These Homemade Flour Tortillas are a super easy to swap to make in your home. They’re full of wholesome ingredients and are perfect for wraps, tacos and so much more.
You can eat these tortillas with my Mexican Rice with Beans and my Slow Cooker Mexican Beef.
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Why this Homemade Flour Tortilla Recipe is a Keeper
I love this Homemade Flour Tortillas recipe because it’s an easy homemade alternative to store bought tortillas. They are so fresh, tender and delicious. So quick and easy to make.
- Five Ingredients: You likely already have everything: flour, salt, baking powder, fat (lard/shortening/oil), and water. These flour tortillas made with easy ingredients.
- Cost-Effective: You can make a dozen tortillas for pennies. You’ll never buy tortillas from the store again.
- Soft & Flexible: The dough rests properly, creating tender, foldable tortillas that won’t crack.
- No-Fail Method: Clear steps prevent tough or dry tortillas. Rolling the tortillas is so easy.
- Freezer-Friendly: Make a batch and save for later.
Why Are my Homemade Tortillas Rubbery or Stiff?
If you overmix the dough or overwork it, it can lead to tough tortillas. Be sure to be gentle.
What Reader’s Are Saying…
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“Great recipe! These were easy to make and delicious!”
~ Robin
Ingredient Notes for Easy Homemade Flour Tortillas
You only need a few pantry staples to make delicious homemade flour tortillas.
Get the full printable recipe with specific measurements and directions in the recipe card below.
- Flour: Use all-purpose flour for making tortillas.
- Baking Powder: This is what will help the dough rise before you roll out the tortillas.
- Warm Water: Warm water is best for forming the dough.
Variations and Substitutions to Make Homemade Tortillas
Feel free to use different ingredients to substitute for other ingredients when making these tortillas.
- The Fat: Instead of using oil, you can try this recipe with lard, shortening or even melted butter.
- Flour: Swap up to 50% of the white flour for whole wheat flour, but increase the water slightly as whole wheat is thirstier. You could also try gluten free flour.
- Herbed: Add garlic powder, dried cilantro, or even a pinch of sugar for a sweet version of flour tortillas from scratch.
Special Equipment Needed to Make Flour Tortillas
Most of this recipe uses everyday kitchen tools, but a few items make the tortillas end up even better.
- Cast Iron Skillet or Comal: This is essential for even, high heat.
- Rolling Pin: A heavy wooden pin or a tapered “taper” pin works best. Roll your tortillas with parchment paper on both sides so that you don’t have to use as much flour.
- Tortilla Warmer (or a clean kitchen towel): Crucial for “steaming” the tortillas after they cook to keep them soft.
How to Make Homemade Tortilla Recipe
This warm homemade tortillas recipe comes together in 3 easy to follow steps. It’s truly one of the best tortilla recipes I’ve ever tried.
Get the full printable recipe with specific measurements and directions in the recipe card below.
- Make the Dough: In a large bowl, combine flour, salt and baking powder. Then, mix in the vegetable oil and warm water. Use a stand mixer with a dough hook to form the dough.
- Divide the Dough: Lightly dust flour on your work surface, place your dough ball on, and slice into 16 pieces. Roll each slice into a ball and cover with a towel to rise. Place your skillet over medium heat. Lightly flour a rolling pin and flatten each ball.
- Cook Your Tortillas: Place a flattened tortilla on the warm skillet until you see brown spots. Flip, then cook the other side. Transfer each cooked tortilla to a plate to cool before storing.
Prep Ahead Suggestions for the Best Flour Tortillas
Help your future self out and make these easy and delicious rolled tortillas ahead of time. The dough is so easy to make.
- Make Ahead: Make a batch of these tortillas ahead so that you have some in stock for your meals during the week.
Alternate Cooking Methods for Soft Flour Tortillas
This Homemade Flour Tortillas recipe is best made in a pan on the stove, but there are a couple other ways to make corn tortillas.
- Gas Flame: Charred & smoky. Use tongs to hold a pre-cooked tortilla directly over the burner for 5 seconds.
- Electric Griddle: Consistent & fast. Great for cooking 3 or 4 at once if you’re feeding a crowd.
- Outdoor Grill: Party-style. High heat gives them a great “naan-like” char.
Store, Reheat and Use Homemade Tortilla Leftovers
- Storing: Keep the Homemade Flour Tortillas stored in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. You can either wrap them well in plastic wrap, or in an airtight container.
