Homemade Flour Tortillas. If you haven't, you must. These are incredibly tasty, beyond easy to make, and will be a fast family favorite. I promise. For everything from burritos to enchiladas to a simple buttered tortilla for snack, these really are the best ever.
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And, if you're in the market for more super easy bread recipes, you stopped by the right place! Try my Dutch Oven No Knead Bread, Beer Bread, or my Savory Monkey Bread!
Pull Up A Chair and Let's Chat!
I started making our flour tortillas from scratch recently. Looking at the ingredients list of the store bought variety didn't make me feel great. I tried it, from scratch, and they are amazing. And, so very simple. I will never go back to the store bought kind again.
These Homemade Flour Tortillas are buttery, soft with the perfect amount of chewiness, and just plain delicious. Whether you want one warmed up for a snack, stuffed with the weekly Taco Tuesday offerings, or even with a drizzle of honey for a sweet treat, you've got to try these. You do it this way one time and you'll never look back.
Tortillas and Cast Iron: A Love Story
For these homemade flour tortillas, you need a good cast iron skillet. You need a cooking vessel that can get hot and stay hot. Cast iron is just such a vessel. I've tried making these tortillas in a regular skillet and a panini press that opens out flat. They just don't cut it.
You don't need a lot in the kitchen arsenal and if you get a few good quality pieces, you'll be set!
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How To Make Them
This part is so simple you will wonder why you haven't been making homemade flour tortillas from scratch from the beginning. I use the dough hook attachment on my food processor to really make it easy. And, because I'm lazy, but that's a story for another time.
I'll give you a brief rundown of the festivities here, but the specifics will live in the recipe card below. What you need to do is:
- Make the dough in the food processor.
- Form the dough into a smooth ball and let it rest 20 minutes.
- Divide the dough ball into 12 equal-ish pieces.
- Roll out the balls into a circle. Ish.
- Cook them on a hot cast iron skillet.
- Let them steam until a towel.
That's it! So easy and the end product is so good!
A Note About Perfection
Now listen up. In no way shape or form do these homemade flour tortillas need to be a perfect circle. Even if your tortilla is in the shape of Delaware, as long as it is evenly rolled, it will be amazing! Also, Australia is particularly delicious. I would know.
You're making homemade flour tortillas. That in of itself deserves a high-five and pat on the back. Anytime you take the time out of your busy schedule to do something like this, it's an act of love - either for yourself or your people.
That's the beauty of homemade food. It's how I show love and why I do what I do. Show up with a batch of warm, fresh homemade flour tortillas and whoever they're for will feel the love, too!
Tips and Tricks
- Allow the dough to rest for at least 15-20 minutes. This allows the glutens to relax and will make rolling the tortillas much easier.
- If you find that the tortillas spring back during rolling, just the the dough rest another 10-15 minutes.
- Roll the tortillas pretty thin. For this recipe, I roll them to about 9-inches in diameter and they are almost translucent. Thick tortillas will not be tender.
- Roll the tortillas as evenly as you can. If you have areas of thick and thin they will cook unevenly.
- I love the flavor of butter in this homemade flour tortillas recipe, but olive oil and avocado would work or any fairly neutral flavored oil you like. I don't recommend peanut oil or coconut oil just because the flavor is a bit strong.
- Cook the homemade flour tortillas just long enough to see some nice bubbles and a few light brown spots. If the heat is too high, they run the risk of being stiff and crunchy after cooking. Medium to slight medium-high heat is a good sweet spot.
- After cooking, keep the tortillas covered with a kitchen towel. They will be able to steam a bit and it keeps them lovely and soft and wonderful and better than any tortillas ever. Promise.
Serving Ideas
You better grab a seat. This might take me a minute.
First off, rolled up and warm fresh off of the skillet. Maybe with a little butter and salt.
But, also with
- Queso, Pico de Gallo, or Salsa Verde for Dipping.
- As a wrap for things like Chicken Caesar Salad Wrap.
- Burritos or chicken quesadillas.
- To scoop up Carne Guisada or Instant Pot Taco Chicken
- With melted butter and sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar.
- As a simple pizza crust.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where did the word tortilla come from?
Tortilla comes from the Spanish word "torta"- which means cake. The more you know!
Can I use a tortilla press?
I don't recommend it here. The glutens in the dough make it difficult. You'll need to roll them out by hand. Tortilla presses work great for corn tortillas, not flour.
Can I make this homemade flour tortillas recipe gluten-free?
Yes! All you need to do is substitute the all-purpose flour for your favorite gluten-free 1:1 baking flour. They'll be awesome!
Homemade Flour Tortillas Recipe
Equipment
- food processor with dough attachment or stand mixer
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 5 tablespoon butter, softened
- 1½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1-1½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup hot water
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients into the bowl of the food processor (or stand mixer or mix by hand). Pulse until a shaggy dough forms.
- Pour dough out onto pastry mat and knead by hand until a smooth ball forms.
- Allow the dough to rest for about 15-20 minutes. This allows the glutens to relax. Don't skip this part or rolling the tortillas will be difficult.
- Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces. Roll those pieces into balls.
- Roll each piece into thin, even, 9-inch diameter circles.
- Heat a cast iron skillet over medium to medium-high heat.
- Add just a touch of avocado oil, using paper towel to spread it around the skillet evenly. You do not want a visible amount of oil in the skillet. Just enough to keep things from sticking.
- Carefully lay out a tortilla onto the skillet, when you start to see bubbles and a few slightly brown spots on the bottom (this takes 1-2 minutes depending on your heat), flip.
- Cook until a few brown spots develop on the other side. This will take approximately 20-30 seconds.
- Place the cooked tortilla onto a plate and cover with a slightly damp towel. This lets the tortillas steam and become super soft.
- Repeat until all tortillas are cooked.
- Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Storage and Reheating Instructions
I store my homemade flour tortillas in the fridge to make them last longer - not that that has ever been an issue. They'll be good in there for 5-7 days. However, they will be stiff when cold. All you have to do it heat then in the microwave about 15 seconds, covered with a damp cloth or paper towel. They'll go right back to being wonderful again.
I don't recommend storing them at room temp because of the butter in the dough. Keep them in the fridge.
You can freeze them in a zip top bag for up to 3 months. Try to remove as much air as you can from the bag and keep it in the freezer. Just let them thaw out on the counter top when you're ready to use them.
Thank you!
I am so incredibly happy that you are here! I hope you try my Homemade Flour Tortillas recipe and fall in love with it. If you make this recipe, please share and tag me on Instagram, Facebook, or TikTok!
If you guys make this Homemade Flour Tortillas, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! I absolutely love to hear from you all and always do my best to respond to each and every one of your comments!
Happy Cooking!
-Rufus
Jan says
These are sooooo good and so easy to make! We will never go back to store bought tortillas again! Thank you!
Rufus says
Thank you so much for your sweet words! I'm so glad you liked them! Have a great day!
Amelia says
We make these once a week now. They are our favs!
Rufus says
I am so glad you like them! We have weekly tortilla making sessions, too!