This easy Homemade Tortilla recipe is the best tasting homemade flour tortillas I have ever eaten and far better than store-bought. You only need 3 ingredients to make your own flour tortillas and it's likely you already have the ingredients in your pantry!
Homemade Flour Tortillas are great for making your favorite Mexican food. From enchiladas to tacos and burritos, these easy tortillas will be the only way you will ever want to eat tortillas again.
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❤️ Why You'll Love This Recipe
Easy to make: This easy tortilla recipe uses only 3 simple ingredients!
Versatile: Traditional flour tortillas are perfect for taco Tuesday to make your favorite soft tacos.
Taste great: Fresh homemade flour tortillas made at home are far better than store bought soft tortillas.
🥘 INGREDIENTS
This is one of the easiest recipes to make. I promise, once you have made this homemade flour tortilla recipe, you will never want to buy them in the store.
- White whole wheat flour
- Solid vegetable shortening
- Salt
- Water
🔪 How to make Homemade Tortillas
Making the dough
- Add the flour and shortening to a large bowl. Work the shortening into the flour with a pastry blender or your fingers until completely incorporated.
- Dissolve the salt in the water and pour ⅔ cup of the salt water over top of the flour mixture. Immediately work it in with a fork. The dough will be in large clumps.
- Scoop the soft dough onto your work surface and knead until smooth, adding more water as needed.
Shaping and resting the dough
- Divide dough into 12 equal pieces and roll each piece of dough into a smooth ball.
- Set the tortilla dough balls on a plate, cover with sheets of plastic wrap, damp cloth, or damp paper towel and let dough rest for 30 minutes at room temperature.
Making the tortillas
- After the resting period, heat a cast-iron skillet or a large frying pan over medium-high heat.
- Shaping by hand: On a lightly floured surface, roll out a portion of the dough into a 7-inch circle. Flatten a ball of dough with the palm of your hand, sprinkle with a little extra flour, then roll forward and back across it, rotating a sixth of a turn dough and roll forward and back again. Continue until it is a 7-inch circle.
- Using a tortilla press: Using two pieces of parchment paper, place one piece of paper on the press, place the dough ball in the center and top with another piece of parchment. Then press. Lift the tortilla press, and flip the tortilla over (still sandwiched between the parchment. Press firmly one more time. Then remove the tortilla and proceed to cook.
To cook the tortillas
- Lay the first tortilla on the hot griddle. After 30-45 seconds, when golden brown spots show underneath, flip it over. cook another 30-45 seconds more, until the second side is browned. Do not overcook or the tortilla will become crisp.
- Remove and wrap in a clean kitchen towel. Repeat procedure with remaining tortillas and stack them on top of each other.
🙋 Recipe FAQ's
It all comes down to flavor and diet. Lard is animal product so if you are vegetarian, use the vegetable shortening, if you want a different flavor profile, use lard.
Wrap the tortillas in a towel and place them in the microwave for 30 seconds. For just 1 tortilla, wrap and heat for 10 seconds. These can also be reheated on the grill for a few seconds on each side.
Tips
- When measuring the flour, stir the flour first to aerate it. Then spoon the flour into the measuring cup and level off with a knife. Do not tap the cup to fill it, this will enable too much flour to pack into the cup and make the tortillas dry.
- Center the dough ball in a tortilla press to make thin tortillas that are more uniform.
- Use a piece of parchment paper to separate the warm tortillas while stacking them after cooking and cover with a kitchen towel to keep them warm.
📖 Variations
- Lard or coconut oil makes a great substitute for the shortening.
- In a pinch, you can use all purpose flour in place of white whole wheat
🍽 Equipment
Tortilla Press or Wooden Rolling Pin
Cast Iron Skillet or large cast iron griddle: I highly recommend the cast iron as it heats evenly and holds heat well. You want the tortillas to cook quickly without getting crisp and I feel the cast iron does the best job.
Use a pastry blender (affiliate link) does the best job cutting the shortening into the flour. You can use a fork if necessary.
🏫 What I've Learned
- Making homemade tortillas is not hard. The first time I made these I knew I would never buy tortillas from the store again. These are just as good, if not better than those you would get from a Mexican restaurant!
- This is an easy tortilla recipe to make with very little effort.
- The tortilla press is awesome! It takes a little effort to learn how to use it at first, but it makes the most perfectly shaped tortillas.
Serving Suggestions
Serve these easy flour tortillas warm as a side to Grilled Avocado with Cilantro Lime Cream. I also like to use them to make this Shrimp Enchiladas Recipe or Cheese Enchiladas with Red Sauce.
