3 Secrets for Authentic Homemade Flour Tortillas [+Video]
Homemade flour tortillas are easier to make than you think! We have 3 simple secrets that will have you cranking out the most deliciously soft and tender tortillas.
“These are incredible! I have tried for years to make tortillas and they have never turned out better than the store bought ones you cook at home. I followed the recipe exactly and I couldn’t be happier with the end result. Trust me, this recipe is the only one you will ever need for soft, pliable and delicious tortillas.”
-OSB Reader
Easy Tortilla Recipe
My friend, Shelly, grew up in Mexico and when I heard that she makes the best tortillas I just had to try her recipe. I’d been testing off and on for years and finally decided that homemade tortillas were just not my fave. I loved the uncooked tortillas you get at Costco and had totally given up.
But now that I’ve tried these, I’ll be whipping up tortillas homemade from now on! Well, I’ll probably keep a pack of the uncooked tortillas from Costco on hand for dinner in a hurry, but homemade flour tortillas are SO MUCH BETTER!
These tortillas are perfect for tacos, burritos, fajitas, and of course, quesadillas! The first thing you are going to want to do once you’ve cooked these tortillas is to make yourself a quesadilla full of gooey melted cheese. I know, you’re not 9 years old, but trust me on this, you’ll never want a classic quesadilla more. Check out our quesadilla post if you find yourself in this boat.
If you want a real treat, take one of these tortillas hot off the griddle and spread some butter all over it. Roll it up and devour that baby! Yummmm, I’m totally craving a butter roll-up now!
Flour Tortilla Ingredients
One of my favorite things about this flour tortilla recipe is that they use normal pantry ingredients. Just 5 simple ingredients is all you are going to need!
- bread flour
- baking powder
- salt
- oil
- water
That’s it! Can you believe it?! Nothing fancy, just the basics! Now let’s jump in to how to make them…
How to Make Homemade Tortillas
Start by adding the flour (see secret #1 below), salt, baking powder and oil (see secret #2 below) to the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the dough hook attachment and turn the speed to low. The mixture will slowly come together. When it looks like slightly wet sand that holds together when you squeeze it, you know that you have the right consistency.
Now it is time to add the water (see secret #3 below). Add the water 1/2 cup at a time with the mixer again on low speed. Keep the mixer on low the whole time you are adding the water. When the dough comes together, let the mixer run for another 2-4 minutes. The dough will look satiny.
Lightly dust your work surface with flour and pinch off balls of dough that are a little smaller than the palm of your hand. Holding the ball in your palm, use your other hand to pinch the dough into the center over and over as you form a rounded side against your hand and flat side where you are pinching.
Place all of the dough pieces back into your bowl and cover it with a warm, damp paper towel and allow it to rest for 10-15 minutes. It can sit on the counter for up to an hour if needed, but don’t go beyond that.
Pro Tip: Resting for at least 15 minutes relaxes the gluten so you can roll them out into smooth discs of deliciousness.
Once the dough has rested (don’t skip this step!!), you are ready to roll the tortillas out and to cook them. Heat your griddle or cast-iron skillet to medium heat so that it’s ready to roll when your first tortilla is made. You will want a lightly floured work surface to roll out the dough balls one at a time with a rolling pin. You will want them to be as thin as possible without tearing holes in them.
Cook the tortilla on the preheated griddle until bubbles form and then flip it over with a spatula to cook the other side until those signature golden brown spots begins to show. Remove from the heat and serve.
Watch How These Homemade Tortillas are Made…
Our 3 Secrets for the BEST Flour Tortillas
Secret #1 — Flour
Bread flour is a must! It adds the right amount of gluten and allows the dough to be rolled out perfectly thin without tearing. All purpose flour just doesn’t get the job done quite right.
Secret #2 — Oil
Oil NOT shortening makes for a more elastic and still moist (goodbye dry flour tortillas!) tortilla. You don’t need lard or anything fancy. Just good ol’ vegetable oil does the trick perfectly!
Secret #3 — Water
Boiling hot water totally changes the texture of the dough. It will be smooth and silky! Your stand mixer will be doing all the work when it still super hot, so you don’t need to worry about handling the dough and burning yourself.
