Easy Flour Tortillas From Scratch
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Elevate your next Mexican meal with these incredible flour tortillas from scratch. The perfect vehicle for tacos, burritos, enchiladas, and more, these tortillas manage to be soft, pliable, and sturdy all at once. Plus they’re amazingly easy to make – five ingredients and mixed either in the stand mixer or by hand.
In our journey to make more and more from scratch, it was only a matter of time until we went all the way and started experimenting with homemade flour tortillas. And, well, what can I say? It’s worth every roll and spatula flip.
To be honest, the process is kind of the fun part. Other than, you know, eating them all!
It will surprise no one to learn that there are quite a few flour tortilla recipes floating around out there. I make no claim that this particular interpretation is “pure” or “authentic.” As an American of Slovak-German descent living in Belgium, I might actually be the last person you’d want to consult for advice on truly authentic Mexican cuisine. 😉
I can, however, tell you without a doubt when something is delicious, and believe me when I say that these tortillas meet and exceed all your tastebuds’ expectations.
How To Make Flour Tortillas From Scratch
One of this recipe’s many advantages is that it can be mixed quite easily with a stand mixer, a hand mixer, or by hand. Whichever approach you choose, the basic process is the same: combine flour, salt, and baking powder. Cut in some vegetable oil, mix in warm water, and knead it into a soft, supple dough ball.
Then, just pluck off a portion for each tortilla. The recipe should yield about 16 taco-sized shells. You can certainly measure these to be precise, but I find it a lot easier to just divide the ball in half, then divide those halves again, and so forth until you have 16 portions. No one in my family has ever complained about slightly uneven tortilla mass. :)Stretch and roll each portion into a smooth ball, flatten each slightly with your palm, and let the discs rest for a few minutes. Then you’ll just roll each one out thin, and – boom – tortillas!
Well, you do have to cook them first. That takes 1-2 minutes each in a hot cast-iron or non-stick pan. As explained more in the recipe notes below, you’ll know they’re cooking properly when you get small bubbles on the top side and light brown spots on the bottom.
Well, you do have to cook them first. That takes 1-2 minutes each in a hot cast-iron or non-stick pan. As explained more in the recipe notes below, you’ll know they’re cooking properly when you get small bubbles on the top side and light brown spots on the bottom.
I have the extreme good fortune to have recruited my husband to be the designated family tortilla flipper. He finds it pretty zen. Plus, the flipper gets first dibs on sampling, so it’s not a bad job to claim.
With a soft tortilla that manages to be pliable and sturdy all at once, you’re not really going to go wrong. If you dispense with the fillings and just eat them straight off the hot skillet, well, you won’t get any judgment from me.
Go ahead and give this recipe a try – I’m willing to bet you’ll love the results, and be pretty darn proud of yourself for making tortillas from scratch! Enjoy! ♥
More Easy Mexican Favorites
- Sheet Pan Shrimp or Chicken Fajitas
- Skinny Agave Margaritas
- Easy Black Bean Tacos
- Baja Chicken Tacos
- Ground Beef Enchilada Casserole
- Jalapeno Lime Fish Tacos
Easy Flour Tortillas From Scratch
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil, shortening, or lard
- 1 cup hot water
Instructions
Stand Mixer Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine flour, salt, and baking powder. Mix briefly to combine.
- With the mixer running at medium speed, add oil and water. Mix for 1-2 minutes, stopping at least once to scrape the sides of the bowl. After the dough begins to come together into a ball, reduce mixer speed to low and continue mixing for 1-2 minutes, until dough is smooth.
Mix by Hand Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, salt, and baking powder. Whisk briefly to combine, then add vegetable oil. Stir until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Pour in warm water and stir to combine. Knead briefly with well-floured hands until the mixture comes together into a craggy dough.
Either way, to proceed..
- Whether you used a stand mixer or your hands, transfer dough at this point from the mixing bowl to a well-floured work surface. Divide into 16 roughly equal portions. Roll each portion into a ball and flatten slightly with the palm of your hand. Cover flattened balls of dough with a clean kitchen towel, and allow to rest for at least 15 minutes and up to an hour.
