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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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Sherry Z says
I am about to make these and wondering if you have ever added butter flavoring? and if so, how much?
Lindsay @ The Café Sucre Farine says
We haven't tried that, Sherry.
Melissa Mahaffey says
These tortillas are so, so good! I’ve made them several times now, and they are always a hit! I highly recommend these!
Lindsay @ The Café Sucre Farine says
Great! Thank you for letting us know, Melissa!
Jewel says
Just made for the grandkids and heard alot of mmm,mmm! So good! So good!
At my daughter's babysitting and ran out of the store bought ones. It was worth the extra effort!
I can't eat because of gluten intolerance.
Thanks for the great recipe!
Lindsay @ The Café Sucre Farine says
Thanks for letting us know, Jewel! Other readers have reported good results using cup for cup gluten-free flour.
Zak says
Hi, just trying this recipe now.
I have a lot of Self Raising Flour in my pantry... Can I use it and omit the baking powder?
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Zak, I haven't tested this recipe with self-rising flour so I can't say for sure.
lld says
Hi Zak,
Self rising flour is merely flour with baking soda and salt already added.
It will be a bit dryer product, so you will have to gauge it as you go, and it will also be less tender when heated.
Should work fine, but be careful how much more salt you add. Self rising has 1/4 cup salt to 1 cup flour. (make it all the time for quick dumplings)
Hope this helps
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Linda, thanks for taking the time to leave a comment. The problem with using self-rising flour is that it has 1½ teaspoons of baking powder per cup of flour. That would end up being 4½ teaspoons of baking powder in this flour tortilla recipe which only calls for just 1 teaspoon. To ensure success, it's best to use all-purpose flour for this recipe.
Stenetta says
Hi, if I were to cook these on a griddle, do you know what temperature would be appropriate? They sound great, I'm excited to try out the recipe!
Lindsay @ The Café Sucre Farine says
Hi Stenetta, you want medium heat to cook the tortillas. Enjoy!
Isabelle Tetreault says
It was really easy to bake. However, on my family of 5, I am the only one who liked them! My 2 daughters thought it was tasting too much olive oil and the oldest thought it was not salty enough. My husband didn't say anything but used the store bought instead. I will do them again, but with more salt and a different oil.
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Isabelle, so happy you enjoyed these tortillas. The great thing about them is that they're so versatile. You can use any type of oil (even butter is delicious) and definitely can add more salt to your taste or your family's taste. Also your family might enjoy them with a milder olive oil. Some olive oil is quite strong tasting and it would come through when eating the tortillas. I use a mild olive oil and there is no taste of it.
Brendice Price says
OMG!!! This is such a delicious recipe and so easy to make! I plan to make my own from now on! Fresh tortillas are simply the best!
Lindsay @ The Café Sucre Farine says
Yay! Thanks, Brendice!
Marion says
Hi, Chris
I made these for the first time this evening. Such a wonderful and easy recipe. So so tasty!! We will never purchase any from the supermarket again. We love all of your recipes and have never made anything that was never anything but outstanding!! Thank you so much again.
Marion
Lindsay @ The Café Sucre Farine says
That's awesome, Marion! Thank you for the kind and encouraging comment!
Sarah says
These crisp a lot. I loved making them but when I went to use them, it was impossible to fold. I followed every step and they taste great! Good for quesadillas but I was making crunchwraps. I had to send my husband to the store to buy some
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Sarah, if they're crisp, you're cooking them too long. Try going a little less and make sure that you stack and cover them as you make them so they will steam and soften each other.
Brenda says
Does this recipe work using almond flour?
Lindsay @ The Café Sucre Farine says
Hi Brenda, we have not tried this with almond flour.
Renee Tee says
Stunning success with your recipe and method, the very first time in my life I have attempted to make tortillas. And they taste so fresh! No chemical after-taste like the grocery store ones have. I may never purchase tortillas again. Thank you for a great recipe and clear instructions. (I made by hand with dough whisk, and rolled out with rolling pin.)
Lindsay @ The Café Sucre Farine says
Wonderful! Thank you for letting us know, Renee!
Louis Brannen says
Made these with our three kids and we really loved these tortillas! Copied the recipe for future use, thank you!
