wish. Sprinkle with a dash of dried oregano and onion powder. Ensure you leave a border of empty dough around the outside.
(5) Place the other 6 pieces of dough on top of the filled pizza pockets. Crimp the edges all the way around by pressing with a fork to seal the dough. Stab the top of each pizza pocket twice with the fork as an air release.
Whisk the second egg in a bowl. Use a pastry brush to egg wash the tops. Sprinkle with a bit of flakey salt.
(6) Bake for approximately 22 minutes until golden. Remove from the oven to cool on the baking sheet for 5-10 minutes. Enjoy warm and dipped in warm tomato sauce if you wish! Transfer the rest to a wire rack to cool completely.
Storage Instructions
If they don't fly off your counter within 10 minutes, gluten-free pizza pockets can be stored in an airtight container (once completely cooled) in the fridge for up to 3 days, or the freezer for 1-2 months.
To Re-heat
To bring the pizza pockets back to their ooey gooey goodness, place in the toaster for a few minutes until the edges are golden and sizzling. If you find the middle is still a bit cold, microwave first for about 30 seconds before toasting. You could also reheat pizza pockets in the microwave, air fryer, or oven at 375°F for a few minutes until golden and warm.
Substitutions & Customizations
These gluten-free pizza pockets are super easy to customize and make however you like them. Here are some suggestions:
- Use dairy-free cheese. I've tested these gluten-free pizza pockets with Violife vegan cheese and it worked great! Use your favourite brand. That being said, the eggs are somewhat critical to the texture of the dough in this recipe, so I am uncertain that this could be made fully vegan. If you try it, leave a comment and let me know!
- Leave out the meat. Classic cheese is one of the best flavours.
- Add vegetables. I made a version of these pizza pockets that included diced red bell pepper in place of the meat and it was a hit with my vegetarian sister. Just ensure your veggies are super dry before adding them to the filling so they don't exude more moisture.
- Spice it up. I like to add dried oregano and garlic powder to the filling before I seal the pizza pockets, but you can add whatever spices you like. Chili flakes, fresh basil, you name it!
Expert Tips
- Don't substitute any of the dough ingredients. The only one I'd say is interchangeable is potato starch in place of the tapioca starch. The rest of the ingredients are crucial in achieving the proper pizza pocket texture.
- Have patience when rolling out the dough. You may have to re-form the dough and re-roll in order to get the correct thickness and amount of rectangles.
- Don't forget to poke the air holes on top of the pizza pockets before baking. If you forget, you may have an explosion! Using a fork to poke holes on top of the dough will help let steam escape as the pizza pockets bake. This will allow the air to go through the fork holes, instead of potentially out the side of your beautiful pizza pockets.
Frequently Asked Questions
The cheese and meat in these pizza pockets can certainly be swapped for vegan alternatives. Eggs are critical to these gluten-free pizza pockets for 2 reasons: 1) an egg helps to bind the dough and create elasticity, and 2) an egg wash on top of the pizza pockets help achieve that crisp golden crust. I do not recommend substituting the eggs, so unfortunately this recipe cannot be made vegan. If you do try it out, leave me a comment below!
If your pizza pocket dough is too sticky, try adding a small amount of tapioca starch to dry it out. Re-roll the dough and see if you are able to handle it better. Keep adding tapioca starch as you need, although you should not require much more.
If your dough is too dry and crumbly, try adding a teaspoon of cold water, re-rolling the dough, and seeing how it handles. Continue to add a teaspoon of water at a time, until the dough is workable.
If you don't have parchment paper to roll the dough between, try using wax paper. If you don't have that either, I'd suggest dusting your countertop and your rolling pin with tapioca starch. This should allow you to roll and cut the dough. Grease your baking sheet with a little bit of olive oil if you don't have parchment paper.
Everyone's toaster has different heat capacities. If you find your pizza pocket is still frozen in the middle, try microwaving it for 30 seconds, then re-toasting it so it crisps up. Once it's sizzling and golden, remove from the toaster and enjoy!
Now you have a delicious snack that is easy to make, easy to store, and allergy friendly! These gluten-free pizza pockets are always gluten-free and can be made dairy-free or vegetarian for different dietary restrictions. Great for kids and adults alike, these gluten-free pizza pockets (or hot pockets) are sure to fly off your countertop!
Have you made these gluten-free pizza pockets? I'd very much appreciate it if you leave a comment below and tag me on instagram @livglutenfree!
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Recipe
Gluten-Free Pizza Pockets
Ingredients
Gluten-Free Pizza Pocket Dough
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoon olive oil
- 1¼ cup almond flour
- ⅔ cup tapioca starch or potato starch
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon xanthan gum
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2-3 teaspoon water
Fillings
- ½ cup tomato sauce
- ½ cup shredded mozzarella, use dairy-free if preferred
- ¼ cup gluten-free pepperoni, salami, or sausage optional
- dash of dried oregano and garlic powder
Instructions
Making the Dough
- Begin by adding 1 egg, the apple cider vinegar, and olive oil to a medium-sized bowl. Whisk together.
- Add the almond flour, tapioca starch, baking powder, xanthan gum, and salt to the same bowl. Use your whisk or a fork to gently swirly the dry ingredients together on top, then switch to a spatula and mix to fully incorporate the dough together. It may also be easier to use your hands. Add water by the teaspoon if you find the dough is a bit crumbly. It should be smooth and somewhat oily, but not too sticky or dry. Form into 2 balls of equal size.
Rolling the Dough
- Once the dough is formed, preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Cut 2 additional pieces of parchment paper, about the size of your baking sheet.
- Place 1 dough ball in between the 2 pieces of parchment paper. Use a rolling pin on top of the parchment to roll the dough to ⅛" thickness. It should be slightly see-through but still thick enough to handle without ripping. Use a sharp knife or pizza cutter to slice into 3 x 4" rectangles. You may have to re-form the scraps and roll again to get 6 rectangles. Place the rectangles on the parchment-lined baking sheet with room between them.
- Repeat the rolling and slicing process with the second dough ball. Cut these top pieces to be slightly longer than 3 x 4" so they will still cover the fillings and seal on the edges. Set aside on a piece of parchment while you fill the pizza pockets.
Filling & Baking
- Place about 1 tablespoon of tomato sauce in the middle of each of the 6 rectangles on the baking sheet. Top with a sprinkle of mozzarella, and meat if you wish. Sprinkle with a dash of dried oregano and onion powder. Ensure you leave a border of empty dough around the outside.
- Place the other 6 pieces of dough on top of the filled pizza pockets. Crimp the edges all the way around by pressing with a fork to seal the dough. Stab the top of each pizza pocket twice with the fork as an air release.
- Whisk the second egg in a bowl. Use a pastry brush to egg wash the tops. Sprinkle with a bit of flakey salt.
- Bake for approximately 22 minutes until golden. Remove from the oven to cool on the baking sheet for 5-10 minutes. Enjoy warm and dipped in warm tomato sauce if you wish! Transfer the rest to a wire rack to cool completely.
Cheryl says
Good recipe! We noticed the instructions don't mention when to add the second egg. Once we figured out that was missing, the dough turned out fine. Thanks for the recipe!
Olivia Parsons says
Hi Cheryl, Filling & Baking step 3 says to whisk the second egg and brush it on top of the pizza pockets. Glad you enjoyed!