Best Flour Tortillas
Submitted by sugarbunz
Homemade flour tortillas with just four ingredients: flour, shortening, salt, and warm water. Soft, pliable, and ready to wrap around tacos, burritos, or quesadillas straight off the griddle.
YIELD
12 servingsPREP
15 minCOOK
10 minREADY
25 minStore-bought tortillas can’t touch a hot, freshly griddled one. The texture alone is the reason: soft, slightly chewy, with toasted brown spots that taste of warm flour and a little char. Four ingredients, no yeast, no waiting around for rises.
The shortening is what gives these tortillas their signature flexibility. It coats the flour particles and keeps gluten development in check, so the dough rolls thin without snapping back. Some cooks use lard for an even softer, richer chew, and that’s a swap worth making if you have it.
The rest is the most important step most people skip. Fifteen minutes minimum lets the gluten relax so the dough actually rolls thin, and a full hour is even better. Roll them paper thin, beyond what feels right, because they thicken as they cook.
A dry, hot skillet does the rest. Look for puffed bubbles and brown freckles, the unmistakable sign of a properly cooked tortilla. Underdone ones taste raw and pasty, no matter how good the dough was.
Serve with carnitas, chicken fajitas, or just a smear of butter while still warm.
Pro Tips
- Cast iron beats nonstick here. The higher heat retention gives you better browning and that signature toasty flavor.
- Stack cooked tortillas under a clean towel to trap steam. They’ll stay soft and pliable instead of going stiff.
- Make the dough up to 2 days ahead and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before rolling.
- Don’t grease the pan. A dry surface is what gives tortillas their freckled char.
- Re-warm leftover tortillas wrapped in a damp paper towel in the microwave for 20 seconds. Good as new.
Variations
- Swap shortening for lard for a more traditional, richer flavor.
- Use half whole wheat flour for nuttier, heartier tortillas.
- Add a pinch of baking powder for slightly puffier results.
Ingredients
Directions
Place the flour, shortening and salt in the bowl of a heavy-duty mixer.
Beat with the paddle until crumbly, 3 to 5 minutes.
With the mixer running, gradually add the warm water and continue mixing until the dough is smooth, about 3 minutes.
Divide the dough into 8 pieces.
Roll each into a ball and place on a baking tray or board.
Cover with a towel and let rest at room temperature at least 15 minutes or up to 1 hour.
Cut out eight 12-inch squares of waxed or parchment paper for stacking the tortillas.
On a lightly floured board, roll each ball into a 10-inch circle, and transfer to a paper square.
Stack on a baking tray or platter and refrigerate until cooking time.
Uncooked tortillas can be kept in the refrigerator, well wrapped with paper squares between the layers, up to 2 days.
To cook, heat a dry griddle or 12-inch skillet (Teflon is great) over medium heat.
Carefully peel off the paper and cook the tortillas one at a time, until puffy and slightly brown, 30 to 45 seconds per side.
Set aside to cool slightly on a towel-lined platter.
Bring to the table wrapped in a towel for warmth, or wrap well and refrigerate or freeze.
My Notes: It is not possible to roll the dough after mixing, it is too wet.
Place spoonfuls of dough onto a lightly floured long piece of waxed paper.
When ready to roll, have an extra ½ to 1 cup flour handy.
Lightly flour dough “glob” and gently roll dough in flour with your hands.
Place on another piece of ligbhtly floured waxed paper and roll to paper thin and beyond.
This is important because the tortilla will thicken when cooked.
Gently peel uncooked tortilla from waxed paper.
When cooking, make sure the tortillas have brown cooked patches on them or it will be undercooked.
Comments
