Easy Gluten Free Pita or Flatbreads

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Gluten free pita or flatbreads are possible, scrumptious even, with my gfJules Gluten Free All Purpose Flour, I can assure you! You can even make these as beautiful grain-free pita breads with gfJules Nada Flour. Anything is possible with the right gluten free flour!

grain free pita bread stack made with Nada Flour | gfJules
Grain-free pita breads made with gfJules Nada Flour.

When it comes to grain-free or gluten free pita breads, this recipe is one you’re going to want to bookmark. It’s fast and easy and makes The. Best. Bread!

Yeast-free, dairy-free, egg-free / vegan, and yes, of course, gluten-free, but let’s not focus on what this recipe is missing, since this delicious and versatile bread is soon going to be full of all your favorite yummy fillings!

Gluten Free Pita made with gfJules Flour; Photograph by: R.Mora Photography.
Gluten Free Pita made with gfJules Gluten Free All Purpose Flour; Photograph by: R.Mora Photography.

It holds up to whatever sandwich fixin’s you can throw into it or on it. Just like a good pita should. Or of course, you can use it for dipping.

grain free pita and flatbreads made with Nada Flour | gfJules
Grain free pita and flatbreads made with gfJules Nada Flour.

Just look at this beautiful stack. Ready in under 30 minutes — hard to beat that.

In fact, I always wonder why I don’t double the recipe because it’s so worth having these on hand in the freezer at all times for grab and go sandwiches of all kinds. 

grain free pita stack made with Nada Flour | gfJules
Grain free pita stack made with gfJules Nada Flour.

 

And speaking of sandwiches, remember those “sandwich thins” that used to be so great (back when we could eat wheat)?

Proportions are everything in a sandwich, and thin gluten free pita or flatbreads means more focus on the sandwich and all the goodies stuffed inside. Like fresh homegrown tomatoes … but I digress.The perfect gluten free pita bread for all your sandwiches

 

I actually developed this recipe when my oven was broken — a debilitating problem for any baker. I worked on this recipe for weeks, baking it so many times in so many different ways (and so many different ovens -thank you friends & neighbors!), that it has even occupied my dreams. (There’s hardly a dream worse for a baker than nightmares of burned bread!)

I’ve baked this gluten free pita or flatbreads recipe out at temperatures ranging from broiling to 300° F. I’ve tried it in commercial gas heat ovens, electric home ovens and even a gas grill.

Cast iron skillets are another method, believe it or not.

Grain-Free Pita Breads, cut. Made with gfJules Nada Flour
Grain-Free Pita Breads, cut. Made with gfJules Nada Flour

The net result is that, to get these beautiful breads to puff up enough to part the middles for soft pita bread to envelop your favorite sandwich filling, but crisp up enough on the outside to have a slight crunch and a gorgeous lightly browned hue, the dough needs to be mixed as little as possible. And the oven temperature needs to be just right — a perfect 425° F oven should do nicely.

And get those gluten free pitas close to the top heating element for maximum puffiness. I’ve learned that through many trials and errors (the error still taste yummy, too!).

gfJules gluten free pita breads in oven 2
Bake these gluten free pita breads close to the top of your oven for puffiest results.

 

Of course I must sheepishly admit that each time I baked this gluten free pita or flatbreads recipe while I was perfecting it for you, I and all others present ate every single batch, polishing off each one of these breads, regardless of whether we deemed the results “less than perfect.”

Even when these were cooked too long or not long enough or at a not-ideal temperature, they were still amazingly delicious!

 

Grain-Free Flatbreads made with gfJules Nada Flour
Grain-Free Flatbreads made with gfJules Nada Flour

That means that even if your oven isn’t cooperating or they don’t puff up in the middles for you or they’re a touch overcooked, they’ll still be yummy. But don’t wander away from the oven for long, because it is easy to cook them way too much!

Especially because there are so few ingredients in this recipe, it is critical that you use the right ones, namely the gluten free flour specified in this recipe. I hear from folks all the time who try my recipes and use different flour blends and combinations and wonder why they don’t turn out like pictured.

Gluten Free Pita made with gfJules Flour; Photograph by: R.Mora Photography.
Gluten Free Pita made with gfJules Gluten Free All Purpose Flour; Photograph by: R.Mora Photography.

Gluten free flour blends are all very different (click here to read more about different kinds of gluten free flour); my award-winning gfJules™ Flour is fine, light, tasteless and adds stretch to recipes where ordinary gluten free flours fail.

That’s why it’s been voted #1 certified gluten free flour AGAIN in the Gluten Free Awards.

gluten free pita sandwich

Don’t waste your time with gritty rice flour blends or funky tasting bean flours. Just don’t. If you want these yummy flatbread pitas to turn out right, use the right ingredients and you’ll be a happy baker. I promise!

