Classic Homemade Flour Tortillasare easier than you think! Try this simple, authentic recipe, and enjoy warm, soft, foldable tortillas right from your own kitchen. Perfect for snacks, lunches, and everyone’s favorite Mexican and Tex-Mex recipes!
Add the flour, lard, salt, and baking powder to a large bowl, and use a fork or your hands to crumble it into a crumbly mixture.
Pour in the water, and stir to combine, until a dough forms. Lightly flour a flat surface, and knead the dough by hand for 10 minutes, or in a stand mixer with the dough attachment for 5 minutes. Add only a small dusting of flour at a time, to prevent the dough from getting hard.
Cover the dough with a damp towel, and let it rest for 30 minutes.
Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces, and tuck in the edges of each piece to form a ball.
Cover the balls of dough with a damp towel. Remove one dough ball at a time, and roll in into an 8-inch diameter, ¼-inch thick disk (or if you have a tortilla press, you can press them into shape). If you are stacking the raw tortillas, make sure to place a square of parchment paper or wax paper between them to prevent sticking.
Heat a comal, or a large skillet, over medium heat. Carefully add one tortilla at a time, and cook just until you start to see bubbles form.
Flip the tortilla over, and cook for another 20 seconds, and then flip again and cook for another 20 seconds, until you start to see large bubbles.
Cover the cooked tortilla immediately in a towel (or wrap in foil) to keep warm, and repeat the cooking process with the remaining balls of dough.
Serve as tacos, or with butter, salt and lime juice if you like!
Notes
Lard: Using lard will make a flavorful, authentic tortilla like what you would get in Mexico. However, if you don’t have lard, or don’t want to use it, check below for some other options.
Butter: Softened to room temperature.
Shortening: Vegetable or butter flavored shortening.
Oil: Any other neutral flavored oil, like vegetable oil, canola oil, or olive oil will work. I have even seen some recipes use coconut oil.
Baking Powder: I know many recipes do not use baking powder, however I was given this tip by a friend from Mexico and it gives the tortillas a little lighter texture. You can feel free to leave it out if you would prefer. Tortilla Press: Hand-rolling tortillas is great, but they may not turn out as thin or even as you would like. They can also be difficult to get into a perfectly round shape. A basic tortilla press makes it much easier and faster to get the tortillas thin and round. Just roll the dough, place it in the center of the tortilla press and press down firmly.Comal: A comal is a flat cast iron griddle used for cooking tortillas and other Mexican dishes, and they are super helpful for this recipe. However it is not necessary, you can also make tortillas in a cast-iron skillet or griddle, or just your favorite stainless or non-stick pan.Storage: These tortillas can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. If you place them in a storage bag and seal it while they are still warm, the steam in the bag will help prevent them from becoming hard. You can also reheat tortillas in a warm oven, if desired.Freeze: Yes! Tortillas freeze well. Just stack them with squares of wax paper or parchment between each tortilla, so they don’t stick together. Stacks of 5 – 10 tortillas are usually the most practical. Place the stack into a large freezer bag, press out as much air as possible, and seal. Freeze for up to 6 months. Thaw to room temperature before serving or reheating.Gluten Free: You can try using your favorite all purpose gluten free flour, some readers have commented they have had great success. Or try my favorite Corn Tortillas which are made with masa (corn flour) and are naturally gluten free!