This simple flour tortilla recipe with only 3 ingredients is a healthy alternative to store bought versions. Packed with authentic Mexican flavor, you’ll want to add these tortillas to your next taco night!
There’s somewhat of a running joke in our family. My husband used to be the pickiest eater I knew. Not my kids.
Nope, it was Mr. Crumbs.
In fact, it would be easier to list what he WOULD eat (his mom’s fried chicken, steak, and authentic East Coast pizza being his three main food groups) than what he wouldn’t.
His eating habits are now COMPLETELY different.
- The man who didn’t like fish now requests Homemade Caesar Dressing for family dinners (and yes, he knows it contains anchovies).
- Mr. Crumbs once nearly lost his dinner when he realized his favorite risotto (which he had already eaten a second helping of) contained mushrooms. These days he asks me to sauté some to put on top of our pies on pizza night.
- The man who used to despise tomatoes not only requests Tomato Basil Soup almost every soup night but also puts a thick slice of tomato on his grilled vegetable sandwiches. In fact, the last time I made couscous, he asked me to cut the tomatoes bigger and add more!
Why did he change his tune? Recipes that taste delicious every time will do that for you.
It’s no wonder that the family looks to him for approval of new dishes and kitchen experiments. If it passes his taste test, you know it’s a winner. And he can’t stop eating these tortillas!
HOMEMADE TORTILLAS
These homemade tortillas are great because they’re:
- Free from hydrogenated oil, one of the foods on my no-no list
- Made from simple ingredients
- Authentically delicious
- Easy to make in large batches
INGREDIENTS FOR SOFT FLOUR TORTILLAS
You only need 3 ingredients for this flour tortilla recipe, plus a little warm water:
- Flour (all purpose flour, wheat flour, or Einkorn all work)
- Salt
- Coconut oil (in place of traditional vegetable oil, which contains hydrogenated fats)
Not only are these tortillas quick and easy but, at a cost of about $1.25 a batch, they are budget-friendly as well!
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FLOUR TORTILLA RECIPE TOOLS
While you don’t NEED any special tools to make this flour tortilla recipe, there are a few things that can make it easier, especially if you end up loving this flour tortilla recipe and making batch after batch…
- I use this kitchen scale to measure out 1 oz portions. Then I press between two plates. (This tortilla press is on my wish list.) Pressing them flat makes it easier to fully roll out the tortillas without using too much flour.
- Although they’re not necessary to make delicious tortillas, a pastry cutter and a bench scraper can make the process easier. They’re great kitchen tools for making things like Easy Homemade Biscuits and Hamburger Buns too!
HOW TO MAKE TORTILLAS
Step 1. Mix the flour and salt together in a large bowl or in the bowl of a stand mixer.
Step 2. Cut in the coconut oil until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. You can use a pastry cutter like this one, or simply use a fork. In a stand mixer, use the wire whisks to cut in the oil.
Step 3. Add the water (you don’t need hot water, but it should be warm to the touch) and knead the dough against the sides of the bowl a few times until it is smooth.
Step 4. Divide the dough into 20 equal portions, rolling each into dough balls (I weigh the dough into 1 oz portions to ensure they’re all even, but weighing is not necessary). I like to use this hand tool to easily cut through the dough.
Step 5. Allow the dough to rest for at least 10 minutes, or up to 2 hours. You can cover it with a towel or plastic wrap if desired.
Step 6. Preheat the griddle, cast iron skillet over medium-high heat, or oven to 400F.
Step 7. Working with one ball at a time on a floured work surface, knead and roll your ball into an approximately 6-inch circle. Rotate and flip the dough and add additional flour as necessary to prevent sticking. Working on top of a lightly floured surface of parchment paper is an option as well.
Step 8. When the griddle/skillet is hot, lay a tortilla across and cook for 30 seconds. Flip and cook the tortilla for another 15 to 30 seconds until small golden brown spots appear. Repeat with the remaining balls of dough. Stack the cooked tortillas and wrap them in a clean kitchen towel. Serve warm.
HOMEMADE FLOUR TORTILLA RECIPE TIPS
The few minutes you spend rolling homemade flour tortillas are absolutely worth the effort. Here are a couple of tips to maximize your time in the kitchen and make this homemade tortilla recipe as easy as possible:
- I always make a triple batch when I make these, because it’s less work and clean up in the long run. Plus, I can stick the extras in the freezer and have them ready for a super fast dinner whenever I need them. They thaw quickly!
- You want the tortillas to be very thin after you roll them so that you can almost see through them. The thinner they are, the softer and more tender they’ll turn out after cooking. Use that rolling pin!
