Make Flour Tortillas with this ultimate guide so they always come out soft & delicious! They melt in your mouth and I guarantee you’ll never want to get store bought again.
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Authentic Flour Tortillas
These tortillas go perfect with any Mexican dish or even alone! Enjoy with Papas con huevo, healthy beef chorizo, Bistec Ranchero or my easy to make Caldo de queso con papas.
My Mama’s legacy lives on as my siblings and I make her tortillas. She was the master of homemade flour tortillas and was known for that by anyone who knew her. She had to be since she would make kilos of tortillas each day to feed her nine kids!
My sister Brenda is also known for her homemade flour tortillas and she helped me with the troubleshooting section. Oh and I also have two brothers that live Guanajuato Mexico that have their own tortillerias. I can say that making the best tortillas runs in the family!!
Other tortillas recipes you may like:
**This post was originally published on May 2020. It has been updated to be more helpful.
The Ingredients
- Flour: All purpose flour is used for traditional tortillas. Just make sure it’s fresh and not stale.
- The Fat: This is the key ingredient that will make your tortillas soft and pliable. I use Crisco vegetable shortening (at room temperature) but the traditional way is with lard. These two fats will give you the authentic flour tortilla flavor. An alternative is margarine as it has the same texture of shortening. Just make sure it’s almost at room temperature.
- Now that I’m in Portugal, I use Planta in butter flavor (sabor a manteiga).
I have not tested making tortillas with coconut oil even though it’s a popular request. I would discourage you to use liquid fat as the tortillas won’t be as soft and will get hard quicker.
- Salt: Use table salt as it gives the best flavor. If using kosher, sea salt or any other coarse salt, dissolve it in the hot water you’ll use to make the dough. Otherwise, the flavor won’t incorporate in the dough as well.
- Water: The water has to be as hot as your hands can handle it (if kneading by hand). If using your stand mixer, then use boiling water. The hot water is what will make your tortillas soft by incorporating the fat with the flour perfectly.
- Baking Powder: This ingredient is optional. You don’t need a lot of it since you don’t want to make them super fluffy!
Tools you’ll need
Make the dough for flour tortillas
Be sure to check out the full recipe and ingredient list below
Kneading by Hand:
- In a very large bowl, whisk the flour, salt & baking powder.
- Add the vegetable shortening/butter and incorporate well until it’s all blended and crumbly.
- Add the hot water little by little and begin to knead. Knead for 8 to 10 minutes until dough is smooth and elastic. The longer you knead the masa it will release the gluten allowing for a light fluffy tortilla.
- Dough should not be sticky to the touch. If it’s sticky then add 1/2 teaspoon of flour at a time until it’s no longer sticky. Don’t add too much since this could make your tortillas hard later on.
Kneading with a Stand Mixer:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer and the whisk attachment in place, add the flour, salt & baking powder. Whisk until well incorporated.
- Add the shortening/butter or lard and mix well until crumbly. Scrape the sides with a spatula to incorporate all flour as you go along.
3. Change to the dough hook and turn to speed 2. Start adding the hot water little by little (about ¼ cup at the time).
4. Mix until dough clings to hook and cleans side of bowl. Knead on speed 2 for 2 minutes longer, or until dough is smooth and elastic.
The dough should not be sticky to the touch. If it’s sticky then add ½ teaspoon of flour at the time until it’s no longer sticky. Don’t add too much since this could make your tortillas hard later on.
5. Let the dough rest: Place the dough in a large bowl and cover with a damp towel and let rest for 15 to 20 minutes.
Rolling technique
Rolling a tortilla is an art onto itself! Just keep trying. The more you make tortillas the better you’ll get! Regardless of what shape they come out (like a flower, like a map, like a chancla? lol), they will be delicious!
Let’s get rolling!
- Sprinkle a little flour on a clean surface such as your kitchen counter.
- Spread with a rolling pin, from the center outwards without reaching the ends. Rotate the dough to give a round and thin shape.
- As you roll the tortilla turn the tortilla to the fat edge and roll. Keep turning the tortilla and rolling the fat edge.
How to cook the Flour Tortillas
Cooking the tortillas is another important step for getting soft tortillas: Cook it too long? they will come out hard and crack later on. Not cooked enough? they will be doughy or crack later on.
