Gluten Free Pizza Muffins Recipe
Tempted to make delicious gluten free pizza muffins? All the flavours of pizza in a baked soft, savoury muffin. These herby cheese-filled muffins, topped with sieved tomato passata and cheese are perfect for parties, picnics and lunch boxes.
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Gluten Free Pizza Muffins (or is that Muffin Pizza?)
If you love pizza and you love muffins, you’ll love these delicious gluten free pizza muffins. Packed full of Mediterranean flavours… rich tomato passata, herbs and cheese, but in a handy savoury muffin… One bite and they will transport your taste-buds to the warmth of Italy on a summer’s day.
With flavours so distinctly ‘pizza’ however, the question has to be asked… ‘Are these Pizza Muffins or Muffin Pizza?’ And who really cares? They are so tasty you could call them ‘Bob’ and still devour a basket full.
When to eat Pizza Muffins
One of the best things about these gluten free Pizza Muffins is their versatility. Without a doubt, they are perfect picnic and packed lunch fodder (and may be exactly what you need to get some healthy stuff into the kids at lunch time). But they also make welcome party food (for kids and adults alike) and an equally welcome healthy snack.
Use mini muffin cases to make bite-sized party pizza muffins for a bit of extra fun.
Let’s not stop there though. These babies can be served with soup or salad and have even been enjoyed at GFHQ on many an occasion as a grab and go breakfast! They are fabulously versatile as well as being incredibly flavoursome. You have to try them… really!
How well do gluten free Pizza Muffins keep?
Gluten free muffins and bakes are notorious for losing their soft texture within hours of baking. It can be so frustrating. So when developing a recipe, I always aim for bakes which equal their glutenous counterparts for freshness.
What I love about this recipe is that it produces a wonderful, fluffy, soft gluten free crumb, which stays perfectly squidgy for several days. And whilst pizza muffins are incredible warm straight from the oven, they are also yummy cold.
If there are any left on the day you bake them, store in the fridge. Just bring back to room temperature for softness. Of course, if you prefer your gluten free pizza muffins warm, just zap in the microwave for a few seconds to heat up. That is my absolute favourite way to enjoy them.
And if you want to batch-bake for packed lunches, simply freeze for another day!
Can I change the ‘topping’ ingredients of this Pizza Muffin recipe?
For sure! This gluten free pizza muffin recipe is as adaptable as you want to make it.
If your favourite pizza topping is pepperoni, throw it into the muffin mix. Want a veggie version? Forget the meat and load it with sweetcorn, peppers, fried onions, mushrooms, or anything else that takes your fancy. Want to go Hawaiian? Add ham and top your pizza muffins with pineapple! And if you prefer them spicy, ditch the herbs and chuck in some chilli.
Seriously… Pizza Muffins may become your new love. The balance of flavours is bang on and they really do taste just like pizza. Herby, cheesy, tomatoey yumciousness… although of course, the variations are endless…
If you have any, it’s also worth noting that kids absolutely love them (I’ve checked). So if you want to avoid the sugary snacks, these pizza muffins are ideal for the after-school hunger slot.
What Flour Blend Should I use to make gluten free Pizza Muffins?
I am sure some people read my recipes and get frustrated because I don’t use a single bog-standard supermarket gluten free flour blend. I make no apology. Gluten free flours are not straight forward and in my experience, need to be combined with care both for texture and nutrition.
If you are going to achieve bakes which rival their wheat counterparts, don’t need to be ‘refreshed’ because they are stale, and won’t crumble as soon as they are lifted from the plate, the flour blend matters.
Sure you can make recipes on Gluten Free Alchemist (including gluten free pizza muffins) with most gluten free flour blends. But you may need to add more liquid (particularly if the blend is heavy in rice flour). Equally, the texture will be altered and may be gritty, dry, crumbly or go stale more quickly.
Want to know more? Take a look at the Gluten Free Alchemist guide to gluten free flours and flour blending to learn more about the qualities of various gluten free flours.
The recipe for these gluten free pizza muffins uses a flour blend which is unique to the bake. The balanced blend of rice, sorghum, tapioca and oat flours ensures the best quality and texture. If unable to eat any of them, check out the flours page for good substitutes or contact Gluten Free Alchemist for advice if unsure.
