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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 700 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 kosher salt I use Morton's
- 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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Michelle says
Loved this recipe! I've made tortillas before and they turned out terrible, but with this recipe, I didn't have ny trouble and they were perfect! Thank you so much for the excellent recipe!
Chris Scheuer says
You're very welcome Michelle! We have had so much positive feedback on this post, from all over the world!
MandS says
Hi, We made the tortillas but they turned out very thick and when you flatten them out they just sort of come back together! They just break in half when you bend them! Do you have any suggestions?
Chris Scheuer says
If you can't roll them thin, then let them rest (to let the gluten relax). They do have to be rolled thin to have them come out right.
Kate says
Just made these and am so excited to try them for dinner tonight and freeze for later use. I have mine stacked in a ziplock bag right off the griddle, as you mention. I have not sealed the bag and notice a considerable amount of condensation building up. I plan to let them cool completely, then seal for later use. Is that what you recommend? Is the condensation a problem? I want to get this right because I may be making these in quantity if they meet our expectations the way I think they may.
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Kate, so happy you've had good results. Yes, leave the bag open till they cool, then seal it up.If there's a lot of condensation, I might pull them out once they're cool and dry out the bag with a paper towel.
JL says
Do you think I could use a hand mixer? I jut got one for Christmas and would love to try it out...but I'm short on ingredients and I don't want to waste any
Chris Scheuer says
I haven't tried this with a hand mixer but I think it should work. Lots of people have made these by hand too with just a bowl and a wooden spoon and have had success.
CJ says
I tried this recipe twice and my family and I love it. When I followed the directions for the measurements my mixture turned out to be a little dry so I added a tiny bit more oil and warm water and they turned out great! Thank you for sharing!!
Chris Scheuer says
You're very welcome CJ! Sometimes little tweaks can make all the difference, can't they?
Linda says
I grew up on Tex-mex food and feel "I know a good tortilla". Sadly, I live up north now and have a great deal of difficulty finding what I think is a good tortilla. I have always thought that making tortillas was too much trouble or too hard. However, this recipe is extremely easy and makes some if the best tortillas I have ever had. My husband who is a northerner even finds them to be delicious. Thanks for this recipe.
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks Linda! So glad you enjoyed them!
Sara says
I made these for dinner tonight and they were a huge success! I live in Rome where it's hard to buy even remotely decent tortillas (most of them are so dry and crumbly that they break into tasteless shards as soon as you remove them from the package) - as much as the Italians are experts at their own cuisine... tortillas? Not so much. I'm thrilled to know that I can easily and quickly whip these up when a taco or wrap craving hits (a girl can't survive on pasta and pizza alone, unfortunately). I did it all by hand, as I didn't want to drag the Kitchen Aid out of the cupboard, and the dough was just beautiful to work with.
Chris Scheuer says
Sara, that warms our hearts! So glad they worked for you. We've found it difficult to find really good Mexican food over in Europe too! I'm sure it's somewhere, but we haven't found it yet!
Marija says
I made tortillas once. And it was a bit scary. Because they had a mind of their own. Not quite sure, but I think they flew away with few aliens on board, so firm and crusty those tortillas were. You can understand why I didn't make any of those anymore. As friendly as I am, but one can never be to cautious. And then my husband found your recipe and... I can only say, no more aliens in my kitchen. So soft and beautiful these tortillas are! Thank you for this great recipe and clear instructions!
Chris Scheuer says
So funny Marija - you crack me up! You're very welcome and, keep feeding those aliens, and your husband too! Happy New Year!
MiraclesHappen says
Just whipped these up using my Vita-Mix as the mixer and cooked them on our cast iron skillet--so easy and half of them are gone already! I used home-crushed flour from hard red wheat because I have sensitivities to most others. I also replaced the vegetable oil with olive oil. I think I'll add a little honey to the next batch for a honey wheat wrap. Thank you for sharing!
Marilene says
Made this today for a potluck, it was not as successful. May bad, I got scared when i saw that it was lumpy, so I added warm water, the consistency was lost. It was sticking to the tortilla press, bummer. I was debating on whether I should make a fresh batch, decided against it. It still bubbled on the pan, but it was a bit hard, I guess it is still okay. Will make sure that I follow the recipe to the letter he. he. Thanks for posting, my friend makes her own tortilla but never got around to sharing her recipe with me, so this is good.. Thanks again.
