Homemade Flour Tortillas

Homemade flour tortillas are easy to make with simple ingredients. You can even get creative with them by adding a little cheese or herbs to your dough for a unique flavors. Make a double batch of this flour tortilla recipe bulk and freeze your tortillas for quick easy use such as simple lunches, quick dinners and kids snacks.

Ingredients For Homemade Tortillas

Flour: All purpose flour or white flour makes very soft tortillas. I sometimes to 1, 1/2 cups all purpose and 1, 1/2 cup of whole wheat flour for the added health benefits of whole wheat flour. You can also do 50% all purpose and 50% mesa flour for a half flour/ half corn tortillas. 

Water: Warm water is best, just enough water to make a nice elastic-y dough. 

Oil: Olive oil, coconut oil, avocado oil, vegetable oil, any cooking oil will work for this recipe. I prefer avocado oil best, but it really dose not matter which one you use for your tortillas. 

Salt: Salt for flavor. These tortillas with be flavorless without salt. Enhance the flavor with good salt like Redmond Real Salt. If you are looking for a unrefined natural salt with multiple minerals and electrolytes harvested in the United States of America, then look no further. Redmond Real Salt is full of flavor and nutrients and harvested out of the ancient seabed deep beneath Central Utah

Baking Powder: Baking powder is the key to soft fluffy tortillas. The raising agent creates small bubbles of air all throughout the tortilla when cooking to bring a soft texture rather than a flat dense tortilla. 

Do Not Oil Your Pan

You want to cook your tortillas with dry heat. No oil. Oil on the pan will fry your tortillas making them crunchy and fragile. 

To avoid a smokey bits of four leaving burnt flour and getting brown spots on your tortillas clean you pan with a dry rag or paper towel between each tortilla.

How To Make Homemade Tortillas

Mix all ingredients together

In a bowl mix together the dry ingredients: flour, salt and baking powder. Then add in the wet ingredients: Warm water and oil. Mix and kneed together for a few minutes till the dough starts to show some elasticity. You can use a stand mixer with a dough hook at a low speed or knead by hand.

Let the dough rest

Cover the dough with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and let the dough rest for 30 minutes. Don’t skip this step. As the dough rest it will create a workable stretchy dough able to be rolled out to a thin tortilla.

Divide and roll out

Cut and divide in to 12 equal balls of dough. On a floured work surface use a rolling pin or tortilla press to roll out each dough ball into small disks. If you tortilla is not stretching out to a thin tortilla let is rest for a few minutes then come back to rolling it out again.

Cook

Heat your cast iron skillet or non stick pan on high then turn down a little to medium high. We want a hot pan/hot skillet. Do not add oil to your pan. Cook tortillas for 1-2 minutes on each side of a dry skillet. Clean your pan with a dry rag or paper towel after each tortilla in avoid leaving flour bits leaving black and brown spots on your next tortilla.

Can you freeze homemade tortillas?

YES! you can make a large batch and place in the freezer or refrigerator for later use. You can store your tortillas in the freezer for up to 6 months. In the refrigerator homemade tortillas can be store for about 2 weeks sometimes longer.

How to store tortillas in the freezer

Cook your tortillas lightly, half cooked on each side (30 sec -1 min) for tender tortillas. This will help keep some moisture in your tortilla so it does not dry out while in the freezer. Once completely cooled down. Store your tortillas in an air tight freezer ziploc bag.

When you are ready to use take out of the freezer and leave on the counter top for about 10-20 minutes. Once thawed you can heat back up on the stove for fresh warm homemade tortillas.

These tortillas are go great with….

• Tacos. Chicken tacos, asada tacos, fish tacos, veggie tacos…. every type of soft taco will be elevated with homemade tortillas. 
• Burritos. Instead of dividing your dough into 12 pieces you can cut into 8 or even 6 pieces for larger tortillas that are perfect for burritos. 
• Quesadillas are such an easy lunch for kids. A few tortillas with some cheese makes a yummy quick easy lunch or snack. 
• Enchiladas. Chicken enchiladas are one of our favorites with my very own verde enchilada sauce. 
• Tortilla Wraps. Make healthy lunch with your homemade tortilla wraps. Gathering Dreams has some great tortilla wrap ideas and recipes. 
• Cinnamon and Honey. One of my favorite snacks growing up is a tortilla with honey and cinnamon. Its such a simple snack that is great for kids.

Flavored Tortillas (optional ingredients)

Sweet Tortillas

For a sweet tortilla simply add a tablespoon or two of honey or sugar to your dough. Sweet tortillas make great dessert quesadillas. Cinnamon and honey, Chocolate chip and marshmallow or Nutella and fresh fruit.

Parmesan Cheese and Herbs

1/4-1/2 a cup grated Parmesan cheese with a few fresh basil leaves chopped up and added to your dough will add great flavored tortillas to your chicken or veggie wraps. You can also substitute the basil for rosemary, oregano or even garlic powder. Make it your own to fit your desired flavors.

Cheesy Tortillas

Add a cup of your choice of grated cheese your your dough for extra cheesy tortillas that are great for enchiladas, burritos, and tacos!