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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 650 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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Jody Meyer says
These tortillas are delightful. Easy to make and great to eat. The only down side is that it takes a little more than a half an hour to cook all 16 (as about 2 minutes per tortilla). I ended up letting the family start eating while I cooked the rest of them, as I didn't plan well and it was getting late. I should have made them ahead of time. We all loved them though!
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks, Jody!
Martine says
I just made these because I am a subscriber from Acre Homestead, and she recommend this recipe. I cannot believe how truly amazing, easy and really, they are the best Tortillas, I have watched countless videos and collected recipes for tortillas. We live in Canada; we don't have the markets or condiments that is easily available in the USA. So when I made these they were and felt like I got a really great Tortillas from the deep south of American.
simply amazing and this is a keeper!
Chris Scheuer says
That's great, Martine! Thank you for letting us know!
Diana Jo says
I grew up making and eating flour tortillas. This recipe is on par with my grandfathers delicious tortillas we had for every breakfast! Thank you for sharing this wonderfully tasty and easy recipe. Tip: for tortillas newbies, buy a tortillas press. Makes the process much easier Than rolling. Place the dough ball between two sheets of parchment, and press down the tortillas press and wa LA! Ready to place on the heated griddle.
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks, Diana Jo!
Doreen says
The best. Remind me of my favorite Mexican Food Restaurant which closed down years ago. Definitely my go to recipe.
Chris Scheuer says
That's great, Doreen! Thanks for letting us know.
Jodi says
This is my go-to recipe for tortillas now. The trick to easy rolling is to let the dough rest for a while, covered, at room temp.
They always come out great, fresh tasting and delicious!
Chris Scheuer says
Awesome! Thanks, Jodi!
Euro says
I want to make tortilla chips in different colours for halloween - adding macha for green, turmeric for yellow and paprika for red and gel colours for purple and orange chips. Has anyone adjusted this recipe with decent results? I guess a little more flour would be needed for the gel colours and a little kess for the ground spices?
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Euro, I haven't tried anything like that, but maybe others can chime in.
Aaria says
Has anyone used this recipe in a press?
Shana says
You can but will have to press a cpl times to make sure it's thin enough
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks, Shana.
mahlatini says
thank you for the recipe , I think its the oil , because mine also came out well
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks, Mahlatini!
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Huda, thanks for sharing your review. It’s difficult to determine what went wrong without having been right there in the kitchen with you. So many others have really enjoyed these tortillas as you can read from other reviews. Hope you find a recipe you like!
Nuuana says
I've tried making flour tortillas before with no success, but these were so easy to make and tasted so good! Thank you so much, this is a keeper!
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks for letting us know, Nuuana!
Huda says
They tasted like flour. I don’t like them. Better off using store bought tortillas. Don’t waste your time making these.
Diane says
Probably the cooks error using too much flour. Try again and use less. You're the only comment to say this.
Michelle M says
Looking forward to making these, they sound delicious. Just a quick question…has anyone made the dough in a bread machine? Not a big deal as it sounds easy enough to make, but thought I’d ask.
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Michelle, we've had readers report success using a bread machine with these. Enjoy!
Michelle M says
Great, thanks so much!
Angela says
Can they rest for longer than 2 hrs and be ok
Chris Scheuer says
I haven't let them go longer than 2 hours, I'm afraid they would start to dry out if they sat too much longer.
Germain says
Hi, I love these! I made them a few times with great results. But today, when we sat down for fish tacos they were dry and were braking. Not sure why, this is the first time it does that. Any thoughts?
Thanks
Germain
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Germain, perhaps you didn't allow them to steam together, covered with a towel? The other reason they can dry out and break is if they are cooked too long.
Kim Smith says
Absolutely love this recipe! The tortillas taste soo good and are soo healthy. We will probably never buy tortillas at the store again. We found the recipe makes 12 larger tortillas when divided into balls weighing 2.1-2.2 oz. before cooking. Thank you!
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks, Kim! That's great to know.
