With a golden brown gluten-free crust filled with melted cheese and pepperoni, these homemade gluten-free hot pockets are hard to pass up! The teenager fan favorite just got an adult-style upgrade with fresh wholesome ingredients. Whether it's game day, a date night in, or a BBQ out bak, this easy and fun recipe will be a hit!
I think everyone, at some point in their life, devoured an embarrassing number of hot pockets in a short amount of time. It's like a rite of passage for teenagers. I guess when you're 16 pushing start on the microwave is about the extent of your kitchen abilities.
For all the adults that want in on the hot pocket fun (but maybe not the ingredients), these homemade gluten-free hot pockets are for you. They have the same pizza taste you know and love but are complete with wholesome ingredients, real cheese, and fresh pepperoni. Oh, and they're baked in the oven, not in the microwave 🙂
If you're a fan of these gluten-free hot pockets, you should also check out my whipped feta pizza!
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What makes these pizza hot pockets so tasty?
These hand-held gluten-free hot pockets make the perfect snack or appetizer. They have a crispy golden brown gluten-free crust packed full with melted cheese, fresh marinara (this one is my favorite), and natural pepperoni. In other words, they have it all!
They do take more time to make than the classic "microwave-style" hot pocket but hey, they're also fun to prepare!
Gluten Free Hot Pockets Ingredients
Pizza Pocket Dough:
Almond flour - this is the base dough that ensures a soft and tender dough for the hot pockets.
Tapioca flour - this flour combined with the almond flour is the perfect gluten free flour blend that is pliable and easy to roll out.
Nutritional yeast - a little goes a long way. This easily adds a touch of cheesy flavor. If you want to use real cheese, I recommend the same amount of parmesan.
Egg - used to help bind the ingredients together and helps ensure a soft crust once baked.
Coconut oil - use it in it’s solid form. Softened butter will work too.
Hot Pocket Filling:
Marinara - use your favorite store bought sauce for ease and simplicity.
Mozzarella - use store bought shredded cheese or your favorite cheese blend.
Pepperoni - This is optional but adds some protein to the hot pockets. I used this turkey pepperoni.
How to make a Pizza Pocket
There are a couple additional steps to these gluten-free hot pockets in comparison to the freezer to microwave style, but it's well worth it!
Step 1 : Prepare the dough
First, prepare the pizza dough. This is easily done in a mixing bowl or in a food processor. Simply whisk together the flours and seasonings then add the egg, coconut oil, and water. Mix well with a spoon or spatula to incorporate the egg into the flour.
If the mixture is too dry, add another tablespoon of water until the flour is fully incorporated. Once a large ball of dough begins to form, it's ready to be rolled out.
Step 2 : Roll out the dough and slice
Roll out ½ of the dough on a piece of parchment paper sprinkled with a little extra tapioca flour. You'll want to sprinkle the tapioca flour on top of the dough as well (this makes it easier to roll out). With a rolling pin, roll the dough out to about ¼ inch in thickness. Be sure not to roll it out too thick as you still want to be able to fit the filling in the middle.
Roll the other half of the dough out in a similar fashion. One half will act a the bottom of the hot pocket and the other half will be the top.
Once all the dough is rolled out, slice it into 3 x 3 squares. If desired, smaller or larger squares will also work.
Step 3 : Add the filling
Spread half of the squares out on the parchment paper, about 2 inches apart. Set the other half of the squares aside, these will be the tops of the gluten-free hot pockets.
Spoon about a tablespoon of marinara sauce in the middle of each of the squares. Next sprinkle a little shredded mozzarella over top followed but a few pepperoni.
Make sure to leave some space around the edges so you can easily seal the gluten-free hot pockets.
Step 4 : Seal and bake!
After you've added all the toppings, place a square of dough over top. It's best to make sure the toppings aren't doming too much but a little flat on the top. This helps when putting the dough on top.
With a fork, press around the sides to seal the toppings inside. Brush the tops with a whisked egg (the egg wash) and bake in the oven.