So don’t be daunted by my trials and tribulations – you can bake this recipe with the right ingredients in a miscreant oven and still come out with pleasing results!

gluten free pita bread sliced

I even baked this gluten free pita or flatbreads recipe at our church with the 2nd grade Sunday School class and we all got our hands in the dough – it’s a wonderful, tactile experience that should be shared!

The recipe makes a wonderful gluten free Communion Bread option, too. Yeast-free and free of the top 9 food allergens plus gluten-free, it’s a Host that works well for intinction, as well. Even more inclusive if you use my grain-free gfJules Nada Flour!

flatbread kids
If 2nd graders can do it, so can you!

Keep in mind that if 2nd graders can spread this dough into delicious rounds, you can too. There are a few different ways of getting this dough into shape, some a bit less orthodox than others (pun intended) but none is wrong.

Beat it into shape with very well oiled hands or roll in more gfJules Flour and make it look a little neater. Again, no wrong answers.

Grain-free Pita and Flatbreads with gfJules Nada Flour
Grain-free Pita and Flatbreads with gfJules Nada Flour

 

Vegan, yeast-free, dairy-free, and of course, gluten-free or grain-free, there should be nothing keeping you from making this recipe soon and often!

Gluten Free Pita made with gfJules Flour; Photograph by: R.Mora Photography.
Gluten Free Pita made with gfJules Gluten Free All Purpose Flour; Photograph by: R.Mora Photography.

Easy Gluten Free or Grain Free Pita or Flatbreads

Grain-Free Pita Breads, cut. Made with gfJules Nada Flour

Easy Gluten Free Pita or Flatbreads

Yield: 5-6 pita/flatbreads
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 13 minutes
Total Time: 28 minutes

These gluten free or grain free pita make the perfect sandwich thins or flatbread for your pizza. They have just the right "chew" and are quick to make. Keep some in the freezer so you always have some on hand for lunch or even hummus and dips! They're a great all-around gluten free bread option for so many things!

Ingredients

  • 1 3/4 cups (236 grams) gfJules™ All Purpose Gluten Free Flour OR gfJules grain-free Nada Flour (192 grams)*
  • ¼ cup (16 grams) instant plain gluten-free mashed potato flakes (Idahoan® Original Mashed Potatoes; or Edward & Sons™ Organic)***
  • 2 tsp. baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp. baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp. coarse sea salt
  • 1/4 tsp. fine sea salt
  • 3/4 cup + 2 Tbs. warm milk (dairy or non-dairy soy, coconut, almond, etc.)
  • 1/4 cup warm yogurt (dairy or non-dairy soy, coconut, almond, etc.) OR 1/4 cup milk
  • 1 Tbs. olive oil, vegetable oil or coconut oil (melted)
  • Additional oil to brush on tops

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 425° F.
  2. Place baking stone or metal baking sheet in oven while it is preheating. It should be on one of the upper-most racks, but not the very closest to the top of the oven.
  3. Whisk the dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Warm milk and yogurt, then add with oil to the bowl and blend, just until integrated.
  4. Mix until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. If needed, add an extra 1 tablespoon or so of milk, to help the dough to hold together well; if the dough isn't holding together and pulling away from the sides of the bowl, it won't hold together when pressed into rounds, so be sure enough liquid is added at this stage. The goal is for the dough to hold together and be slightly sticky but not wet; not dry or crumbly at all.
  5. Sprinkle a dusting of my gfJules™ Flour or Nada Flour onto a pastry mat or clean counter. Roll the dough in a small amount of gfJules Flour to keep it from sticking. Gently roll into a wide log and cut into 5-6 equal sized portions.
  6. Roll each portion in a small amount of gfJules Flour and lightly roll out in all directions to a thickness of about 1/4 inch -- no thinner, and it does not need to be even thickness; some unevenness leads to more puffiness in the baked out breads. Transfer to a piece of parchment dusted with more gfJules Flour.
  7. Repeat with remaining dough. Brush the tops with oil and slide parchment onto hot stone or baking sheet that has been preheating in the oven.
  8. Alternatively, scoop out equal portions of dough onto parchment and spread with well-oiled hands, pressing out with the palms of your hands to an uneven thickness of around 1/4 inch. Slide parchment onto hot pan.
  9. I recommend monitoring this recipe in your oven the first time you try it. Bake for 10 minutes, OR until the breads are puffing up and browning slightly. Flip to the other side and bake for an additional 3-4 minutes. (You may also pan saute the breads lightly to brown the high points like traditional naan baked in a tandoor oven.)
  10. If you tear open one of the breads, it should be fully cooked and have some pockets of air; it should not be gummy or look uncooked inside. If it is gummy or not fully cooked, return to the oven and monitor until fully cooked. That being said, these breads may appear slightly gummy when hot out of the oven; let them cool for at least 5 minutes before tearing or cutting so the structure of the breads will set first. Note the times and temperatures for your oven, so that next time you bake these flatbreads, you will know what produces the best results with your oven.

