Homemade Flour Tortilla Recipe
Tortillas were one of the first things I ever tried making completely from scratch.
Because at some point, you realize the ones in the plastic bag? They’re a lie. A chewy, shelf-stable lie. Real tortillas? They’re soft, warm, and whisper to your fillings: “You deserve better.” Making them from scratch is embarrassingly easy. Five ingredients, one skillet, no preservatives, and a result that’ll make your tacos weep with joy.
Once you’ve rolled, flipped, and stacked a tower of these golden, pillowy tortillas, there’s no going back. So don’t go back. Let’s cook.
Recipe Card
| Recipe Name | Homemade Flour Tortillas |
|---|---|
| Summary | Soft, warm, perfectly foldable tortillas made with five pantry staples—better than store-bought, faster than delivery. |
| Servings | 8–10 tortillas |
| Prep Time | 15 minutes |
| Cook Time | 10 minutes (batch cooking) |
| Additional Time | 20 minutes (dough resting) |
| Total Time | ~45 minutes |
| Course | Bread / Side / Base |
| Cuisine | Mexican-inspired |
| Method | Hot skillet, hand-rolled |
| Diet | Vegetarian |
| Keywords | homemade tortillas, flour tortillas, soft taco shells |
| Equipment | Bowl, fork, rolling pin, cast iron or nonstick skillet, towel, spatula |
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil or melted butter
- ¾ cup warm water (plus more as needed)
Instructions
- Mix the dough
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, salt, and baking powder. Add oil. Mix with a fork until crumbly and shaggy. - Hydrate
Pour in the warm water and mix until a rough dough forms. If it’s dry, add a splash more water. Knead by hand for 1–2 minutes until smooth and soft, not sticky. This dough should feel like playdough’s smarter cousin. - Let it nap
Divide into 8–10 even-sized balls. Cover with a towel and let rest for 20 minutes. No skipping—this is what makes them easy to roll. - Roll thin
Flour your surface. Roll each ball into a thin circle about 7–8 inches wide. Rotate often and flip as needed. Thicker tortillas = chewier. Thinner = puffier. - Cook with confidence
Heat a dry skillet (cast iron, preferably) over medium-high until it’s hot enough to make a drop of water sizzle. Lay in your rolled dough. Cook ~30 seconds per side until you see golden brown spots and some puffing. Don’t walk away—each side goes fast. - Stack & steam
As each tortilla finishes, stack it on a plate and cover with a clean kitchen towel. This keeps them warm and soft. Serve immediately—or store and reheat.
Kitchen Notes:
- Oil vs butter: Oil gives a slightly lighter texture. Butter adds flavor and richness. Both win.
- Water temp: Warm to the touch. Not hot. You’re activating gluten, not cooking dough.
- Rolling tip: Don’t panic if they’re not perfectly round. Rustic = real. They’ll still taste 100x better than any store-bought disc.
- Puff power: Puffing is a sign of properly hydrated dough and a hot skillet. Even if it doesn’t puff? Still delicious.
- Make ahead: Cool completely, stack, store in a zip-top bag at room temp for 2 days or freeze for up to 2 months.
- Reheat: Toss on a hot skillet for 10 seconds each side to bring them back to life.
Final Wrap
This isn’t just a tortilla recipe—it’s your passport to better tacos. To breakfast burritos that don’t crack. This is flour, fat, salt, and heat working in harmony like a crunchy bass line behind every incredible filling you can dream up.
Flip it fast. Wrap it tight From scratch. In 45 minutes.”
Want more fearless, rustic recipes with flavour-first attitude and zero compromises? Shoot me an email at [email protected]. Tell me what your readers are hungry for—and I’ll serve up your next obsession.
