Corn tortillas made at home are far better than the store-bought ones. They are easy to make, and the flavor has no comparison. These are corn tortillas made using masa-harina. But for the best corn tortillas, you can make them using fresh nixtamal masa, the way we still make them in many places in Mexico.
Authentic Homemade Corn Tortillas
If you want to learn how to make corn tortillas from scratch, you came to the right place. This step by step tutorial will guide you all the way until you can make your corn tortillas at home. Corn tortillas are a healthier option compare to flour tortillas.I remember long ago (25 years!) a lady was asking me about my country, our culture, and our food. When we started talking about recipes, she asked me how she could make “Tortillas de Harina” (wheat flour tortillas).
The woman couldn’t believe it when I told her that I didn’t know how to make them. She said: “But you are Mexican!”, and then I said: “Yes, but wheat flour tortillas are more common in Northern México, most people in central and south Mexico consume mainly corn tortillas” And usually from the tortilla factory, but homemade corn tortillas a real treat.
How to make corn tortillas from scratch
We use wheat flour tortillas occasionally to make “quesadillas” or traditional “burritos,” but these are not an everyday meal. Later on, I learned how to make my wheat flour tortillas too. But, at home, I make corn tortillas more often.
Corn tortillas have been around for a long, long time, and are made of white, yellow or blue corn kernels. They are not just our daily tortilla; they are a meal by themselves.
To prepare corn tortillas, you only need 2 Ingredients, Masa-harina, and water. Not baking powder, wheat flour, sugar or any fat is needed. For this corn tortillas recipe, I will use masa-harina because I know that many of you would not have access to fresh corn masa — Masa-Harina” which is readily available in Latin grocery stores nowadays.
I prefer the real thing (fresh corn masa) since the results will be considerably different, the corn tortillas will be less dry than those from masa-harina. If you have access to fresh corn masa, please do make your tortillas with it the flavors are incomparable.
Check this post if you want to know how to make your own masa at home. Enjoy it!
These are some of the types of corn tortillas sold in Mexico. Top left with the oval shape is used for "flautas", then the white taco tortilla top right. Yellow corn tortilla bottom left and regular everyday uses white corn tortilla bottom right. Corn Tortillas used for tacos are commonly smaller.
As I mention above, corn tortillas are a healthier option compare to flour tortillas, they are gluten-free, low fat, vegan, and you can store them in your fridge for at least five days or in your freezer up to 3 months is you store them in a freezer bag. You can also make the dough ahead of time and store in the fridge if it looks dry when you are ready to make the tortillas, add a little water and knead again.
Some tips while making your corn tortillas.
- You do not need a tortilla press to make corn tortillas, many women in Mexico and other Central America countries shape the tortillas by hand.
- If you see that the edge of your tortillas look a little cracked, add more water to the dough.
- If the tortillas stick to the press, maybe you added too much water. Knead the dough well.
- If your tortillas do not puff, you need to knead the dough very well. You can try to press down the tortilla with a spatula while it is in the final cooking to force the puffing. Also, check your cooking time and the heat. Making tortillas is a matter of practice. Keep practicing, and you will get the hang of it.
- To reheat you tortillas, place them in a hot skillet, and heat them for about 45 seconds per side depending how hot is your skillet, wrap them in a cloth napkin to keep them warm.
How to make Homemade Corn Tortillas
How to form the tortillas with a heavy glass dish
DIRECTIONS:
- Use a large bowl to combine the masa-harina (corn flour) and water. Mix well until the water is absorbed evenly and the dough forms a ball. (Please check the ingredients list below)
- Preheat a griddle or heavy skillet over medium flame.
- After kneading the dough, form a small ball the size of a golf ball. Using a tortilla press or a heavy dish.
- Open the tortilla press or remove the heavy dish if using to press the tortillas.
- Lift the plastic with the pressed tortilla, place the dough in your hand closer to your fingers and carefully peel the plastic off the dough. If the dough doesn’t come out so easily then the dough could be a little too wet. Add some more masa-harina to the dough mix again until it becomes easy to handle.
- Place the tortilla on the griddle and cook for about 30 -40 seconds. The edge will begin to dry out. Turn over and continue to cook for about 40-45 seconds.
- Turn your corn tortilla over again and cook for another 15 seconds. The cooking time is about 1:45 minute’s total. Cook until the tortilla begins to puff.
ENJOY YOUR CORN TORTILLAS!
Did you like this recipe tutorial to make homemade corn tortillas? Please let me know in the comments section, do you have questions, or share the link with your friends. I hope you have an incredible time cooking!
Provecho!
Mely Martinez, the cook in Mexico in my Kitchen!
HOW TO MAKE HOMEMADE CORN TORTILLAS
Ingredients
- 1-½ cups masa-harina I use the "Maseca" brand
- 1-¼ cups of warm water this may vary depending on air humidity and other wheatear conditions. Have some extra tablespoons of water to add as needed.
YOU WILL ALSO NEED:
- 2 pieces of round plastic cut out from a bag. freezer bags are ideal for this purpose.
- Tortilla press or a Glass pie dish
Instructions
- Use a large bowl to combine the masa-harina (corn flour) and water. Mix well until the water is absorbed evenly and the dough forms a ball.
- Preheat a griddle or heavy skillet on medium flame. This has to be ready when you start pressing the tortillas.
- After kneading the dough, form a small ball the size of a golf ball. Using a tortilla press or a heavy dish, (pie dish as I do), place the ball of the dough about 1 ½ inch in diameter between the two plastic pieces and press to form a 6 inch round tortilla.
- Open the tortilla press or remove the heavy dish if using to press the tortillas, peel the top plastic off. Lift the tortilla from the tortilla press holding it from the bottom part. If the dough is too dry, the edges of your tortilla will look cracked and you will need to add a little water.
- Somehow when using the tortilla press my tortillas come out very thin. Some people in the South of Mexico eat thicker tortillas and some grandmas still make them by hand.
