Homemade Flour tortillas are more common in the northern states of México, where they use what we consider to be the BEST recipe for flour tortillas, the traditional recipe of 1 kilo of All purpose flour, ¼ of a kilo Vegetable Shortening, hot water as needed, a dash of baking powder, and a pinch of salt. Although must cooks will omit the baking powder.
Homemade Flour tortillas
Although nowadays you can conveniently get good quality flour tortillas at the corner store, many housewives prefer to make homemade flour tortillas at home, Like Señora Hortencia Luna, a very sweet lady that used to be my son’s nana in Monterrey, NL.
Every day before going to work, she would cook one kilo of flour transformed into flour tortillas for her family. When I asked her why she always made the same amount, she told me that it was the only recipe that anyone knew. Ms. Hortencia was the one that showed me hot to make flour tortillas.
In México, it’s very common to find shortening in ¼ kilo sizes packages and flour in 1-kilo sizes.
Please make sure to read all these notes before you start making your flour tortillas, you’ll be glad you did.
At the end of the post, you will find the new video with instructions to make 8 flour tortillas.
How to Make Flour Tortillas Recipe
Note 1: Add the water little by little to form the dough since in humid climates a slightly less amount of water will be needed.
Directions to make flour tortillas
1. In a large bowl, place the flour, baking powder, salt, and mix. With the help of a fork, pastry blender or your hands, incorporate the shortening or lard until it resembles coarse meal. (Please check the ingredients list below)
2. Slowly add the hot water a little at the time until the dough holds together. Do not add all the water at once. See note above.
3. Turn dough onto a work surface, and knead for a couple of minutes until it is smooth.
4. Divide the dough into 10 pieces rolling every piece on your work surface with the palm of your hand to form a little disk. We call these “testales”.
5. Cover the “Testales” with a damped kitchen towel or plastic wrap, and let the dough rest for 30-45 minutes.
Note 2: The resting period will develop the gluten and forming the tortilla disks will be easier. Do not skip this step.
6. After the resting period, place an ungreased griddle/comal over medium heat. Grab your Rolling Pin to start forming the tortillas on a lightly floured surface. If you add too much flour to the surface your flour tortillas will be dry.
7. To form the tortillas place the “testal” (ball of dough)onto the working area and press slightly with your hand, set the rolling pin at the center of the “testal” and press forward without making it to the edge and then press backward towards yourself stopping before the edge. Turn the tortilla 45 degrees (like a half turn) and repeat pressing forward and then towards you. Flip the tortilla and repeat the same process until you have a thin disk of about 10 inches. If you are new to rolling tortillas, be patient, it takes a little practice.
8. Now, place the tortilla on your already hot Griddle or comal. This step is a really quick one: be careful with your timing. a) During the first 20 to 30 seconds, the tortilla starts forming air bubbles and light brown spots will show at the bottom side of the tortilla, b) turn the tortilla, and during the next 20 seconds, more air bubbles will continue to form. c) turn again; at this time the flour tortilla will puff up like in the picture above. This last step will take about 10 seconds. Remove the flour tortilla and wrap with a kitchen towel. Keep making the rest of the tortillas.
Extra Notes:
*Your comal/griddle should be hot enough so that when cooking the flour tortillas the spots are light brown; if they are dark brown too soon then the heat is too high, and if the tortillas take longer to cook then the heat is too low.
* To store the tortillas place them in a plastic bag in the refrigerator.
* To reheat the tortillas, place them on a hot griddle/comal and warm them the same way you cook them, turning twice. The air bubbles will form again but not as big as when they were just cooking.
Flour Tortilla Recipe
Do you like flour tortillas? Do you have a special recipe for them? Please share it with us in the comments section. Thanks!
Mely,
PS. If you also want to learn how to make corn tortillas, check this POST.
En español Tortillas de harina.
Flour Tortillas
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups All Purpose Flour plus extra to form tortillas.
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ⅓ Cup shortening or Lard
- 1 cup hot water * See Note
Instructions
- In a large bowl, place the flour, baking powder, salt, and mix. With the help of a fork, pastry blender or your hands, incorporate the shortening or lard until it resembles coarse meal.
- Slowly add the hot water a little at the time until the dough holds together. Do not add all the water at once. See note above.
- Turn dough onto a work surface, and knead for a couple of minutes until it is smooth.
- Divide the dough into 10 pieces rolling every piece on your work surface with the palm of your hand to form a little disk. We call these “testales”.
- Cover the “Testales” in a damped kitchen towel or plastic wrap, and let the dough rest for 30-45 minutes.
