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Homemade Flour Tortillas are so delicious and easier to make than you might think. We break it all down for you step by step, you’ll never want to serve tacos or burritos with store-bought tortillas again.

Three Homemade Flour Tortillas, each folded in half, laying on a cutting board in front of a plate of Flour Tortillas and a white bowl filled with salsa.

There is a family-owned Mexican Restaurant in our city that we’ve been going to for decades. They bring you Homemade Flour Tortillas instead of Tortilla Chips while you wait for your food and WOW are those tortillas are delicious. You can watch them make the tortillas too and it didn’t seem too hard so we decided we needed to learn how to make tortillas at home. After some trial and error, we found a recipe that tastes almost exactly like those restaurant tortillas. It might seem daunting to make these on your own … it did to us … but it really isn’t that hard. We have all the step-by-step instructions you’ll need to make warm and delicious homemade tortillas that your family will love.

How to make the Flour Tortilla Dough

Collage image showing how to make the tortilla dough.

Step 1: Add the flour, salt, and baking powder to the bowl and mix together.  Add the olive oil and mix. Try to get the oil completely combined with the flour mixture and then add the water and mix until just combined.
Step 2: Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured board to knead.

Collage image showing how to separate the tortilla dough into pieces ready for rolling out.

Step 3: Knead briefly until the dough forms into a ball.  If the ball is very sticky, add a little bit of flour.
Step 4: Divide into 16 equal portions
Step 5: Roll each portion into a ball and lightly coat with flour (or oil.
Step 6: Cover with a kitchen towel to allow the dough to rest. Rest for a minimum of 30 minutes and a maximum of 2 hours.

How to Roll Out the Flour Tortillas

Collage image showing how to roll out the tortillas.

Step 7: Work with one ball of dough at a time and use a rolling pin to roll into a 7-8 inch (or so) circles.  Keep the other balls of dough covered until you are ready to use them.
Step 8: If you roll out all the tortillas before you cook them, be careful not to stack them or they might stick together.

How to Cook the Flour Tortillas

Collage image showing the steps for cooking the tortillas in a pan on the stove.

Step 12: Heat an un-greased pan on medium-high heat. Place a tortilla in the pan. 
Step 13: Heat for 1 min or until bubbles start to form on the surface and there are few brown spots on the bottom. 
Step 14: Turn the tortilla and cook for 20-30 seconds more.
Step 15: You can cool them or serve them warm.

Expert Tips and FAQ’s

What kind of flour should I use?

We use All-Purpose flour.

Is there a substitute for olive oil?

Any type of fat will work in this recipe – you can use Butter, Oil or Shortening. We use Olive Oil.

What temperature should the water be?

Room temperature water is perfect.

Why do you add Baking Powder?

It gives the Tortilla a little bit of a rise. 

How to Store/Freeze

Homemade Flour Tortillas can be stored in an airtight plastic bag and will keep up to two weeks in the refrigerator. 

Closeup of three Homemade Flour Tortillas, folded in half, laying on a cutting board in front of a stack of tortillas and a bowl of Pico de Gallo.

Other Homemade Bread Recipes You Will Love

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Homemade Flour TortillasPrint

Homemade Flour Tortillas

Yield 16 servings
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Additional Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes

Homemade Flour Tortillas are so delicious and easier to make than you might think. We break it all down for you step by step, you'll never want to serve soft tacos or burritos with store-bought tortillas again.

Ingredients

  • 3 cups All Purpose Flour
  • 1 teaspoon Salt
  • 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
  • 1/3 cup Olive Oil
  • 1 cup Water

Instructions

  1. Add flour, salt, and baking powder to bowl.  Mix together.
  2. Add oil and mix. Try to get all the oil combined with the flour mixture.
  3. Add water and mix until just combined.
  4. Turn out onto a lightly floured board to knead.
  5. Knead briefly until the dough forms into a ball.  If the ball is very sticky, add a little bit of flour.
  6. Divide into 16 equal portions
  7. Roll lightly in flour (or oil) and cover with a kitchen towel to allow them to rest.
  8. Rest for a minimum of 30 minutes and a maximum of 2 hours.
  9. Work with one ball of dough at a time.
  10. Using a rolling pin, roll into a 7-8 inch (or so) circles
  11. Keep the other balls of dough covered until you are ready to use them.
  12. If you roll out all the tortillas before you cook them, be carful not to stack them they might stick together.
  13. Heat un-greased pan over a medium high heat
  14. Place tortilla on pan.  Heat for 1 min until bubbles start to form on the surface and there are few brown spots on the bottom.
  15. Turn tortilla and cook for 20-30 seconds more.
  16. Store in an airtight plastic bag.

Notes

Any type of fat will work in this recipe - you can use Butter, Oil or Shortening.

Did you Make this Recipe? Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @twosisterscrafting on Instagram so we can see it!

© Two Sisters Crafting
Cuisine: American / Category: Breads