Homemade Flour Tortillas

Stack of homemade flour tortilla on napkin.

5 from 2 votes

Homemade flour tortillas are soft, flexible, and sturdy enough to hold everything from soft tacos and quesadillas, to BLT wraps and pinwheel sandwiches. They’re simple to make with a few basic ingredients and cook quickly in a hot skillet.

Prep Time30

Cook Time20

Total Time50

Course: Bread

Cuisine: Mexican

Servings: tortillas

Calories: 78kcal

Author: Kelly Bloom

Equipment

Tortilla Press

Ingredients

1 cup All-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup boiling water
2 teaspoon vegetable oil avocado or olive

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Measure the flour into a mixing bowl. Add the salt. Mix well. Make a well in the center of the flour.
1 cup All-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon salt
Pour the vegetable oil and boiling water into the center of the bowl of flour. Use a spatula and mix the hot dough until it is smooth and forms a ball.
½ cup boiling water, 2 teaspoon vegetable oil
While the dough is still warm, divide into six equal portions and shape into balls.
Roll each small disc of dough (or use a tortilla press) out into a circle about 8 to 9" diameter. Preheat a skillet to medium high.
Lay out a tortilla wrap onto the hot skillet. Lower the heat to medium and cook until bubbles form and light brown spots appear, about 30–45 seconds per side.
Set cooked tortilla wrapper on a cloth dish towel or plate. Repeat process with remaining rolled out tortilla wrappers.
Stack and cover with a towel or place in a covered container to keep them soft.

Notes

Use hot water: Mix the dough with hot or very warm water to help hydrate the flour and improve flexibility.
Rest the dough: Allow the dough balls to rest for at least 20–30 minutes before rolling to relax the gluten, which prevents the tortillas from shrinking back as you work.
Use a tortilla press: Aim for thin when rolling or pressing the dough to ensure the tortillas cook quickly and remain soft rather than becoming thick and cracker-like.
Check the heat: Cook on a preheated, dry cast iron skillet over medium-high heat to get those signature brown spots within 30–45 seconds per side.
Steam after cooking: Immediately stack the finished tortillas in a clean kitchen towel or a covered container so the trapped steam softens the edges and keeps them pliable.

Nutrition