- Lift the plastic with the pressed tortilla, place the dough in your hand closer to your fingers and carefully peel the plastic off the dough. If the dough doesn’t come out so easily then the dough could be a little too wet. Add some more masa-harina to the dough mix again until it becomes easy to handle.
- Place the tortilla on the griddle and cook for about 30 -40 seconds. The edge will begin to dry out. Turn over and continue to cook for about 40-45 seconds until brown patches form. This time will vary depending on how thick is your tortilla and the temperature of your griddle.
- Turn over again and cook for another 15 seconds. The cooking time is about 1:45 minute’s total. Cook until the tortilla begins to puff. Tap lightly with your fingertips to allow even puffing. Wrap with a napkin or clean towel, and serve. Tortillas keep warm when placed in a basket made of natural fibers.
Silvia
Que belleza de toritllas Mely! Se me antojan ahoritita mismo. Ahi tengo la tortillera, nomas me falta la maseca...
Mely (mimk)
Hola Silvia,
Si, se antojan sobre todo recien hechas con un poquito de mantequilla untada, Hhhhmmmm!
Saludos!
Carlos Dube
Qué buenas las tortillas... me encantan... Y se hacen muy fácilmente. ¿No llevan sal?. Gracias por la explicación.
Nora
Carlos, no le ponemos sal a la masa para hacer tortillas. Le ponemos sal (al menos yo lo hago) cuando es para hacer algún antojito mexicano como sopes, migadas, picadas, bocoles, etc. Saludos!
Anonymous
hey Mellie,
its me Linda, Muchacha's mother-in-law.
I love your recipe directions and the photos to match. you should write and publish a cookbook.
love ya
Martha
You must definitely write a cookbook - your instructions are so clear and easy to follow.
Thank you.
Mely Martínez
Hello Martha,
You can buy our cookbook on amazon following this link:https://amzn.to/2JWguKo
Gabby
I can’t wait to try this recipe. Thank you for all the details!
That comal is beautiful, is there a link somewhere as to where you bought it?
Mely Martínez
Hello Gabby,
This is a non-stick crepe griddle from Italy. I found it at TJMAxx some years ago. But, they still sell them.
Natalie
Hi, if my tortilla puffs up and I take it off the comal and it’s still raw from the inside a little bit, what is causing that to happen?!
Mely Martínez
Hello Natalie,
It will finish cooking while it cools. It looks raw due to the steam.
Don
Echame unas calientitas!
Mely (mimk)
Thanks Linda,
I hope you can stop by often.
Love ya back! 🙂
Rene
I tried the from scratch nixtamal process with whole corn a few years back. It was a lot of work but the flavor was fabulous. I use masa harina now but I never forget the unique flavor and texture. Now I am in Mexico for three months and I am cooking many of your recipes everyday. Because I made your recipe, I can tell the difference in the tortillas from various tortillarias . I only buy the old style ones when I can find them. Your recipes have really helped me make the most of the basic ingredients available in more rural tiendas. My food tastes better than I have found in some restaurants so I must be on the right track. Going to the markets, following your blog and cooking in my condo kitchen has been very rewarding and my Spanish has also gotten better!
Mely Martínez
Hello Rene,
I'm so glad to know you are enjoying your time in Mexico. Local fruits & vegetables sure taste better in Mexico than the ones that made the long trip to other countries. I have found that peppers are hotter and mangos taste sweeter in Mexico. About the tortillerias, not all tortillerias sell masa from nixtamal. Some are using masa-harina, sadly, but true. So look for those that cook the corn into nixtamal to enjoy a good masa.
Have fun in Mexico!
Rene
Thank You Mely, you are so right about fruit tasting better. The only exception I have found is apples because they are imported. I found a partially ground kernel of nixtamalized corn in my tortillas so I know I have the real deal in this one tortillaria. All the others I found so far are using masa harina.
Jessica D'Amico (JeDa)
Gracias por apuntar esta receta, especialmente por las descripciones acompanadas por las fotos.
Byte64
Mely,
esa manera de hacer tortillas es genial!
Aplausos!
Tlaz
Mely (mimk)
Ya sabes Tlaz, el ingenio mexicano de hacer las cosas con lo que tenga uno a la mano.
Saludos!
moleconpolenta
Voy a seguir tus tips para las tortillas! yo no les ponìa agua caliente!
Besos!
Mely (mimk)
Hola Lupita,
Luego me platicas si viste un cambio en las tortillas cocinadas asi.
Mely
maninas
Thanks for this really fantastic tutorial!
Monica
Se me hace agua la boca Mely!
My story is opposite of yours. I know how to make flour tortillas because I'm from Sonora so this will be my first time trying corn.
Hopefully it will be as easy as you make it look here. Great blog! I'll be back for more.
Mely (mimk)
Hola Monica,
It is really easier that making flour tortillas for the first time. I love flour tortillas but when I make them it is hard to stop eating them! 🙂
Please do come back to let us know how did your corn tortillas turn up.
Saludos!
garlutti
Hola ...por fin he visto como se hacen las tortitas MEXICANAS ... me gustan tus recetas, saludos MARIMI
Candace
I love corn tortillas so much and now that I live in New England, I don't have access to the fresh corn tortillas that I would get in Texas and the packaged ones that I find here all have a list of ingredients that I cannot even pronounce. I must make some of these soon. Gracias!
Tali
yum! I'm in australia and could only find masa lista, but I made these last night, and they were great!! 🙂
Unknown
I made these last night and they were very good! However, I cannot seem to get them to puff up-any suggestions? I have an electric griddle so I can set the temperature and tried at both 350 and 500 degrees, but couldn't get them to puff at either temperature. I cooked them for the amount of time you suggested. Thank you for this recipe!
Diana Schwendener
I agree, at what temperature is your pan once it's heated up? Thank you!