- After the resting period, place an ungreased griddle/comal over medium heat. Grab your Rolling Pin to start forming the tortillas on a lightly floured surface. If you add too much flour to the surface your tortillas will be dry.
- To form the tortillas place the “testal” (ball of dough)onto the working area and press slightly with your hand, set the rolling pin at the center of the “testal” and press forward without making it to the edge and then press backward towards yourself stopping before the edge. Turn the tortilla 45 degrees (like a half turn) and repeat pressing forward and then towards you. Flip the tortilla and repeat the same process until you have a thin disk of about 10 inches. If you are new to rolling tortillas, be patient, it takes a little practice.
- Now, place the tortilla on your already hot Griddle or comal. This step is a really quick one: be careful with your timing. a) During the first 20 to 30 seconds, the tortilla starts forming air bubbles and light brown spots will show at the bottom side of the tortilla, b) turn the tortilla, and during the next 20 seconds, more air bubbles will continue to form. c) turn again; at this time the tortilla will puff up like in the picture above. This last step will take about 10 seconds. Remove the tortilla and wrap with a kitchen towel. Keep making the rest of the tortillas.
Video
Notes
- Add the water little by little to form the dough since in humid climates a slightly less amount of water will be needed.
- Add the baking powder if you live at sea levels. You can still make the flour tortillas without the baking powder, maybe they won't puff to much, but they will still come out fine.
- The resting period will develop the gluten and forming the tortilla disks will be easier. Do not skip this step.
- *Your comal/griddle should be hot enough so that when cooking the tortillas the spots are light brown; if they are dark brown too soon then the heat is too high, and if the tortillas take longer to cook then the heat is too low.
- * To store the tortillas place them in a plastic bag in the refrigerator.
- * To reheat the tortillas, place them in a hot griddle/comal and warm them the same way you cook them, turning twice. The air bubbles will form again but not as big as when they were just cooking.
Lars
I made this recipe yesterday, and I used coconut oil for the shortening, which worked out well. I happened not to have shortening on hand, but I did have coconut oil.
I ended up using not much more than 3/4 cup of water, it seemed, but it was enough. Also, I divided the dough into eight portions, as I wanted slightly larger tortillas, to use for burritos, and I have a very large comal.
Cooking time on the first side was no more than 20 seconds, and second side was no more than 15 seconds. Rolling out each ball took at least one minute each.
What I liked was that the tortillas were very pliable. Ones I've made in the past were a bit too stiff, for some reason, and so I like this recipe better.
Kim
Aaammmazing! Made it 3 times now. Today's batch was doubled since we can't stop eating them.
Steph
Anyone tried making these in high altitude? Everything’s seems different here. Curiosity maybe I’ll need more shortening or water. Thanks!
Debbie
They say the third yime is a charm. Well it was. I was getting frustrated. So i got back online and found your recipe. They came out pretty good. Not so round. But i will master that later. Thank you!!!
georgiann bonds
Good morning Mely
I have Gluten sensitive. Can these be made with either Almond, Coconut or Tapioca Flour?
Mely Martínez
Hello Georgina,
Sorry, I'm not familiar with cooking with those products.
S F
I would actually use the King Arthur Gluten Free all purpose flour. Tapioca flour might work, but with the others I think you'd have a hard time rolling them out. You'd need to add something to act as the gluten to hold everything together while you rolled, such as potato/tapioca starch.
Justin
A weekly staple in our house. Easy and fun to make. Thank you!
J
Rick
My dough came out sticky which made it a task to roll out , but tasted pretty authentic. Any ideas for next time?
Mely Martínez
Hello Rick,
since there are many factors that can affect including the environmental humidity, sticky dough is easily fixed by adding a little extra flour to the dough.
Emily
Can you use butter instead of lard or shortening?
Mely Martínez
Hello Emily,
Yes, you can. However reduce the amount to avoid the tortillas to be hard or break.
Lars
Use less water. I started out with about 3/4 cup, and I did not need much more than that.
Sabrina
That was such a fun recipe to try. Mine did not turn out beautiful circles, but they taste great. Very good recipe for a first time tortilla maker.
Freddie
The 8 balls came out too small to make a great bite-sized tortilla. Other than than the taste and texture were perfect. Easy to recommend.
Mely Martínez
Hello Freddie,
Regular flour tortillas in the Northeast of Mexico, are no huge tortillas. The recipe is for those home-style tortillas we are used to having in Monterrey, NL., Mexico.
Sylvia
Recommend this recipe especially for beginners including me. Thanks Mely.
Jeannie
Great recipe. I've made these several times now, and they always turn out. These are the most Authentic tasting. Thanks