- If you start rolling out the tortillas and they keep shrinking back toward the center instead of staying rolled out, they need more resting time for the gluten to settle in the dough. Give them a few minutes and then try again.
- Making tortillas can be a great activity to get the family in the kitchen – one person can roll, and one person can cook.
- After cooking, wrap the tortillas in a clean kitchen towel while you continue to cook the rest of the batch. This keeps them warm and pliable, perfect for tacos! You can also put them in a pot with a lid.
FLOUR TORTILLA RECIPE FAQS
Are homemade tortillas better?
Nothing beats freshly made homemade tortillas! This flour tortilla recipe not only tastes better but is healthier as well because it utilizes coconut oil instead of vegetable oil, which contains hydrogenated oils. Coconut oil works best for this flour tortilla recipe, as it holds up better than olive oil under high heat.
How do you make soft tortillas?
The coconut oil helps make tortillas softer. The tortillas are best served warm for the most delectable texture.
Is it cheaper to make your own flour tortillas?
Absolutely! This flour tortilla recipe is made using simple pantry staples and doesn’t require anything fancy…no stand mixers or dough hook is needed for these simple tortillas! By making your own, you will save roughly $1.50 off store prices per batch!
Why are my flour tortillas not fluffy?
Flour tortillas may be dense and not fluffy if the dough is overmixed, or if too much flour is added during the rolling process.
MORE MEXICAN FAVORITES
Pair this flour tortilla recipe with these other healthy Mexican dishes. Prefer corn tortillas? Try these instead!
- Slow Cooker Carnitas
- Slow Cooker Refried Beans
- Southwestern Corn
- Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken
- Ground Beef Taco Meat
- Chicken Enchiladas
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This simple flour tortilla recipe with only 3 ingredients is a healthy alternative to store bought versions. Packed with authentic Mexican flavor, you’ll want to add these tortillas to your next taco night!
- Prep Time: 2 hours, 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 minute
- Total Time: 2 hours 16 minutes
- Yield: 20 1x
- Category: Sides
- Method: Skillet
- Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients
- 3 cups flour (any variety; I use Einkorn)
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 cup slightly warm filtered water
- 5 tablespoons of coconut oil, butter, or lard (we prefer coconut oil)
Instructions
- Mix the flour and salt together in a large mixing bowl.
- Cut in the fat until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
- Add the water and knead the dough against the sides of the bowl a few times until it is smooth.
- Divide the dough into 20 equal pieces, rolling each into a ball. (I weigh the dough into 1 oz portions to ensure they’re all even, but weighing is not necessary.)
- Allow the dough to rest for at least 10 minutes, or up to 2 hours.
- Preheat a griddle, cast iron skillet, or oven to 400F.
- Working with one ball at a time, dust your working surface and roll the ball into an approximate 6″ circle. Rotate and flip the dough and add additional flour as necessary to prevent sticking.
- When the griddle/skillet is hot, lay a tortilla across and cook for 30 seconds. Flip the tortilla over and cook for another 15 to 30 seconds. Repeat with the remaining balls of dough. Stack the cooked tortillas and wrap them in a clean kitchen towel. Serve warm.
Notes
- If dough for homemade flour tortillas is too crumbly, add a little extra water (1 tsp at a time) until dough is playable and doesn’t tear!
Nutrition
- Calories: 98
I made two batches of these yesterday and they both turned out real well. I used coconut oil for one and butter for the other. My family liked them both and said they were so much better than storebought. I’m very happy about that as they’re favorite storebought brand is now over $3 for a pkg of 12 tortillas. I used hard white wheat flour in mine and they turned out great. I like that you only let the dough rest 10 minutes and the dough was so soft to work with. Thanks for another great recipe!
How do I keep tortillas from having flour on outside after cooking? I try to dust it off beforehand but there’s always a little left over and my family doesn’t like that.
Hi Elizabeth,
I usually have a little bit of flour on there that I have to dust off as well. I am not sure there is a way around it, other than using it as minimally as possible. Hope this helps!
How do you freeze these so that they don’t all stick together when they thaw out?
Hi Katie,
I would first recommend that you freeze them on a tray separately before you freezer bag them. However, if you have a side-by-side freezer that won’t fit a tray, try separating each tortilla with a piece of parchment or cut waxed paper. Hope this helps.
Love these! If you don’t grill all of them, you can fry in oil and dust with cinnamon sugar for homemade elephant ears!
I’m desperately trying to eliminate store bought flour of any kind as well as all modern wheat, because all modern wheat has been hybridized to death, and is very different and much less nutritious than ‘ancient’ varieties of wheat.
Have you ever made these using home-ground Einkorn flour?
No, but that’s a great idea to try. Let us know how it goes. 🙂
In case Jennifer might see this, I have only ever used freshly ground einkorn or spelt flour and they work just fine!
