Flour Tortillas Recipe
Soft, pliable, and perfectly chewy, homemade flour tortillas elevate any meal, from tacos to wraps. With just four simple ingredients, these tortillas come together quickly, offering a fresh, warm alternative to store-bought versions. Their delicate flavor and tender texture make them an irresistible addition to any dish.
Equipment
- Large mixing bowl
- Fork (or pastry cutter)
- Rolling pin
- Heavy-bottomed skillet or griddle
- Clean dishcloth
- Parchment paper
Ingredients
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
- 5 tbsp light flavored oil melted butter or melted shortening or melted lard
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ⅔ cup very warm water
Instructions
- Dissolve the salt in warm water by stirring until fully combined.
- In a large bowl, use a fork to mix the flour with oil (or other fat) until the mixture appears crumbly.
- Gradually pour in most of the salty water and stir until a shaggy dough begins to form, adding a little more water if needed.
- Once the dough comes together, transfer it to a floured surface and knead for 2 to 3 minutes until smooth.
- Cover with a clean dishcloth and let it rest for at least 15 minutes or up to 2 hours to make rolling easier.
- Divide the dough into ten equal portions, shaping them into small disks.
- Roll each disk into an 8-inch round, aiming for thinness rather than perfect shape.
- Stack them with parchment paper in between or roll and cook them simultaneously.
- Heat a wide, heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat, then add a tortilla.
- After 20 to 30 seconds, bubbles should appear.
- Flip when brown spots form, cooking the second side until it is also speckled and the edges appear dry.
- Each tortilla takes about 1 to 2 minutes.
- Adjust heat as needed—raise it if cooking takes too long, or lower it if the pan smokes or the tortillas brown too fast.
- Transfer the cooked tortillas to a dishcloth.
- Covering them to keep warm while you cook the rest.
Notes
- If your tortillas shrink back when rolling, let the dough rest a bit longer to relax the gluten.
- A cast-iron skillet retains heat well and gives the best texture, but any heavy-bottomed pan works.
- For extra flexibility, lightly brush warm tortillas with melted butter or oil before stacking them.