Extra fluffy and super (duper!) tasty, this keto pizza crust with yeast turns out to be a spot-on cross between your regular pizza and focaccia. i.e. its the ideal love child!

Keto Pizza Crust (With Yeast!) 🍕

Extra Fluffy!

Talking favorite type of pizza crust is a sure way to divide a crowd; be it thin, crisp, fluffy, Italian-style soft… so I’m slowly but surely aiming to cover all your keto pizza needs with the recipes on gnom-gnom.

You’ve already gotten a (very popular!) 15-minute stove top pizza, a deep dish version, and a basic yeast crust. With this one here, however, I’m aiming to satisfy all your fluffy pizza dough needs borrowing inspiration from a classic focaccia. 

p.s. feel free to use the dough for actual pizza, or brush with garlic butter and parsley for a garlic bread extravaganza, use it for flatbread… or even cinnamon roll bites!

The Deets

Making this paleo and keto pizza crust with yeast is incredibly simple really. But, like with any yeasted bread, it does require you take care of a few details to ensure the best possible outcome.

You just must ensure your pizza dough does increase in size substantially while proofing. It can even double if you let it. And note that grain free yeast doughs do require a little extra warmth. For instance, I place my tray on top of my oven as I heat it up (so my tray gets slightly warm and they rise beautifully). But you must ensure you don’t overheat it or you’ll kill the yeast. Think a warm and humid day at the beach, that’s the ideal temperature.

shape the pizza crust

Wet your fingertips and smooth out the dough as much as possible, adjusting thickness to taste.

let it rise

Grain free yeast doughs need a little more cuddling. So find a warm spot and proof the dough for 40-60 minutes. The crust will look noticeably fluffy, but don’t let it overproof or it might be ‘too fluffy’ (just call it focaccia if that happens!). 

The Tips ‘N Tricks

The yeast in this low carb and keto bread ensures a wonderful texture and taste. Check out these tips for best results with grain free yeast doughs!

Weigh your ingredients. This will forever be a staple recommendation for any sort of gluten free baking here at gnom-gnom. As aside from leading to less dirty dishes, it will ensure consistent results time and time again. Remember that gluten free (and particularly keto) baking is notoriously finicky, and measuring by cups is anything but accurate. And if you don’t own a baking scale, measure with cups by dropping the ingredients onto them rather than scooping them out (which often leads to overpacking).

Ingredients at room temperature. Self explanatory really, but incredibly important (particularly for the eggs). If you add cold eggs to the mix your bread simply won’t rise much (if at all).

Proof the yeast. This involves mixing dry active yeast with water that’s just warm to touch (between 105-110°F to be precise) and inulin or an actual sugar (think maple syrup or honey) for 7 minutes until foamy. And before you scream sugar (!!) remember that the yeast will feed on such sugar to emit carbon dioxide, so it doesn’t affect the carb count. And yes, this is a scientific fact.

Avoid abrupt temperature changes and air drafts. Like with any yeast bread, you need to cuddle your dough. Make sure it’s able to rest undisturbed in a warm space.

Baking at high altitude? Yup, so am I (Paola here!!). You just need to up the temperature a bit to seal the rise, and just keep an eye out for excessive browning.

The Ingredients & Possible Subs

This pizza crust does have a few ingredients, but you’ll find that most are staple paleo and keto pantry ingredients. In the list below you’ll find details on several ingredients and possible subs. This is also perhaps the most forgiving recipe in terms of subs out of all the grain free yeast bread recipes on the site!

Almond flour. You truly need a super finely ground almond flour here, as if you use meal your rolls will turn out dense and oily. Super fine almond flour brands include Anthony’s (my personal favorite), WellBees and Bob’s.

Now if paleo, or in keto maintenance, you can lighten up the bread even more by substituting part of the almond flour (3-6 tablespoons) with arrowroot flour.

Flaxseed meal or psyllium husk can be used interchangeably in this recipe, and they both need to be re-ground for best texture.  You’ll want to use golden flaxseed meal (we use Bob’s), and regrind the flakes in your (very dry!) bullet or blender until finely powdered. Great way to avoid slimy bread. And for the psyllium husk powder, NOW brand doesn’t turn bread purple.

Whey protein isolate ensures a better rise. Though you can get away with subbing with more almond flour (it just collapses a bit post bake). Keep in mind that this ingredient varies tremendously from brand to brand, and I’ve tested these recipes thoroughly with both Isopure’s Zero Carb Unflavored and this grass-fed whey protein isolate (a bit pricier, but undoubtedly higher quality)!

Xanthan gum. Borrowed from molecular cooking, xanthan gum is the binding agent which makes your toothpaste jelly-like (and your cream cheese, well cream cheese-like). And it’s also the most common gluten-replacer in gluten free baking. And while we do prefer the results with it, you can sub it with flax.