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Did you know it is SO easy to make fresh tortillas?!
Being Hispanic, we’ve enjoyed homemade tortillas our whole lives. In fact, our great-grandma Bean Burro was FAMOUS for her gigantic delicious tortillas and sold a dozen for $2!! Homemade is better, trust us!
With this simple flour tortilla recipe, we now make them ALL the time. We all agree that everything (from dinners to sides) tastes so much better and more authentic when made with fresh tortillas! Best of all, you need ONLY 5 ingredients for this flour tortilla recipe and the dough comes together so quickly and easily.
Let it rest for 10 minutes, then roll and cook! It really is that simple, and the minimal extra effort is 1000x worth the results!!
Roll them up and enjoy them warm dipped in salsa, or use them in our favorite enchiladas – the possibilities are endless!
Why we think you’ll love it:
- 5 basic ingredients. Flour tortillas are surprisingly simple to make and require just a handful of basic pantry staple ingredients.
- Cost-effective. Making tortillas can be more cost-effective than purchasing pre-made ones, and you ensure clean and healthy ingredients!
- More flavorful. This flour tortilla recipe is a fresher and tastier option compared to store-bought tortillas.
Flour Tortilla Ingredients and Substitutions
- 2 cups + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour plus more as needed
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter melted – I like the resulting flavor using butter, but you can also use vegetable shortening or lard.
- ¾ cup lukewarm water
How to Make Flour Tortillas
- DOUGH. In a medium bowl, mix 2 cups of flour, baking powder, and salt with a whisk or wooden spoon. Add melted butter and warm water and mix with your hands until combined.
- Add more flour if needed 1 tablespoon at a time, but the dough texture should be a little sticky. Let dough rest for 10 minutes.
- HEAT. Heat a large skillet over medium heat, or use an electric griddle.
- ROLL. While the skillet is heating up, portion the dough into 12 dough balls of equal portions. On a lightly floured surface, use a pastry roller (or rolling pin) to roll each ball out into a circle about 8 inches wide.
- COOK. Add one tortilla at a time to the hot skillet and cook for about 1 minute on each side, until bubbled with golden brown spots on both sides. Carefully wipe flour out of the pan between batches, or it will accumulate in the pan and start to burn.
Kristyn’s Recipe Tips
- Keep the balls of dough from drying out by draping a damp clean tea towel over the top.
- For smaller tortillas, divide the dough into 14 balls. For thicker tortillas, divide them into 10 balls.
- If the first tortilla doesn’t have golden spots after 1 minute, slightly increase the heat. If the spots are dark brown or black, decrease the heat.
- If your tortillas feel stiff, you have either cooked them too long or used too high of heat.
Rolling Tips
Roll a flattened ball of dough in one direction from the center to the top edge on a floured work surface. Turn the dough a quarter turn and roll again from the center to the top. Repeat rolling and turning until the tortilla is to the desired size and shape. A pastry roller helps with this.
Flour Tortilla Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, plus more as needed
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
- ¾ cup lukewarm water
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking powder, and salt. Add melted butter and water and mix with your hands until combined. Add more flour if needed 1 tablespoon at a time, but the dough should be a little sticky. Let dough rest for 10 minutes.
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat.
- While the skillet is heating up, divide the dough into 12 dough balls. On a lightly floured work surface, use a pastry roller to roll each ball out into a circle about 8 inches wide. To achieve the perfect shape and size, roll the flattened ball of dough in one direction from the center to the top edge on a floured work surface. Turn the dough a quarter turn and roll again from the center to the top. Repeat rolling and turning until the tortilla is to the desired size and shape.
- Add one tortilla at a time to the hot skillet and cook for about 1 minute on each side, until bubbled and lightly browned on both sides. Carefully wipe flour out of the pan between batches, or it will accumulate in the pan and start to burn.
Video
Notes
- Keep the balls of dough from drying out by draping a damp clean kitchen towel over the top.
- For smaller tortillas, divide the dough into 14 balls. For thicker tortillas, divide them into 10 balls.
- If the first tortilla doesn’t have golden spots after 1 minute, slightly increase the heat. If the spots are dark brown or black, decrease the heat.
- If your tortillas feel stiff, you have either cooked them too long or used too high of heat.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe FAQ
Keep the dough in the fridge or the freezer until you are ready to cook.
Divide the pre-rolled tortillas with pieces of parchment paper or wax paper. Store in the fridge for up to a week or in the freezer for up to 6 months.
If needed, thaw in the fridge before cooking.
Separate cooled tortillas with parchment paper or wax paper. Place them in an airtight container on the counter for 2-3 days, in the refrigerator for 6-8 weeks, or in the freezer for up to 6 months.
To reheat, stack on a plate. Cover with a damp paper towel and microwave for 15 to 30 seconds or until warm.
Complete The Meal
Main Dish
Chicken Fajitas
30 mins
Pork Tacos
6 hrs 5 mins
Bean Burrito Recipe
30 mins
Carne Asada Recipe
3 hrs 20 mins
Sides
Homemade Spanish Rice Recipe
45 mins
Esquites
20 mins
Mexican Bean Salad
1 hr 10 mins
How to Make Guacamole
10 mins
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This recipe was originally published March 2015.
I’ve made many types of flatbreads but never homemade tortillas, until today. These were so much better than store bought & will be regulars from now on. I can’t believe how easy they were! Highly recommend!
My family’s favorite tortillas! So simple and SO delicious! I love that we always have the ingredients on hand! These tortillas make any regular meal something special! We seriously love them!
do you use any butter or oil when frying the tortillas
These flour tortillas are delicious!
Well, when my Mother use to make them. She used shortening, not butter. It’s been years, since I’ve made flour tortillas. Looked up recipes to refresh my memory, but I know, butter was never used. Until, after made & cooked. I’ll try your recipe and see how it goes.
Yes, shortening or lard are often used. We love the simplicity and the flavor of the butter. You’ll have to let us know how you enjoy the tortillas!
This tortilla recipe is very fun to make. When my grandkids come visit I’m going to get them to make some with me.
I made these after not being able to get the uncooked ones we usually buy at the grocery store for the last month. After having fresh cooked ones, there’s no going back. I doubled the recipe and these were so good and easy! My family all commented on how good they were. They remind me of the ones at Cafe Rio. After dinner, we ate the few remaining tortillas with melted butter and cinnamon & sugar. So good! I will definitely make these again! Thanks!
You’re welcome! I’m glad they were out of the uncooked ones at the store so you could find this recipe. 😉 Thanks for giving the recipe a try!
I thought for sure 1 tbsp of butter would not be enough for 2 cups of flour. I was wrong! This will now be my go-to recipe! Thanks!
Oops! Still my go to for tortillas! But on my previous comment I (don’t know how), but I typed in the wrong butter amount. :^o
your post states you “typed in the wrong butter amount”….. but failed to type the correct amount. This will be my first try at making these and my husband and myself are in our 80’s. please reply.