These really are the best ever homemade flour tortillas, no one can believe how easy and delicious they are! Over 300 5-star reviews!
This recipe has been a long time in 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, with these flour tortillas, it’s different. They totally live up to their name – Best Ever Homemade Flour Tortillas!
How to make flour tortillas from scratch – easier than you 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. You can also easily mix it together without a mixer (using a wooden spoon, sturdy spatula or Danish whisk), which is the way I usually make it. But whether you use a mixer or not, it’s super important to give the dough a little rest after mixing. 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 medium-hot, dry pan. Voila! Once you take the first taste, you’ll NEVER want pre-packaged tortillas again
Ways to use these Homemade Flour Tortillas…
- These flour tortillas will make any South-of-the-Border meal extraordinary. Burritos, enchiladas, tacos, quesadillas … it all tastes better!
- 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!
- I’ve used these homemade flour tortillas for wonderful sandwich wraps.
- It’s fun to 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 these 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.
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.
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 extra virgin olive oil, vegetable oil or other fairly neutral flavored 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 lightly 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 stick together.
When the pan is 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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alana says
June 1, 2019 at 5:56 pmI am trying my hardest not to eat oil (I have heart problems) can these be made without all the oil? They look soooo good!
Thanks!
Chris Scheuer says
June 3, 2019 at 9:32 amHi Alana, I’m afraid these would be pretty dry without the oil. Oil keeps them supple. However, since the recipe makes 16 tortillas, the amount in each one is only 1 teaspoon.
Jaime says
May 26, 2019 at 7:00 pmI have made these a handful of times. Currently have some resting as I type. Lol. These are the only tortillas we use anymore. My hubby and our toddler love them and so easy to make. Thanks for the great recipe!
Chris Scheuer says
May 27, 2019 at 9:36 pmThanks so much, Jaime. I love that you all love them as much as we do! We appreciate you taking the time to write!
Helen Paice says
May 25, 2019 at 1:16 pmThank you for this recipe! I made these last night and was suitably impressed! They were so much fun to make although mine came out ever so slightly firm, not as soft and pliable as I’d prefer. Could this be because I didn’t use all purpose flour? We only get cake flour and bread flour locally so I used a mixture of the two. What would you suggest?
Chris Scheuer says
May 27, 2019 at 9:40 pmHi Helen, I think that the issue might be cooking them a bit too long rather than the flour. They should be just barely cooked and then steamed a bit with the other tortillas. Hope that helps!
Shannon says
June 4, 2019 at 10:20 amBread flour has a higher gluten content then all purpose flour which can make things a little tougher. Might have to let the dough rest longer after making it and maybe let the rolled dough rest for a couple mins before cooking as well
Chris Scheuer says
June 8, 2019 at 3:59 pmThanks, Shannon! Good advice!
Maggy says
May 22, 2019 at 12:52 pmHi
Tried this recipe a few weeks ago, and we all loved it so very much…… just to save a little time, would it be OK for me to freeze the wraps uncooked as I like to fry them in front of my guests at our BBQ’s, I do have some extra strong cellophane food safe circles to separate the tortillas so do you think it could be a possibility ???
Chris Scheuer says
May 22, 2019 at 3:18 pmI think that would work, Maggy. As long as the dough didn’t dry out in the freezer.
Maggy says
May 23, 2019 at 6:45 amI will definitely give it a whirl …… I will cook one from frozen and then one that’s been defrosted and see how they turn out …… Will keep you updated on the results ……. many thanks
Sheng says
May 20, 2019 at 7:32 amI tried the recipe. I made 4 tortilla as only two person. I’m not sure why my tortilla hard. Can’t folded as the surface break up.
Chris Scheuer says
May 23, 2019 at 6:13 pmHi Sheng, if your tortillas are hard, you cooked them too long! You want to cook them just briefly, then stack them on top of each other separated with parchment paper or wax paper. Cover the stack with a kitchen towel and they will steam a bit and stay nice and soft.
