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 puff. They stretch. They bend without cracking. 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. To buttery wraps that actually wrap. This is flour, fat, salt, and heat working in harmony like a crunchy bass line behind every incredible filling you can dream up.
So roll it thin. Flip it fast. Wrap it tight. And if someone asks where you got these tortillas, look them straight in the eye and say: “I made them. 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.
