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    Homemade Flour Tortillas

    Homemade Staples Breads and Muffins April 30, 2023 | By Kristen Chidsey | 20 Comments | *This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.

    Jump to Recipe
    Homemade Tortillas are simply the best way to enjoy tortillas! Made with only 4 ingredients and less effort than you may think, these fresh flour tortillas, are soft, tender, and absolutely delicious. Homemade Tortillas will make all your Mexican dishes taste better.

    Make the best Flour Tortillas with just 4 ingredients! These homemade flour tortillas are perfect for wraps, tacos, burritos, and more!

    Swap out store-bought tortillas with homemade flour tortillas for the best-tasting beef tacos, bean burritos, and chicken enchilada casserole.

    Homemade Flour Tortillas in blue cloth.


    Flour Tortillas are essential for Tex-Mex Meals, such as Shredded Chicken Tacos and Vegetarian Fajitas, and sandwich wraps, like Avocado Tuna Wrap or Veggie Wrap.

    And while there are a variety of flour tortillas on the market, homemade is the way to go! Not only does this recipe for homemade flour tortillas deliver tortillas with the best flavor and texture, but they are made with simple ingredients.

    why you will love homemade tortillas

    • Better For You. Homemade flour tortillas are made without hydrogenated oils, lard, or preservatives. Instead, they use simple ingredients you can feel good serving to your family. 
    • Amazing Flavor. Nothing compares to the taste of tortillas made from scratch. Pure and fresh!
    • Perfect Texture. This flour tortilla recipe produces tortillas that are soft, tender, with a few crisp edges. 
    • Easier to Make Than You May Think. Flour tortillas are one of the easiest things to make yourself and this dough does not require proofing or extensive kneading. And unlike homemade bread dough, tortilla dough is much more forgiving.

    Notes on Ingredients

    Flour tortillas are made with 4 simple ingredients you likely have on hand at all times.

    Ingredients for flour tortillas on white counter.
    • Flour: I recommend whole white wheat flour or unbleached all-purpose flour when making homemade tortillas. Whole white wheat flour is 100% whole grain, but has a much lighter taste and produces a softer texture than traditional wheat made from red wheat berries. If you want to use flour labeled whole wheat flour, I recommend cutting it with all-purpose flour to keep the tortillas light, and soft, and the flavor not overpowering.
    • Oil: Use canola oil for the best texture and taste, but vegetable oil or olive oil will do in a pinch.
    • Water: You want your water to be warm to the touch, not cold or boiling. This will help the dough come together quickly.
    • Salt: I recommend kosher salt, but table salt will work in this tortilla recipe.

    No Baking Powder? Many recipes claim baking powder will make homemade tortillas more light and fluffy. However, in all of my testing, there is a negligible difference, therefore, I don't find it necessary.

    How to Make Flour Tortillas

    • In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour and the salt until the salt is evenly distributed through the flour. 
    • Make a well in the middle of the flour then pour in the water and oil. 
    • Combine the ingredients together, by mixing with a wooden spoon or your hands. It won't take long for the dough to come together.
    Tortilla dough mixture in glass bowl.
    • Turn the tortilla dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead just until the mixture forms a ball. This should only take about a minute or two. 
    • Cover the dough with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap and let it rest for 15 minutes.
    Tortilla dough next to small bowl of flour.
    • Once rested, divide the dough into even balls. How many balls will depend upon the size of the tortilla you would like.
      • For 6-inch tortillas, this recipe will yield 12 tortillas. 
      • For 9-inch tortillas, this recipe will yield 8 tortillas. 
    • Once the dough is shaped into balls, cover them with a kitchen towel, damp paper towel, or plastic wrap so that the dough stays soft and moist while you work to roll out the tortillas one at a time. 
    • On a lightly floured surface or piece of parchment paper, gently roll the tortillas into a 6-inch or 9-inch circle, working from the center to the outer edge with a rolling pin. Alternatively, use a tortilla press to evenly press the tortillas.
    Flour Tortilla rolled out on parchment paper.
    • Preheat a heavy-duty skillet, nonstick griddle, or cast-iron pan over medium-high heat.
    • Gently dust or brush off excess flour on the tortilla and then add the tortilla to the heated pan. Cook for 60 seconds or until little bubbles form in the dough and flip and cook for an additional 30 seconds or until golden brown spots form on the surface of the tortilla. 
    • Remove the tortilla from the skillet and place it into a tortilla warmer or wrapped in a clean kitchen towel, to ensure the tortillas stay warm and soft while you finish shaping and cooking the remaining flour tortillas. 
    • Repeat the process until you have made tortillas from each of the dough balls. Personally, I find I save time by rolling out the next tortilla while one is cooking.
    Homemade tortillas on cutting board.

