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There’s something so good about a warm flour tortilla fresh from the skillet. They’re soft, a little chewy, buttery, and honestly so much better than the store-bought kind.
The best part is how simple they are. No yeast, no long rise, and no fancy equipment required. Just a handful of pantry staples and a hot skillet for homemade tortillas that are perfect for taco night, quesadillas, and everything in between.
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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!
FAQ
Can I make these flour tortillas with coconut oil instead of butter?Yes, coconut oil works here and is already noted in the recipe. The tortillas will still be soft, but the flavor will be less rich and buttery.
Why are my homemade tortillas tough instead of soft?That usually happens when too much flour is added during rolling or the dough doesn’t rest long enough. The dough should stay soft, and the cooked tortillas should be covered with a towel right away to keep them tender.
How do I know when it’s time to flip the tortilla?
Look for bubbles across the surface and light golden color underneath. If the tortilla is browning too fast before it bubbles, lower the heat slightly.
How should I store and reheat leftover tortillas?
Keep them in an airtight container or sealed bag once cool. Reheat in a skillet or wrapped until warm and flexible so they taste soft again.
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
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
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Did you make this recipe? Please rate & comment below.
Have you ever tried to make with gluten free flour?
Hi Johanna,
You should be able to make the recipe using an equal amount of gluten free flour. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xx
Made these today with a friend. These are super simple. When warm, we put jam on them and it was so delicious. Tonight am making the chicken, ceasar, bacon recipe and will use these wraps. Can’t wait!
Hey Deb!
Wonderful!! Thanks so much for sharing your feedback and making this recipe! Hope you’re off to a great weekend! xTieghan
Thanks, I’ll give it a try.
these were great! I halved the recipe just to give it a try and everyone wanted more! using butter is a must. They came together so easily – I let them rest while I prepped the rest of our taco dinner! Similar to making pitas and naan.
Hey Brooks!
Happy Friday!!? I am thrilled to hear this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a bunch for giving it a try! xxT
Yes these work just fine. But to everyone saying the rolling is always springing back on them: you really should let the dough ball rest for a minimum 1/2 hour before rolling; it will relax the gluten and all the water and butter will hydrate the flour. Ten minutes really wouldn’t be enough. I did a half recipe my first time and it made four 10-ish-inch tortillas. You gotta roll them out to near-windowpane-thin to get a traditional flour tortilla thinness. With the half hour (or longer) resting time and a minimally floured countertop, they roll out tenderly and very easily. I would def circle back to this recipe again and again.
Hi Suzy,
Amazing!! I am so glad to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it and sharing your feedback:)
Made these tonight out of desperation! I had a thrive market delivery today and all my taco shells in that order were completely destroyed! So I made these because I had tacos planned for dinner tonight AND I live in the country and making tortillas is way quicker then running to the store to buy them. Anyway, these were delicious and took me about 40 minutes to whip up. Total game changer; will never buy flour tortillas again!!
Hey Jessi!
Ohhh no!! So sorry to hear about your Thrive delivery, but so glad you enjoyed this recipe, thanks for making it:) xx
I made these tonight and they were delicious but thick. I used my tortilla press and they came out super thin but then cooked thick. Any ideas on how to fix this? I loved the flavor of butter in this recipe. Thanks Tieghan!
Hi Kayla,
Fantastic! Thanks for your comment and trying the recipe:) I am so glad it was enjoyed! Sorry to hear they were thick….I don’t have experience using a tortilla press so it’s hard for me to say. Maybe try rolling them out next time? xxT
Hi! I love these they are so good and easy! When I am rolling mine out the edges keep shrinking back in and then it gets a thicker edge. Am I just not rolling them out long enough??
Hey Courtnie,
Happy Sunday!! Thanks for your comment and making this recipe:) I love to hear that it was enjoyed!! I would say just keep rolling them, they will eventually thin out:) xx
These were a hit at my house! Yours are prettier. I’ll have to practice a bit more! Thank you!
Hi Lori,
Wonderful!! I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for making it and sharing your feedback! Hope you’re off to a great weekend:)
These remind of making naan bread. I added a little more salt since I used unsalted butter. Taste is good. The tortillas are homemade so it’s not thin like the store package. Wait for it to cool down for it to be pliable.
I forgot to mention that I used a cup of white whole wheat flour so maybe that is why it wasn’t as thin. Still very good.
Definitely good be the whole wheat flour:)
Hi Kristie,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try and sharing your feedback! Have a great Friday! xx
I’ve made these maybe 15 times now. I’m obsessed with them. But I tried to make them with whole wheat flour and they were a disaster. Very dry. Couldn’t even roll it out. Is there a way to make it work or is whole wheat a different animal and not worth it?
Thanks so much. Obsessed with these and all your recipes!
xx
Hey Hannah,
Thanks for making this recipe so often! Sorry to hear they didn’t work with whole wheat flour, I haven’t tested this so I’m not sure what best fix would be! So sorry! xTieghan
Hi Hannah, I just had to chime in, using whole wheat flour. You have to add more liquid when using wheat, bc it’s dryer. So start adding more liquid little by little to the recipe. Don’t add to much. I live in Colorado, so I add quite a bit more than humid places. Start there. I think whole wheat adds more flavor!
LOVE LOVE LOVE this recipe Tieghan! I will never again eat store brought tortillas. Totally worth the extra steps. I made chicken, bacon, ranch wraps with these and yummmm! Just gotta perfect making them more circular lol
Hey there,
Happy Monday!! Thanks a lot for giving this recipe a go, I am so glad it was a winner:) Have the best week! xx
I’ve tried numerous times to make tortillas, not successfully ?. These were my best so far. Question, I feel like I rolled them super thin, but yours still look thinner, ??♀️??♀️what I long for! Suggestions?
P.S. every recipe of yours I’ve made are so good!!
Hey Laurie,
Happy Monday!! Thanks a lot for giving this recipe a go, I am so glad it was a winner:) I would just say to try rolling them even thinner, they do puff up while cooking. Have the best week! xx
I folded the recipe exactly, but when I cook them on the stovetop they become very brittle and not “flexible” at all. Not sure what went wrong. They almost become like chips. Flavor is fine, but the texture is all wrong.
Hi Laura,
Thanks for giving the recipe a try, sorry to hear you had some issues. Did you leave them on the skillet for too long? Let me know! xTieghan
These are so good and so simple! We make them weekly at house now. Thanks for the recipe 🙂
Our house*
Hey Quinn,
Amazing!! I am so glad this recipe was a hit, thanks a lot for trying it out! Have the best weekend! ☀️xx
If you wanted to make them with an alternate flour do you think it would work? Looking for gluten free.
Hi Shannon,
I think it depends on the flour, I probably wouldn’t recommend almond or coconut flour, but an equal amount of gluten free flour like Bob’s Red Mill should work well for you! xTieghan
I’m not sure where I went wrong but could not roll them out thin enough to produce those nice bubbles on the skillet. They would shrink up.
Also they seemed to lack flavor.
I’m determined to keep trying as I grew up eating grandma’s tortillas. Yours looks just as good.
I would let the dough rest longer next time and be careful not to over-work it:)