Lindsay @ The Café Sucre Farine says
Wonderful! Thank you for letting us know, Louis!
Sherry says
I bought a taco press to make these, they are too thick to roll, and the dough shrank back even after a 30 minute rest. I will use them for open faced tacos and pizza crusts.
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Sherry, not sure why your tortillas were too thick to roll. They should roll out easily and get as thin as you'd like. You might want to try the recipe again. You definitely don't need a tortilla press for this recipe.
Lois Demers says
This is my second time making these, this time I made the full recipe instead of halfing it. 8 is NOT enough! Had them this morning with cheesy scrambled eggs and homemade salsa, what a great breakfast!
Lindsay Scheuer says
Wonderful! Thank you for letting us know, Lois!
kristine says
hi, are the calories for all the tortillas or for one? thank you!
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Kristine, the calories are for one tortilla.
Pia E. says
Just made these, tasty!
Next time I’ll probably add a tiny bit more salt or some coriander for added flavor. Didn’t roll them as thin as probably possible, even though they hold together remarkably well when transferring to the pan, but they worked perfectly for overloaded tacos!
Great recipe!
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks, Pia! So happy you enjoyed them!
Bonnie says
I decided to make these tonight after noticing all the unhealthy ingredients that were in the ones I had bought. I surly picked the one s because these were amazing!! My husband loves them so much he wants me to make these every time we make Mexican. So I’ll probably have to set a day aside to make them a head and freeze them. Thank you for posting ! They definitely were a hit at my house. I also plan on checking out your other recipes. 😃
Chris Scheuer says
Awesome! Thank you for letting us know, Bonnie!
CSeibold says
I have been making tortillas for the first time ever (never made dough before), and this is one of the better recipes/tutorials that I've tried. Mentioning the well to put the water and oil in and stirring in the flower gradually helped a lot for a beginner like me. Also, the dough wasn't too sticky like other recipes I've tried. This is also one of the only tutorials that I've found with baking soda and letting the dough sit. My previous attempts from other recipes ended up with very non-flexible and dense tortillas, whereas this was light and flexible.
Chris Scheuer says
Awesome! Thank you for letting us know, C!
Beth says
Love! Have tried it many times 🙂
Chris Scheuer says
Wonderful! Thanks, Beth!
Alyssa says
Hello, I’m making these tomorrow! For your provided nutritional info, does one tortilla equate to one serving? I’m trying to calculate the weight watchers points. Can’t wait to try the recipe! Thank you!
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Alyssa, yes, one tortilla is one serving. Enjoy!
Jen says
Absolutely perfect recipe and easy. I added some brown flour for the extra fiber but will also make with plain white flour. Thank you thank you thank you!
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks, Jen!
Jo says
Made these today, such a simple and easy to follow recipe. And not to mention my family loved them. These will be a staple in my household. No more store bought tortillas for me.
Chris Scheuer says
Awesome! Thanks for letting us know, Jo!
Suzanne says
These tortillas were delicious. I made them with a small proportion of wholemeal spelt flour which gave them lovely brown speckles. I stuffed them with refried beans and cheese and baked them at 200°C for 10 minutes. I ate them with a tomato and avocado salad and sour cream. You’re right that I now don’t want to buy shop bought ones.
Chris Scheuer says
That sounds delicious, Suzanne!
Javier says
Do you make pizza with the raw tortilla dough or with the already cooked tortillas?
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Javier, yes! And it's great with a cooked tortilla. Check out this post- https://thecafesucrefarine.com/easy-thin-crust-pizza-tutorial/
Becky says
Hi! I have never made my own dough for anything but I just made your recipe and it's so simple! The taste is great but I had a little trouble getting the tortillas soft. What am I doing wrong?
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Becky, Bravo to you on your first attempt at dough!
Regarding your question, if your tortillas are hard, try cooking them a little less. Also, be sure to stack and cover them as they will steam a bit and soften each other.
Majidah Y says
Had tried this tortilla recipe and it taste superb. Second batch of tortillas was with some chia seeds and garlic butter and the recipe works well. Tq for sharing .
Chris Scheuer says
Thank you, Majidah!