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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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Diane says
These are a game changer for us. My adult boys are home and helped make these, and now we'll never ever buy another store-made wrap again. These are fantastic and "totally elevate the home taco experience to the next level" (son quote). Super simple to make in the stand mixer. They rolled out beautifully after a 30 minute rest. My only issue was the shape. I need to practice rolling out the dough into nice circles; mine looked like Rorschach tests, lol!
Lindsay @ The Café Sucre Farine says
That's great, Diane! So glad you enjoyed these.
Erin says
Loved these cooked as the recipe states! I was wondering if I baked them filled in the oven taquito style would it work? Would it be best to precooked them abit before filling and baking or would they work simply baking once filled?
Lindsay @ The Café Sucre Farine says
Hi Erin, so glad you enjoyed these! Regarding your question, you would need to precook them to use them for taquitos.
Mackenzie says
Could I let the dough sit whole before I cut it into 16 pieces.
Chris Scheuer says
You could although I would still let the balls rest for a bit before rolling them out.
Sally says
Lovely, however they came out quite crisp even after stacking them up after cooking, did i roll them too thinly?
Still a hit in our home, I did have to double the recipe we are a large family and 16 wraps just wouldn't have been enough, all the kids demolished all the wraps and even asked for more. I will not be buying store brought ones any more these are too delicious
Thank you for this recipe
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Sally, I'm sorry you had trouble with these tortillas. I don't think that you rolled them too thin but you may have cooked them too long or over too high of a heat. If they are crisp, they cooked too long. They should still be soft and pliable when you remove them from the pan and then get even softer when they are stacked with the others.
Tortillalover says
Great simple recipe. I think that could use a little bit more salt, but they were still delicious. Thank you for a great recipe.
Lindsay @ The Café Sucre Farine says
Thanks for letting us know!
Susan says
No, would not make again
Lindsay @ The Café Sucre Farine says
Hopefully you find a recipe you like, Susan!
Michael says
made today using King Arthur bread flour. I've never had better!
Lindsay @ The Café Sucre Farine says
Awesome! Thanks for letting us know, Michael!
Sandy says
WHY have I not made these before? I am very proud of my culinary skills but am intimidated by "rolling out" My pie crust are always lopsided. But this was so easy and the fact that they weren't round just made them more "homemade". So delicious and simple to make. I made a few in a very large pan (2balls together) for burritos and they were perfect. So happy with results.
Lindsay @ The Café Sucre Farine says
Awesome! Thanks for letting us know, Sandy!
Winter says
I made these w the oil from a jar of dried marinated tomatoes and they r bomb
Lindsay @ The Café Sucre Farine says
That sounds delicious, Winter. Thanks for letting us know!
Laurie says
These were fantastic! I am very impressed! The true test was my daughter, who normally will choke down half a store-bought tortilla on taco night, ate 3 of these! Everyone loved them! Thank you!!!
Lindsay @ The Café Sucre Farine says
That's awesome, Laurie! Thanks for letting us know!
Alona says
Tortillas tore when I wrapped stuff in them. What did I do wrong?
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Alona, you may have rolled them just a bit too thin.
Pink says
They taste too much like olive oil 🙁 any substitutes?
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Pink, you can use any type of oil you'd prefer for these tortillas. A strong olive oil will result in a stronger flavor in the tortillas. Butter is delicious and other readers have also used lard. It's totally your choice!
Judy says
Yum! Thank you for sharing this recipe. These are so soft and the flavor and texture are wonderful. So much better than store bought.
Lindsay @ The Café Sucre Farine says
Wonderful! Thanks for letting us know, Judy!
Kristana Wheat says
Does it give an olive oil flavor, and can you use vegetable oil instead?
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Kristana, olive oil does give a nice flavor but vegetable oil will also work well!
Nur says
Thank you for this recipe. It was so good. It was very soft and fluffy.
Lindsay @ The Café Sucre Farine says
Thanks for your review, Nur!
Veronica says
Awesome recipe! I made this tortillas for some friends who asked me to cook for a group of people, and they all liked them very much. Thank you so much for the generosity! Love from Colombia.
Lindsay @ The Café Sucre Farine says
Thank you for letting us know, Veronica! So glad you enjoyed them.
Siedha says
Can this be used as a base for homemade tortilla chips? Would they turn out like chips if I cut them in triangles and deep fried them instead of making them as instructed?
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Siedha, these work fine to make tortilla chips. I cook them first then crisp them up.
Cindy says
Is it okay to use course kosher salt or should it be finer?
Lindsay @ The Café Sucre Farine says
Kosher salt is great, Cindy!
Marcus says
Do you use FINE grain kosher or COURSE grain kosher? Thanks for clarifying!
Chris Scheuer says
Good question, Marcus! I use Morton's kosher salt which is probably a medium grain salt.
