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These really are the best ever homemade flour tortillas, no one can believe how easy and delicious they are! They’re perfect for enchiladas, soft tacos, burritos, quesadillas, wraps… Check out the over 500 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!
I LOVE the results, and I think you will too. These homemade flour tortillas are tender, soft and flavorful. Because they keep well, they can be made in advance and warmed in the microwave or on the stovetop, just before serving.
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 them. But whether you use a mixer or not, it’s super important to give the dough a little rest after mixing and dividing the dough. This helps relax the glutens, in order to make rolling the tortillas much easier.
Just portion the dough, give it a rest, then 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.
You can either make these tortillas with a stand mixer or by hand. I find it’s just as easy to put them together without a mixer. You’ll find directions for both ways in the recipe below but we’ve created a video to show you how easy they are to make by hand:
Café Tips for making these Homemade Flour Tortillas
- Roll the tortillas fairly thin. You want them about 6-inches in diameter and to look somewhat 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 and melted butter for this tortilla recipe with good results. I don’t recommend coconut or peanut oil as the tortillas will take on 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.
- It’s also important to allow your tortillas to steam each other. Stack them up directly after cooking and keep them covered with a kitchen towel. This help them steam each other and get nice and soft.
- 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.
- These tortillas keep well in the refrigerator for 5-7 days. They will feel stiff though when they’re cold. When you want to use one or two, just place them in a slightly damp paper towel and microwave for 10-20 seconds. They’ll be nice and soft again.
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
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Combine flour, salt and baking powder in a medium-size bowl. Using a sturdy silicone spatuala or a sturdy wooden spoon, mix dry ingredients until well combined.
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Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the oil and water. Stir well from the bottom up, until all dry ingredients are incorporated and the dough begins to come together and form a shaggy ball.
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Turn dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead for 1-2 minutes until the dough is nice and smooth. Proceed with step number 3 below for the remainder of the recipe.
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Combine flour, salt and baking powder in the bowl of a stand mixer. Using the dough hook, mix dry ingredients until well combined.
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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.
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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.
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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. (I like to separate my tortillas with parchement paper.)
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When the pan is hot, place one dough circle into the pan and allow to cook 45 seconds to 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.
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Remove from pan with tongs and stack in a covered container or zippered bag to keep the tortillas soft.
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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.
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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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Tfultz says
These were delicious! I made 2 batches, 1 with olive oil &1 with melted butter…the butter was the winner! I don’t think my family will ever be satisfied with store bought tortillas again. We enjoyed them with chorizo, potato & corn tacos..
Thanks so much for an incredible recipe.. looking forward to browsing through your other posts
Chris Scheuer says
Awesome! Thanks so much for letting us know. And your tacos sound delicious!
Teri Jack says
Can I use Lard? Instead of oil?
Chris Scheuer says
Yes, lard is delicious in these tortillas!
Nicole says
I don’t usually leave reviews, but I have come back to this recipe time and time again and it never disappoints! It’s perfect for all your wrap needs and they keep really well. Plus, they’re really easy to make and work out yummier and cheaper than store brought!
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks so much, Nicole!
Sarah says
Just doubled the recipe and made about 30 tortillas for a small Cinco de Mayo dinner along with enchilada sauce for homemade enchiladas. These tortillas are fantastic. So soft and tasty. Thanks for a great recipe.
Chris Scheuer says
Awesome! Thanks so much for letting us know, Sarah!
Lily says
Followed the recipe exactly and came out with very nice tortillas! Husband is super picky about tortillas, he’ll only eat one Mexican brand, but they came out as good as the Mexican brand if not better. I separated into 8 balls instead of 16 to make XL Burrito-sized tortillas, and made sure they were translucent before I cooked them. I left one on for over a minute, which was too long, but the rest came out nice and soft and the somewhat-hard one became soft as it steamed. Thanks for the recipe!
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks so much for sharing your results, Lily!
Soy Delicious says
Thank you for the recipe. I was looking for a way to use up cooked okara (soy pulp form making soy milk/tofu), this recipe did the trick! I made tortillas that were approximately 50% okara. If anyone else is interested in trying it too, here are the Coles notes:
These are just estimates as everyone’s okra will be slightly different depending on how well you strain it.