Mely Martinez
Hello Diana,
I usually cook the tortillas at medium high heat.
regards,
Diana Schwendener
Thank you, but since all stoves are a little different in their output, would you happen to know the temp in Celsius that your pan reaches? Thanks again.
Mely Martinez
Hello Diana,
I will have to check and let you know. Sorry, I don't an answer yet.
Mexico in my kitchen
Use a spatula or a folded paper towel and press the tortilla a little in the last step of cooking.
This will help you to get the tortilla to puff.
Mely
cecci
Es verda en el centro y sur de Mexico no comemos tortillas de harina solo para quesadillas.. I'm from Michoacan and we have different types (colors) of maiz therefore our tortillas vary from place to place..
cecci
Es verda en el centro y sur de Mexico no comemos tortillas de harina solo para quesadillas.. I'm from Michoacan and we have different types (colors) of maiz therefore our tortillas vary from place to place..
cecci
Es verda en el centro y sur de Mexico no comemos tortillas de harina solo para quesadillas.. I'm from Michoacan and we have different types (colors) of maiz therefore our tortillas vary from place to place..
Mexico in my kitchen
Hola Cecci,
Que bueno que concidimos en eso. Saludos donde quiere que te encuentres y gracias por tu comentario.
Mely
Sokudoningyou
A little late, but....are tortillas made with any other types of corn? I love blue corn, and I'd like to try making tortillas from them, but I also know there's other corn types that just don't make it up to the US.
Mexico in my kitchen
Yes, we do have a great variety of corn, and blue is very common in central Mexico.
Just check this link to see a picture of some of the types or corn farmers grow.
Link
Thank you for visiting.
Scott Caudell
Thanks for the recipe - I'm excited to try it. Is there a way to use fresh lime instead of powdered?
Thanks Scott
Nora
Mely, siempre envío tu entrada de cómo hacer tortillas a la gente que me escribe, y que no tiene prensa para hacer las tortillas, para que vean el truco! Muy bueno!
Por cierto, Carlos Dube te preguntó si se le pone sal a la masa...
Saludos
Mely
Gracias por enviar a la gente al blog Nora.
Saludos,
Mely
Bhavin Desai
Seems like an Indian Chapati
Mely
Hello Bhavin
Yes, but flour tortillas are more like chapati.
Lisa Vargas
Hi, I love your website! Or should I say my boyfriend loves it! He is from Michoacan and lately he keeps asking where I got my recipes ( after 7 years it's about time). I have also started trying to make tortillas but no success. ( good thing the food is good enough to hide the tortilla) My problem is they never puff up so they are too heavy. I put required water and they still seems dry so I add water a little at a time so they don't get too sticky. Last night I made sopes and he joked " how come these are so great but the tortillas never come out?" please help!
Mely
Hello Lisa,
Please send me an email, you can get my email in the contact section.
Happy Cooking!
Mely
Jeraldo de Pueblo
Off the subject- but curious.... does authentic Mexican cooking use yellow cheese as we see above the Rio Grande? I realize that like in the US, there are many different types of authentic Mexican cooking... not all of us have a diet as they do in New England. Cheers from Kentucky
Mely
The cooking is different from every region, some have more exotics ingredients. And about yellow cheese, yes! we do use it, for sandwiches with ham, mayo and mustard. We have been done that for decades, also macaroni and cheese. 🙂
Happy cooking!
Sharon
How about a trouble shooting section. Tortillas do not puff. Have cracks while cooking, ect. Thanks
Mely
Hello Sharon,
Yes, my sister told me the same thing, about a troubleshooting section or common questions section. I am working on doing some changes, slowly but surely.
If you have any questions send me an email or doing here on the comments.
Thanks!
Susie Taylor
I came across your blog today while looking for a source to buy blue corn masa... now I'm thinking I should be looking for a source of blue corn instead. I LOVE your blog and can see it's going to be a great resource for me.
I also have trouble getting tortillas to puff up (I actually didn't know they should!) and wonder if I'm too conservative with heat. I know when I make pita bread, and want a pocket, I use a really really hot oven. I see I've got some experimentation ahead of me.
Mely
Hello Susie Taylor,
Thank you for stopping by and leave a comment. And regarding the tortillas, they should puff. Yes, time has something to do about it. Regards,
Anciano Deacon
I used to live in Honduras and learned to make flour tortillas from the old women there. I always had trouble with my corn sticking to the plastic though. I learned from another site to unstick the plastic between each press as each tortilla needs to be pressed twice for proper thickness. And yes, pressing on the tortilla helps it to puff up. That puff up is nice if you decide to make chips from them. I like to eat them with my garlic, ginger soup.
Here in Belize they make the tortillas from corn that is still slightly wet. They grind it themselves and only need a little water when mixing. They're pretty good but I like the ones made with flour better. I tried buying their grind and it turned out disasterous. That was before I knew to peel the plastic off between each pressing for the same tortilla. So a note to everyone, if you press twice the tortilla will stick to your plastic. Open the plastic and release the tortilla between each pressing and you'll have no trouble at all.
Mely
Hello Anciano Deacon,
Thank you for your comment, sometimes when the tortilla stick to the plastic depends of the dough water content. If the dough is to wet, it will stick to the plastic.
Saludos!
Zeke
Hi, we grew non-GMO yellow corn and I was wondering if I can dry it as use it to make corn tortillas?? Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thank you, Gretna p.s. if this comment is duplicated, sorry, I don't know where the first one went.
Mely
Hello Zeke,
I had made tortillas using yellow corn, is your conr a dented variety?
Jonas Gythfeldt
Thanks a lot for your great blog! Have you tried freezing the tortillas more or less straight out of the comal? The ones I make (with maseca) seems to be best very fresh. Any good ideas keeping larger batches?
Mely
Hello Jonas,
I used to freeze them fresh made. They last about a month, if you leave them for longer sometimes get really crumbly.