There are a few factors that could affect exactly how long you cook your tortilla for 1) the type of stove (gas or electric) you have, 2) the type of pan you use, or 3) your city’s altitude (the same way it affects baking). So just keep practicing and adjust the guidelines below until you get it right!
The Comal/Skillet You can use any regular nonstick griddle/comal or even a large frying pan. I tried cooking them in a cast iron skillet and for some reason they came out very hard so now I stick to a normal comal.
The Heat: First get the comal very hot on medium high heat, then lower to medium heat before you start cooking the first tortilla. If the comal is not hot enough, then the tortillas may get hard since you have to cook it longer.
The comal is ready for the tortillas when you see steam coming out of it.
Time to cook:
- Add the tortilla and cook until it starts to bubble on the edges, about 30 seconds.
- Flip when it starts to bubble, start turning then turn it around with a a paper towel like if you were playing a music disk. This way the tortilla cooks evenly since sometimes the comal is not heated evenly. Cook on this side about 50 seconds.
- Flip again. This is the last turn and it’s when you’ll get those big bubbles. Do not poke them! Cook for about 50 seconds.
- Remove from the comal immediately and transfer to a tortillera or a clean kitchen towel and cover.
Important!
Use a dish towel that has been washed without any strong soaps and does not have fabric softener. Often these smells will transfer to the tortilla! Or you can also line the dish towel with paper towels inside to act as a barrier (I do this regardless)
How to Store And Freeze Tortillas
Prior to storing, let the tortillas cool completely inside a dish towel.
- Refrigerate – Place them in a ziplock bag and store in refrigerator up to 3 weeks.
- Freeze – I really doubt you’ll have leftovers, but if you do you can store them in the freezer for up to three months. Freeze in an airtight in a ziplock bag. When ready to use, take out and let them thaw in the refrigerator.
How to warm flour tortillas
Place them on a comal again and heat thru on both sides until soft and pliable. Serve right away.
On a gas stove, you can place them directly on the flame and heat thru on both sides. This is my preferred method as the char flavor on the tortilla is so delicious!
FAQs
Yes! Follow this process so that the dough does not get hard:
* Make the dough and form a ball. Coat it with a little a vegetable shortening.
* Place it inside a large glass bowl, then cover with a paper towel on top of the dough.
* Cover with a kitchen towel and cover the entire bowl with plastic wrap.
* Leave on counter overnight.
It all depends on the size you make them and the type of fat you use. For this recipe, there are 22 grams of carbohydrates for one large tortilla.
If the comal is not hot enough when you start cooking, the tortillas may come out hard. Or you may need to knead longer to release the glutens. See step above on how long to knead for and the cooking times.
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I hope you like this recipe! Share it, or leave a rating and comment below. For questions that need an answer right away, please contact me and I’ll get back to you asap. Gracias!!!! xx, Ana
Print Recipe:
Homemade Flour Tortillas
Equipment
- Stand mixer or if kneading by hand: A large plastic bowl.
- Rolling Pin
- Comal, nonstick griddle or a nonstick large skillet.
Ingredients
Original Recipe
- 3 cups all-purpose flour tortillas (plus more to dust when rolling)
- 1 teaspoon table salt
- ½ cup vegetable shortening (plus more to coat the tortilla dough balls)
- 1 cup hot water
- 1 teaspoon baking powder, optional
Updated Recipe (this is the most accurate recipe. However, you'll need a kitchen scale to make the most perfect tortillas ever!)
- 500 grams all-purpose flour (plus more to dust when rolling)
- ¾ tablespoon table salt
- 100 grams Vegetable shortening in butter flavor (spreadable)
- 1 cups hot water
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil to coat the tortilla dough balls
Instructions
KNEADING BY HAND:
- In a very large bowl, whisk the flour, salt & baking powder.
- Add the vegetable shortening/butter and incorporate well until it's all blended and crumbly.
- Add the hot water little by little and mix with your hands. Knead for 8 to 10 minutes until dough is smooth and elastic. The longer you knead the masa it will release the gluten allowing for a light fluffy tortilla.
