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These Easy Homemade Flour Tortillas are so much better than anything from the store. Homemade tortillas are extra soft, doughy, and chewy. I like to add salted butter, for extra deliciousness. Fresh flour tortillas are so easy to make at home and pretty difficult to mess up. No yeast + no rising time = simple as can be!
When it comes to flour tortillas, I never thought I would care to take the time to make them at home. But after realizing just how simple they can be, I’ve been making them almost weekly. They’re pretty much a staple for our family’s Mexican dinners.
These are DELICIOUS, and like nothing you’ll find in the grocery store.
Homemade tortillas are softer, chewier, and you just can’t beat the flavor.
Details – mix the dough
Simply mix flour, baking powder, and salt together. Then, add softened butter and hot water. Mix this until a soft, shaggy dough forms, then use your hands to need the dough into a smooth ball.
Let the dough rest for 10 minutes to allow the gluten to settle.
Roll the dough out
Divide the dough into 12 to 14 dough balls, then roll each out using a rolling pin. If you have a tortilla press, that will make things very easy! I don’t have one, but it’s on my list of items to invest in.
I like to roll all the dough balls out before I start cooking any of the tortillas. This helps the cooking process go much easier and smoother.
Cook the tortillas
It’s best to use a cast-iron skillet if you can, then add a drizzle of olive oil. Most people don’t use oil to cook the tortillas, but I’ve found you get a much better outcome with just a small amount of oil in the pan.
Cook until bubbles appear on top. Then. just like a pancake, flip and cook until lightly golden.
These are delicious warm, right off the skillet. Fresh fajitas or tacos can also be stored for up to 3 days, or kept frozen for even longer!
These are also great with quesadillas, skillet verde chicken, chili, and more!
Lastly, if you make these Easy Homemade Flour Tortillas, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Easy Homemade Flour Tortillas
Servings: 12 tortillas
Calories Per Serving: 172 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 5 tablespoons salted butter, at room temperature (or coconut oil)
- 1 cup hot water
Instructions
- 1. In a bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the butter, then pour over the hot water. Stir until a shaggy dough begins to form.2. Turn the dough out onto a floured counter. Use your hands to knead the dough for 1-2 minutes until it forms a smooth ball. Cover the bowl with a damp towel and let rest 10 minutes. 3. Cut the dough into 12-14 equal wedges, then roll each wedge into a ball (they don't need to be perfect). Use a rolling pin or a tortilla press to roll the dough out into an 8 – inch circle.4. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add a small drizzle of olive oil, then a tortilla. Cook 30-60 seconds, until little bubbles appear on the surface. Flip and cook another 30 seconds, or until the bottom is slightly golden. Set on a plate and cover with a towel. Repeat with the remaining dough. 5. Serve warm (yum!) or save for later. Keep the tortillas stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Notes
Butter: I like the flavor of butter best, but coconut oil can also be used.
Storage: the tortillas can be stored in a food storage bag at room temperature for up to 3 days, or frozen for up to 3 months.Â
Followed the recipe exactly and for the life of me cannot get a smooth ball to form before resting the dough. It’s so so incredibly sticky it’s just impossible. What am I missing?
Hi Melissa,
So sorry to hear this, I would add more flour as needed until you get the ball to form. Please let me know if I can help in any other way! xTieghan
I really love homemade tortillas, but I’m always intimidated by doughs of any sort. Haha, I am NOT bake savvy, but this was very easy and the end result was delicious. Successfully making homemade tortillas has definitely increased my confidence to try other dough recipes 🙂
Hey Scherrie,
Thanks so much for giving this recipe a go and sharing your feedback!! I love to hear that it was a winner:) xTieghan
I think there might be too much baking powder in this recipe? They came out more like pita than tortillas.
Tasty, but not exactly the tortilla vibe I was going for.
Hi Jessica,
Thanks for giving the recipe a try, sorry yours were thicker than expected:) The measurements are all correct, sounds like you may have just needed to roll yours much thinner. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
I love that this recipe was as easy as it was delicious. I think I rolled them too thick, and still they came out so good. The tortillas came out soft and fluffy almost like a cross between pita bread and a chalupa. My husband raved over them!
Hey Erica,
Thanks so much for giving this recipe a go and sharing your feedback!! I love to hear that it was a winner:) xTieghan
Is it possible to sub half whole wheat with the white flour. Or do you have a separate recipe for that? Would love to make my own tortilla’s but need something a little more whole grain-ish.
