Homemade flour tortillas are one of those things that sound like way more work than they actually are.
Flour, salt, baking powder, fat, and warm water. That’s pretty much it.
I make these for my homemade chicken enchiladas, but they’re just as good for tacos, quesadillas, breakfast burritos, wraps, or eating warm from the skillet before anyone else realizes how many you were supposed to make.
I usually make mine with fresh-milled flour, but this recipe works with regular all-purpose flour, too.
The biggest difference is simply giving fresh flour enough time to absorb the water before deciding your dough is too wet.
The Secret Is Letting the Dough Rest
This is especially important if you’re using fresh-milled flour.
When you first mix the dough, it may seem stickier or softer than you expect. Don’t immediately start dumping more flour into it.
Fresh-milled flour needs time to absorb the liquid.
Mix and knead your dough, cover it, and walk away for 20–30 minutes. When you come back, you’ll often find that a dough that seemed too wet has become much easier to handle.
You can always add a little flour later.
You can’t take it back out.
Making Tortillas with Fresh-Milled Flour
I use the same basic method whether I’m using all-purpose or fresh-milled flour, but I pay more attention to feel than an exact water measurement with freshly milled grain.
Different wheat varieties and even different batches of wheat can absorb water differently.
Start with the recipe as written, give the flour time to hydrate, and then make small adjustments only if necessary.
You want a soft, pliable dough that rolls easily without sticking everywhere.
Roll Them Thin
Probably thinner than you think.
The tortillas will puff and thicken slightly as they cook, so roll each dough ball into a very thin round about 7–8 inches across.
They don’t have to be perfectly circular.
Some of mine look suspiciously like maps of undiscovered countries.
They still taste like tortillas.
Keep Them Soft
Cook the tortillas in a hot, dry skillet.
As each one comes off the skillet, immediately stack it underneath a clean kitchen towel.
The trapped steam keeps them warm and pliable while you finish cooking the rest.
This is especially helpful when you’re making homemade chicken enchiladas because you want the tortillas soft enough to roll around the filling without cracking.
What to Make With Homemade Flour Tortillas
Obviously, start with my homemade chicken enchiladas.
But these are also perfect for tacos, breakfast burritos, quesadillas, wraps, fajitas, or whatever assortment of leftovers needs to become dinner.
You can also make a batch ahead and keep them on hand for quick meals throughout the week.
Homemade Flour Tortillas
Ingredients
Method
- Combine flour, salt, and baking powder in a large bowl.
- Add the oil, melted butter, or lard and the warm water.
- Mix until a shaggy dough forms.
- Knead for 3–5 minutes, until the dough is relatively smooth and soft.
- Cover and allow the dough to rest for 20–30 minutes.
- If using fresh-milled flour, wait until after this resting period before deciding whether the dough needs additional flour.
- Divide the dough into 10–12 equal pieces and roll each into a ball.
- Roll each ball very thin, approximately 7–8 inches across.
- Heat a dry skillet over medium-high heat.
- Cook each tortilla for approximately 30–45 seconds on the first side, until bubbles begin forming and browned spots appear.
- Flip and cook another 20–30 seconds.
- Transfer immediately to a clean kitchen towel and keep covered while cooking the remaining tortillas.
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