Jen
Hi, thanks for posting this. I am planning to make taquitos and will make my own tortilla. Will I still need to cook these in the skillet before making th taquitos or can I wrap the beef in the "raw" tortilla and cook everything at once? A little worried that they will be too crispy before I am ready to use them if I fry them first.
Mely Martinez
Hello Jen,
You need to make the tortillas before making the tacos. If you want, you can make empanadas, those use the fresh dough to wrap the fillings and them fry or cook on the skillet. Check the recipe section for empanadas.
Gonzalo Ramos Aranda
TORTILLAS A MANO
“Se juntan las palmas y aplastan la masa, aplauden las manos, formando tortillas”.
Al pie del metate,
su corazón late,
amasa la masa,
las penas que pasa.
Bolitas, testal,
maíz nacional,
sus manos aplauden,
hermanas se funden.
Torteando, torteando,
pierde hasta el aliento,
con amor formando,
básico alimento.
El trabajo empeña,
carbón, fuego, leña,
fogón que me abraza,
tortillas de casa.
Van de mano en mano,
quererme no es vano,
mucho las orea,
cariño desea.
La braza del alma,
mi vida desarma,
sudor es ferviente,
el comal caliente.
Ansiosa, con ganas,
las suelta, resuelta,
¡ichúskutas planas!
y, vuelta que vuelta.
Cocción prolongada,
tlaxcallis sagradas,
quedan bien blanditas,
blancas, . . . azulitas.
Algunas, que se inflan,
humeantes, deseadas,
después se desinflan,
acaban delgadas.
Corazón resiste,
la pasión te asiste,
guarda la receta,
tersa servilleta.
Pequeña esa manta,
de reina, de santa
que, con gran fervor,
cubre ese calor.
Tazcal, chiquihuite,
tortillas, ¡banquete!,
sus manos yo beso,
juntas son un rezo.
Autor: Lic. Gonzalo Ramos Aranda
México. Distrito Federal, a 1º de abril del 2006.
Reg. INDAUTOR No. 03-2011-090913353800-14
Mely Martinez
Gracias Gonzalo Ramos,
Por tan hermoso poema sobre las tortillas.
Saludos!
Gonzalo Ramos Aranda
Muchas gracias por su amable opinión,Mely, le envío el poema (CORREGIDO) . . .
TORTILLAS A MANO
“Se juntan las palmas y aplastan la masa, aplauden las manos, formando tortillas”.
Al pie del metate,
su corazón late,
amasa la masa,
las penas que pasa.
Maíz nacional,
bolitas, testal,
sus manos aplauden,
hermanas se funden.
Torteando, torteando,
con amor formando
básico alimento,
pierde hasta el aliento.
El trabajo empeña,
carbón, fuego, leña,
fogón que me abraza,
tortillas de casa.
Van de mano en mano,
quererme no es vano,
mucho las orea,
cariño desea.
La braza de su alma,
mi vida desarma,
sudor es ferviente,
el comal caliente.
¡Ichúskutas planas!,
ansiosa, con ganas,
las suelta, resuelta
y vuelta que vuelta.
Cocción prolongada,
tlaxcallis sagradas,
quedan bien blanditas,
blancas, . . . azulitas.
Algunas, que se inflan,
después se desinflan,
humeantes, deseadas,
acaban delgadas.
Corazón resiste,
la pasión te asiste,
guarda la receta,
tersa servilleta.
Pequeña esa manta,
de reina, de santa
que, con gran fervor,
cubre ese calor.
Tazcal, chiquihuite,
tortillas, ¡banquete!,
sus manos yo beso,
juntas son un rezo.
Autor: Lic. Gonzalo Ramos Aranda
México. Distrito Federal, a 1º de abril del 2006.
Reg. INDAUTOR No. 03-2011-090913353800-14
Anonymous
Great blog Mely,
I was wondering if you can help me. My tortillas are doughy ( i believe undercooked ) inside. I cook them for long periods of time and they still come out doughy. Do you know what is going on? i do make sure they are thin like the supermarket tortillas before I cook. Thank you in advance!
mmartinez
Hello,
Maybe you will need to check how hot is your griddle. I will update this post soon and add the temperature on the griddle.
Try increasing the heat and see if that helps.
Saludos!
Anonymous
Hi Melly! I love making my own tortillas, but recently moved to Switzerland and the supply of masa harina I carefully carried in and rationed has now finished! Other than taking the expensive route of ordering it from abroad (at about 5x the cost!), do you have any idea how to make it from "scratch"? I can get whole dry corn kernels, or corn meal ground either coarse or fine, but can't find masa harina anywhere. Please help!
mmartinez
Hello,
If you can find dried corn suitable to make your own corn dough (masa), here is the link to the step by step guide to prepare it at home.
Mexico in my Kitchen
Regards,
Mely
Anonymous
thank you Mely for all of your invaluable input!. I noticed using Maseca the corn tortillas come out dry and not much flavor like the one i buy fresh from a market. Do you see that was well? Mines just doesnt have mush corn taste and dries out very fast.
Thank you!
mmartinez
Hello,
Definitely the flavors is way different than the ones made using nixtamal. Tortillas made with fresh masa are not easy replace with maseca, but it is a good option. When making tortillas with maseca, I usually add a lot of water, even during the process of making them, since the dough tends to get dry. I always have a small bowl with water near by, to moist my fingers while handling the dough.
Regards,
Morrigane Wood
Did my last reply get entered?
mmartinez
Hello Morrigane Wood,
I don't have any other previous comment from you. How can I help you?
Anonymous
So glad to have found you! Recently moved to Canada after a lifetime in the southwest and miss Mexican food! Thank you for posting in English - my Spanish is pretty terrible! About to make these for dinner! Almost impossible to find the right ingredients here for any Mexican food... Have only found corn tortillas at an African grocery (so random!) and the flour ones here are thick and horrible. Time to break in my new tortilla press with your recipe! Thanks for taking the time to post! It is REALLY appreciated! =)
mmartinez
Hello,
Please let me know if you have any questions regarding this recipe. (Weird to find tortillas at and African store)
Saludos!
