This simple flour tortilla recipe uses pantry staples to make delicious, wholesome flour tortillas for your next taco night or favorite wrap, no special tools required!
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 Summer 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 Greek 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 this flour tortilla recipe!
HOMEMADE FLOUR TORTILLA RECIPE
These homemade tortillas are great because they’re:
- Free from hydrogenated oil, one of my top foods to avoid (we skip the vegetable shortening in this recipe!)
- Made from simple ingredients
- Authentically delicious
- Easy recipe to make in large batches
- Freezer-friendly
- Not only are these tortillas quick and easy, but, at a cost of about $1.25 a batch, they are budget-friendly as well!
Prefer corn tortillas? Try these Homemade Corn Tortillas instead!
TORTILLA RECIPE INGREDIENTS
You only need 3 ingredients for this flour tortilla recipe, plus a little warm water:
- Flour. You can use all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, spelt, or Einkorn flour to make tortillas.
- Salt. For flavor – no one wants bland tortillas!
- Coconut Oil. I use coconut oil for making flour tortillas, in place of traditional vegetable oil, which contains hydrogenated fats. It’s also better than olive oil for high heat. Coconut oil helps the flour tortillas turn out soft and pliable.
Some flour tortilla recipes call for baking powder or another leavening agent to make them turn out fluffy, but I haven’t found that to be necessary.
Psst…did you know that many salts contain MICROPLASTICS? It’s a sneaky toxin that may be in your everyday salt, and thus your everyday food (um, gross). I love Ava Jane’s Kitchen because their salt is FREE of microplastics, and it tastes delicious! (PLUS, you can get your own FREE 8 oz penny bag of salt on this page! – Just pay shipping)
TOOLS TO MAKE FLOUR TORTILLAS
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 them 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.
- 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 FLOUR 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 whisk 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.
Note: If the dough for the homemade tortillas is too crumbly, add a little extra water (1 teaspoon at a time) until the dough is pliable and doesn’t tear.
Step 4. Divide the dough into 20 equal portions, rolling each into a dough ball (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. Let the dough 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 to 400F or a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat.
Step 7. Working with one ball at a time on a floured work surface, knead and roll the 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 or bubbles appear. Repeat with the remaining balls of dough. Stack the cooked tortillas and wrap them in a clean kitchen towel. Serve warm.
Store leftover flour tortillas in an airtight container or resealable bag at room temperature for up to 24 hours or in the refrigerator for up to a week. Rewarm before using.
TIPS FOR MAKING FLOUR TORTILLAS
The few minutes you spend making flour tortillas are absolutely worth the effort. Here are a couple of tips to maximize your time in the kitchen and make this homemade flour tortillas recipe as easy as possible:
- Make a big batch. 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!
- Roll them thin. 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!
- Give them enough resting time. 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 flour 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 flexible, perfect for tacos! You can also put them in a pot with a lid.
SERVE HOMEMADE FLOUR TORTILLAS WITH
This flour tortilla recipe is perfect for your next taco night! Fill them with one of these yummy fillings…
- Ground Beef Taco Meat
- Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken
- Corn Salsa Black Bean Tacos
- Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos
- Slow Cooker Carnitas
- Spicy Salmon Tacos with Slaw
- Spicy Shrimp Tacos
- 40+ Taco Toppings
Homemade tortillas are also amazing rolled up with a little bit of melted butter and cinnamon sugar inside – YUM!
TRACKING MACROS ON TACO NIGHT
Tacos are one of my favorite meals to eat, not only because of the flavor, but also because they’re so versatile when I’m tracking my macros. I can make taco night fit with whatever I need!
Need more protein? Add more meat or beans directly to your tacos or on the side.
What about fat? Sour cream, cheese, and avocado will all add healthy fats to your plate. On the flip side, if you need a lower-fat meal, salsas and seasoned vegetables provide plenty of flavor, so you won’t be missing out if you need to skip the higher-fat condiments!
Watching your carbs? Enjoy flour tortillas (or corn tortillas, or rice) in moderation and fill your plate with protein and plenty of fresh veggies. Pile your favorite taco toppings on a big pile of shredded lettuce for a yummy taco salad.
HOMEMADE TORTILLAS FAQS
Are homemade tortillas better?
Nothing beats freshly made homemade tortillas! This flour tortilla recipe us the real deal. It not only tastes better but is healthier as well because it utilizes coconut oil instead of vegetable oil, which contains hydrogenated oils.
How do you make soft tortillas?
The coconut oil helps make tortillas softer. The tortillas are best served warm for the most bendable texture with no splitting.
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!
Can you make flour tortillas in the oven?
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. Rolling the tortillas as thin as possible helps with the texture, too.
Can you freeze flour tortillas?