Matthew says
These are pretty damn good. I miss good tortillas in NYC (live in AZ before) so I tried these out. I swapped olive oil for butter.
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks, Matthew!
Vivian says
The absolute best tortillas ever. I make them at least once a month or more. Great with scrambled eggs and any kind of veggies and cheeses.
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks, Vivian!
Charlotte says
My husband said these are the best tortillas ever, and I agree. Then you let the dough rest for a bit, it makes a huge difference, thank you!
Chris Scheuer says
Awesome! Thanks, Charlotte!
Angela says
Hello!
What size do these end up being? I want to try making these, and am hoping for an 8 inch tortilla.
Thank you!
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Angela, if you make them as written they are about 6-7 inches in diameter (step 4) but you could always divide the dough into slightly larger balls and make a few less.
AnnieD says
I’ve never made tortillas before and was nervous about how they’d turn out, but they were perfect. They puffed up and tasted great, and the recipe was easy. Will definitely be making again, why buy them when home made is better?! Thank you for the recipe x
Chris Scheuer says
Yay! Thanks, Annie!
Fatima says
Amazingly beautiful. Just made and they turned out so nice it was fun making will always make homemade tortillas. Thanks 🙏 for the lovely recipe.
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks for your review, Fatima!
Prasanna Gokhale says
Made these yesterday and they were bloody awesome!!!! Will never buy readymade again!!! Thanks for a fab recipe!
Chris Scheuer says
Awesome! Thanks for letting us know, Prasanna!
Dominique Moorcroft says
Thank you for this lovely recipe. Would you be able to freeze the dough if you wish? I prefer to eat them straight from the pan. I found they break if I freeze them after cooking.
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Dominique, I haven't tried freezing the dough so I can't say for sure. I haven't had any issues with them breaking after freezing the cooked tortillas. I do layer them with a paper towel or piece of parchment in between then rewarm them (briefly) in a pan before serving.
Jackie says
These sound delicious. Im going to try. My only concern is the thin part. Are these thick enough to make burritos? Or will they rip??? Let me know. Thanks!
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Jackie, they are about the same thickness as regular tortillas and would work well for burritos. You might want to make them bigger though for a burrito.
Mackenzie says
My go to recipe! I haven't bought packaged tortillas in months now! Follow the recipe, it's extremely easy. If your stuck, watch the video. Again, hands down my go to recipe and I recommend it to everyone I know!
Chris Scheuer says
Awesome! Thank you, Mackenzie!
Hephzibah says
I just finished making these. They are fabulous!! I used what flour I had left, so I had 2 cups regular all purpose flour and I used a cup of whole wheat flour to make up the difference. I did not change the water or oil amounts. Everything mixed up well, rolled out great and cooked up amazingly. I was concerned the whole wheat flour might have changed it too much, but nope. I unfortunately am sick right now and can't taste what I cooked, but based off texture alone, these were the best tortillas I have ever made. In the past they would turn out too thick or chewy. The recipes I have followed before never told me to let the dough sit for any amount of time after dividing. I think that made the difference here. Simple recipe, thanks for writing.
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks for your review, Haphzibah! I know others will find that helpful.
Doreen says
I made it and it’s very yummy, recipe is simple and easy to follow. Thank you for sharing this recipe. My first time trying to make a tortilla though. We always buy which makes me avoid recipes that call for the use of tortilla as often as possible because ready made ones are super expensive here in Ghana . This will be my go to recipe from now.😍😍😍😍
Chris Scheuer says
Awesome! Thanks for letting us know, Doreen!
Zee says
Hi from South Africa
This is the first time that I made tortillas and they didn't flop! Thank you for the tip about keeping them damp after cooking them. I actually put them between a damp kitchen towel. And they were perfect.
They were delicious and so easy to make. Will definitely be using again.
Chris Scheuer says
That's great, Zee! Thanks for letting us know!
peter says
How many butter is the best to use?
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Peter, this recipe calls for 1/3 c of oil.