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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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Dona says
I made these a couple of weeks ago and they turned out delicious. Thanks for the recipe. My only concern was that I was unable to make them anywhere near round-shaped. Any hints to make them round?
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Dona, you'll get better with practice! But if you always roll from the center out (turning the tortilla a quarter turn after each roll) rather than rolling across the whole tortilla, it helps promote a rounder shape.
Eva says
These tortillas are super easy to make & delicious thank you! Just wanted to check....the calorie figure at the top of the recipe (124 kcal) - is that the no. of calories for the whole 16 tortillas or is that per tortilla?? 🙂
Chris Scheuer says
The calorie count is for one tortilla. So glad you enjoyed them, Eva!
Melissa Allen says
Worked perfectly. Absolutely awesome tortillas. Thanks for a great recipe...
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks so much Melissa!
Chris Scheuer says
Yay! Thanks so much, Melissa, for taking the time to share your results!
Crabby says
I was ready to send back the tortilla press I got for Christmas because nothing was working. Then I came across your recipe and thought I would give it one last chance. The tortillas turned out amazing! My husband and I loved them! They were perfect! So I think you and my tortilla press thank you! Now I look forward to trying out your other recipes. Yes
Chris Scheuer says
Yay! So happy this worked out well for you, Crabby!
Isobel says
Greetings from the east of England where lockdown has made going to the supermarket a thing of the past! We fancied wraps for supper tonight but had no tortillas in, so I have just made these and they were every bit as easy as you say above. I need some practice to get them nice and round, and I over cooked one or two at first which happens quite quickly if you get distracted! But 10 out of the 12 look just the job and half will go in the freezer. Thank you, keep safe and I will keep an eye out for other recipes from your kitchen!
Chris Scheuer says
Hopefully lockdown will be a word that is behind us soon! So happy you enjoyed these tortillas! Sounds like you got the hang of it quickly!
Joanne says
Hi there,
Found your website for the first time now, and may I be allowed to say how adorable that picture of the two of you is! Great to see folk posed like that in a happy marriage, both doing the same work together and enjoying it too:). Now, what exactly does baking powder do to the tortillas? Its often to make goods rise, so Im quite confused as to what its purpose is here. Also I take it I can halve the recipe?Thanks!
Chris Scheuer says
Hello, Joanne! And welcome to The Café! Thanks for your kind comment, a happy marriage is truly much better than that proverbial "pot of gold at the end of the rainbow".
Regarding your questions, you can definitely halve this recipe. The baking powder isn't enough to make them rise a lot but it makes these tortillas just a little lighter which gives them a nice soft texture.
Sani says
I made it, Chris. It's awesome! Thanks so much!.
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks, Sani! 💕
Tiara says
Just made these with my 5 year old daughter because I ran out of store bought. My daughter had a blast and they came out yummy. I did half the recipe and made small as well as mini tortillas and made them thin. We will definitely be utilizing this recipe again. Not sure I’ll be buying store bought anymore.
Chris Scheuer says
How fun to make these with your daughter, Tiara! Such a great experience for her. Thanks for sharing your review!
Steph says
Great recipe! Love that it comes together quickly in one bowl and you do not need to get the mixer out.
Delicious, soft and will definitely be my go to recipe for homemade tortillas!
Chris Scheuer says
That's awesome, Steph! So happy you enjoyed these tortillas and had good success with the recipe!
Aubrey says
This is perfect for chicken shawarma. Thank you for sharing this lovely recipe! ❣️
Chris Scheuer says
You're welcome, Aubrey! Enjoy!
Darin says
Thinner the better. The first few we did were a little too thick and ended up doughy and a bit tough. It took them a bit to bubble up for me and by the time they bubbled up, they were a bit tough. I am at altitude in Denver, so I wonder if you might suggest any recipe modifications...?
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Darin, if you can't roll them thin enough, cover them with a kitchen towel and let them rest for a little while, then roll again. If they were tough, you probably cooked them a little too long or at too high of a heat.
I live at 2600 ft in the mountains of NC and I don't modify the recipe at all. I know Denver is higher but you shouldn't need any modifications.
Mayra says
This came out so freaken good. I had tried a different recipe from a different website and they just did not compare to your recipe. I just want to perfect the circles.
Chris Scheuer says
Aww... thanks so much Mayra! I really appreciate you sharing your results!
Crystal says
Made these with my daughter for Taco Tuesday tonight. Fun, fast, and delish! She could eat tacos everyday, so you can imagine the number of tortilla packages we go through...this is an easy enough recipe that she can put together herself and have help at the end. No excuses for not having tacos now!