How to Store Homemade Tortillas When we are cooking the tortillas, we love our tortilla warmer. We got ours from Winco, but this one is great too. You can cook your tortillas in the afternoon and they are still warm at dinner!
To store extra handmade tortillas that are leftover after dinner, place a paper towel in a ziploc bag, stack the tortillas that have cooled to room temperature and then place another paper towel on top before sealing the bag shut.
How to Reheat Homemade Flour Tortillas We like to warm our tortillas up in the oven by heating it to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and wrapping the tortillas in aluminum foil. They heat up in about 5 or 6 minutes. You can also zap them in the microwave for 30 seconds.
How Long Are Tortillas Good For? If you leave your tortillas at room temperature, they will only last 2-3 days. In the refrigerator, they will last 5-7 days and in the freezer, they will last for 6-8 months. In all cases, be sure they are in an airtight container.
Can You Freeze Homemade Tortillas? Yes, homemade flour tortillas freeze great! Store them as mentioned above with a paper towel on the top and bottom of the stack. When you are ready to eat them, allow them to thaw and then warm them up in the oven or microwave.
Are Tortillas Healthier than Bread? Flour tortillas usually have higher calories and fat because of the added fat needed to make them soft and easy to roll. That being said, corn tortillas tend to be similar or lower in calories to white bread.
Are Homemade Tortillas Worth It?
In short, yessssssssssss! They are easy to make and the taste is amazing. Yes, they take more time and effort than opening a bag of tortillas from the store, but hot, fresh homemade tortillas are worth every effort!
Do you feel like you are about to become the best homemade flour tortillas maker in town? Well, you should because it really is so simple! And you won’t ever want store bought tortillas ever again! The flavor and texture are unmatched. Do it!!
All our Favorite Recipes for Using these Tortillas:
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Homemade Flour Tortillas
Description
The best homemade flour tortillas need 3 secrets and totally basic ingredients from your pantry.
Course Yeast Bread Recipes and Quick Bread Recipes
Cuisine Mexican
Keyword mexican, tortillas
Prep Time 5 minutes minutes
Cook Time 2 minutes minutes
Resting Time 15 minutes minutes
Total Time 22 minutes minutes
Servings 12
Calories 337kcal
Author Sweet Basil
In a mixing bowl of a standing mixer, add the flour, baking powder, salt and oil.
6 Cups Bread Flour, 4 Teaspoons Baking Powder, 3 Teaspoons Salt, 2/3 Cup Oil
Using a dough hook, turn the mixer onto low speed, never high and mix until the mixture comes together and looks like moon sand or barely wet sand. You can squeeze it in your hand and it holds together.
Add the boiling water, about 1/2 cup at a time with the mixer on low speed. Run, adding water as you go until the dough comes together. Allow the mixer to run for another 2-4 minutes until the dough is satiny.
2 1/4 Cups Boiling Water
Very lightly flour the work surface and pinch off balls of dough smaller than the palm of your hand.
Holding the ball in your palm, use your other hand to pinch the dough into the center over and over as you form a rounded side against your hand and flat side where you are pinching.
Place all of the dough in your bowl and cover with a warm, damp paper towel or place a lid on the bowl. Allow to rest for 10-15 minutes.
Heat a griddle to medium heat.
Lightly flour the work surface and roll out the dough balls one at a time with a rolling pin.
Cook the tortilla on the hot pan until bubbles grow large, flip over and cook again until light browning shows.
Remove from heat and serve
The dough can sit on the counter for up to 1 hour before rolling out.
A tortilla warmer is absolutely worth it. We got our’s from Winco, but this one is great too. You can cook your tortillas in the afternoon and they are still warm at dinner!
To store the tortillas, place a paper towel in a ziploc bag, add the tortillas and place another on top before sealing shut. Serving: 1tortilla | Calories: 337kcal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.05g | Sodium: 586mg | Potassium: 197mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 0.2g | Vitamin A: 1IU | Calcium: 69mg | Iron: 1mg
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READ: 3 Secrets for Authentic Homemade Flour Tortillas [+Video]