If you’ve had to go gluten free for whatever reason, and have a pulse, I’m willing to bet you’d give your left arm for a hot and crispy, chewy, cheesy hand tossed pizza. It’s been so long since I last had one that it took a good five minutes for the term “hand tossed” to come to mind. I wanted to say “pan pizza” but I think that’s just…pizza?
Anyway, save the valuable appendage because today I’m sharing the gluten free equivalent to hand tossed pizza: Gluten Free Pizza Breadsticks! YES – soft and fluffy, chewy breadsticks with the pizza crust texture we all adore(d). They are incredible! They’re also yeast free, ready in under 20 minutes from start to finish, and freezer friendly too. Plus they can be cooked in an Airfryer. I am dying for you to try them!
Gluten Free Pizza Breadsticks
Tapioca flour, baking powder, garlic powder and Italian herbs are mixed with shredded cheese, your favorite pizza toppings, eggs, and butter then shaped into breadsticks and baked in the oven OR the Airfryer. Either way, they don’t take longer than 10 minutes to cook.
If you’ve ever had Brazilian cheese bread, these pizza breadsticks are a riff on those except they’re studded with pizza toppings then shaped into breadsticks for maximum dunkability into warmed pizza or marinara sauce. Did I mention how fluffy and SOFT these breadsticks are? Just like pizza, and breadsticks for that matter, should be! No more cardboard gluten free pizza or worse, gummy gluten free pizza. Girl bye.
How to Freeze For Later
Cam and I had a blast recipe testing these pizza breadsticks this week and between the two of us I think we’ve eaten like, 50. Ok, maybe 48. It’s been…a lot, and we’re still not sick of them. That said, I froze the last batch and they reheat beautifully either in the microwave or Airfyer. Just cook then cool the pizza breadsticks and freeze solid on the baking sheet. Transfer to a Ziplock freezer bag then reheat for 1 minute at 50% power in the microwave, or cook for a few minutes in the Airfryer. The BEST!!
Try Pizza Fries!
How to Make this Recipe
Start by adding tapioca starch (sometimes labeled tapioca flour) to a large bowl with baking powder, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning. Tapioca starch has a similar consistency to corn starch in that it will fly everywhere if you’re not careful, so use a whisk to gently stir everything together. Also, I prefer Bob’s Red Mill Tapioca starch!
Next add shredded mozzarella or an Italian blend cheese plus chopped pizza toppings (pepperoni, black olives, cooked Italian sausage, etc.) then whisk to combine.
Lastly, add melted then cooled butter plus whisked eggs. Switch to a wooden spoon then stir everything until combined into somewhat of a thick paste. The mixture shouldn’t be terribly sticky, and it will “dry” slightly after sitting for a minute or two.
Lightly wet your hands with water then scoop 1/4 cup of the dough into your hands and roll into a 3-4″ log (no need to be precise here!) Place onto a parchment paper or silpat lined baking sheet then can cook one of two ways:
Oven Bake Method
Bake the Gluten Free Pizza Breadsticks for 8-10 minutes at 450 degrees or until golden brown, rotating the pan halfway through.
Airfryer Method
Spray the basket of your Airfryer VERY WELL with nonstick spray then place the Gluten Free Pizza Breadsticks inside with 2″ between each breadstick (you’ll need to cook them in batches.) Bake at 390 degrees for 3-4 minutes or until golden brown. I have a Philips XL Airfryer for reference.
That’s all she wrote! Dig in IMMEDIATELY for the best, most cheesy and fluffy experience – pizza sauce on the side, of course! I hope you love these absolutely AMAZING Gluten Free Pizza Breadsticks! Enjoy!
More Pizza-Inspired Recipes
- Pizza Fries
- Gluten Free Pizza Crust
- Pizza Chicken
- Pizza Pasta Bake
- Pizza Salad
- Mini Pizza Quinoa Bites
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Gluten Free Pizza Breadsticks
Description
Gluten Free Pizza Breadsticks are soft and cheesy, Airfryer-friendly, freezer-friendly, and best of all, EASY! Get your gluten free pizza fix in 20 minutes!
Ingredients
- 1-1/4 cup tapioca flour/starch
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- heaping 1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 6oz shredded mozzarella or Italian blend cheese (~1-1/2 cups)
- 1 cup pizza toppings (chopped pepperoni, sliced black olives, Italian sausage, etc.)
- 2 eggs, whisked
- 1/4 cup butter, melted and slightly cooled
- marinara or pizza sauce for dipping
Directions
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees then line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silpat and set aside.
- Add tapioca flour, baking powder, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning to a large bowl then whisk slowly to combine. Add cheese and pizza toppings then whisk to combine. Add eggs and butter then switch to a wooden spoon and stir until mixture is thoroughly combined. Mixture will be slightly sticky but shouldn't be impossible to work with - it will become less sticky after sitting for a couple minutes.
- Lightly wet hands then scoop 1/4 cup dough into your hands and roll into a 3-4" log. Place onto prepared baking sheet then bake for 8-10 minutes, or until golden brown, rotating the pan halfway through. Serve with marinara or pizza sauce for dipping.
- To cook using an AirFryer: I have a Philips XL AirFryer. Preheat to 390 degrees then spray the basket very well with nonstick spray. Add pizza sticks to basket 2" apart (will need to cook in batches) then cook for 3-5 minutes or until golden brown.
- To freeze and reheat: freeze cooked then cooled Pizza Breadsticks on baking sheet until frozen solid then transfer to a Ziplock freezer bag. To reheat using the microwave: place pizza breadsticks on a plate then cover with a paper towel. Microwave on 50% power for one minute or until heated through. To reheat using an AirFryer: spray basket very well with nonstick spray then cook for 2-3 minutes at 390 degrees or until heated through.