Yes. Flash freeze in a single layer on a baking sheet before transferring to a resealable bag for storage to avoid the tortillas sticking together. You can also put a piece of wax paper or parchment paper in between the tortillas.
MORE RECIPES FOR FLOUR TORTILLAS
Here are even more ways to use these handmade flour tortillas!
- Chicken Enchiladas
- Sweet Potato and Black Bean Vegetarian Enchiladas
- Slow Cooker Chicken Fajitas
- Chicken Caesar Wraps
- Slow Cooker Refried Beans for bean burritos
- Tortilla Chips
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This simple flour tortilla recipe uses pantry staples to make delicious, wholesome flour tortillas for your next taco night or favorite wrap, no special tools required!
- 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) (360g)
- 1 tsp salt (6g)
- 1 cup slightly warm filtered water (237g)
- 5 tbsp of coconut oil, butter, or lard (we prefer coconut oil) (68g)
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 the griddle to 400F or a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat.
- 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 the dough for homemade flour tortillas is too crumbly, add a little extra water (1 tsp at a time) until the dough is pliable and doesn’t tear!
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!
How do you get them so thin? My recipe is very similar–ratio of fat to flour is slightly different and calls for baking powder. I roll them as thin as possible but they puff up and thicken while cooking. Maybe it’s the leavener?
I’d say it’s the baking powder Diana. Mine don’t thicken up at all, unless they’re thick to begin with.
Thanks! Will try it tonight your way and see what happens 🙂
I arrived at this recipe by a link that said there was an option to soak and use whole wheat flour but I’m not seeing that on this page. Are those instructions available somewhere? Thanks!
Hi Adriane! I modified the recipe, but you can still soak! Combine the flour with 1 Tbsp lemon juice / whey / ACV and 1 cup water MINUS 1 Tbsp and mix well. Cover and sit overnight. Do your best to cut in the fat in the morning and continue with step 4 as written. 🙂
Thank you for the recipe and instructions Tiffany! I have made chapati, which uses almost the same ingredients, but had to quit because when frying chapati (I used coconut oil), it made tons of smoke and my family members complained; however, I plan on trying the oven method soon and I’ll let you know how it goes! 🙂
If I use the oven how long do I cook for?
Not long Anna – maybe 30-60 seconds.
You mentioned the oven. How do you cook them in the oven? The same?
Hi Tiffany! I love your blog!! Thanks so much for all you do! I’m wondering with this recipe – where do you add the vinegar? Not seeing that step listed. Thanks 🙂
Thanks Jamie! The vinegar is the “soaking medium” I mention in the note section of the recipe. It’s only used if you’re soaking your flour overnight. Enjoy the tortillas!!
I made the full batch the first time. The two of us got tired of them by the end. This time I cooked up four and froze the 9 leftover little balls. I’ll try thawing out four at a time and see how that works in the future. Preparing the dough is the most time-consuming part for me. I’ll try to remember to post back here the results of my experiment. 🙂
Thanks so much for experimenting on our behalf Jean, and I’m looking forward to hearing the results!!
I’ve just started making tortillas and find they work great for tacos but I need ones for freezer burritos. I have easily used more dough and rolled them bigger but the problem comes when folding. They aren’t as pliable as store bought so they crack and break. I won’t use store bought anymore and only white whole wheat flour. Any suggestions so my freezer burritos don’t fall apart?
Hi Paula! To make them pliable, try cooking them a bit less. I’ve started adding an extra Tbsp of coconut oil, plus cooking for roughly 20-30 seconds on each side so that they’re more pliable fresh, but also pliable as leftovers. I also recommend rolling them thin, because that seems to help too. Let me know how this works out for you!
To make my homemade flour tortillas soft, I place a slightly damp dish towel on a plate. When each tortilla is finished cooking, I put the hot tortilla on the dish towel and fold the towel over the tortilla. I add additional tortillas to the top and bottom of the pile so that each tortilla is next to the dish towel for a short time (first time I did this I just stacked the tortillas as I cooked them – the bottom one got pretty soggy, so now I alternate them). The dampness of the dish towel plus the heat from the tortillas causes a steaming effect which softens the tortillas. Plus this helps to keep the tortillas warm.
Great tip KathyP – thanks for sharing!!
Have you tried freezing these? If so, how’d they do? I’m wondering if I make a large batch if I could freeze some to pull out for when we need dinner in a jiff.
Hi Amanda! I haven’t yet because honestly, we eat them all before I have a chance. 🙂 Other readers have made the same suggestion though, and I bet you could freeze them fine. Reheat on a griddle and you’ll be good to go!
I see apple cider vinegar in the ingredients list but not in the instructions…am I missing something? Do I just mix it with the water?
Or is that just for the soaking method maybe?
