This post was last updated on July 30, 2014 to include new images and a recipe video.
I have had it up to *here* with store-bought tortillas.
Now, usually, homemade anything is better than store-bought. Agreed?
Sure, it's easier to just drop a box of croutons or a bag of bagels into your cart at the store -- or that jar of Alfredo sauce that's on sale...
But, is it better?
Not for me.
The same goes for homemade tortillas. Yes, they require a little bit of work and make a little mess, but they are so ridiculously good -- you won't even care.
Go ahead. Try them out once.
I'm betting, once you bite into your first hot, homemade, melt-in-your-mouth flour tortilla, you won't be sorry. Or the second.
Or the third.
If you want to make homemade corn tortillas watch the video and get the recipe here.
Watch me make this recipe!
Homemade Tortillas
Equipment
*This post may contain affiliate links for products I use often and highly recommend.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup bread flour
- 2 ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup lard plus 1-2 tbsp. or vegetable shortening, as needed
- 1 cup hot water
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, combine both types of flour, baking powder and salt.
- Drop ½ cup lard by the spoonfuls into flour mixture and, using a pastry cutter, your fingers or a fork, cut lard until it crumbles and is evenly dispersed in the flour. Slowly add the hot water and stir together until mixture sticks to itself. If not quite moist, add 1-2 more tbsp. lard, as needed.
- Knead, in the mixing bowl, for 3-5 minutes or until dough forms a ball and becomes less sticky. Cover bowl with tea towel and let rest for 1 hour.
- Break the dough into 14-16 smaller pieces and roll the pieces into balls. Cover balls of dough for an additional 30 minutes.
- Preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Using a well-floured rolling pin, roll one dough ball at a time into a thin, round tortilla. Make sure the ball is rolled out to be very, very thin. Carefully place onto the hot skillet and cook until bubbly and golden, about 30-40 seconds. Flip the tortilla over and continue cooking until golden on the other side.
- Wrap the cooked tortilla in a clean tea towel until ready to eat. Repeat with the remaining dough.
- Serve immediately or, once completely cool, store in an air-tight bag or container. To warm, wrap in damp paper towel and microwave for 20-30 seconds or wrap in foil and warm in oven.
Catherine
Fantastic recipe! Followed it exactly and had perfectly soft tortillas! Thanks!
Vivian Borja
I made this tonight and I really loved it. I did however tweak this recipe a bit. I used shortening instead of lard. I use 1/2 cup shortening and 1 Tablespoon more, but I think the next time I make it I will omit the 1 Tablespoon more of shortening. I used 1 cup coconut milk instead of hot water and added 1 Tablespoon of sugar to sweeten the milk, but after the tortilla was cooked I didn't really taste much of the sugar. So I probably will add 2 to 3 Tablespoons more sugar. Thanks for this recipe.
Ginger
These are the #1 best tortillas. My search is over, this is the forth recipe I’ve tried in the last couple months. They are soft, tender and most of all delicious. Sure it may take a little longer to make than most, but well worth every minute. Thanks so much for the recipe!!!
Pamela
These are the best tortillas I’ve ever made. Thank you for sharing your recipe.
Robin
This recipe calls for far more fat than most recipes for flour tortillas, and also baking powder which I never use. I make flour tortillas occasionally and typically have excellent results. Was curious about this recipe that was so different so I tried it tonight, and it did not work well for me at all. It was very very greasy, and the final result had a texture more like a cookie which I suppose is because of the baking powder. I can't understand the purpose of the baking powder in a tortilla recipe, especially so much of it. Interesting that other people had success with this. On the other hand, the flavor was good, so we sort of just dunked them in our fajita filling.
Natalie
I substituted the 1/2 cup lard for 1/2 cup mashed avocado and they turned out great!
Ani
I just made these and they are just perfect. Thank you so much for the recipe. The best tortillas I have ever had/made.
Lacey Baier
Yay! That's such a compliment! So glad you enjoyed the tortillas 🙂
April
I've made these a couple times now, and they're great. I just can't seem to make them round though. They always end up in strange stretched out shapes, which makes them hard to roll for burritos or wraps. Is there a trick I'm missing?