MB says
These were very easy and delicious. I rested my dough about 45 minutes and had no issue at all rolling out the tortillas. I made just 1/2 batch to try them out. I do have a question about not only this recipe but all your recipes in general. When you call for salt, are you using fine salt or kosher salt or ? I generally use Diamond kosher salt unless fine salt is noted so I’m curious about what you are using. Thanks.
Chris Scheuer says
Yay, so happy you enjoyed these tortillas, MB!
Regarding your question, I use kosher salt. I usually specify that in my recipes but some of the older ones just say salt. I will clarify that in this recipe.
I use Morton's kosher salt as that's what's most accessible in the area where I live.
Emily G. says
Would I get the same results from mixing 1/2 all purpose flour and half whole wheat? I really like to use some whole wheat flour when I can. Thanks!
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Emily, the results will be different - not as light but some of our readers have reported using some WW flour with success. Let us know if you try it!
Sarah E says
I am making these with just whole wheat flour, made the first 2, right away, were good my 5 year old liked it. Waiting at least an hour before making the rest. Cut recipe in half
Lindsay @ The Café Sucre Farine says
Thanks, Sarah!
Sally Thompson says
Can you make these ahead of time and NOT cook them right away?
Store them uncooked in the fridge after you roll them? If so, how long will they last uncooked.
And can you freeze these before cooking also.
Thanks for being patient and I understanding!
Sally
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Sally, I haven't personally had a lot of luck with storing them before cooking. It does work well to cook them and then store them in the refridg or freezer.
Sarah says
Our tortillas turned out a little too thick, especially near the edges, but we rolled them out until they were translucent. Any tips?
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Sarah, the tortillas probably shrunk just a bit after rolling. You might want to roll them, wait a few minutes, then roll them one more time to ensure they are thin and even.
Bea107 says
This is the first time I've ever made flour tortillas with oil versus lard. I couldn't believe how well they puffed up on the comál! And the next day I reheated one in the microwave and it puffed up as well! They were super soft and a hit with my family. I used my kitchenaid mixer with the dough hook and let them rest for at 30 minutes. The longer they rested the easier they were to stretch out.
Lindsay @ The Café Sucre Farine says
That's great, Bea! Thank you for letting us know!
Marrissa Morrow says
Can I substitute white whole wheat flour? Also, do these freeze without compromising quality?
Lindsay @ The Café Sucre Farine says
Hi Marrissa, other readers have reported success using whole wheat flour. You may need a little more water. And, yes, they freeze beautifully! Enjoy!
Anna Olivares says
Good but very floury tasting. I think that has to do with not allowing the fat to mix with the flour first before adding hot water. I still prefer using shortening but I was out. They also didn’t puff out like a pillow like the shortening ones.
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Anna, so sorry you had trouble with these tortillas. They should definitely puff out in the pan and then relax down to a flat tortilla. It's hard to say what went wrong without having been there in the kitchen with you.
irene says
ANNA, I love this recipe -mine turned out amazing , light , flavorful and fluffy - I found that the temperature of the pan has to be just right - hot but not to hot to scorch the tortillas. I use organic flour and local olive oil.
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks so much for sharing your review, Irene!
Tara says
These are amazing! My Mexican great grandmother taught me to make flour tortillas with lard(!) back in the day and I’m so happy to find this super simple and healthier version. They are delicious and so easy and quick to make. My husband and 3 kids love them too! Thank you!
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks, Tara, that's really a compliment, coming from you 🥰
Cindy says
Made these for the first time last night with slight trepidation as it was 5:30 p.m. when I started the dough. They came out perfect after resting the dough about 45 minutes. Except for the 1st one (like pancakes lol). I even accidentally dropped a dough ball in water as I was getting ready to roll it out- I just rolled it in flour and it came out just fine. Will definitely make these again and no more store bought for us!
Lindsay @ The Café Sucre Farine says
That's great, Cindy! Thanks for letting us know!
Gina Shugarts says
Loved these, super easy & they were actually favorful! The only thing that ALMOST turned me off were the POP UP ADS!! Omg I could barely finish this comment. I had to scroll up & down 20x before I could even read your story. Please, if u could reduce the bombardment that would be wonderful. Literally keeps me from benefiting from what I’m sure are some great recipes. Thank u for the awesome tortillas!! —— Gina
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Gina, so happy you enjoyed the tortillas.
Regarding the ads, t would be nice to be ad-free but the ads are the way we are able to pay the expenses of running a website, compensate our employees and offer well-tested recipes to our readers for free.
Sabrina says
Aaaammmazing! I have pretty high standards for cooking and these were fabulous! Easy to make, fast to cook, delicious to eat!!! I highly recommend this recipe for any level cook (including advanced/experienced cooks)!!
Lindsay @ The Café Sucre Farine says
Thanks, Sabrina! Glad you enjoyed these 🙂
Sue says
Do you think this recipe would work with gluten free flour?
Lindsay @ The Café Sucre Farine says
Hi Sue, yes this works with gluten free flour. Enjoy!