Hey Cathy,
Sure, I bet that would work well for you! Let me know if you give the recipe a try, I hope you love it! xxTieghan
How comes when you click ‘metric’ the butter is still shown in tablespoons? Who measures butter in spoons? Please, give us a weight!
Hi Pete,
5 tablespoons of butter is equal to 70.87 grams. Please let me know if you have any other questions, I hope you love the recipe! xTieghan
Just saw post & had to make
I had been making recipe with just olive oil and they were fine
But so much easier with butter
Mine are never round ?
But this is the easiest tortilla recipe!!!
Thanks ??
Hey Kate,
Wonderful!! Thank you so much for trying this recipe and sharing your feedback! I am so glad it was enjoyed. Have a great week! ?xxT
Tastes great and so easy!!!
Hi Jen,
That’s great!! I love to hear that this recipe was a hit, thanks so much for making it! xxT
Beautiful tortillas! So tender and flavorful compared to store bought. Made big ones for veggie wraps next day, since can make them larger than store bought wraps. Yummmm!
Hi Kendra,
Happy Sunday!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a bunch for giving it a go! xx
Made these today but only had bread flour….they still turned out amazing!
A little thicker than a ‘wrap’ my girls would get from the store but they were delicious!
I think all the extra work to make them just makes it taste better!
Lovely recipe I will continue making!
Thanks Tieghan!
Hey Jessica,
Happy Sunday!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a bunch for giving it a go! xx
I’m willing to try ur recipe – I’ve usually used shortening or lard instead of melted butter. I have a feeling ill really like this recipe cause I enjoy butter. Sincerely, Rita
I hope you love the recipe Rita!!
Could whole wheat flour be used?
Hi Susan,
Sure, that should work well for you! I hope this recipe turns out amazing, let me know if you have any other questions! xx
Can you throw everything in a stand mixer instead? If so, any time changes for kneading?
Hey Tom,
I love my stand mixer, but for this recipe I would just mix by hand so you don’t overwork the dough. Let me know if you give the recipe a try, I hope you love it!! xTieghan
Could you make these on a pizza stone in an outdoor pizza oven ?
I learned how to make tortillas from my mother in law who learned from her grandmother who was from Michoacan. A comal (pronounced coo-maul) is generally used for cooking. It is a cast iron disk and a good one is about 1/2″ thick. A cast iron skillet works but cast iron is a must for really authentic tortillas, flour or corn. A burner disk from an antique cast iron cook stove is perfect. Traditionally lard is used, not butter but to each their own. MIW switched to vegetable oil to cut cholesterol. I use lard. Your measurements are close but your mixing methods are a bit different. The order is correct (mix dries, add oil, add water). I was taught to stir very hot water until all dry ingredients are incorporated and a very thick batter type dough is achieved, then mix in flour until a consistency is reached that can be kneaded. Knead on a floured surface until the dough, when pinched, feels like your ear lobe. Roll out on an UNFLOURED surface. This is so the dough that will be slightly elastic does not pull back and can be rolled out very thinly. A tortilla press works poorly for flour tortillas. Your comal should be screaming hot. I have yet to use an electric stove that can keep it hot enough to cook tortillas the way we like them. Gas is much better. If the comal is hot enough, cooking as described works well. The goal is to quickly the surface on both sides while barely cooking the interior for a soft, chewy tortilla.
Hi Larry,
Thanks so much for sharing YOUR method:) This is the recipe that worked well for ME using ingredients and cooking materials that most of my readers have on hand. Let me know if you have any questions! xTieghan
You handled that graciously. ?
Look forward to making these
I hope you love the recipe Trisha!!
Thanks Larry I’m looking for a comal to purchase now, such interesting information from you.
Hi Wanda,
I’ve never tried that, but sounds like a fun idea! Let me know if you give the recipe a try, I hope you love it! xx
Back during the lockdown when few bread type items were available, I started making tortillas. If you use bacon grease for the fat? Good gravy! So delicious!
Thanks so much for the recommendation!!
I was wondering if they could be made with GF Flour?
Hi Leesa,
Yes, you can use an equal amount of gluten free flour. I hope this recipe turns out amazing for you, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
How would cassava flour work as a substitute as a gluten free alternative?
Hey Annie,
I’ve not tested that with this recipe, I think a gluten free flour blend would give you the best results. Please let me know if you give the recipe a try, I hope you love it! xx