Anonymous
Definitely a learning curve! First, I think I had them too dry. I already had them shaped into balls, so I would dip them in water, work the dough, then reshape into a ball and press. Some I had pressed a bit too thick and some too thin. They didn't always puff (I think the too thin ones wouldn't puff.) If they are too moist, will they still puff or does that prevent puffing? But they all turned out about the right consistency overall and the flavor was right, so we enjoyed them! Making more tonight, so I'll have to keep practicing! Any other tips are welcomed. Thanks again! =)
mmartinez
Hello, Moisten your finger tips instead of the masa. The thin ones will still puff. Warm water helps to get thinner tortillas.
Anonymous
This time when I mixed it it was too wet and I had to keep adding more masa, but I did get it to what I think was the right consistency. My Maseca had turned and now I have only been able to find Bob's Red Mill brand masa, and I think that isn't helping things. I tried both thin and thick and couldn't find one that would repeatedly puff up. There seemed to be a "sweet spot" for the stove temp that would consistently make the tortillas puff, but it wouldn't stabilize. It seemed to keep getting too hot (I live in an apartment with a new, but very inexpensive, standard electric stove, using good quality cookware). Not sure what I'm doing wrong that is keeping them from puffing. My only guess is the stove temp. Any guesses on your end? Thanks again for taking the time! =)
mmartinez
Hello,
The consistency should be one resembling soft play-dough, if it sticks to your fingers keep kneading until the dough is very manageable, but not sticky. Someone commented before about the heat temperature. So, I went out to buy a grill thermometer and found out that I my skillet temperature is 400 to 425. It goes down when placing a new fresh tortilla and then goes back to 425. I used to have an electric stove, the ones with the spiral grill. I didn't like it at all. The type of material of your skillet and thickness is also a thing to consider.
Please, don't give up. Let me know if I can be of further help.
Mely
glenn
I enjoy your blog, and love Mexican food. I have a question, though;
I bought an 8" cast iron IMUSA press, but can't seem to get my tortillas larger than 4-5", and too thick.
Any suggestions??
Glenn
mmartinez
Hello Glenn,
Either your formed pieces of dough are to small or your dough is dry. Can you send me a picture of the dough?
Nereida Neri
Hey! Meli You should make a recipe brook with all your great recipes! thanks so much ❤️ love your cooking
mmartinez
Hola Nereida,
Thanks a lot for your kind words. I'm putting together some recipes for that purpose. Thanks for following, I really appreciate it!
Lori Miller
Hi mine tend to look a little crackled, what am I doing wrong, I love your blog.
mmartinez
Hello,
Just add more water to your dough, or have a little bowl with water nearby to keep your hands moisten while making the tortillas. The dough tends to dry easily.
Alex Alex
Hi Mely, I'm in the UK, I've asked a question in your blog on fresh masa but not sure if it's gone through as it hasn't appeared so far.
I was just wondering, I've never made (or eaten!) proper corn tortillas before, how thin do they need to be? Also, what sort of consistency am I looking for when they're cooked? Quite soft? Chewy? Should the edges be soft or crispy? Many thanks
mmartinez
Hello Alex,
I answered you question on the masa recipe post. About the corn tortillas, they can be as thin as a few millimeters, lets say 3mm average. They have to be soft and light. Usually soft edges. I'm planning on making a video about pretty soon. I hope you come back to check it out.
Alex Alex
Hi Mely,
Thank you so much for finding the time to answer my endless questions!
My maiz morado has finally made it into tortillas today, yippee! It’s quite a story though so please bear with me.
First, I tried drying the kernels off one cob in the boiler cabinet. The following day, they were almost dry but guess what - about a quarter had sprouted! So I went to check on the rest (which I’d stored in the cupboard) and they had mould on them, less than 24 hrs after I bought them! That’s the glorious British climate for you. Luckily, I caught them in the nick of time and the kernels hadn’t spoilt but I knew I had to clean and dry them ASAP. As I began to pick the kernels, I discovered that lots more had sprouted straight into the cob. That corn really didn’t want to be eaten 🙂 From what I’ve read since, it turns out pretty common for some varieties of corn – they half spoil, half sprout!
Anyway, about 1/3 of my corn had now sprouted! So I had no choice but to plant it and hope it’ll grow indoors because it’s too late in the year to grow corn outside. It’s now 10-15cm tall. My husband will kill me…
My next adventure was trying to make nixtamal. I don’t know if it’s me or this stubborn purple corn, but the hulls wouldn’t peel after 20 minutes’ boiling as you state. In fact, I couldn’t get them to peel after 40 min (and an extra spoonful of cal) or even an hour. After about 1hr30, I gave up, left them so soak overnight and went to bed.
The following morning, I could still only peel maybe one out of ten kernels. So I added some more cal (that was probably overkill) and boiled it again. I didn’t watch the time but I think it may have taken 4 hours total before the hulls would peel easily. By that stage, I must have overcooked the corn because it was very soft and I could easily crush it between my fingers. I could also taste the cal off some of the kernels after I peeled them, despite rinsing them several times.
At this point I thought, how bad can it get, I’ll try neutralising the cal! So I covered the corn with a weak solution of cream of tartar (lemon juice would have been a better idea, but – alas – I’d run out of lemons), brought it to simmering and left overnight to soak.
This trick worked! The alkaline taste was gone, but of course I’d now cooked it even more. To be fair, it was still holding its shape, so I guess I hadn’t killed it!
Anyway, I think my masa came out much wetter than it should be (I did have to add a little liquid, too, because my grinder wasn’t happy). I ended up with a pretty sticky dough which wouldn’t even fry. Luckily, I had some masa harina that I’d bought just before I stumbled upon the fresh corn so I mixed some in till it was like playdough as you say.