Lacey Baier
Hmm...it's really in the rolling it out. Try to keep it as even as possible as you roll them out and turn as much as you need to make it that way. I hope that helps!
Jay
I found a cast iron tortilla press at our local HEB for 19 dollars. Amazon has them too. It might help. I was really excited to get this recipe since I am allergic to soy, which is now found in store bought tortillas.
paula
Mine turned out thin and not soft at all, as soon as you bite it will break out into small pieces. Do you know what could be the reason?
Lacey Baier
Oh no! How did they feel when you were rolling them out? I'm wondering if they weren't moist enough for some reason?
Marianne Beltjens
Do you think it would be ok if I refrigerate the dough balls for a day before rolling and cooking them?
Thanks!
Lacey Baier
Yes, I think that would be fine to do, Marianne. 🙂
Colleen
I no longer have to keep looking for the perfect floured tortilla! thank you! These are so soft and yummy! My search stops here! Now can you come up with a yummy corn tortilla? please?????
Lacey Baier
Awesome! I totally agree I need to get on that! I'm glad you enjoyed the flour tortillas 🙂
Jen
I'm trying these today with butter instead of lard and with homemade bread flour. To make your own bread flour, just add 1 tsp vital wheat gluten for every cup of all-purpose flour.
Lacey Baier
Good to know, Jen. Thanks!
kvb
great detailed recipe! thank you so much. I used butter instead of lard, turned out kind of oily but really soft and delicious. Will try using coconut oil next time. Thanks!!
Lacey Baier
You're very welcome! Interesting idea to use coconut oil 🙂
Eli
Great recipe but try substituting the bread flour with Self Rising Flour and minus the Baking Powder...same great taste and results! 😉
Maggie
I can't wait to try these, I'm sure my kids will love them. =)
Thank you for sharing!
Emilio
I used coconut oil rather than lard, and to cut time in time for my dinner I only let them sit for 1/2 hour. They were delicious! The rolling pin didn't work too well for me so after a few swipes with it I just hand pressed them out. The thinner the better! Mine weren't quite as pretty, but they sure were good! Thanks!
Porky
We have found out don't get in a hurry, let them rest when you form the small balls, and you can get them rolled so thin you can almost read a newspaper through them. Also makes them very pliable. Have to try your recipe instead of our old timer one.
Joy
Had to tell you how big a fan my family is of this recipe. We will never buy store bought tortillas again. These are on our table at least once a week! Thanks so much for sharing such an amazing recipe!!
Robin
Any thoughts about turning this into a whole wheat tortilla? Could you substiture Whole wheat flour for the AP to get more fiber and whole grain??
Tracee
There is nothing better than the tortillas at Chuy's. I miss Austin so much! We'll be back in April to visit family and Chuy's and The County Line are on our radar...
Bridie
Sounds delicious!
Is there oil in the skillet??
Arabella
sweet pea, your tortillas are beautiful and I bet they taste even better. 🙂
lacey - a sweet pea chef
Awww, Arabella. Thank you!
Berna
Thank you for this homemade tortillas recipe. I will surely try this.
lacey - a sweet pea chef
You're very welcome. Berna.
Megan
I have made these before (not with your recipe and I bet they will be even better!) but the problem that I had was getting my very thin tortilla safely to the pan without folding and overlapping during the trip. Any ideas? They are so amazing but was frustrating because of my lack of coordination, maybe?
Thanks for the recipe - can't wait to try them!
lacey - a sweet pea chef
Well, Megan, it could be a lack of coordination 😉
What about using a well-floured pliable cutting board and just sliding them right off onto the pan? Or, just keep the tortillas a little thicker.
Megan
Thank you! They are amazing - really! As I can't have yeast, I made these instead of flat bread and since I have to make them thicker, yes, because of my lack of coordination, they tasted just like flat bread. YUM!
Jep
Try to gently roll the tortilla around your rolling pin and then unroll into the pan. I use this trick with pastry dough all the time, but it could work with tortillas as well.
Samantha
Thank you for this home made tortillas recipe.I would like to try make this.Homemade is really good.
Grishma
Perfect n soo fresh! There is nothing like homemade tortillas 🙂 Thanks for the recipe. Would love to try it.
lacey - a sweet pea chef
I completely agree! 🙂