Serve the soft flour tortillas warm or toasted with your favorite dips. Some of our favorites are Spinach Artichoke Dip, Jalapeno Bacon Cheeseburger Dip and I love to spread Mom's Easy Cheese Ball Recipe on tortillas and make pinwheels.
Storage
Store cooked tortillas in an airtight container or a ziploc bag that has had the air pressed from the bag. Tortillas can be stored up to 3 days on the counter, 1 week in the refrigerator, and 3 months in the freezer.
Related Recipes
Easy Green Chicken Enchilada Recipe - low carb
When you make this homemade tortilla recipe, please comment below and let me know what you think. I'd love it if you tag me on Instagram @grumpyshoneybunch or #grumpyshoneybunch so I can see your photos!
If you love this recipe, please leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating
📖 Recipe
Homemade Flour Tortillas Recipe
Equipment
- Liquid measuring cup
- Measuring spoon
- Tortilla press
- Pastry blender , or fork
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Ingredients
- 2¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 5 heaping tablespoons solid vegetable shortening
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup hot water
Instructions
Making the dough
- Add the flour and shortening to a large bowl. Work the shortening into the flour with a pastry blender or your fingers until completely incorporated.
- Dissolve the salt in the water and pour ⅔ cup of the salt water over top of the flour mixture. Immediately work it in with a fork. The dough will be in large clumps.
- Scoop the soft dough onto your work surface and knead until smooth, adding more water as needed.
Shaping and resting the dough
- Divide dough into 12 equal pieces and roll each piece of dough into a smooth ball.
- Set the tortilla dough balls on a plate, cover with sheets of plastic wrap, damp cloth, or damp paper towel and let dough rest for 30 minutes at room temperature.
Making the tortillas
- After the resting period, heat a cast-iron skillet or a large frying pan over medium-high heat.
Shaping by hand
- On a lightly floured surface, roll out a portion of the dough into a 7-inch circle. Flatten a ball of dough with the palm of your hand, sprinkle with a little extra flour, then roll forward and back across it, rotating a sixth of a turn dough and roll forward and back again. Continue until it is a 7-inch circle.
Using a tortilla press
- Using two pieces of parchment paper, place one piece of paper on the press, place the dough ball in the center and top with another piece of parchment. Then press.
- Lift the tortilla press, and flip the tortilla over (still sandwiched between the parchment. Press firmly one more time. Then remove the tortilla and proceed to cook.
To cook the tortillas
- Lay the first tortilla on the hot griddle. After 30-45 seconds, when golden brown spots show underneath, flip it over. cook another 30-45 seconds more, until the second side is browned. Do not overcook or the tortilla will become crisp.
- Remove and wrap in a clean kitchen towel. Repeat procedure with remaining tortillas and stack them on top of each other.
Rachel Fox says
I was so impressed with the ease of this recipe considering I’ve tried to make tortillas 50 times in my 39 years! I even made a TikTok & was compelled to leave a beyond 5 star review because somehow by some miracle I was able to make these wonderful tortillas and thank you so much for your help with such a fantastic recipe! I’ll include the details of your website in the comments of my TikTok. Tysm
Shelby Law Ruttan says
Hi Rachel, thank you so much for rating the recipe and for sharing it on your TikTok! I don't use that platform a lot but will definitely go on and look for it! Thanks again!
Liz says
These are amazing!! So much better than the grocery store tortillas I've been buying!!!
Jennifer says
This recipe sounds so easy to make, I’m going to give it a try!
Karen says
Can you make these with gluten free flour?
Martha Darnell says
Sou is delicious and just I was looking far. Can't wait to try it.
Sue says
Will leaving the salt alter anything (except the taste)? My husband is on a low-salt diet, and I'm always looking for ways to eliminate it in the things we eat.
Shelby Law Ruttan says
Hi Sue, You could leave the salt out. I don't think it alters anything but the taste. Be sure to not skip the 30 minute rest period though. That's pretty important. Thanks for stopping by!
Alison says
Can you refrigerate these?
Shelby says
Hi Alison, yes, you can refrigerate these and you can also freeze them. Thanks for asking!
Connie Trujillo says
Where is the Baking Powder to make them "bubble" and Rise??????
Shelby says
Connie, no baking powder is needed 🙂
Yvonne says
Can I use coconut oil instead of vegetable oil?
Shelby says
Hi Yvonne, yes, I think you could use coconut oil and that's a great thought! I may have to try the recipe with coconut oil myself!
Anonymous says
Made these tonight and they were delicious! Thanks so much for the recipe!