My tortillas puffed a little but not very well, I sort of got very small irregular air pockets here and there. I was using a cast iron pan I usually make pancakes in (mine are flat thin ones, not American-style ones, they do need a very hot pan) but they were taking quite a bit longer to cook than you say. Probably at least twice as long. I’d pressed them slightly too thin as well, about 2mm thick. So I’m not sure if it was the overcooked corn, the wetness of the dough (it was still a tiny bit sticky), the griddle temperature or the thickness of the tortillas, but they were nothing compared to yours. Going by your comment on puffy tortillas as pre-requisite for marriage, I should count myself lucky my husband has no Mesoamerican heritage! Othewise, if he didn’t divorce me over my indoor corn plantation, my sad tortillas could have been the last straw he-he 😉
They tasted nice though, so maybe not too bad for a first try! I made a few quesadilla-ish thingies (can't really call them quesadillas as I didn't follow a recipe, just stuck some fried onions and peppers and cheddar - the only cheese I had - in the finished tortillas), very filling!
I’ll keep practising. Still got some masa left. Will try a different griddle next, the one that burns my pancakes!
Apologies for the essay :-S
Alex Alex
Hi Mely,
Thank you so much for finding the time to answer my endless questions!
My maiz morado has finally made it into tortillas today, yippee! It’s quite a story though so please bear with me.
First, I tried drying the kernels off one cob in the boiler cabinet. The following day, they were almost dry but guess what - about a quarter had sprouted! So I went to check on the rest (which I’d stored in the cupboard) and they had mould on them, less than 24 hrs after I bought them! That’s the glorious British climate for you. Luckily, I caught them in the nick of time and the kernels hadn’t spoilt but I knew I had to clean and dry them ASAP. As I began to pick the kernels, I discovered that lots more had sprouted straight into the cob. That corn really didn’t want to be eaten 🙂 From what I’ve read since, it turns out pretty common for some varieties of corn – they half spoil, half sprout!
Anyway, about 1/3 of my corn had now sprouted! So I had no choice but to plant it and hope it’ll grow indoors because it’s too late in the year to grow corn outside. It’s now 10-15cm tall. My husband will kill me…
My next adventure was trying to make nixtamal. I don’t know if it’s me or this stubborn purple corn, but the hulls wouldn’t peel after 20 minutes’ boiling as you state. In fact, I couldn’t get them to peel after 40 min (and an extra spoonful of cal) or even an hour. After about 1hr30, I gave up, left them so soak overnight and went to bed.
The following morning, I could still only peel maybe one out of ten kernels. So I added some more cal (that was probably overkill) and boiled it again. I didn’t watch the time but I think it may have taken 4 hours total before the hulls would peel easily. By that stage, I must have overcooked the corn because it was very soft and I could easily crush it between my fingers. I could also taste the cal off some of the kernels after I peeled them, despite rinsing them several times.
At this point I thought, how bad can it get, I’ll try neutralising the cal! So I covered the corn with a weak solution of cream of tartar (lemon juice would have been a better idea, but – alas – I’d run out of lemons), brought it to simmering and left overnight to soak.
This trick worked! The alkaline taste was gone, but of course I’d now cooked it even more. To be fair, it was still holding its shape, so I guess I hadn’t killed it!
Anyway, I think my masa came out much wetter than it should be (I did have to add a little liquid, too, because my grinder wasn’t happy). I ended up with a pretty sticky dough which wouldn’t even fry. Luckily, I had some masa harina that I’d bought just before I stumbled upon the fresh corn so I mixed some in till it was like playdough as you say.
My tortillas puffed a little but not very well, I sort of got very small irregular air pockets here and there. I was using a cast iron pan I usually make pancakes in (mine are flat thin ones, not American-style ones, they do need a very hot pan) but they were taking quite a bit longer to cook than you say. Probably at least twice as long. I’d pressed them slightly too thin as well, about 2mm thick. So I’m not sure if it was the overcooked corn, the wetness of the dough (it was still a tiny bit sticky), the griddle temperature or the thickness of the tortillas, but they were nothing compared to yours. Going by your comment on puffy tortillas as pre-requisite for marriage, I should count myself lucky my husband has no Mesoamerican heritage! Othewise, if he didn’t divorce me over my indoor corn plantation, my sad tortillas could have been the last straw he-he 😉
They tasted nice though, so maybe not too bad for a first try! I made a few quesadilla-ish thingies (can't really call them quesadillas as I didn't follow a recipe, just stuck some fried onions and peppers and cheddar - the only cheese I had - in the finished tortillas), very filling!
I’ll keep practising. Still got some masa left. Will try a different griddle next, the one that burns my pancakes!
Apologies for the essay :-S
mmartinez
Hello Alex,
Thank you for stopping by and share your enthusiasm about making corn masa and corn tortillas. I did see your comment about making masa, I'll try to answer all your questions this evening.
Anonymous
I didn't know the tortillas were supposed to puff. I've been making them for years. Usually I use the Bob's Red Mill but I have 2 bags of made to use up now. How long does unopened masa flour last? I've had it since last December.
mmartinez
Hello,
Yes, corn tortillas puff beautifully. In Mexico, we even say that when you learn to make tortillas that puff, then you are ready to get married. Masa flour don't last forever, you can store it in the freezer, but better use by the expiration date. Check the expiration date on your package.
Happy cooking!
Kim McDougald
Hi Mely, I have never made corn tortillas before.The ones I am used to seeing here in Canada appear about 5-6 inches in diameter, yellow and seem to have cornmeal in them. I like the cornmeal and am wondering if you have added it to your recipe ever? Also, I purchased yellow corn flour, which is apparently different than the Masa... will this work for me??
mmartinez
Hello Kim,
I had never added corn meal to the masa. But that yellow corn flour is fine to make tortillas.
