You’ll be so surprised at how EASY flour tortillas are to make right at home! Fresh homemade tortillas straight out of the pan are healthier than anything store bought.
You’re only 5 ingredients away from making fresh flour tortillas — no artificial preservatives. YYYYES. All you need is flour, baking powder, cooking oil, salt, water and a rolling pin. THAT’S IT!
FLOUR TORTILLAS
Similar to flatbreads, flour tortillas are extremely versatile and perfect to go with absolutely anything! Think chicken or steak fajitas, carne asada, carnitas (see below image), slow cooker barbacoa short rib tacos, quesadillas… the possibilities are endless! Or fry them up and make your very own tortilla chips to dip in guacamole, pico de gallo or queso dip!
HOW DO YOU MAKE FLOUR TORTILLAS?
Ditch store-bought flour tortillas for good with this easy recipe. If you love cooking and eating Mexican food as much as we do, you will love this flour tortilla recipe. All you need is 30 minutes, a bowl and a nonstick pan. Get ready people!
- Start off by mixing the dough. You need to use hot water, as hot as your hands can handle. NOT boiling, just hot enough to help the dough come together quickly.
- When you’re done it should be sticky to the touch (the stickier the dough, the softer the tortillas.)
- Turn dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Sprinkle the top of the dough with about 1 tablespoon extra flour and knead until it forms a smooth, soft, playdough-like, semi-sticky ball. You may want to give up but don’t! Give it a good 2-3 minutes of kneading and it will come together easily.
- Divide the dough into 8 equal balls for larger tortillas, or 9 balls for smaller sized.
- Working one piece at a time, flatten one ball out with the palms of your hands to resemble a thick disk.
- Lightly dust both sides with flour and set them aside.
- Cover with a clean kitchen towel for 10 minutes.
Roll each ball of dough to an 8-9-inch circle over the edges so that they are the same thickness all around (aim for about 2mm thick). You want a thin tortilla you can pretty much see-through when holding it up.
COOK TORTILLAS
Use a nonstick pan over medium-high heat. If you don’t have a nonstick, use a frying pan lightly greased with oil or butter.
Cook flour tortillas for about 1 minute on one side and flip them only once. Cook the other side for an additional 30 seconds until you see a hint of browned spots. The tortillas will puff up and cook perfectly.
WHAT TYPE OF FLOUR CAN BE USED
- All purpose
- Plain white flour
- El Rosal (authentic Mexican flour)
- Bread flour
TIPS
- While one piece is cooking, roll the next piece out and repeat steps above (working one tortilla at a time avoids them from drying out).
- Stack them up on a plate lined with a clean tea towel and wrap them up to keep them warm and soft while cooking the rest.
MORE BREAD RECIPES
Artisan Bread Recipe
Easy Flatbread Recipe (No Yeast)
Easy Soft Dinner Rolls (NO MIXER + EGG FREE)
Easy Flour Tortillas
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour, (15oz. or 450g)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoons salt
- 1 cup hot water
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
Instructions
- Whisk together flour, baking powder and salt.
- Make a well in the centre. Add in the water and vegetable oil, then mix together so that the water absorbs the flour. Use your hands to bring the dough together. The dough should be workable BUT sticky to the touch (sticky dough = soft tortillas).
- Turn dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Sprinkle the top of the dough with a little extra flour if too sticky. Knead to form a smooth, soft and Playdoh-like ball, about 2-3 minutes.
- Divide the dough into 8 equal balls for larger tortillas, or 9 balls for smaller sized. Working one piece at a time, flatten one ball out with the palms of your hands to resemble a thick disk. Lightly dust both sides with flour and set them aside. Cover with a clean kitchen towel for 10 minutes.
- Heat a nonstick pan over medium-high heat.
- Use a rolling pin to roll out one piece of dough to an 8-9-inch circle about 2mm thick.
- Cook one tortilla until set and lightly golden, about 1-2 minutes. Flip and continue cooking until spots appear on both sides, about an additional 30 seconds.
- While one piece is cooking, roll the next piece out and repeat steps above (working one tortilla at a time avoids them from drying out).
- Stack them up on a plate lined with a clean tea towel and wrap them up to keep them warm and soft while cooking the rest.
IcePonyGirl says
Best to use Crisco shortening!
Sandy Rollins says
can these be mixed in a stand mixer, kneading is not a strong point for me
Juanita says
Finally an authentic recipe that works! Just finished making them and they took me back to my childhood with my abuelita cooking them for us. The smell, the texture and the taste. You nailed them all!