    ∗ important tips for perfect tortillas ∗

    The process of making flour tortillas is quite simple, but I have a few tips that will help to ensure success.

    • Use Hot Water. You want your water to be hot to the touch, but not boiling. This helps the dough come together much faster.
    • Roll out each tortilla evenly. Do not stress about forming a perfect circle, your tortillas will still be delicious. However, you DO want to be sure you roll out each tortilla evenly. If your edges are thicker than the center, your tortillas will not cook evenly.
    • Remove Excess Flour. Be sure to brush off excess flour on raw tortillas before cooking to prevent burning. I find it is best to wipe out my skillet after cooking 2-3 tortillas to remove any accumulated flour in the pan.
    • Keep the Tortillas Warm. Once tortillas are prepared, be sure to wrap them in a towel to keep them warm or the tortilla warmer and not dry out.
    • Watch the Heat. If you find your tortillas are not forming golden brown spots on the surface of the tortilla, increase the heat. If the spots are turning black, decrease the heat.

    Storing Fresh Flour Tortillas

    For the ultimate homemade tortillas, I recommend cooking them right before serving. That said, you can store the tortillas for several days or freeze them for later use. 

    • To Store Prepared Tortillas: Once cooled completely, transfer to an airtight container or bag and store at room temperature for 24 hours or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. To reheat the tortillas, place one or two tortillas on a heat-safe plate, cover with a slightly damp paper towel, and microwave for 10-20 seconds. They'll be nice and soft again. 
    • To Freeze Prepared Tortillas: Prepare the tortillas as directed and allow them to cool completely. Layer tortillas between sheets of parchment or wax paper and then place them in a freezer-safe bag. Remove the air, seal the bag, and store them in the freezer for up to 3 months. Remove as many frozen tortillas from the bag as desired and either defrost in the fridge overnight or warm individually in the microwave or dry skillet.

    How to Serve Flour Tortillas

    You can use flour tortillas in any way that you use store-bought tortillas. From tacos to burritos, to wraps, to quesadillas, to enchiladas, the uses are truly endless. Below are a few of my favorite recipes that use flour tortillas.

    • Vegetarian Enchiladas
    • Mexican Lasagna
    • Honey Lime Chicken Fajitas
    • Instant Pot Chicken Fajitas
    • Healthier Cheese Quesadilla
    • Easy Chicken Enchiladas

    So if you are looking for the BEST-tasting flour tortillas, homemade is the way to go! I hope you give this recipe a try and let me know how it went in the comments. 

    Flour tortillas wrapped in a blue kitchen towel.

    Flour Tortillas

    Made with just 4 ingredients, these homemade flour tortillas are soft, tender, and so much tastier than store-bought.
    5 from 15 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Bread
    Cuisine: Mexican
    Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 2 minutes minutes
    Resting Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 37 minutes minutes
    Servings: 12
    Calories: 145kcal
    Author: Kristen Chidsey

    Ingredients

    • 3 cups all-purpose flour plus more for rolling
    • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
    • 3 tablespoons canola oil
    • 1 cup warm water
    Prevents your screen from going dark while preparing the recipe.