Julie Green says
I lived in Arizona for nearly 8 years and people used to come into my workplace selling homemade tortillas. OMG! They were fantastic! I have never found any since returning home to the midwest. I will try these then next time I make one of my favorite mexican recipes. I can't wait!
Bellaisa says
I do make my own, but I don't use shortening. I just use flour, salt, water, and baking powder. Will have to try this one and see what the taste difference is.
Karissa says
Yum! These tortillas look really great. I always use Tortilla Land uncooked tortillas since I haven't quite figured out how to roll them thin enough, but I'll have to give your recipe a try! As for fajitas, I LOVE this fajita marinade!!! It works equally well with both chicken and steak. Check it out!
-Karissa
http://dishupdelish.com/marinated-steak-fajitas/
Patty Anderson says
I saved this recipe as I purchased a Tortilla press last summer at a flea market and haven't used it yet. Liking this is from Rick Bayless - he's king.
Anonymous says
I'm on my second round pf these-- the first batch went in less than a day! For fajitas, I use cumin, chipotle chili pepper powder, salt, black pepper, garlic. Adjust to your desired spice/smokiness level, sprinkle the seasoning on your meat or chicken, give it a little rub, let it sit, and then fry up with some slice onion and red bell pepper. Simple but delicious!
Heather says
I pinned this awhile back, the ingredients and directions were in the description of the post so I never clicked the link, today I did to figure out what I was doing wrong, in the descriptions or said to use 1 cup of vegetable oil!!!! No
Jennifer Martin says
I just made these tonight - and they were super delicious!!!! We eat mexican & tex-mex a lot in our house and now my family will not let me go back to the store bought variety!! - Now how to figure out how to freeze them......
Jennifer Martin says
Just made these and they were delicious! My family won't let me go back to the store bought!!!
Michelle says
I've been wanting to make flour tortillas on my own for a while now. The ones we like are across the border and with how things are now it's just not wise to go unless you absolutely have to. Thanks for the recipe!
Flour tortillas are like bread to mexicans, you can eat it with anything. Whether in taco form, burritos, or a an eating utensil. One thing that I LOVE with flour tortillas is barbacoa! Basically it's beef but more specifically the head area of the cow. We make it at home all the time now since we figured out how easy it really was!
We usually go to the grocery store the evening before and buy a cow tongue...yes i know it looks gross but it taste sooo good. Then around 10pm we take out the crock pot and place the tongue in there with skin and all plus salt and pepper to taste. Leave it on low all night long. It should be ready about 8am. You just cut into the skin and inside will be this juicy dark meat that goes great with Queso fresco, cilantro, etc.. Any way you like it. It's common to buy breakfast or lunch tacos here in southern Texas.
Kala Collins says
I'm super excited to try these!!!
Kala Collins says
I'm super excited to try these!!!
Anonymous says
In 9th grade 30 years ago? ha, lets see that would be 49 years for me, now that is old! Retirement is my prize, lol.
now that I have made up my own taco seasoning mix, and my family loves it, I can make my own shells too...and people said I would get bored when I retired bwaahahahaa...fatter maybe but never bored.
Anonymous says
I always had the impression these were hard to make..... Thanks for sharing the recipe, I'm going to have to try these! Do you happen to have a Corn Tortilla recipe?
Anonymous says
How long do these last? Can you freeze them?
honeyb says
To be honest, they don't last long 😉 We usually have them eaten within a week. However, I'm sure they would freeze well if you think you can't eat them up within a week.
Lyn Turner says
Just wondering if I can use unbleached white flour instead of all purpose? Does it make a difference? I have a lot of unbleached white flour at home and it barely gets used. 🙂
Thanks
honeyb says
I think using unbleached white flour would work just as well. Good luck!
Anonymous says
I have mine setting up now. I plan on using the tortillas for grilled cheeseburger wraps. Can't wait to try them since I love homemade foods.
Anonymous says
i don't have veggie shortening, so will veggie oil work? thanks elizabeth
honeyb says
I don't recommend using oil.
Anonymous says
Very Quick and Easy:
-Saute onions and peppers in olive oil.
-Add a lot of chili powder and cumin, a little paprika and garlic powder. (I add Cayenne Pepper for an extra kick)
- Add chunks of raw chicken and saute until the chicken is done.
Anonymous says
I love home made flour tortillas. In the south, we have gravy and biscuits. When I went to Mexico, I ate home made tortillas, scrambled eggs, and refried beans. It is pretty much the same equivilant Yum yum..
Lillian (My Recipe Journey) says
Hi Shelby!!! This is Lillian from AR Allstars! I just found your blog on Pinterest...and I'm so glad I did! Great blog! I'll was looking at this tortilla recipe! I've been thinking about trying them too!