Barbara says
May 18, 2019 at 7:05 amHi Scott and Chris, I would like to make these tortillas. Where I live, we do not use measuring cups but weigh ingredients like flour, Sugar……
Do you perhaps know how much in your recipe the 3 cups of flour would be in grams or ounces?
Thanks, Barbara
Chris Scheuer says
May 18, 2019 at 9:01 amHi Barbara, if you look right above the words “Instructions” in the recipe, there’s a “Metric” conversion button, just for you! 🙂 Enjoy!
Barbara says
May 18, 2019 at 9:51 amOh, thank you very much and sorry, that I didn‘t see it earlier.
miao says
May 15, 2019 at 3:31 pmbest flour tortilla recipe ever. been making them daily for a week and so good everytime. thanks
Chris Scheuer says
May 15, 2019 at 7:28 pmWow, I bet you know the recipe by heart after making every day for a week! That sounds like something I would do 🙂 Thanks for sharing your results!
Donna B Oliphint says
May 8, 2019 at 10:40 pmOk, married to a 3rd generation native Texan. Lived in Houston for 18 years with him until I finally dragged him to Montgomery, Alabama, where they have no idea what a handmade tortilla tastes like. Made these tonight for chicken fajitas and watched the hubs ascend into heaven! He compared them to the best tortillas we had enjoyed in Houston. Thanks for a great recipe!
Carol McDowell says
May 5, 2019 at 12:59 pmEver since I tried your recipe, I have not been able to stomach store bought, no matter how “authentic” they claim to be. They all taste fake/chemically. My first ever tortilla was made in the kitchen of a Hispanic neighbor when I was 5 and I have never forgotten that taste! These are the real deal. Thank you!
Chris Scheuer says
May 5, 2019 at 9:38 pmHaha, I totally understand, Carol! And that’s so awesome that these compare with your Hispanic neighbor’s tortillas, love that!
AKILAH YOUNG says
May 5, 2019 at 2:05 amThank you! This was simple. The texture is really like a sore bought tortilla! I see the baking soda was key😊
Chris Scheuer says
May 5, 2019 at 9:40 pmYay! Thanks, Akilah, so happy you enjoyed this recipe!
Jeané says
May 11, 2019 at 3:29 amI thought the recipe called for baking powder, not baking soda. Which is it? Or both??
Chris Scheuer says
May 11, 2019 at 7:57 amIt is baking powder.
Cathy Coulson says
May 3, 2019 at 2:13 pmJust wondering if I could add whole wheat or rye flour to make them healthier…thoughts?
JT says
May 3, 2019 at 8:39 amI tried this and my family loved it. However, I noticed that I made them too thin every time. I was concerned that they wouldn’t cook through if they were too thick. And being in a warm and dry climate, they tend to dry up easily and become crispy right away because they were thin. How thick should I roll the tortillas out to?
Chris Scheuer says
May 5, 2019 at 9:44 pmI roll them fairly thin but don’t cook them long enough to let them get crisp. Also, I stack them so that the steam from the other tortillas helps keep them soft.
Jose Tovar says
May 2, 2019 at 12:01 pmThanks for the great post! Just so you know, the tortilla press is very useful for corn tortillas but as you said, flour tortillas don’t really need other than a floured surface and a rolling pin.
Chris Scheuer says
May 2, 2019 at 4:35 pmThanks so much, Jose!
Zanne H says
April 29, 2019 at 5:13 pmCan I put some of the dough in the refrigerator and pinch off some when needed – I think this is done in small shops.
Also, can I freeze finished tortillas?
Chris Scheuer says
May 2, 2019 at 4:47 pmYes, to both. I think you could refrigerate the dough for a few days. Just let it come to room temp before rolling. And you can definitely freeze the finished tortillas. I usually stack them with parchment paper in between and slip them in a ziplock bag.
Fiona Manoon says
April 29, 2019 at 1:51 amNice.
Thanks for sharing such a great recipe.
Keep Posting !!
Magda says
April 28, 2019 at 4:30 pmDo we need to add oil to the pan before frying the tortillas? Can’t wait to try them. They look yummy!!
Chris Scheuer says
April 28, 2019 at 4:37 pmHi Magda, nope, you don’t need any oil for the pan! Hope you enjoy them!