Unknown
Do you have a recipe to make them from Scratch for real, as in with maiz and lime that you cook and grind into true corn maza? I would like to find the right proportions of maiz and lime to combine.
mmartinez
Hello,
yes, you can find the recipe here: Corn Masa
Anonymous
Thank you for all your recipes.
Any suggestions on making them ahead of time for a large party. Should I leave them raw (separated by wax paper or something) or should I cook them half way then finish them on the comal once the guests arrive?
Thanks for your help
mmartinez
Hello,
Precook and then reheat them in the comal when ready to use.
Unknown
Hi Mely
Does the recipe vary with blue corn masa (not masa harina). Also why is there no salt in the recipe? Thank you Christine
mmartinez
Hello Christine,
Blue masa harina, depending of the Brand, is almost the same process as of white or yellow corn masa harina.
Regarding the addition of salt. Traditionally, salt is not added to the process of making nixtamal into masa in Mexico. Tortillas a dough made of corn, water and cal. Not salt added. Also, if you check the package of your masa harina, it also indicates just mixing the masa harina with the water.
Happy cooking!
beax
Thanks so much for this post, it looks delicious and I can't wait to try it!!
Susan Rivera
Thank you for this recipe. I was planning on making Caldo this weekend and this recipe is timely. Nothing tastes as good as warm homemade tortilla with butter. I love your recipes Melly. It is like being in the kitchen with my mom and sisters all over again. Thank you for your wonderful website.
Mague Saucedo-Cardenas
Great tutorial. Only 1 question. Don't they need salt?
mmartinez
Hello Mague,
Traditional corn tortillas in Mexico are done without salt. Some tortilla factories, in Mexico, have a salt shaker on their counter for those people that like warm corn tortillas with a dash of salt. We call them "Tacos de sal".
Gracie
I Love using my tortilla press and a dash of salt not much but just a dash. Enjoyed the recipe. Easy peazy ❣️
שֶׁלִּי קיי ווד
The recipe looks great, I will be trying it soon. Thank you so much for the step by step instructions..
Liz Garcia
I'm going to try to make them. I love corn tortillas!
MaryEllen Lenzen
I had previously pinned the recipe. It seems simple enough for even myself to be able to make these! And do have the masa already. Mine is in the pantry, but will make sure to check the expiration date and put the masa in the freezer.
Trina
Many times tried and never quite right- my tortillas. Now that I have watched your video I think I will be successful! Now that I have actually seen someone do it. Somethings are best learned by watching...!Thank you!
Sally Gutierrez
Mely, thank you. I think this tutorial is very nicely done. Perhaps you could mention that the ingredient list on the masa harina is something important to note. Only corn and lime needs to be on the list.. There are some varieties that have many aded ingredients, which are not traditional and does affect taste.
mmartinez
Hello Sally,
You are right. It's so weird to find recipes online that include more ingredients when we only need the corn, water, and the cal to make the dough (masa).
Teresa
I followed the recipe and the tortillas turned out amazing!! Thank you!!
Ana Camacho
You need to write a cookbook. I would be first to buy it.
James McFadden
Hi Mely,
Thank you so much for sharing all your knowledge about good food. I live in Brazil with my wife (when I first met her, I thought she looked like Mexican so I thought I would be getting lots of good food! Sigh, never judge by appearances), so in Brazil, they don't even have masa harina, they don't even know about nixtamalization.. But I can buy cal and I need to get a stainless steel cauldron, then I am going to make my own masa, I will let you know how it turns out, in a few weeks.
Stacy
Im really excited to try this 🙂
Vivian Orr
I found this tutorial very helpful. I am going to try making tortillas this weekend. I need to get the hot plate. Any suggestions on a brand or type? Easier is better for me 😊
Also it’s just the shape that defines if it’s for a flauta it taco? Same recipe? Thanks for your information and help.
mmartinez
Hello Vivian,
If this is your first time making tortillas a nonstick griddle - comal works best. The shape for a tortilla to make "flautas" is an oval shaped one. But you can use a regular round tortilla to make these much loved crispy tacos.
Cebele
So wonderful! Learned something new about the Mexican cooking culture. Can’t wait to try to make these corn tortillas! Thank you so much for the recipe!
Zsuzsi
Hello I'm from south Africa and would love to make the corn tortillas but we do not have masa harina available. How can I make it here with just corn meal?
Thank you and looking forward to your early reply
Best regards
ZSUZSI
mmartinez
Hello Zsuzsi,
Cornmeal is coarse and corn tortillas come out crumbly. Masa harina is corn that had already been cooked and them ground. The consistency is different, like a very fine sand.
Terri
I like my corn tortillas alittle thinker and bigger too. This crap in the store are tiny and very dry. I miss in Santa Barbars Ca. They had a factory that made them fresh. You buy a dozen warm evertime
mmartinez
Hello Terri,
Nothing beats freshly made corn tortillas.
Shan
I just had to tell you that you're amazing! Your tip to use a pie plate works perfectly! <3 We're still working on the timing and temp to get the final pretty puff, but our tortillas for carnitas last night were amazing, and SO good this morning in migas!
I follow a few good groups on facebook, and have linked to your site more times than I can count. If there's something I want to make but am not quite comfortable "winging it" (99% of my cooking) I always check here. (I'm from western Texas, and your recipes just have that "home" taste, for me. Thanks for the delicious recipes you share.
Sandra
I want to try this recipe but as it is only foe myself can I adjust the quantity’s or can I freeze the dough and use it as and when I want more which is best
Chris
How do you make your own masa?
mmartinez
Hello Chris,
Please click on the following links to see the process to make your own masa at home. White corn masa & Blue Corn masa
Emily
Hi is it the “instant corn mass flour” Maseca?
mmartinez
Hello Emily,
Yes, that type of corn flour.