Chivacis says
You can also enjoy the flour tortilla as a dessert....simply fry up the pressed tortilla, dust tortilla with a mixture of sugar and cinnamon and enjoy. Buñelos are a New Years Eve Tex-mex tradition at my house. Just an FYI ... My mom added a bit of baking soda and baking powder to her flour tortilla mixture. Awh....memories. Thanks for recipe .... And yes you can freeze tortilla after they are pressed out...just place wax paper between each tortilla and freeze.
Chivacis says
You can use the flour tortilla recipe and fry them up and dust both sides with a mixture of sugar and cinnamon (buñelos) aka fried elephant ears. Fry them up right after you press out...from dough consistency. Super delicious .....it's a Tex-mex New Years Eve tradition at our home. My mom added a small amount of baking soda and baking powder.....awh the awesome memories. Enjoy your buñelos!
Anonymous says
These sound wonderful, I'm looking forward to trying them out. We love mexican food. For my filling I either use Goya brand marinade OR World Harbors Fajita marinade.
Anonymous says
Love this recipe thank you for sharing it. I've used it 2 now. Once with shortening once with butter. Try substituting the shortening for butter the flavor is delicious!
Anonymous says
Made these tonight for soft tacos...yummy! Tasted awesome with honey & cinnamon too!
Kim says
I've been meaning to make my own tortillas forever, I've just been too hesitant to try it. I'm going to tough it out and try though! Thanks for the recipe!
What a Dish! says
I'm going to try your recipe- I actually saw this on Pinterest but the credit wasn't your blog, just Google, for some reason, but luckily I knew it was you from the watermark. Love the pic, btw. Anyway, these look so good and I've only ever made thick and puffy flour tortillas; I want to make some thin ones! Will try this soon! 😉
Muriel says
I made these for supper tonight and they were amazing! The flavor was much better than store-bought. A little time-consuming so next time I will cook on the griddle and make a double batch and freeze extras. Also, I didn't have a rolling pin, so I pressed them out with my hands and it worked fine.
Trisha says
If I wanted to freeze some for later, should I freeze them before or after cooking??
Jessica says
just made these tonight! not the same taste as store bought tortillas, but that was to be expected. these were still delicious for mini quesadillas! the only problems I ran into were not having a rolling pin to roll them out (being a college student, my kitchen isn't very well stocked!) still delicious and easy =]
Paula says
You can always use a heavy smooth glass (don't press down too hard), or even a jar of pickles or salsa, or can of veggies...you get the idea. Just try wrapping the item you use in plastic wrap or even aluminium foil so you don't have a dirty label smooshing into your tortillas. Or you could just lay the plastic wrap or foil over the tortillas instead of trying to wrap your choice of "rolling pin". That might be easier.
My Grandma gave me a set of cookbooks for Christmas when I was in the 6th grade and the Mexican Cookbook had a recipe to make tortillas at home. I had no idea that was even possible! I made them and they were so good, I ate them all myself before anyone even knew I made them. (:
Sophia says
Great looking tortilla. Try this recipe. It's what I use for fajita fillings!
http://www.recipe4living.com/recipes/chicken_fajitas.htm
Marinated grilled chicken is piled into warm tortillas and topped with a bold cheese sauce, chunky Salsa, green onions and buttery avocado.
* 1/4 C. Italian salad dressing
* 6 boneless chicken breast halves
* 1 can (10 3/4 oz.) Campbell's® Cheddar Cheese Soup
* 1/2 C. Pace® Chunky Salsa
* 12 (8") Mission® Fajita Size Flour Tortillas, warmed
* 4 green onions, thinly sliced
* 1 small avocado, peeled, seeded and sliced (optional)
Directions
Pour dressing into shallow nonmetallic dish. Add chicken and turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate 30 min., turning occasionally. Remove chicken from marinade. Discard marinade. Grill or broil chicken 15 min. or until done, turning once. Mix soup and salsa in saucepan. Heat through. Slice chicken into thin strips and place down center of each tortilla. Top with onions, avocado and soup mixture. Fold tortilla around filling. Makes 12 fajitas.
Let me know what you think! 🙂
~Sophia
Dawn (KitchenTravels) says
Very nice photos, and your tortillas look incredible! I will definitely have to give these a try. We like to set up "build your own" fajitas at the dinner table, with bowls of toppings (salsa, guac, roasted corn, onions, sour cream, etc.) so everyone can customize their own. Grilled fish or shrimp sprinkled with lime, garlic, cumin, chili powder and S&P are two of my favorites! 🙂
Rachel & Dan says
Great idea to make tortillas!! I use this recipe for fajitas:
Great idea to make tortillas!! I use this recipe for fajitas: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/tyler-florence/fajitas-recipe2/index.html
it is so flavorful and has the perfect amount of spice! It's also fun to make 🙂
Mrs4444 says
Great--It's 10:30pm, and my mouth is watering!