Notes

Makes 5-6 flatbreads. Use for personal pizza crusts, naan, pita breads or cut into triangles and toasted or broiled for crisp toast points.

*gfJules Grain-Free Nada Flour

***Substitutes for mashed potato flakes: arrowroot powder, potato starch or cornstarch can be subbed 1:1 for similar results, but mashed potato flakes are still preferred. You can also just bake a potato and mash it instead. Add about 1/2 cup mashed potato instead of 1/4 cup potato flakes, but reduce the liquids slightly.

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment (and maybe even a picture!) below or share a photo on Instagram! Be sure to tag me! @gfJules

I can’t wait to hear what you think!

Pin this recipe for later!

Grain Free, Vegan & Yeast Free Pita Breads made with Nada Flour | gfJules

gluten free vegan yeast free pita breads | gfJules

 

These easy gluten free pita or naan flatbreads are ready in 25 minutes! YES, you can make authentic flatbreads with #1-rated gfJules GF Flour! TRY IT & SEE!
Gluten Free Pita or Flatbreads Recipe -- gluten free, vegan, yeast free and ready in under 30 minutes! | gfJules
Easy Gluten Free Pita or Flatbreads

Gluten free pita bread, flatbread or naan bread ... this easy yeast-free, vegan recipe will become a staple in your recipe box. Quick and easy bread that's oh so good! Freezes really well, too! | gfJules

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  1. Used ingredients exactly as listed and amount of water was fine. Had hubby help me figure out what 1/4 inch was. Flavor was excellent. But they didn’t rise!! Any idea why?

    697B192A-4059-4D44-9A6E-BD8F6649A314

    Reply
    • Hi Kathleen, I’m so glad the flavor was excellent and they certainly look pretty! I’m not sure about the rising — are you saying they didn’t puff up at all? They don’t rise a lot — how did yours look in comparison to the photos when you cut into them? Were they still soft and pliable? If not, then I would say either that they were too thin or that they cooked too long or perhaps both. The puffing up is sometimes tricky to get and can depend a bit on your oven and the placement in the oven, but even if you don’t get any puffy parts, they should still be soft and pliable, which I hope yours were!
      ~jules

      Reply
    • Hi Rachel, mashed potato flakes are found in any grocery store. They’re basically dried mashed potatoes that can be reconstituted into mashed potatoes and they help to provide a bit of “chew” to this bread. If you don’t want to buy them, you can simply cook a baking potato and mash it instead; add about 1/2 cup mashed potato instead of 1/4 cup potato flakes, but reduce the liquids slightly. I hope that helps!!
      ~jules

      Reply
    • Hi Bridget, I have done that, yes. It’s nice because the breads get crustier in the skillet but they don’t tend to puff up as much.
      ~jules

      Reply
  2. Hi there. I am in South Africa and as far as I am aware do not stock mashed potato flakes. Is there any other substitute. Kind regards Michelle

    Reply
    • Hi Michelle, you can use actual mashed potatoes in place of mashed potato flakes (reduce liquid by 2 Tbs. and add more if needed to hold the dough together at the end) or replace with an equal amount of a gluten free starch like cornstarch or potato starch is the next best option. I hope one of those works for you!
      ~jules

      Reply
  3. Would love to make falafels soon and try out this pita bread! Is there something I sub the plain mashed potato flakes for? Don’t have those around and would like to try these. Mashed potato and less liquid? Some other flour? Thanks for all your great recipes!

    Reply
    • Hi Lili, the closest things you could try would be equal amounts of fresh potatoes, cornstarch, potato starch, white rice flour, tapioca flour, OR arrowroot. Let me know how it goes!
      ~jules

      Reply
  4. So when you say “warm” yogurt and milk do you mean room temp? Or heated to a warm temp. I’m new to baking and not sure if this is going to mess up the science.

    Reply
    • Hi! So glad you asked — if you ever have any questions, don’t hesitate to inquire! In this case, I typically warm to warmer than room temp, but it would work to be room temperature; the key is not being cold so that the ingredients incorporate better. ENJOY!
      ~jules

      Reply
  5. This looks amazing – I will definitely be making in the next couple days. Now, I ALSO want to know about that quinoa patty in the picture. It looks perfect in that pita! Is the recipe for that on the website? I haven’t found it yet…

    Reply
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