The ACV is just for the soaking method. I’ll make sure that’s a bit more clear in the instructions. 🙂
Wow! I’ve tried lots of recipes for homemade tortillas, with varying levels of frustration as the result. These were SO easy, SO delicious, and I am SO excited to have this recipe on file now! My five year old sons response was, “Can we have as many of these as we want?” No more buying tortillas! Thank you Tiffany!
Thank you Andrea! I’m so glad you guys liked them, and you’re most welcome! 🙂
If I were to use unbleached white flour instead of bread flour would I need to add anything like baking soda? Also, my children don’t care for spelt tortillas, which is why I would be using the white flour; would soaking it make it a healthier option?
Nope, you can use plain white flour if that’s what you have. Soaking breaks down the outer bran of whole grain flour, but since white flour doesn’t have any bran, there’s nothing to break down. If you’re looking for healthier but avoiding spelt, you can try using 100% whole grain wheat, or even another grain like teff or buckwheat. 🙂
I just made these thanks to you talking about them in your Meal Planning Bootcamp. They are delicious!!!! We all love them (including my two picky kids)! I was wondering—how do you store them to eat throughout the week? In the fridge or not?
I personally like to store my flour tortillas in a air tight bag or container inside the refrigerator. I am so glad to hear they work for your family so well, Sally.
I’ve been making homemade tortillas for awhile now, but not with coconut oil. Can’t wait to try your recipe! I got a tortilla press recently and tortilla making is so much easier! No more weird shapes (you had triangles, my family said mine looked like Australia!)
You crack me up Yvonne! If the tortilla press doesn’t work well with flour, try a rolling pin. The press seems to be hit and miss for me lately… then again, it could just be me! 😉 ~Tiffany
I found a trick for using the tortilla press. I take a gallon size freezer bag (the freezer bags are thicker, and hold up better) cut off the zipper and both sides by and inch or so. Keep the bottom seem intact so it looks like a book. I place this in the press and put the tortilla dough between the plastic as I press. This way it doesn’t stick to the press, peels off easily (as long as you don’t press it too thinly) and I don’t have to use extra flour like I do in rolling. I can reuse the freezer bag a few times before I need to start a new one. Hope this helps.
Nice! I use a plastic grocery store bag in a similar way. Target’s bags work best. 🙂
You all need a tortilla press/cooker. My mom used to make tortillas (no longer feasible for 12-15 people at the dinner table) and her cooker is probably older than I am, but it still works awesome! Put the ball of dough in, press down for 30 seconds, and bam! Fully cooked tortilla!
Oh Tiffany, your post did make me laugh your man sounds very familiar, I have one of those! Rebecca @Natural Mothers Network x
Aw shucks, sorry about that Megan! Thanks for removing it for me. I’ll pay better attention next time!
I am going to try your recipe making my flour with fresh ground chana dahl cause I have a lot of it! It will then be gluten free cause wheat hurts my belly.
can i use gluten free flour to make these?
Joanne
Yes! That should work well!
Totally relate to this post. We only eat home made tortillas..i use a combination of palm shortening and rendered bacon fat. We are so spoiled and I notice we eat a lot less tortillas now that I make my own. It is worth it, but extra work that takes extra time. I started replacing tortillas with crepes in enchiladas…not that it saves a whole lot more time, but it cuts it back a smidge.
Can you make these with butter? I very much dislike coconut oil and dont have good lard available right now, but would like to make these.. erm…. tonight. I have pulled pork in the crockpot and this would be far healthier than storebought thats for sure
Lisa,
I’ve seen other make them with butter before so I’d say go for it. Make sure the butter is cold and you should be fine. Just so you know, although the dough smells like coconut, you can’t taste it in the end result. 🙂 Your dinner sounds delicious! ~Tiffany
My families favorite thing to do with ‘leftover’ tortillas is make cheese-crisps – melted cheese folded into a tortilla. I think that might be a regional term, I’ve never heard anyone use it who wasn’t from Arizona.
Lesa,
I haven’t heard that term before, but is it the same as cheese quesadillas? In either case, can’t go wrong with tortillas and cheese! ~Tiffany
Quesadilla? My grandson will eat these for every meal but just
Cheese ……my brekky staple
I rarely hear “cheese crisp” used! That is what my grandmother called them.
P.S. We live in Arizona!
I am making these today for the third time. We went camping last week, and took some store bought tortillas with us for ease. They were disappointing. Homemade flour tortillas from now on!!! They’re so easy, I will probably make them when we are camping too!
So happy to hear you enjoy this recipe, Sandra!
A cheese crisp is a tortilla (open) and cheese on top. It is broiled till cheese melts and side are crispy!! If its folded, or has two tortillas, its a quesadilla!!