Lynda says
I've never tried making homemade tortillas; too lazy I think. 🙂
I'm going to give these a try though because I know they'll be yummy!
Kait says
The homemade tortillas look wonderful. The next time I make fajitas I will definitely remember to check out Rick's recipe. One of my favorite fillings was purchased at a local Mexican grocery store. The meat and vegetables were already marinated. All I had to do was take it home and cook it. 🙂
Gera @ SweetsFoodsBlog says
Wonderful tortillas and the fajita is awesome…may be you've changed your opinion about Mex food 😉
Cheers,
Gera
Coleen's Recipes says
Fanastic!! GREAT job.
theUngourmet says
My mom always make handmade tortillas. I make them every once in a while. There's nothing better! I love fajitas but I don't think to make them for some reason. We eat soft tacos, burritos or enchiladas at least once or twice a week. I think I'd better whip up some fajitas this weekend! 😉
honeyb says
We love fajitas. But I've never made homemade tortillas. They look great.
I always just do chicken, red/green (or whatever color I have, peppers with unmeasured amounts of chili powder and cumin, a little lime juice, and cilantro.
I personally hate onions, but my husband loves them. When I'm feeling nice, I make them in two pans, some with onions for him.
Mags says
Home tortillas... I'm impressed!
I don't think I've ever made fajitas at home. That's something we usually order when we eat out.
Bellini Valli says
I am trying to the math here Shelby, it seems we are the same age if you were in Grade 9 when you last made tortillas. I remember making things like pudding and macaroni and cheese:D
Carrian says
your tortillas look beautiful! I can't ever get mine to work. I need to give this a try.
Rachel says
30 years ago...err..yet to come into the world 🙂
Perfectly done mexican feast..
teresa says
oh my goodness, i LOVE homemade tortillas, this looks incredible!
Barbara Bakes says
Luckily we all like Mexican at our house. I'll have to try this tortilla recipe.
Rachelle @ "Mommy? I'm Hungry!" says
Here is the one we love, Mr. too! It's not spicy though, but you could add some heat.
Fast-to-Fix Fajitas
(from healthy meals in minutes, BUT also found a very similar copy of it on a south beach recipe site)
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 tsp ground cumin
4 skinless boneless chicken breasts
2 medium red bell peppers, cut into wide strips
1 large red onion, cut into wedges
2 medium tomatoes, chopped, divided
1/2 cup chopped green onion
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro or parsley, divided
8 tortillas
In a shallow glass dish, combine lime juice, oil, and spices. Mix well. Reserve 2 tablespoons of marinade. Add chicken to dish; turn to coat. Cover dish with plastic wrap; refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Preheat broiler. Drain the chicken; place on broiler pan. Discard marinade in dish. Broil 3 inches from heat, basting with the reserved marinade and turning once, until no longer pink, about 10 minutes. Place chicken on a plate and cover to keep warm.
Place bell peppers and red onion on broiler pan. Broil until lightly charred, turning once, about 8 minutes.
Cut chicken into strips; place in a large bowl. Add broiled vegetables, 1 cup of tomatoes, green onion, and 2 tablespoons of cilantro. Mix gently. Divide the tortillas among serving plates. Top with chicken mixture. Fold tortillas to enclose filling. Serve with remaining tomatoes and cilantro.
Frieda says
Hooray! I'm happy to see that you have made homemade tortillas....there is nothing better than a soft, warm tortilla ~ Great job!
pegasuslegend says
so glad you posted these cant wait to get back from NY to try these looks fantastic`
Cristine says
Hahahaha... I was just surprised to hear you were making Mexican food! 🙂 Glad Grumpy ate it!
I need to try my hand at tortillas... I've never made them!
Tupper Cooks! says
Let's see, 30 years ago........ I was a junior @SUNY Oswego. Time flies when you're having fun! Homemade tortillas look great!
Sinful Southern Sweets says
I've never made homemade tortillas, but you have inspired me to give it a try. They look great!!
Jamie says
Let's see... 30 years ago you were in 9th grade, so that makes you...younger than I am! Blah! So pass these super yummy looking fajitas, yes, I'll have two... and your tortillas are just perfect!
Marthe says
These look amazing!! I love fajitas, but have always been lazy and used store-bought tortillas....