- Reheating: To reheat tortillas microwave for a few seconds at a time or pop them back onto a warm skillet to get tortillas soft.
- Using Leftovers: Cut into triangles and fry (or air fry) until crisp for homemade chips. Store at room temperature.
- Cinnamon-Sugar Strips: Fry and toss in cinnamon sugar for a quick dessert.
- Breakfast Quesadillas: They are the perfect, easy to roll vessel for scrambled eggs and chorizo the next morning.
Common Questions About The Best Tortillas Recipe
Sure. Start with substituting 1/4 of the all purpose flour with bread flour.
If your tortillas aren’t round, you probably rolled them out that way. As long as you start in a ball and roll in all directions, you should end up with round tortillas. Use a tortilla press if you’re really having a hard time.
Expert Tips for Making This Tortilla Recipe
- The Water Temperature: Use hot water (not boiling, but hot to the touch). This helps soften the fat and partially “cooks” the flour, resulting in a more tender crumb.
- The “Rest” is Non-Negotiable: After kneading and portioning, let the dough balls rest for at least 30 minutes. This relaxes the gluten so they roll out thin without snapping back.
- Look for the Puff: When cooking, wait for bubbles to form on the surface before flipping. If it puffs up like a balloon, you’ve hit the tortilla jackpot.
- Serve With: Serve traditional flour tortillas as Fish Tacos with Mango Salsa or Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas.
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Homemade Flour Tortillas
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Ingredients
- 3 cup Flour
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Baking powder
- ½ cup Vegetable oil
- 1 cup Warm water
Instructions
- In a large bowl, add in your flour, salt, and baking powder. Mix together until fully incorporated.
- Add the vegetable oil and warm water.
- Turn the stand mixer with dough hook to medium low speed and mix until your dough forms into a perfectly round ball.
- Remove your dough ball to a floured surface, such as a cutting board or a clean kitchen counter. Cut your dough ball into 16 slices. Take each piece and roll them into balls. Placed a towel over the dough balls for 15 minutes to 1 hour, allowing them to sit.
- Warm your skillet to medium heat.
- Lightly flour your rolling pin and roll each ball into a flat tortilla. Transfer to the skillet and cook until you see brown spots starting to form on your tortilla. Flip to the other side and continue to cook until you see those brown spots again. Transfer to a plate and allow them to cool before serving.
- Keep them stored in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
- Enjoy filled with your favorite taco, fajita, etc. ingredients!
Christina’s Notes
- Handle the dough gently: Overworking the dough can lead to tough tortillas.
- Let the dough rest: This allows the gluten to relax, resulting in softer tortillas.
- Shortening or lard: These fats contribute to a flaky texture.
- Thin is in: Flour tortillas should be thin and soft.
- Avoid overcooking: Overcooked flour tortillas become dry and brittle.
- Scale the recipe: Simply adjust the serving size in the recipe card and the ingredients will update automatically.
- Make your own All Purpose Seasoning: When a recipe calls for All Purpose Seasoning, you can use my homemade All Purpose Seasoning recipe or substitute salt and pepper to taste.
- Meat doneness: I always use a meat thermometer to test for doneness when cooking meat.
- Use unsalted butter: I use unsalted butter so I can control the salt level in the recipe.
- Preheat the oven: Unless otherwise noted, always preheat your oven before baking.
For more helpful information about this recipe, such as variations, substitutions and other pro-tips, check out the blog post.
Nutrition
The nutritional information provided are estimates. It is recommended that you verify this information with your own trusted resource.
We love honest feedback, but to keep reviews helpful for everyone, we reserve the right to remove star ratings if it is clear the recipe has not been made, if the comment does not provide meaningful input, or if significant substitutions or alterations were made. Please note that ratings should reflect the original recipe as written to avoid confusing other readers.
This recipe is my personal adaption of an ethnic-inspired recipe. It is not intended to be an authentic recipe. I’ve recreated this recipe because I enjoy the flavors and I want to encourage my readers to expand their tastes and try new flavor combinations. The recipe, ingredients, and processes may have been adapted to make the recipe accessible to the average American. I have provided links to authentic versions of the recipe in the post above. I encourage you to visit these pages and learn more about the traditional version(s) of this recipe.
Yummy flour tortiallas are perfect with so many meals!
Great recipe! These were easy to make and delicious!
easier than I thought they would be. Thanks for all the detailed informaiton.
And they are so good when they are homemade. Enjoy!