I just want to thank you because tortillas are a main staple for me, being of latino descent and currently I am trying to eat leavening free and it is very difficult especially since most breads and tortillas have some kind of leavening in them! I could use corn tortillas, but I miss my flour tortillas, so this is sooooo exciting for me!! My friend, who is also always looking for an accompaniment to her meals during a Daniel fast will also be very excited about this recipe.
I might even try my own version of naan bread using your technique and substitute coconut milk for the yogurt in that recipe! We looove naan bread too (although not any kind of Indian descent- we just love it!).
You’re so very welcome Mary!
Will this work for burrito size wraps?
Hi Tiffany! I recently discovered your blog and I love it! I just made half a batch of your homemade tortillas to make enchiladas and I also tried your enchiladas sauce. It was amazing and so yummy! I was wondering, have you ever tried making the tortillas with whole wheat flour or some sort of whole grain flour? I’m afraid it would make the recipe too dense and heavy.
Thanks again for the great repices and tips!
Hi Saramaude! We’ve made whole wheat tortillas before and while they weren’t bad, we preferred the flavor of spelt over wheat. WW has a strong flavor, but spelt is so mellow. If you like the flavor of a particular whole grain, I have no doubt they’ll make delicious tortillas!
These were kid taste tested and approved. I think the flavor is good, but I am looking forward to making them with lard and butter to compare.
I made these ahead of tonight’s dinner. I will say that 1oz size is a little too small for my family’s preference, but your idea of weighing the balls will make this adjustment easier the next time I make them. Thank you for this recipe and your helpful tips.
You’re very welcome! I use a rolling pin to roll these out, and we get pretty big tortillas for 1 oz of dough… I haven’t measured them, but they’re easily 8-9″ across!
How do you store the tortilla once they are cooked?
I keep them in a plastic bag in the fridge or on the counter (if I’m using them soon).
Love your blog, so many great ideas and recipes! There are only two of us here…I’d like to make a batch and freeze leftovers. Do you freeze just in a stack? Or separate them with something? Thanks for any tips you can offer.
The most difficult thing I make that is totally worth the work is Pumpkin Cheesecake with Gingersnap crust. It’s amazing and since I want it to stay feeling extra special, I it make only once a year at Christmas time.
Love your blog. Appreciate healthy food that isn’t complicated or full of boutiquey ingredients.
Thanks!
That sounds SO good!!
Has anyone made these with Oat flour? A couple of us are wheat free or limited… Happy to try, just don’t want to if someone else has run the test and already declared it a failure! My boys RAVE over these made with AP flour. I made them for fish tacos the other night and one, who doesn’t like fish, didn’t even realize they were fish bites and not chicken even though we kept saying they were FISH tacos! (I did also change from almond meal to corn flake crumbs for coating the fish… Might have helped a little, too)
Hi Tiffany!
I love having tacos with beef and ranch dressing! They taste delicious! Since I’m blind, what would be the best way for me to make homemade taco shells? I usually buy the Old El Paso Stand-N-Stuff taco shells, and they taste amazing! However, I’d love to learn how to make a homemade version of them. I bet they would taste 100% better than the store-bought version! I love the hard crunchy kind, and my sweet love likes the soft kind. I’d like to try that one day, but I’m so worried I might get burned with oil! Also, my mom says most oils have a smoke point that makes them burn easier. Oil fires are scary! I’m not a big fan of coconut, so I’m wondering what the best alternative would be.
Peanut and palm oil have high smoke points, 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Oddly avocado oil, although slightly more difficult to find, has the highest smoking point at 520 degrees. The higher the smoking point of oil the less likely the oil itself will create a “burned” flavor in products.
As for the taco shells, how would I make the Stand N Stuff kind? To me, they sort of have a square bottom, rather than round. Mom says I could get some kind of form, which I’m guessing is a mold.
As for the taco shells, I’d like to learn how to make the Stand N Stuff kind, the nice crunchy ones. Are those like the recipe you make for your corn tortillas? To me, the stand-n-stuff taco shells sort of have a square bottom, rather than round. Mom says I could get some
kind of form, which I’m guessing she means a mold. Maybe a tortilla press? I’m confused on that one!
I seem to remember seeing someone turning a muffin pan upside down and placing the tortilla in between the the raised muffin Mould
Just wanted to say thanks for the great recipe! If it wasn’t for you posting it my family would never get tortillas (as we don’t buy them) These are so good..I’ve been making them for about 2 years now. It really has made a difference for us! 🙂
You are SO welcome Becky!
How much butter would you use for this recipe?
Hello Belinda,
You will be using 5 tablespoons of butter for this recipe. Enjoy!