Joshua says
I found your recipe few days ago and I decided to make homemade flour tortillas for the first time to make tacos for dinner last night. It was fun experience. The issue? These tortillas ended up little hard and not flexible like typical tortillas. I also unable to make perfect circle tortillas after I rolled them. The taste was all right but could do better.
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Joshua, if they were hard and not flexible you probably cooked them a little too long.
Deanna says
These turned out awesome, and are really easy, and fast to mix up I literally thru the ingredients in my mixer w dough hook and rolled them and cooked them in like 20 minutes! Delicious and easy! Thank you for perfecting the recipe, I use to make with my aunt but she used lard and I really did not want to eat lard so I just didn't try making them...so silly of me to not try oil...lol. I make all my own breads with my natural yeast starter and I use coconut oil or olive oil for my breads, I may play with these different oils to make up some different flavored tortillas but your original recipe will be my go to when I want Delicious tortillas!! Thanks again
Chris Scheuer says
That's excellent Deanna! I think you and I are kindred spirits - I love experimenting and trying out new combinations. Sometimes they work, and sometimes, not so much! That's part of the fun of cooking, isn't it?
Debbie says
I made these tonight, they were so good! My husband didn't stop raving about them. A bit of work but worth it for sure. Next time I will make them ahead of time. Thanks so much for the recipe! I shared it on Facebook. 🙂
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks Debbie!
Vendetta says
November 5th
Bob Nickson says
Thanks for a solid foundation.
I wanted to make only enough tortillas for a single meal, so I tried the following:
1 cup flour
1/3 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder (I wanted serious rise)
1/3 cup water
2 tablespoons butter (substituting for lard which is hard to find non-hydrogenated)
I mixed everything by hand, first the dry, then added the water and butter. It was quick and easy.
It yielded 3 tortillas the size of my 10" cast iron skillet. Very tasty, but not enough fat. Next time I'll try 3 tablespoons of butter.
Mary Rainwater says
Love you Blog, thank you so much!
Summer says
oh bravo... Just Bravo... I will never again buy store made tortillas. Was a real pill to flatten out but these are a HUGE hit in myhome
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks Summer!
Jo Gordon says
I'm about to make these for the 6th time because they are perfect! Not once have they been a problem. My family loves them and I can make them slightly smaller for our BBQ pulled pork. The only time my kids are quiet at the table. Thank you!
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks Jo! So glad you enjoy them!
MamaHonza says
I just made these for freezer burritos. Cooked them as directerld, but without oil. They turned out great. My only complaint is that it didn't make 16. I could only get 8 out of it. Will double next time.
Jackie says
These are the absolute best! Thank you!
Philippina says
Many thanks for sharing . I will try these tonight
Regards .
Philippina
clara says
PLEASE TELL ME HOW TO MAKE THESE BUT ORANGEY COLOURED WRAPS <3 they taste amazing- congrats all the way from UK <3
Chris Scheuer says
Welcome Clara! I'm not sure what you're talking about, but sometimes sun-dried tomatoes are used in tortillas, and would alter their color - that might be what you've seen.
Melissa says
I made these with organic einkorn flour because I can not digest normal wheat. I also used buttermilk. They turned out great! I made two batches because we ate a whole batch for dinner. Thank you!
Chris Scheuer says
So glad they turned out for you Melissa; even with the substitution! Scott (my joker husband) says, "We lived in Elkhorn, does that count?" 😉
Danny says
Thanks Chris, these are excellent! I was stubborn and used Organic Olive Oil instead of Vegetable Oil and they still taste great! Will make these often!
Anyse Joslin says
I was at a Mexican restaurant and they had these really BAD flour tortillas: frozen together and they would not cook right in all four ways: steaming, frying, dry grill and microwave. They were soggy and raw! So, I told them that I would find them a recipe and SHOW them them that they can make their own: with better flavor and cheaper. They only have flour tortillas and they use them for everything. No corn? HMMMMM . . . . Sketchy. So, now, I need to find a good recipe for corn tortillas.
On to your recipe. I see that you cut the oil to a bare minimum. I could see by the tortillas at that place that the proportions were totally wrong for the oil! It was as if the oil had pooled on the tortillas. I thought that this was the first problem. Next, I think that their baking powder is old or, whoever made them frozen, used old baking powder. They just did not bubble well at all. So, I thank you and, as I read a LOT of recipes and yours was the last, I could tell that THIS IS IT! I thank you from the bottom of my heart!