This recipe is courtesy of Iowa Girl Eats, http://iowagirleats.com.
Istuke 06.08.2020
We are in heaven! My Celiac son has been craving deep dish pizza. After I made the breadsticks the first time, he asked if I thought I could use the dough for an actual pizza. So I tried: left out the pizza toppings. Wet my hands to help spread the dough to about an 8” circle. Baked without toppings for same amount of time as breadsticks (maybe slightly longer). Topped with toppings and baked until cheese was melted and starting to bubble. OMG he was a happy boy!!!
Kristin 06.15.2020
YAY!! So glad to hear this!! Thanks so much for the great feedback!
Susan Carter 05.28.2020
I’ve made your Gluten Free Pizza Breadsticks several times now and I’m impressed every time I make them. They are simple and sooooooo good. Thank you for sharing such a great recipe!!
Erin 05.25.2020
Yum! I got all the ingredients yesterday and woke up today thinking about these. I decided that pre-celiac me used to have leftover pizza for breakfast, so why not? They were really good. I made mine a bit shorter to make a better fit in the air fryer. After some of my first batch got stuck in the grating, I used parchment paper which worked well.
Susan 05.21.2020
These are amazing! Easy to throw together and the whole family loves them. I’m making them for the third time today!
Caroline 05.15.2020
I made these to serve with beef stew so I left out the pizza toppings except I did include cheese. They were fantastic. The dough was easy to handle too. I might try making them longer and thinner to serve as an appetizer. Great recipe!!
Katie 04.29.2020
I’ve never left a review, but with a daughter who is newly diagnosed Celiac, I’m desperate to find options that she loved and that everyone else likes too. This was a HUGE hit. Better then regular breadsticks. I will be making these all the time! Thank you thank you thank you for all the recipes. You are a lifesaver!!!!
Christina 04.17.2020
I’ve been GF for 4 years and make the brazilian cheesy breads all the time so had to try this recipe! They turned out so tasty. Can’t wait to make them again! I halved the garlic powder and used garlic salt for the other half. And I get my tapioca starch from an Asian market- so much cheaper than big name brands ($1 vs $5) and works just as well! Thank you for the recipe!!
Keri Cairney 04.02.2020
We made the pizza breadsticks last night and they were amazing!! Easy to make and had great fluffy dough texture. Thank you for sharing!!
Jean L 03.22.2020
Can I use the one to one flour ins this recipe? Surely look delicious
Kristin 03.25.2020
Hi Jean! The tapioca flour is essential to this recipe to get a springy, doughy texture so unfortunately I don’t think a 1:1 flour would work out!
Denise Kreb 03.17.2020
Can you use regular gluten free flour if you don’t have tapioca flour/starch?
Kristin 03.25.2020
Hi Denise! The tapioca flour is essential in this recipe to get a springy, doughy texture so unfortunately I don’t think AP flour would work out!
Nancy 03.11.2020
Tried the gluten free pizza rolls! they were GREAT! this is the first bread type recipe that has turned out good and EDIBLE for me! Thanks
Kristin 03.11.2020
Ahh, so thrilled to hear that, Nancy! I so appreciate your feedback and recipe rating! :D
Casey 03.09.2020
Hi Kristin! Can you use regular flour in this recipe in place of the tapioca flour if they don’t need to be gluten free?
Kristin 03.09.2020
Hi Casey! I haven’t tested but I’m leaning towards no, unfortunately! This type of cheese bread is historically made with tapioca flour which has a chewy texture. That said, let us know if you give it a go and how it turns out!
Natalie 03.03.2020
My youngest daughter is gluten/dairy free. Have you tried making these with a dairy free cheese or no cheese?
Kristin 03.06.2020
Hi Natalie! The cheese is what gives the breadsticks structure so I don’t think it would work without it. Dairy free cheese like SoDelicious mozz style shreds could work!
Katerina 03.03.2020
We’re not gluten free but I really like the look of these! They would be perfect for a lunch box treat for the kids. Thank you for sharing!
Mel W 03.01.2020
Been Gfree for almost 8 years and this is hands down the closest things to actual pizza with crust! So simple and quick to make! Will for sure be making often!
Kristin 03.02.2020
Wooohooo!! So happy to hear that, Mel! Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
Shari 03.01.2020
Do you have nutritional information for this recipe?
Kristin 03.02.2020
Hi Shari! I do not, I’m sorry!
Karin 03.01.2020
I’m allergic to gluten and corn, so I knew I had to try these today. (Not much GF products are corn free). These were so easy to make, and so delicious. I definitely will be make this recipe again. Thank you so much for sharing this.
Kristin 03.02.2020
I am SO happy to hear that, Karin! Thrilled you were able to enjoy pizza again with this recipe – I am sure the gluten and corn allergy is a super tough combo!
Nancy 02.28.2020
I can’t have eggs, can you use powdered egg replacement?
Kristin 03.01.2020
Hi Nancy! I haven’t tried anything except chicken eggs. They are what keep these breadsticks together and give them a fluffy rise.
Janet Fazio 02.28.2020
Gluten free pizza is so hard to get right. I’m looking forward to trying these breadsticks to get my fix!
Kristin 03.01.2020
I know it, Janet! These are really such a treat!
anne stapleton 02.28.2020
wow – think about pizza a lot and now i can have some. thank you………
Kristin 03.01.2020
I can relate, Anne! I hope you love them!