- Dough should not be sticky to the touch. If it's sticky then add ½ teaspoon of flour at the time until it's no longer sticky. Don't add too much since this could make your tortillas hard later on.
KNEADING WITH A STAND MIXER:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer and the whisk attachment in place, add the flour, salt & baking powder. Whisk until well incorporated.
- Add the shortening/butter or lard and mix well until crumbly. Scrape the sides with a spatula to incorporate all flour as you go along.
- Change to the dough hook and turn to speed 2. Start adding the hot water little by little (about ¼ cup at the time).
- Mix until dough clings to hook and cleans side of bowl. Knead on speed 2 for 2 minutes longer, or until dough is smooth and elastic.
- Dough should not be sticky to the touch. If it's sticky then add ½ teaspoon of flour at the time until it's no longer sticky. Don't add too much since this could make your tortillas hard later on.
REST TIME
- Place the dough in a large bowl and cover with a damp towel and let rest for 15 to 20 minutes.
PREPARE COOKING THE EQUIPMENT
- Heat the comal/skillet until very hot on medium high heat, then lower to medium heat before you start cooking the first tortilla.
ROLLING TECHNIQUE
- Sprinkle a little flour on a clean surface such as your kitchen counter.
- Grab a handful (a little larger than a golf ball) of the dough and set the rest of the dough aside still covered with the towel.
- Spread the dough ball with a rolling pin, from the center outwards without reaching the ends. Rotate the dough to give a round and thin shape.
- As you roll the tortilla turn the tortilla to the fat edge and roll. Keep turning the tortilla and rolling the fat edge.
COOK THE TORTILLAS
- Before you begin, make sure the comal/skillet is hot. It's ready for the tortillas when you see steam coming out of it.
- Carefully, add the tortilla and cook until it starts to bubble on the edges, about 30 seconds.
- Using your fingers or a spatula, flip it. When it start to bubble, start turning then turn it around with a with a paper towel like if you were playing a music disk (watch video on mark ) . This way the tortilla cooks evenly since sometimes the comal is not heated evenly. Cook on this side about 50 seconds.
- Flip it once again. This is the last turn and it's when you'll get those big bubbles. Do not poke them! Cook for about 50 seconds.
- Remove from the comal immediately and transfer to a tortillera or a clean kitchen towel and cover.
Video
Notes
- Now that I’m in Portugal, I use Planta in butter flavor (sabor a manteiga).
- Heat: The comal is ready to cook the tortillas when you see steam coming out of it.
- Use a dish towel that has been washed without any strong soaps and does not have fabric softener. Often these smells will transfer to the tortilla! Or you can also line the dish towel with paper towels inside to act as a barrier (I do this regardless!)
- Refrigerate – Place them in a ziplock bag and store in refrigerator up to 3 weeks.
- Freeze – I really doubt you’ll have leftovers, but if you do you can store them in the freezer for up to three months. Freeze in an airtight in a ziplock bag. When ready to use, take out and let them thaw in the refrigerator.
ok, can I prepare them into just the dough stage. not cooking until ready for a meal. thank you Jude
Hi Jude, yes you can prepare just the dough and cook when ready. You can form the balls, rub with a little oil and cover with a plastic wrap. Keep them in the fridge for a couple of days and cook before the meal. If you want to wait longer, I would freeze the balls to conserve the flavor and take out as you need. Let me know if this helps or need more help. Enjoy!
My partner said this was the best thing I’ve ever made haha! Thank you for the recipe! 🙂
Thank you Ivy! I’m so happy to hear you made tortillas and it was a success! Thanks for the kind review! Remember, the more you make them, the better you get at it. xo, Ana
How much baking powder is needed? I didn’t see the amount listed but the recipe states to combine the flour, salt and baking powder.
I loved this tutorial! The step-by-step instructions made it so easy to follow, and the video was super helpful. My tortillas turned out perfectly soft and delicious. Can’t wait to try different fillings! Thank you for sharing!
I just tried your flour tortilla recipe, and they turned out amazing! The tutorial was super easy to follow, and the video really helped. Can’t believe how simple it is to make them from scratch. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you so much Orca! I’m glad the video helped. Making tortillas from scratch it’s a great feeling plus you get delicious tortillas. xo, Ana