These really are the best ever homemade flour tortillas, no one can believe how easy and delicious they are!
This Best Ever Homemade Flour Tortillas recipe has been a long time coming, years actually. I’ve been trying out recipes for homemade flour tortillas for what seems like forever – but I’ve never been thrilled with any of them. Definitely not thrilled enough to blog them – too dry, too sticky, too crisp, too bland, too soggy, too complicated. This time, however, it’s different.
Way easier than you might think!
They’re also EASY, super easy! If you have a mixer with a dough hook, you can have the dough made in less than five minutes (if not, maybe ten at the most). After mixing, it’s super important to give the dough a rest. This helps relax the glutens, in order to make rolling the tortillas much easier.
Then just portion the dough, roll each piece nice and thin and give them a stint (one-two minutes!) in a hot, dry pan. Voila! Once you take the first taste, you’ll NEVER want pre-packaged tortillas again
Flour tortilla pizzas – so delicious!
These Best Ever Homemade Flour Tortillas will make any South-of-the-Border meal extraordinary. But this is the REALLY cool thing; they also make fabulous, super thin crust pizzas. Just brush them lightly with olive oil and top with your favorite pizza ingredients. I love pesto, a bit of fresh mozzarella, smokey bacon bits and a sprinkle of pine nuts and/or fresh herbs. Pop them in a piping hot (450˚F) oven for 4-5 minutes or until crispy golden brown.
Imagine coming home after a busy day and having a stash of these tortillas (aka pizza crusts) in the freezer. Throw together a fresh salad and an individual pizza for each family member and they’ll be “WOWING” you all evening long!
More ideas…
I’ve also used these Best Ever Homemade Flour Tortillas for wonderful sandwich wraps and I’ve even spread them with a bit of butter and a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar for a quick sweet treat.
They make fabulous, shatteringly crisp chips too. Just brush one with a teaspoon of olive oil on both sides, then sprinkle lightly with kosher salt. Bake for 5 minutes at 450˚F. and you won’t even believe how delicious they are on their own or broken into irregular pieces and used to dip hummus, salsa etc.
Can you tell I’m excited about these guys? You will be too and I have a feeling, once you try them, you won’t want to be without a cache of these tortillas in your freezer. They’re almost too good to be true! Almost.
Café Tips for making the Best Ever Homemade Flour Tortillas
- The recipe calls for using a stand mixer, but you can also make them by hand. Just mix up the dough in a medium size bowl with a wooden spoon or sturdy spatula. Then turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Knead the dough until it’s nice and smooth (about 2 to 3 minutes) and then proceed as directed in step 3 below.
- Roll the tortillas pretty thin. You want them to look almost translucent if you held them up to the light. Thick tortillas won’t be tender.
- If you try rolling out these tortillas and the dough keeps shrinking back, let it rest for another 15-30 minutes. The gluten just hasn’t had enough time to relax.
- I’ve also used olive oil for this tortilla recipe with good results. If you use coconut or peanut oil the tortillas will take on a bit of the oil’s flavor.
- If your tortillas feel stiff after cooking, you’ve cooked them too long or the heat was too high. Cook them only long enough to get some nice bubbles on the surface and a few light brown spots on the underside. Then flip them for another 15-20 seconds.
- A tortilla warmer is a nice accessory to have when making tortillas, as you can stack tortillas after cooking to keep them soft. It’s also perfect for serving the tortillas at the table. It’s not necessary to have one though. Just use a pot with a cover that’s slightly bigger than the tortillas. Place each tortilla in the pot after removing from the pan and cover with the lid. The steam from the just cooked tortillas will keep them all soft and pliable – same way a tortilla warmer works!
- Readers have asked if it’s worth it to have a tortilla press. I honestly don’t think it’s necessary for these flour tortillas, as they’re easy to roll out.
- Wipe out the pan in between tortillas with a damp paper towel if flour is starting to accumulate.
Note: This recipe was originally published back in August of 2013. The photos were terrible but in spite of that, this recipe is by far, the most popular recipe on the blog. It has over 800 comments and over 370 5-star reviews. I’ve gotten emails from people all over the world who have made and loved them. We’ve re-taken the photos and tweaked the post a bit.
Make them! I think you’ll love them too!
Another wonderful South of the Border recipe
Do enjoy South-of-the-Border cuisine? If so, be sure to check out our Mexican Chopped Salad. It’s another super popular recipe on The Café. It’s fantastic with just about any Mexican or Tex-Mex entree. Pair it with these Best Ever Homemade Flour Tortillas for a meal that’s sure to bring rave reviews!
If you enjoy this recipe, please come back and leave a rating and review! It’s so helpful to other readers to hear other’s results and ideas for variations.
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These Best Ever Homemade Flour Tortillas are so simple and unbelievably delicious!
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup warm water
Combine flour, salt and baking powder in the bowl of a stand mixer. Using the dough hook, mix dry ingredients until well combined.
Add oil and water with mixer running at a medium speed. After about 1 minute, or when mixture comes together and begins to form a ball, decrease mixing speed to low. Continue to mix for 1 minute or until dough is smooth.
Transfer dough to a well-floured work surface. Divide into 16 equal portions. Turn each piece to coat with flour. Form each piece into a ball and flatten 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 (or as much as 2 hours) before proceeding.
