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If you’ve never made homemade flour tortillas before, you’re missing out on the softest and most tender flour tortilla you’ve ever had in your life! I can’t go back to store-bought tortillas now that I’ve made my own flour tortillas!
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Homemade Flour Tortillas Is My Sourdough Baking
Have you ever been to a truly authentic Mexican or Tex-Mex restaurant and watch them make tortillas by hand? When I was in California, all the breakfast burrito places we went to made fresh, in-house tortillas and the difference is there. It makes the burritos and tacos just so much more tender and has the right chew consistency.
Truthfully, for myself, I never truly thought to make homemade flour tortillas because it’s just so much easier to pick up a pack at the store when you’re in a pinch. Of course, that’s where you sacrifice quality, right? Convenience sometimes is greater than quality though but if you have the time, I encourage you to make these homemade flour tortillas!
Spend your next meal prep day and make a large batch of these homemade flour tortillas and then freeze them!
For ways to use these flour tortillas, you’re in for a treat! Homemade Chicken Enchiladas are a favorite in our household as are Homemade Crunchwrap Supremes. Making Chipotle Shrimp Tacos is a stellar choice too!
How to Make Flour Tortillas
- Add flour, salt, and baking powder to the bowl of a stand mixer with the dough hook attachment and mix on low for 30 seconds to incorporate the dry ingredients.
- With the mixer running on medium low, add the vegetable oil and warm water and continue to mix until the mixture forms a smooth ball.
- Transfer dough to a well-floured surface and divide dough until you get approximately 16 equal portions then shape each portion into a ball then gently, using the palm of your hand, flatten out the dough. Cover flattened dough with a clean kitchen towel and let rest for 15 minutes before proceeding.
- After the dough has rested, roll each dough ball into a 6-inch diameter circle on a lightly floured work surface. Do not stack them on top of each other.
- Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, place one dough circle in the middle of the pan and let cook for 1 minute OR until the surface of the dough starts to bubble and the bottom starts to brown. At that point, flip it and cook the same way on the other side, but for slightly less time, 20-30 seconds. You want the tortilla soft and to have little brown spots on it. You don’t want to cook the tortilla too much that it becomes crispy.
FAQs for Making Flour Tortillas
Yes! You can absolutely make these flour tortillas to be street taco size, regular taco size, or burrito size. Keep in mind you’ll have more or less dough depending on what size you make them.
Allow it to sit out at room temperature a bit longer. The gluten isn’t relaxed enough yet. You may have overworked it in the mixer.
If they’re from the refrigerator, put them on a plate and using a damp paper towel, cover the tortillas when you reheat them so they don’t dry out. Alternatively, you could use gentle heat in a toaster oven to reheat them.
If they’re from the freezer, put them directly into a skillet on the stovetop over low heat and gently warm them through until defrosted and softened.
Homemade Flour Tortillas
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 cups (375 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ⅓ cup (79 ml) vegetable oil
- 1 cup (237 ml) warm water
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, add flour, salt and baking powder. Mix on low for 30 seconds until dry ingredients are incorporated.
- With the mixer running at medium speed, add the vegetable oil and warm water.
- Continue to mix on low until mixture starts to come together and starts to form a smooth ball.
- Transfer dough to a well-floured surface and divide dough until you get approximately 16 equal portions then shape each portion into a ball then gently, using the palm of your hand, flatten out the dough.
- Cover flattened dough with a clean kitchen towel and let rest for 15 minutes before proceeding.
- After dough has rested, roll each dough piece into a 6-inch diameter circle on lightly floured surface with a lightly floured rolling pin. Do not stack uncooked tortillas on top of each other.
- Heat a non-stick pan over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, place one dough circle in the middle of the pan and let cook for 1 minute OR until the surface of the dough starts to bubble and the bottom starts to brown. At that point, flip it and cook the same way on the other side, but for slightly less time, 20-30 seconds. You want the tortilla soft and to have little brown spots on it. You don't want to cook the tortilla too much that it becomes crispy.
- Place cooked tortillas on a plate and continue cooking the rest of the tortillas.
Nutrition
Photographs by Meg McKeehan Photography
Love this recipe, Julie! I need to make homemade flour tortillas soon. I’m not into House of Cards (never watched it and hardly ever watch TV), but people do become obsessed with their favorite TV shows! So sorry Downton Abbey didn’t catch your fancy. I think for some of us, we are fascinated with the era and did not mind waiting during character development. Thanks for sharing!
Is it baking powder or baking soda you use? These look delicious – I’ve had freshly made tortillas at restaurants, and tender is exactly the right word. I’m going to love making my own!
Sorry, my brain wasn’t fully functioning when I was writing this. It’s baking powder! Thanks for checking! Hope you make it :)
I’ve never made my own tortillas but now I know just where to start – these look incredible!
I love homemade flour tortillas! You are correct once you make them at home there is no going back!
I’m the same way with shows. Everyone and their brother loved Breaking Bad. I watched about 8 or so episodes and hated it. I watched one episode of Scandal and was bored, but I may give it another chance. It’s funny how tastes differ. I am stoked about the show Resurrection coming up, but I saw on Twitter where some folks thought it was creepy and they absolute wouldn’t watch. I’m the weirdo! I really want to make homemade tortillas! You make it sound so easy!
OMG. these tortillas Julie- I have made them homemade before- but it has been years and years. I will have to go that route again! As for House of Cards- I still haven’t seen it- but my goodness people are obsessed!
I’ve now made corn tortillas twice and both times failed miserably. Maybe I should try flour ones instead- these look SO good! I love House of Cards but I can see that it’s not for everyone!
I love homemade tortillas, and yours look absolutely perfect!! So fluffy and decadent, I need them so bad!
PS. House of Cards, no way. I tried and I can’t even. His fake southern accent? ugh, gross.
If it compares at all to West Wing like your friend said, then I’ll definitely pass lol. Wasn’t a fan of that one either. But these tortillas?! They’re gorgeous and clearly need to be in my plans sometime soon :)
I have the same thing with House of Cards. It just doesn’t work for me. And tortillas – I am honestly planning on during them for over a year now. And then I keep forgetting. I am pinning this recipe so I won’t forget to make it this week. I live in Berlin, where you can see tortillas everywhere around and it’s so easy to buy them. But homemade is always better.