Kids Cheese Recipe

Preheat

Preheat the oven to 220°C (425°F). If using a pizza stone, place it in the oven to heat; otherwise use a baking sheet.

If the gluten-free crust is refrigerated, let it sit at room temperature for 10 minutes to relax. Lightly brush the top of the crust with 1 tablespoon olive oil to help prevent sogginess and promote crisping.

In a small bowl, combine 1 cup tomato pizza sauce, 1 tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Stir to combine and taste; adjust seasoning if desired.

Spread the seasoned tomato sauce evenly over the pizza crust, leaving a 1/2-inch (1–1.5 cm) border for the crust.

Evenly sprinkle 3 cups shredded dairy-free mozzarella-style cheese over the sauced crust so the cheese covers the surface and reaches close to the edge of the sauce border.

If using, scatter fresh basil leaves torn into pieces across the cheese and lightly sprinkle 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes for a touch of heat.

Place the pizza on the preheated pizza stone or baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven for 10–14 minutes, or until the cheese has melted and is bubbly and the crust edges are golden. Baking time may vary slightly depending on crust thickness and oven; begin checking at 8–10 minutes.

Remove the pizza from the oven and let it rest for 2–3 minutes to set. Using a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut the pizza into 12 equal slices (for small kid-friendly pieces).

Serve warm. If desired, offer additional torn basil leaves on top or extra red pepper flakes to the side. This recipe is gluten-free if a GF crust is used and dairy-free if a dairy-free shredded cheese is used.