After the rest period, heat a large pan over medium heat. Roll each dough piece into a rough circle, about 6-7 inches in diameter, keep work surface and rolling pin lightly floured. Don’t stack uncooked tortillas on top of each other or they will get soggy.
When the pan is very hot, place one dough circle into the pan and allow to cook about 1 minute or until the bottom surface has a few pale brown spots and the uncooked surface is bubbly. If browning too fast, reduce the heat a bit. If it’s taking longer than a minute to see a few pale golden brown spots on the underside of tortillas, increase the heat a bit. Flip to other side and cook for 15-20 seconds. The tortillas should be nice and soft but have a few small brown spots on the surface.
Remove from pan with tongs and stack in a covered container or zippered bag to keep the tortillas soft.
Serve warm or allow to cool for later use. When ready to use, place a slightly damp paper towel in the bottom of a microwave-safe container (with a cover) that will hold the stacked tortillas. Microwave uncovered for 15-30 seconds (start with 15) or until warm, then keep covered to hold heat while serving.
Store in an airtight container or zippered bag at room temperature for 24 hours or refrigerate for up to 1 week. To freeze, separate tortillas with parchment paper or waxed paper and place in a zippered bag before placing in the freezer.
See Café Tips above in post for additional instruction and tips.
Recipe adapted from Genius Kitchen
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Ashley says
This has become my go to recipe for tortillas and they’re SO good. I refuse to buy tortillas after finding this recipe and MUST make my own. I get better and faster at making these each time, making it easier and easier to make.
I’ve used olive oil, butter and (pastured) lard in this and all versions turn out just as yummy.
Thanks for a great recipe!
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks so much for sharing your results and adaptations Ashley! I know this will be helpful to others!
Geoffrey Bove says
Hi! This is a perfect recipe for tortillas, and also for lavash or for wraps. I made a few alterations that worked out so well I want to share them. First, I wanted to reduce the amount of wheat, and so used 1/3 corn flour (masa harina). I also put in a bit of yeast, thinking it might make them a touch tastier. I let the dough sit for 2 hours before rolling out — but then, taking from lavash bread, I wanted to make rectangular bread! So, I used my pasta roller, which worked out great! The consistency of the thickness made cooking that much better. Also, the breads puffed up perfectly, and perhaps that was because of the layering that occurs in the early stages of rolling, which also serves to knead. I used 2.5 oz per bread, and they are a tad long….. but the baked burritos will be perfect with this whet-corn combo. I ate two while making them.
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks, Geoffrey for sharing your adaptations! These are great tips to know!
NJ says
Hi
I am about to try these. Non stick pan fry pan or cast iron?
Thanks!
NJ
Chris Scheuer says
I use non-stick but a nicely seasoned cast iron pan would also work.
Dennis Fowler says
These are very good. You may need to adjust the water ratio depending on your climate/flour brand. My new go to recipe for donair wraps, and for dipping witb hummus or sandwich wraps. I stick with maseca tortillas for tacos for that authentic mexican flavour (plus a tortilla press makes them fast.)
Good Food Good Life says
I found this recipe and tried it and my husband like it too much….
Chris Scheuer says
Wonderful!
Jenn R says
I made these the other night and they were a hit! I’d love to make and freeze some, but what’s the best way to thaw and reheat after freezing?
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Jenn, I freeze them with parchment paper between each one. When I thaw them, I just warm slightly in a sauté pan.
Maria says
Omg I had never made tortillas, and from all of the horror stories I had heard was a lot intimidated, until I found this recipe and tried it and my husband, who grew up with homemade tortillas, LOVES THEM! And he’s a very picky eater! I love them as well! Thank you for sharing so that I may pass this recipe on to my kids.
Chris Scheuer says
That’s awesome Maria, thanks so much! I love that your husband is a tortilla aficionado and he approves of these tortillas!
Barbara says
Have you ever tried a different flour? I am highly allergic to corn, wheat, and milk so my life is a challenge….. Could I try rice, almond or chickpea flour………. I am desperate to find a vehicle to enjoy what I used to. I think it is worth a try but I would not have to let it rest before creating the tortillas. thanks for the inspiration. You make it look so easy……B
Chris Scheuer says
I haven’t tried another flour but I think some of the readers have with good results.
Amy says
I use this recipe often! We stuff this tortilla dough with beans and cheese to make pupusas and it works perfectly every time! Thanks 🙂
Chris Scheuer says
That sounds wonderful, Amy! Thanks for sharing your results!
Kim says
I make these at least once a week and they always come out perfectly with no changes to the recipe…except that i only make 8 bigger ones, as that is the perfect size for my frypan and my 4 children….one of their favourite meals filled with chicken or mince, cheese and salad.
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks for sharing your results, Kim! So happy you enjoy them 🙂
April says
Do you spray your pan or use any oil when you put them on the skillet? I wasn’t sure if it would mess with the texture…
Thanks!
Chris Scheuer says
No oil or shortening needed!
Victoria says
I know that you can freeze the finished tortillas, but do you think I could freeze the uncooked dough? I absolutely love fresh tortillas, but haven’t found a good place to get them since moving north. I will definitely be trying these. (I may even make them to go with tonight’s soup!)
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Victoria, I think you could do that. Just keep them separated with parchment paper. That way you can pull out as many as you want and they won’t stick together when thawed.