So there you have it! Gluten free Pizza Muffins. I hope you enjoy them as much as we do. Remember to snap a picture of your bakes and let me know how you get on
Other Savoury Lunch Box and Party Ideas you Might Like :
- Sun-Dried Tomato, Parmesan & Walnut Puff Pastry Swirls
- Mini Toad in the Hole
- Best Buttermilk Cheese Scones
- New York Style Gluten Free Pizza (amazing cold)
- Gluten Free Tartlets with Hot Smoked Salmon and Cream Cheese
- Gluten Free Pizza Rolls
- Gluten Free Gougères – Cheesy Choux Buns/Cheese Puffs
- Savoury Summer Upside Down Cake
- Roasted Red Pepper & Tomato Tarts
- Gluten Free Cheese Crackers and Mini Cheddars
- Mini Sausage Pasties
- Mini Quiches
- Homity Pies
- Asparagus & Stilton Scones
- Puff Pastry Party Bites
This recipe features in Twinkl Picnic in the Park Blog
Pizza Muffins
Key equipment
- small heat-proof bowl + microwave (or small saucepan & hob)
- sharp knife
- muffin trays
- muffin cases
- teaspoon
- Oven
Ingredients
- 80 g brown rice flour (make sure it's fine ground)
- 80 g sorghum flour
- 80 g tapioca starch flour
- 25 g oat flour (fine ground)
- 1 tsp ground psyllium husk or xanthan gum
- 2 tsp GF baking powder
- 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- ¾ tsp fine sea salt
- ¾ tsp dried oregano
- ¾ tsp dried basil
- ½ tsp dried thyme
- 30 g fresh parmesan cheese finely grated
- 250 g soured cream (or full fat yoghurt if soured cream unavailable)
- 3 large eggs at room temperature UK Large size (Canadian ‘Extra Large’; Australian ‘Jumbo’; and US ‘Extra or Very Large’)
- 55 g melted butter
- 80 g passata (sieved tomato)
- 110 g mature cheddar cheese cut into tiny cubes
- 90 g sweetcorn kernels
- 100 g grated mozzarella pizza cheese (topping)
- 110 g passata in addition to the above (for topping)
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 180 C/350 F/Gas 4. Prepare a couple of muffin tins with muffin cases.
- Weigh and mix together the flours, xanthan gum/psyllium husk, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, salt and herbs, making sure any lumps are completely broken down (Tip : Weigh into an airtight container and shake vigorously to mix)
- Add and stir in the Parmesan cheese.
- In a large bowl whisk together the soured cream, eggs and melted butter until fully combined and smooth.
- Add 80g Passata and whisk again.
- Add the dry ingredients, cheddar cheese and sweetcorn and fold-in until evenly combined.
- Spoon the mixture into the muffin cases (about two-thirds full) and smooth the tops. Then make a small dip in the centre of each with the tip of a knife/handle of a teaspoon.
- Divide the remaining passata between the muffins, spooning a little on to the top of each (the dip will help to hold it).
- Divide and sprinkle the mozzarella on top of the muffins.
- Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until well risen and the top springs back to the touch (use the tip of a spatula or wooden spoon to test, so that you don't burn yourself on the cheese or tomato topping. Be careful not to over-bake.
- Remove and place on a wire rack to cool or enjoy warm, fresh from the oven.
Notes
Nutrition
© 2019-2026 Kate Dowse All Rights Reserved – Do not copy or re-publish this recipe or any part of this recipe on any other blog, on social media or in a publication without the express permission of Gluten Free Alchemist
These pizza muffins look amazing. Thank you for sharing the recipe.
Can’t wait to make them.
Thanks Gillian x
Hello Kate! I am gf for a long time and always interested in new ideas. I have catered off and on as well. But I followed this recipe to a tee and it was not tasty at all. I used all the same ingredients and they looked beautiful. But they fell apart and lacked flavor and were grainy. So not sure but, they need a lot of something. Unfortunately I can’t serve these to even my neighbors for a trial.
Hi Teri
Thank you for your feedback. I’m very sorry to hear you didn’t like the muffins. And quite surprised too. They’ve been made many times both here and by other readers and the feedback has always been positive. I guess flavour is a matter of preference (and can be easily played with), although the strength/brand of cheese etc can also impact how flavoursome something is.
As for crumbliness… It’s hard to know what happened for you. It’s not a problem I’ve encountered.
My guess would be possibly egg size, as this can vary considerably. In the UK, large eggs are larger than they are in the US and some other parts of the world so it’s possible that this may be relevant (particularly as the recipe uses 3), depending on where you are. I have a helpful chart to decipher the anomaly:
https://www.glutenfreealchemist.com/egg-size-weight-international-guide-comparison-chart-conversion/
I’ve also learned that rice flour seems to vary in how finely it’s ground from manufacturer to manufacturer (which could potentially cause gritty/graininess).