You can calculate the amount of moisture left in your okara by comparing the weight of the dried soy beans to the okara, but since I shelled my soy beans after soaking, I did not do this.
I used cooked okara as raw is not safe for consumption and these don’t cook for very long. I also prefer straining my soy milk after boiling (10 minutes minimum).
I used 329 grams of okara with 204 grams of flour and 125 ml (or 125 grams) of water. All other ingredients remained the same.
In a bowl, with a danish whisk, whisk the dry ingredients, then add liquids, whisk again until mostly combined then whisk in the okara, once it looks even, start kneading for a few minutes. I did add a bit of extra flour as it felt a bit wet after kneading. If you’re new to working with dough, try the recipe as is first so you know how it should feel.
It has a nice texture. Don’t roll too thin or over cook or it will turn into a cracker. I used medium high on my stove. It should start bubbling after 30 – 40 seconds, if not, adjust the temperature.
Very mild hint of soy but you wouldn’t know it once you eat it with something. No bean flavour as I shelled the soy beans. Will use butter instead of oil next time. It’s a great way to reduce food waste and get extra protein & fibre at the same time. Bon appétit!
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks for sharing, Soy Delicious!
Mikazuki says
Do you oil the pan before cooking the tortillas? I used olive oil and it wound up smoking after awhile. It would be nice if I could make them without oil. I used a stainless steel pan.
Chris Scheuer says
No, you don’t need any oil for these tortillas.
Debra C Pierce says
Awesome. Easy. Delicious and a necessary in my kitchen. Grand kids come in n ask for them right away. We set up a little buffet n they make their own. Fun time, family time!
Chris Scheuer says
I love that, Debra!
sabine jamil says
How do they keep as I tried so many different recipes and the next day they very chewy!!
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Sabine, These tortillas keep well in the refrigerator for 5-7 days. They will feel stiff though when they’re cold. When you want to use one or two, just place them in a slightly damp paper towel and microwave for 10-20 seconds. They’ll be nice and soft again. If you want to keep them longer, they freeze perfectly.
Brenda says
Do you have to cook it first before freezing or it can be freeze raw?
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Brenda, it works better if you cook them first. Enjoy!
Lupe says
I have been using your recipe for a couple years now! Thank you! My family loves them!
Chris Scheuer says
Awesome! Thanks so much, Lupe!
Sarah says
I made these this weekend with my Spanish students as an end-of-the-year fiesta. It’s been some years since I last homemade tortillas and I couldn’t find my usual recipe – I’m so glad! These turned out perfect, even with a kitchen full of novice cooks! So pliable and delicious! Thank you for sharing!
Chris Scheuer says
Awesome! I love that, Sarah! Thanks for letting us know!
Laurie says
have you tried substituting part of the all-purpose flour with corn flour (not starch)? I have made this recipe with great results following directions 100% and now feel ready for a little experimenting…:)
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Laurie, I have not tried this. Let us know if you do!
Joy Riaz says
I made these last night and followed the directions perfectly but with just about every recipe I have tried they do not come out white and soft like the homemade ones you get from a restaraunt or like the ones you buy packaged at the store. Would you have any suggestions for fixing the problem? They just do not have the soft consistency or the white color that you look for in flour tortillas. Thank you Joy.
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Joy, I’m so sorry you had trouble with these tortillas.
To answer your question, if they did not come out nice and soft, either you cooked them too long, at too high of a heat or you did not use the heat from the other tortillas to help them steam and keep them soft and pliable. Every stovetop is a little different so you might need to experiment a bit. Those are the important points to observe in making these tortillas. Try them again! So many others have had great success (as you can read in the hundreds of comments) with this recipe – I wish the same for you!
Stephanie says
These came out perfect for me . Ill never buy store bought again? Thanks another amazing recipe you have. Cheers from Oregon.
Chris Scheuer says
Awesome! Thanks so much, Stephanie!
MJ says
Hi! Are you using unbleached flour? My guess is that the white color from packaged stuff or restaurants is that they are made from bleached flour- which may even lead to a more tender result than unbleached. Good luck!