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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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Hilary says
I’m excited to try this recipe to make tortillas but I’m also interested in making them for pizza crusts. Do you cook the pizza crusts on the stovetop first and then put the toppings on and cook them in the oven or do you put the pizza toppings on raw dough and cook it in the oven? Thank you!
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Hilary, the pizzas are great!
Here are two posts you can check out for how it works: https://thecafesucrefarine.com/easy-thin-crust-pizza-tutorial/
https://thecafesucrefarine.com/easy-artisan-pizza/
Hope you enjoy them!
Christine says
Thank you for this recipe. This is the only flour tortilla recipe I’ve tried that works every time. I got bubbles in the dough as it cooked and everything!
Chris Scheuer says
That's awesome, Christine! Thanks for sharing your review 🙂
Susan D says
I have very good eyesight yet the font size you use for your recipes is way too small so unable to read it all when reading from a tablet in the kitchen. This has kept me from using your website.
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Susan, I will keep that in mind when we do a re-design of the site. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
Abigail says
Store bought won’t cut it when this recipe is so easy and delicious. It took me a few tries to be able to roll the dough out into circles and to get the cook temperature right. Don’t give up if you’re having trouble! These are so worth it. Thanks for the recipe!
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks so much, Abigail, for sharing your results! I appreciate you taking the time to leave a comment and I'm so happy you persisted! Bravo!
Angelica says
Hi there! Would you recommend freezing leftover dough or cooking them first and then freezing them? Which would be better? It freezing dough is ok, would you just thaw them out and then cook them on the pan as your instructions say?
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Angelica, I would cook them all and then freeze them. They thaw quickly on the counter and you can rewarm them in a pan.
Karen says
Hi Chris, Has anyone tried to make these with a Gluten-Free flour blend? I have Celiac but am so tired of having the corn tortillas all the time. Also I am afraid of all the GMO corn.
I will try it if you think it might work. Just asking first if it's a possibility, because the G-F flour is so expensive, it costs a fortune to make anything.
Hannah says
So easy to make and super tasty! They froze really well and possibly tasted even better when I defrosted and heated them back up again in the pan. Will definitely be making again!
Chris Scheuer says
Awesome! Thanks for letting us know, Hannah!
Donna says
I made these today for Cinco de Mayo fajitas. Not all of them rolled out round - one in particular looks like the state of Florida , but it still tastes good, and that’s what counts 😁.
Thanks for another great recipe!
Chris Scheuer says
Ha! Just keep practicing, Donna 🙂 Glad you enjoyed them.
Gloria Dawson says
Has anyone tried making these with whole wheat flour? If so, what were the results, or did you have to adjust the ingredients in anyway?
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Gloria, I know there are a lot of comments on this post, but other readers have made them with whole wheat flour and reported success. You may need a little more water.
Piroska says
How long does it keep in freezer? Thank you. Have not tried them yet, but will soon.
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Prioska, I think they would be good in the freezer for a few months. Enjoy!
Fitri says
I made this recipe it’s perfect! They didn’t turn out in perfect round but I love it! I use extra virgin olive oil I think that’s why it looks like yellow-ish. Thanks for sharing this awesome recipe
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks, Fitri! Keep practicing the shape and you'll have them perfectly round in no time 🙂
Janz says
Easy to follow recipe and remarkable results. I use these for breakfast wraps this morning. No more chewy and rubbery bought wraps for me! Thank you for sharing and for the very helpful notes and advice.
Chris Scheuer says
Awesome! Thanks for sharing your results, Janz!
Paul Magro says
OUTSTANDING!! You/I will never eat a commercial tortilla again! Very easy recipe with killer results! Used rest of dough next day with great results!
Thanks
Paul
Chris Scheuer says
Yay! Thanks so much for letting us know, Paul!
Jill says
Hi. I followed all the steps rested the dough for about and 1hr and even read your tips before digging in to your recipe. However my tortillas were quite tough.. why do you think that is? - I could've rolled the dough too thin, maybe I took the word translucent to another level.. Could this be why I got this result? No wowing for me..lol
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Jill, I don't think you rolled the dough too thin but you probably cooked them either too long or at too high of a heat. They don't take long at all to cook and should be stacked and covered after cooking so that they steam each other. So sorry you had trouble with this recipe.
Deb steward says
Hi! I am wanting to make tostados with these flour tortillas. Do I need to “cook” them in the pan before frying to get a tostado shell? Or do I just go straight from rolling them out to the skillet with oil to get a crispy shell? Thank you! I have tried a number of your scone recipes and we have loved them all.
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Deb, I haven't tried this so I can't say for sure, but I think you would need to cook them in the pan and then fry them. Let us know if you try it!
Corrine says
These turned out great! I decided to make them a bit bigger, as we are used to large tortillas. I divided them into 12 instead of 16, and they fit my frying pan perfectly. I will definitely be making these again!
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks for sharing your results, Corrine! So happy you enjoyed them!
Courtney Curtis says
Wanted to love but they were so thick and tough. It is much better with melted butter and a nonstick pan.
Chris Scheuer says
So sorry you had trouble with these tortillas, Courtney. If made correctly, as you can read from the many, many (well over 1,000) other comments, these tortillas are nice and thin and very tender.
Heidi Crawford says
Ours turned out a little crispy even though they didn't appear overdone. Any ideas? They are delicious and we love them. Thank you!
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Heidi, just cook them a little less next time. They really don't take long at all. And make sure that you're stacking them up as you make them and keeping the stack covered with a towel. The steam helps soften them.
Jo Ann says
I was unable to get the tortilla from the tortilla press to the pan without “ruffles” on the tortilla. What is your secret? Is a non stick pan better than a cast iron one?
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Jo Ann, I do not use a tortilla press. Try rolling them with a rolling pin.
Princa Martinez says
I love the recipe thank you very very much they came put perfect
Chris Scheuer says
Great! Thanks for the review, Princa!
Aneesa says
Such a simple recipe but yet such delicious tortillas. Made them today and they turned out AMAZING my husband praised them and he loved the size. A recipe for life
Chris Scheuer says
Yay! Thank you for letting us know, Aneesa!
Bandi84 says
So great and so much more cost effective then buying ready made from the shop. Would love to hear tips about getting my circle shapes right for next batch!
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Bandi, so happy you enjoyed them! Regarding rolling circular tortillas, always roll from the center out to the edges, turning the tortilla as you go. When you get them to the size you want you can shape them a little more by pushing them into shape with your fingers.
Alexandra Bjarnason says
Hi,
I’m curious if you’ve tried freezing them? I would like to spend a day making multiple batches then pop them in the freezer for later use.
Thanks!
Chris Scheuer says
Yes, they freeze perfectly, Alexandra. I like to separate them with parchment when I freeze them.
Ellie says
OMG these were so good!!!! Thank you for the recipe.
Chris Scheuer says
Yay! Thanks for letting us know, Ellie!
Stephanie says
Great recipe!! My partner was so impressed. I let the dough sit 35min before rolling and it was easy to roll them out thin. Still working on my circle shapes, lol. Thank you!
Chris Scheuer says
Awesome! Thanks for letting us know, Stephanie!