Chris Scheuer says
How fun! I'm sorry you can no longer buy tortillas at the store! But you are giving her some wonderful and delicious memories!
Mat says
Wonderful recipe! We thoroughly enjoyed our burritos. This will go in my “favorite “ file. I’m a fussy cook and any recipe has to be exceptional to be added. Thanks so much for sharing, Mat
Chris Scheuer says
That's a true compliment, Mat! Thanks!
Rose says
Hi Chris, while I was looking at more of your wonderful cookie recipes, which I make often, I saw this video and decided I should give it a whirl. Omg. So easy and so delicious! I made mine a bit bigger, so I got 8, and didn’t have any problems at all getting them into the pan. For those who are trying for perfect circles, I say why? Mine are pretty close, but I WANT them to look homemade, so perfection wasn’t my goal. Many of them really bubbled up when dry frying, but I just pinched the air out of them. Chris, you’re amazing! Happy holidays, or maybe I should say feliz navidad in light of this recipe. Thank you!!
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks, Rose! 💕 So happy you enjoyed this recipe and you're so right, they don't have to be perfect!
Michelle says
Would these be suitable for making breakfast burritos with and then freezing?
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Michelle, yes, they should work fine for that.
Maria says
I love this recipe and it's sooo easy to make! Thank you!
Chris Scheuer says
You're welcome, Maria! Thanks for sharing your review!
Jen says
Hi
I don’t have a stand mixer, just a hand blender. Would I be able to them with the hand blender or by kneading with just my hands?
Thanks
Chris Scheuer says
Absolutely! If you check out the video, Jen, you'll see how easy it is to make them by hand.
Mel says
Make these tortillas last night and they are really super easy to make and deliciously satisfying. Thanks for the recipe ♥♥♥
Chris Scheuer says
You're welcome, Mel! I'm so happy you had good success!
Jason Gardner says
I am really confused by a recipe that calls for extra virgin olive oil "or other fairly neutral flavored oil" because extra virgin olive oil has a very strong, distinctive flavor. Not remotely neutral.
Chris Scheuer says
Haha! You're right, Jason! But EVOO is super delicious in these tortillas as is more neutral-flavored oils like sunflower, safflower, avocado... Lard is also delicious so I guess you can say, the sky's the limit!
Justin says
How would I go about using lard instead of oil in this recipe? Any idea on the quantity/measurement I would use?
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Justin, I would use the exact same amount.
Danielle says
I tried making tortillas several years ago in a regular frying pan. They did not cook evenly. After buying a cast iron skillet this year, I decided to try again. Perfection! I also rolled one at a time while the previous one cooked. Placed them into a glass storage container with a lid as I went along. They stayed warm and soft through the entire process until dinner was ready. We topped them with shredded pork and sauteed peppers and onions. Delicious. The family devoured dinner and it only Took five minutes to throw the dough together in my stand mixer. We will definitely be making these again.
Chris Scheuer says
Yay! So happy you had good success with these, Danielle! Thanks for sharing your review!
Chris Scheuer says
Sounds like you just may have become the family tortilla maker, Danielle! So happy these worked out well for you. Thanks for sharing your review.
Lisa Hasher says
These are so unbelievably good! I rolled out one at a time as soon as I added one to the cast iron on the stove (as I enjoyed a glass of wine!). Hubby could not stop raving about them. Thank you so much for this simple recipe:-)
Lisa
Chris Scheuer says
So happy you both enjoyed them, Lisa! Wine makes everything more fun 😂
Wendy says
Hi Chris, Just wondering if I could substitute for whole wheat flour?
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Wendy, I think you could safely sub some WW flour. I'd start with 25% and go from there.
Emily says
Loved these! Super easy and fun to make. We didn't roll them quite thin enough but they were so soft and delicious that we didn't mind at all. Will definitely be trying as pizza dough and using for our dips from now on.
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks Emily! So happy you enjoyed them 😊
Angie says
These are fantastic! So easy and taste amazing.
Thank you.
I was wondering how you would warm them if you didn't have a microwave?
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Angie, you can wrap them in foil and warm them for 15-20 minutes in the oven at 300 or 325.
Marlene Cannon says
Thank you so so much. These tortillas are delicious and with your recipe I made them myself.
Chris Scheuer says
You're welcome, Marlene! Thanks for sharing your results!
Shane Jones says
Wow, just wow. I never thought it would be so worth it, but, these are so fabulously delicious. Thank you for introducing me to such an easy flour tortilla recipe!
Chris Scheuer says
You're very welcome, Shane! Thanks so much for sharing your review. So happy you enjoyed them!