Amber Anderson says
April 27, 2019 at 5:25 pmI am from New Mexico, now living in Pennsylvania, and even though there is a substantial population here from Mexico, I have no idea where to buy flour tortillas (corn are easy to find!). My mom has shipped me dozens of flour tortillas from the famous Frontier restaurant in Albuquerque, but that’s expensive! So I tried this recipe and it’s delicious and similar to Frontier’s. Thanks so much for the great recipe! Soft and flavorful and easy!
Chris Scheuer says
April 28, 2019 at 4:37 pmWhat a wonderful compliment for this recipe! If anyone would know if these tortillas are good, it would be you! Thanks so much for sharing your results!
Lynn says
April 27, 2019 at 8:39 amWill these stay soft to use for a wrap for school lunches? Thanks!!
Chris Scheuer says
April 27, 2019 at 8:58 amYes! Just keep them in a zippered bag and they should be fine!
Kathy D Reece says
April 26, 2019 at 2:26 pmI’ve always used lard instead of oil, will this make a difference?
Chris Scheuer says
April 26, 2019 at 2:47 pmLard will work just fine!
Justin says
April 24, 2019 at 7:54 pmLove this recipe! Question for the author, my tortillas tend to out a bit yellowish. Maybe from sweating? Still great. But I’m curious as to why they aren’t mostly white such the pics. Thanks!
Chris Scheuer says
April 26, 2019 at 2:48 pmI wonder if your flour has a yellowish cast or perhaps it’s your oil. What type of oil are you using?
Justin Bonnema says
April 26, 2019 at 3:16 pmI used canola oil. I’ve made this recipe three times now with the same ingredients. The first time was perfect (beautiful white tortillas). The last two turned out yellow. But still good! Just curious if you had any thoughts. I’ll try switching oils next time. And have you tried this using lard? Thanks!
Chris Scheuer says
April 27, 2019 at 10:59 amYes, try a different oil. Is your canola oil quite yellow? Lard will also work in these tortillas.
Rachel rupp says
April 18, 2019 at 8:00 pmI had some problems making the tortillas. They didnt turn out right. I followed everything.
Chris Scheuer says
April 19, 2019 at 11:00 amHmmm… let me know what kind of problems you had, Rachel, and maybe I could help you troubleshoot.
Bilyana says
April 13, 2019 at 1:35 amExcellent recipe.!I’ve made them many times. We all love them especially with red beans salad.
Chris Scheuer says
April 14, 2019 at 3:14 pmYay! Thanks so much, Biyana. BTW, I love your name!
Chasity says
April 11, 2019 at 3:01 pmAfter making the tortillas, am I able to leave them out sealed up in a bag or put in the refrigerator like store bought tortillas? If so how long do you think they’d last?
Thank you,
Chasity
Chris Scheuer says
April 11, 2019 at 5:43 pmHi Chastity, I like to keep them in the refrigerator. They don’t have any preservatives so they won’t keep as long as store bought tortillas but I’ve kept them for 5-6 days with good results.
Vicky says
April 17, 2019 at 11:53 amCan these shells be fried crispy?
Chris Scheuer says
April 17, 2019 at 12:23 pmYes, they definitely can be fried after cooking them in the pan.
Carol McDowell says
May 5, 2019 at 1:03 pmYou can cut open a vitamin E capsule, include with oil and they will last a lot longer. It will make them a bit yellow but just looks like butter. It won’t change the taste.
Chris Scheuer says
May 5, 2019 at 9:37 pmWow, didn’t know this Carol, thanks for sharing!
Amy says
April 9, 2019 at 5:22 pmJust like the others said: EXCELLENT! I think the key is to let the dough rest and then keep the cooked tortillas under a towel. I hand made them (no mixing bowl) and it came out great! Didn’t spring back to shape as much like others I’ve tried. Also, great tip on heat and how long to have it on for!
Chris Scheuer says
April 11, 2019 at 6:03 pmThanks so much, Amy! I love making these by hand. And you’re right, allowing the dough to rest is super important!