    Instructions

    • In a large mixing bowl, whisk together 3 cups of flour with the salt until the salt is well distributed throughout the flour.
    • Make a well in the flour and add the oil and water. Using your hands or a wooden spoon mix until incorporated.
    • Turn the mixture out onto a lightly floured surface and knead several times to form the dough into a smooth ball. If your dough is sticking to your hands, add more flour, 1 tablespoon at a time. Cover the dough with a clean towel and let rest for 15 minutes, or up to 2 hours.
    • Once rested, divide the dough into even balls. For 6-inch tortillas, form 12 dough balls. For 9-inch tortillas, form 8 dough balls. Cover the dough balls with a kitchen towel, damp paper towel, or plastic wrap so that the dough stays soft and moist while you work to roll out the tortillas one at a time. 
    • Preheat a heavy-duty skillet, cast-iron skillet, or griddle over medium-high heat.
    • Flatten each dough ball into a circle shape, using your hands. Then on a lightly floured surface, roll the tortillas into a 6-inch or 9-inch circle, working from the center to the outer edge using a rolling pin. Alternatively, use a tortilla press to evenly press the tortillas. Do not stress about forming a perfect circle, but do be sure you roll out each tortilla evenly. If the edges are thicker than the center, the tortillas will not cook evenly.
    • Gently dust or brush off excess flour on the tortilla using a pastry brush and then add the tortilla to the heated pan. Cook for 60 seconds or until little bubbles form in the dough and flip and cook for an additional 30 seconds. If you find your tortillas are not forming golden spots, increase the heat. If the spots are turning black, decrease the heat.
    • Remove the tortillas from the skillet and place the tortilla in a tortilla warmer or wrapped in a kitchen towel to keep warm and soft.
    • Repeat the process with each dough ball. I find it is best to wipe out my skillet after cooking 2-3 tortillas to remove any accumulated flour in the pan.
    • Serve as desired.

    Notes

    Flour: Feel free to use whole white wheat flour in place of the all-purpose flour to keep these tortillas 100% whole grain. If needed a 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose flour works. 
    Oil: Vegetable oil or olive oil can be used in place of the canola oil.
    Tip for Rolling: If you would like to roll out all your tortillas before cooking, stack rolled tortillas in between parchment or wax paper until you complete the process. Cook immediately. 
    Storage:
    • To Store Prepared Tortillas: Once cooled completely, transfer to an airtight container or bag and store at room temperature for 24 hours or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. To reheat the tortillas, place one or two tortillas on a heat-safe plate, cover with a slightly damp paper towel, and microwave for 10-20 seconds. 
    • To Freeze Prepared Tortillas: Prepare the tortillas as directed and allow them to cool completely. Layer tortillas between sheets of parchment or wax paper and then place them in a freezer-safe bag. Remove the air, seal the bag, and store them in the freezer for up to 3 months. Remove as many frozen tortillas from the bag as desired and either defrost in the fridge overnight or warm individually in the microwave or dry skillet.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 145kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 194mg | Potassium: 33mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Calcium: 5mg | Iron: 1mg
    Liked this Recipe? Tag me Today!Snap a picture and tag #amindfullmom on Instagram - I would love to see!
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    About Kristen Chidsey

    Hi, I am Kristen, creator of A Mind "Full" Mom. I believe that making a wholesome family meal does not need to be hard or expensive! I love nothing more than to share with you delicious solutions for your hungry family.

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    1. Sharina

      May 25, 2023 at 5:52 am

      5 stars
      These tortillas taste a lot better than the store-bought! I love its texture and it is so easy and simple to make!

      Reply
    2. Lisa Horn

      May 20, 2023 at 9:55 pm

      Can i use gluten free flour?

      Reply
      • Kristen Chidsey

        May 21, 2023 at 6:34 am

        Yes! A 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose flour works.

        Reply
    « Older Comments

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    Homemade Tortillas are simply the best way to enjoy tortillas! Made with only 4 ingredients and less effort than you may think, these fresh flour tortillas, are soft, tender, and absolutely delicious. Homemade Tortillas will make all your Mexican dishes taste better.

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    Homemade Tortillas are simply the best way to enjoy tortillas! Made with only 4 ingredients and less effort than you may think, these fresh flour tortillas, are soft, tender, and absolutely delicious. Homemade Tortillas will make all your Mexican dishes taste better.

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