In view of your feedback, I will amend the recipe card to make a couple of things clearer for anyone who could be affected.
Best wishes and thanks again
Kate
I am absolutely loving these. My children would love these and I’m going to make them today! I don’t have the flours that you recommend but I thought I might do half and half white/wholemeal. They just look so delicious! Thank you for sharing them with #BakingCrumbs
Thank you Jenny. I hope you made and enjoyed them as much as we do xx
Yum! I love pizza muffins! Well done on perfecting a gluten free version!
Thanks Kat. Always love to perfect a GF version!! X
I do like the sound of these, I’m particularly fond of savoury bakes. Thank you for sharing to #CookBlogShare
Me too Lesley! Savoury bakes are so underrated yet so yummy x
Such a good idea to infuse muffins with pizza flavours, and I really like the corn kernels in this recipe. Thank you for bringing it to #CookBlogShare!
You’re so welcome Monika. I love sweet corn and the little kernels add a lovely extra bit of texture and a little sweetness x
Muffins are great and I love the flavours in these. The bite sized muffins are so cute!
Thanks Cat. The bite size ones are Miss GF’s favourites x
This is looking delicious. I would love to bake this for the coming occasion Thanks for sharing the recipe
You're welcome Elen. It's one of my faves x
A super idea! I love the sound of these – perfect picnic/hillwalking snacks too! Thank you for sharing with the No Waste Food Challenge 🙂
Thanks Elizabeth. Absolutely perfect for hillwalking……. I just need to find some hills now (sadly, our landscape is not as rugged as yours) x
oh oh oh! What a simply perfect idea! I love muffins and pizza will be bookmarking this recipe for future baking day 🙂
Thank you Janice. They are so worth trying. Let me know how you find them if you do give them a go x
Wowsers these sound magnificent! I've made loads of savoury muffins over the years but have never thought of 'pizza muffins', loving your idea of adding the passata and some of the filling to a dip in the middle. Thanks so much for linking them up to January's Family Foodies event.
Thanks Lou. They are pretty delicious!
I think you might be just a little bit enamoured Kate. They do sound good though and I am a big fan of savoury muffins. Now I don't need packed lunches any more, I've rather got out of the habit. These will just have to be tried. I didn't realise you were Canadian.
Ha ha! enamoured I may be…. these are worth falling in love with! I am not however Canadian (though having read back, I see where the confusion came in!)….. my fellow Canadian bloggers are fellows for their gluten freedom and blogginess…..Mmmmm…. must improve my grammar!!!
This looks really yummy – I love pizza and I love muffins so this sounds like an excellent marriage – and the tomato cheese topping sounds genius
Thanks Johanna. I thoroughly recommend them!
Oh my, I am going to have to make some of these and add them to my lunch box. yum
Thanks Alison. Let me know how you find them!
I should make a mental note not to visit your blog hungry! I am now drooling. These are a great idea for breakfast on the run #CookBlogShare
If they have made you hungry that's a good sign I guess….. I make no apology for drool-worthiness! It's amazing how much good stuff you can pack into a handful…. and absolutely a much healthier breakfast than many I eat in a hurry!
Yum yum yum what a great idea and why have I not thought of this before?! This would have been a good gluten free savoury alternative at my afternoon tea party – I'll remember it for next time.
Ha! My thoughts exactly! I will definitely have this one up my sleeve for any buffet scenario from now on.
Oh how funny! I am just making muffin pizzas too! The pizza base is resting right now for a morning start! These muffins are very popular in Italy at the moment and they really are a great idea. I am making classic ones so I am intrigued by your recipe here. They certainly are healthier and gluten free so even better + they look really cute!
Thanks Alida. I look forward to seeing yours! I can see why they would be popular… they are delicious!
I think my girls would love these – they love pizza and muffins so it's an easy guess. I'll give them a go and let you know how we get on xxx
If they are anything like my daughter, then they will definitely enjoy them. Let me know how you get on!
These sound amazing Kate! I love pizza so much and would adore it in muffin form 🙂
Thanks Kat. I think you would!
Oh my they look tempting, and just perfect for the lunch box theme for this months Tea Time Treats!
Thanks so much for sharing 🙂
Janie x
Thanks Janie. My daughter is munching at least one every day at the moment! They make the idea of packed lunches much more appealing!