Teena
Thank you so much for great instructions on how to make corn tortillas. I’ve been trying but not as successful as with your recipe. These were the best I ever made. Thank you thank you thank you. Can’t wait to try more of your recipes. Now to buy corn masa❤️
Jennifer
Thanks so much for this recipe! I made a mole negro with turkey breast for thanksgiving yesterday, and we decided to try making tortillas to make them into turkey mole tacos. We splurged $15 on a press at a local store and had a great and shockingly easy time making the tortillas! They were amazing and greatly added to the richness of the meal. Muchísimas gracias!
Mely Martínez
Hello Jennifer,
Such a great idea of making Mole for Thanksgiving. Thank you for trying the corn tortillas recipe.
Jessica
Hi.
Thanks so much for your great website.
In a pinch, is it ok to substitute Semolina flour for mass harina?
Jessica
Mely Martínez
Hello Jessica,
Masa harina is very fine in texture, polenta or semolina is very different and won't give you the same results.
SairaSaad
Hi there excellent recipe but plx tell me what is masa harina , what are the ingredients if masa hrina plx guide thanks
Mely Martínez
Hello Saira,
Masa -harina is a very fine corn flour made dried corn. You can see the process for fresh masa here:https://www.mexicoinmykitchen.com/corn-masa/
And you can buy the masa harina in amazon or latin stores. Check this link:https://amzn.to/2FIiRLb
Elena
Thank you so much for the recipe!
May I ask a question about the quantity of the ingredients?
"1-1/2 cups masa-harina I use the "Maseca" brand
1-¼ cups of warm water".
Does 1 - 1/2 and 1 - 1/4 mean 1.5 cups of masa-harina and 1.25 cups of water?
Mely Martínez
Hello Elena,
Yes, you are right!
Glen Spencer
Hello Ms Martinez hope you and your family are safe and well I went to the store they didn't have any Maseca masa harina but they did have a Quaker Oat Bran Harina preparada I'm hoping I did make a mistake and I can make corn tortillas and use my wooden press thank you God's peace and this time of fear
Mely Martínez
Hello Glen,
Quaker sells their own masa harina (corn flour), I hope that is the one you are using to make corn tortillas. Because, there is also a flour mix to make flour (wheat tortillas), that already includes the shortening.
Dave Big Chief
What are "wheatear conditions"?
Mely Martínez
Hello Dave, That was a typo. But, I'm sure you understood it meant "WEATHER"
Yadira Deese
Thank you for the recipe, very easy to follow. I pressed them and seperated them with wax paper and put them in a ziplock bag. Can I refrigerate them raw and take them out to heat up, if so do they harden a little? If they do, do I simply wet my hand a little? I'm really excited to incorporate homemade tortillas in my everyday living. You're amazing, and I'm very grateful for your page.
Gracias,
-Yadira
Mely Martínez
Hello Yadira,
It is better to cook all the tortillas, then you store them in the fridge in the ziploc bag. You only need to reheat them in the coma.
let me know how that worked out for you.
Glen Spencer
Dear mrs. Martinez followed your recipe the only puffed up about a quarter they came out soft they had brown spots the reason why I chose you recipe over the others is because you said 6 in tortillas and that's what size my press makes wish I could send you a picture of my press I'm really proud of this thing but thank you for that recipe I'll be back for more hope you and your family are safe and well God's peace
Mely Martínez
Hello Glen,
I'm glad to know you tried the recipe. You can send me a picture via our Instagram account.https://www.instagram.com/mexicoinmykitchen/?hl=en
glen spencer
hello Ms Martinez hope you and your family are well and safe I found a bag of Maseca white corn flour it's got a red top on the bag I do believe it's white corn flour not yellow and it works well with the wooden press I haven't tried making the flour tortillas yet we'll be making this recipe again thank you
Mely Martínez
Hello Glen,
Yes, this type of masa harina is to make corn tortillas using the tortilla press. I hope you enjoy your time cooking and the tortillas.
tim miller
Hola!
Gracias, amiga! I have a question, please. I made mine with a plate and they are thicker. Most never puffed up before getting quite brown. Can you tell me what might cause this? Comal too hot? Not enough water? Thank you! Tim
Mely Martínez
Hello Tim,
Knead the dough very well, heat to medium-high, the dough has to be smooth and manageable. If the edges of your tortillas are cracked, the dough needs more water.
Lissy
Hola Mely,
Vivo en Portugal y no consigo la masa harina. ¿Crees que me quedarán bien con Semolina de maíz?
¡Gracias por tus recetas tan deliciosas!
Mely Martínez
Hola Lissy,
La semolina esta hecha de maiz sin nixtamalizar. Cuando se nixtamaliza el maíz, este desprende una sustancia un poco gelatinosa que hace que al moler el maíz este se pueda hacer masa. Eso no pasa con la semolina. La puedes mezclar con harina y hacer una tortilla mitad harina de trigo y mitad semolina.
Jade
Mely, is there a favorite brand of cookware you recommend? For instance, your favorite brand to purchase a comal?
Mely Martínez
Hello, Jade,
I sent an email to our subscribers a couple of weeks ago with a list of my kitchen favorites. I'll send you that via email.
paula
I made these tonight. Used my Tortilla Press my brother brought me from his trip to Oaxaco, Mexico. They came out delicious and couldn't be more easy to make. Can't wait to make them again!
Mely Martínez
Hello Paula,
Thank you for trying the corn tortilla recipe. And for taking the time to come back and leave a comment. Enjoy your corn tortillas!
Pam
So informative. She even tells you what they look like cooking. Thank you so much.
Mely Martínez
Hello Pam.
Thank you for your comment about the corn tortillas.
Gina Bisaillon
I have to confess that now that commercial tortillas are available in many stores even in the small Quebec town where I live I no longer make my own tortillas. But when I’m in Mexico I go to the market and buy tortillas from the ladies there who make them from fresh masa that they cook themselves and my oh my, what a difference!
Mely Martínez
Hello Gina,
those tortillas are the best. I just brought a few of them from my recent trip to Mexico. The flavors is delicious.