Homemade Flour Tortillas
on Mar 05, 2012, Updated Oct 25, 2023
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
I make all of my own baked goods, tortillas included. I don’t necessarily do it because I think it’s more frugal (though it is); rather, I’m a control freak and I like to know what’s in my food (at least 75% of the time, anyway). Plus, I think they taste better!
My mom gave me a tortilla maker for Christmas a few years ago and I use the recipe that came with it. I’ve been asked repeatedly for this recipe but have never gotten around to sharing it, for whatever reason. Finally – I’m blogging directions for making tortillas!
Ingredients:
3 cups whole wheat flour – I use freshly ground hard white wheat (the directions call for half WW, half unbleached)
1 tsp salt
1/3 cup oil (I use coconut oil or butter)
1 cup warm water
Place flour and salt in a mixer bowl. Add oil and process for about 3 seconds. With machine running, pour water in a steady stream. Let machine run until dough forms a ball. Dough should be a medium-stiff consistency. If dough is too stiff, add a little more water.
Divide dough into 12-15 equal pieces.
Cover with plastic wrap and let rest at least 30 minutes.
Press with a tortilla maker.
I don’t have one of these fancy-schmancy tortilla warmers so I just keep my tortillas warm by wrapping them in a clean kitchen towel. One of these days, though, I might get a tortilla warmer and jazz it up a bit!
To save time, I usually double or triple the recipe. If I think we’ll be eating tortillas a few times in one week, I just put the extra dough in the fridge and make tortillas as needed. They’re so much better hot off the press! Otherwise, I’ll bag up the extra dough and freeze it. Then, when I want to make fresh tortillas, I just pull a bag out of the freezer, let it thaw in the fridge, and then press tortillas. It works great.
A note about Tortilla Makers – you can see tortilla maker I use here – Cucina Flatbread & Tortilla Maker
. It costs $72 because it presses AND cooks them, and it works ok. Sometimes, I prefer to just use it to press the tortillas instead of also cooking them. I’ve recently found out that I get a slightly better result by finishing them off on my Lodge cast iron griddle – and it goes quicker too. I’ve been looking at this much cheaper tortilla press here Cast Iron Tortilla Press– all it does is press them. It doesn’t also cook them like mine does. If I had to do it all over again, I’d probably go with the cheaper $20 version.
And there you have it. Homemade. Flour. Tortillas. Not that hard and incredibly yummy. Occasionally, I also make corn tortillas. But I don’t like them as much so I don’t make them as often. Let me know if you’re curious about them as well and one of these days, I’ll share that recipe, too!
Linking up: Frugal Tuesday; Hearth & Soul Hop; Homemade Tuesday; Fat Tuesday; Tutorial Tuesday; Anti-Procrastination Tuesday; Frugal Days, Sustainable Ways; Works for Me Wednesday; Simple Lives Thursday; Creative Juice; Full Plate Thursday
Where did you get your tortilla maker? I still roll out tortillas and cook them on a cast iron skillet. Kinda caveman-like…
Laura, I added a paragraph with my thoughts on tortilla makers. Thanks for asking about them!
Definitely need to make these!
Let me know if you do! 🙂
Growing up, we made flour tortillas with a rolling pin and skillet. They were still good, but ugly! 😉
Nowadays I make corn tortillas because my husband is allergic to wheat (boo!). They press really easy!
Corn tortillas are very easy to press. Flour tortillas are much harder. I have to re-adjust my pressing technique when I switch to corn or they explode!
Your tortillas look wonderful! Making them from scratch allows you to have complete control over the ingredients and make high quality tortillas frugally. Thanks for sharing your tips for making tortillas. I do have a cast iron skillet, so it is nice to know that you like the finish on tortillas made in the skillet.
These sound good and easy! Will have to try them next time we have tacos! Thank you
high five for control freaks! and high five for knowing what’s in your food. i do that not only because i’m a control freak but also because what goes into store bought baked goods is s-c-a-r-y.
I love to make my own tortillas too. And the taste is so much better.
I’ve taken enchiladas off our menu because I didn’t like buying the store bought kind. I have finally mastered bread, so perhaps tortillas are next; that or pasta.
I think I would go for a cast iron press over aluminum. Even though you aren’t cooking in the aluminum I’d just feel more comfortable.
Yeah. I hear you. I figured though, since nothing is being heated, the aluminum is probably just fine.
Hi Michelle,
We love homemade Tortillas, I wish I had your Tortilla Press, that would be so nice. I will have to try you whole wheat recipe, it looks great! Hope you are having a great week end and thank you so much for sharing with Full Plate Thursday.
Happy St. Patrick’s Day and Come Back Soon!
Miz Helen
I have the press you mention and I hate it. It’s easier to roll out than to use the press. Or maybe I am doing it wrong. I read somewhere they are for corn tortillas not flour.
Interesting, thank you!