- When ready to cook, warm a large cast-iron or heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat.
- Keeping the work surface and rolling pin lightly floured, roll each dough ball into a circle about 6” in diameter. (Try not to stack the rolled tortillas on top of one another – this makes it more difficult to transfer them to the pan. If you need additional staging area, a lightly floured sheet of parchment paper works well.)
- Transfer tortillas one at a time into the hot skillet. Cook for about 1 minute, until small bubbles form on the top and brown spots form on the bottom surface. (If it takes much longer than a minute to see golden brown spots on the underside, increase the heat slightly. If instead the tortilla browns too much or too quickly, reduce the heat.) Flip and cook the other side for about 30 seconds.
- Remove from the pan and stack cooked tortillas loosely wrapped in a clean kitchen towel. (This will keep them soft, pliable, and warm.)
- Serve immediately or allow to cool for later use. Tortillas can be stored for 2-3 days in the fridge in a plastic zip-top bag; before using, wrap tortillas in slightly damp paper towel and microwave for 15-30 seconds. Tortillas can also be frozen for 2-3 months; to freeze, separate tortillas with sheets of parchment or waxed paper and store in a zip-top freezer bag.
Would this make 8 burrito sized tortillas? We eat way more burritos and quesadillas than we do tacos. Just want to make sure I get the portions correct. I want to try this recipe b/c mine always turn out like chalupas and that’s too thick for a burrito, in my opinion.
Mmm sounds delicious! Yes I would say this will make 8 larger burrito-sized tortillas, you will just want to take care when transferring them into and flipping in the pan. Enjoy- I really hope they turn out well for you!
I used a tortilla press to flatten them but they shrunk back smaller before I could get them on the griddle. Any ideas to prevent that?
Yes indeed–that’s a common problem when using a tortilla press for flour tortillas, because of the gluten in the flour. The best option to prevent this is to roll out your flour tortillas and save the press for making corn tortillas. If you’re committed to using the press I would try to let the dough rest a little extra long in hopes of letting the gluten relax. Good luck!
Loved how simple and delicious this recipe was. Thank you.
These are SOOOOOOO GOOD, I have never made tortillas before but I would HIGHLY RECOMMEND these to anyone. Very easy to make, my daughter had made these and sold me on them…..so very very good. THANK YOU
Hi! Could I use a tortilla press to flatten? That’s what I use when making corn tortillas.
these are now a regular and they always turn out fantastic thank you very much
My husband and I love making these together. They are the best tortillas we’ve ever had. Five stars ⭐️
Good morning,
Just wanted to say that I have made these twice and I really like them. I have also read some of the previous comments I had no problem with these not hard or crunchy maybe they aren’t allowing them to rest I let mine rest for an hour turned out fine 🤔
I found this looking for a recipe that was close to my moms since I couldn’t remember it and now This is my go to recipe! I love it and it doubles wonderfully!!
So, so happy to hear that! <3 Thank you for trusting this recipe and for letting me know!
Hello again I just made them half masa and half flour Yummo . masa and flour worked well, with some shortening and salt was so good I put them in freezer until I use them again
Yum, I am so glad this worked out well for you! Thank you very, very much for taking the time to come back and let me know!
Can I use half masa and half flour
Unfortunately I haven’t tried that to say for sure!
okay I will try it and see how it comes out LOl and I will let yall know
Ty
Aw, I love that- I can’t wait to hear!
I have an extreme picky eater dislikes literally most everything but loves popusas. I tried to do this tortilla in a form of a popusa and inserted some breakfast sausage and cheese in it and he approved. I actually follow some influencers who have many hundred thousand followers and my recipes never come out when it comes to their tortillas and this one did so I am very happy and will be continuing to make it this way.
Thank you for this recipe! It was easy to make and turned out great! No more store bought tortillas!
Yay, so happy to hear that!
I never knew making homemade tortillas was so easy! So incredibly simple and delicious!
Yay, so happy you liked them! Thank you for taking the time to leave a review.
Turned out fantastic, going to be my go to for a tortilla recipe