The gluten-free hot pockets are done when the crust turns a golden brown. A little marina sauce may seep through as well which is okay. Let them cool slightly before enjoying!
Hot Pocket Recipe Customizations
There are tons of ways to make these gluten-free hot pockets your own! Here are a few recommendations:
- Use ground turkey sausage instead of pepperoni
- Add pineapple for a Hawaiian pizza vibe
- Swap the pepperoni for veggies like peppers and mushrooms to make this vegetarian
- Make it fancy and use pesto as the sauce instead of marinara
How to Store Homemade Pizza Pockets
To store, place the gluten-free pizza hot pockets in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. When ready to eat, heat them up in the microwave or toaster for a few minutes.
Homemade Pizza Pockets Recipe FAQs
Yes, if needed use arrowroot starch in place of the tapioca flour.
Be sure to roll out the dough on top of a piece of parchment paper lightly dusted with a little extra tapioca flour. This will take the stickiness out of the dough without drying it out.
To make this recipe dairy-free, use a vegan mozzarella cheese inside the hot pockets. I recommend the VioLife or Trader Joe's brand.
For more tasty appetizers, check out my:
PS : If you make this recipe, be sure to leave a star review and comment below! Also be sure to follow along with me on Instagram and Pinterest to stay up to date on all tasty recipes here at The Fit Peach!
Recipe
Hot Pocket Recipe (Gluten Free!)
Ingredients
- 1 cup almond flour
- ½ cup tapioca flour - plus a little more to roll out the dough
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 tablespoon nutritional yeast
- 2 eggs - divided (one will the used for the egg wash)
- 1 tablespoon water - plus more if needed
- 3 tablespoon coconut oil - solid
- 1 cup marinara sauce
- ½ cup shredded mozzarella
- ½ cup pepperoni - I used this turkey pepperoni
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 F. In a bowl or food processor, mix together the almond flour, tapioca flour, garlic, and nutritional yeast. Add the egg, water, and coconut oil and mix to incorporate. If the dough is too dry, add another tablespoon of water. If the dough is too wet, add a little sprinkle of tapioca flour. Mix until a large ball of dough forms.
- Sprinkle a little tapioca flour on a piece of parchment paper. Place ½ of the dough on top and sprinkle with more tapioca flour before rolling it out about ¼ inch in thickness. Repeat with the other half of the dough on a separate piece of parchment paper.
- Slice each piece of dough into 3 x 3 squares. You should be able to get 6 - 8 squares in each piece of dough. Set one of the halves aside, these will be the tops of the hot pockets. With the other squares of dough, spread them 2 inches apart on the parchment paper.
- Spoon about 1 Tablespoon of marinara in the center of each square. Then sprinkle with another table spoon of mozzarella and 2 - 3 pieces of pepperoni. Place one of the bare squares over top of the filling. Use the a fork to seal the squares shut by pressing the edges together.
- Prepare an egg wash by whisking an egg in a small bowl. Brush each pocket with the egg wash and bake in the oven for 10 - 12 minutes until the crust turns a golden brown. et cool slightly then enjoy!
Kristi says
Hi, I just tried to make these, but the dough didn't work at all. It fell apart no matter how much water I put in. I can't have almond flour so I used coconut flour, would it make that much of a difference? Disappointed I was really hoping these would be a new staple!
Ansley Beutler says
Hi Kristi! Oh no, I'm sorry to hear that. But yes, coconut flour is much different than almond flour. I find it to be one of the more difficult gluten free flours to work with. It's soaks up a lot of moisture very quickly so you typically only use a little. Almond flour on the other hand can be moist itself so you have to add something else to it (in this case tapioca flour) to compensate.
Lily says
These sound delicious. Can you freeze these? Before or after baking them? Thanks!
Sophie says
Hi! How much garlic and nutritional yeast do you use? It's not mentioned in the ingredients. Thanks!