Homemade Flour Tortillas

Make the best Flour Tortillas with just 4 ingredients! These homemade flour tortillas are perfect for wraps, tacos, burritos, and more!

Swap out store-bought tortillas with homemade flour tortillas for the best-tasting beef tacos, bean burritos, and chicken enchilada casserole.

Flour Tortillas are essential for Tex-Mex Meals, such as Shredded Chicken Tacos and Vegetarian Fajitas, and sandwich wraps, like Avocado Tuna Wrap or Veggie Wrap.

And while there are a variety of flour tortillas on the market, homemade is the way to go! Not only does this recipe for homemade flour tortillas deliver tortillas with the best flavor and texture, but they are made with simple ingredients.

Notes on Ingredients

Flour tortillas are made with 4 simple ingredients you likely have on hand at all times.

• Flour: I recommend whole white wheat flour or unbleached all-purpose flour when making homemade tortillas. Whole white wheat flour is 100% whole grain, but has a much lighter taste and produces a softer texture than traditional wheat made from red wheat berries. If you want to use flour labeled whole wheat flour, I recommend cutting it with all-purpose flour to keep the tortillas light, and soft, and the flavor not overpowering.
• Oil: Use canola oil for the best texture and taste, but vegetable oil or olive oil will do in a pinch.
• Water: You want your water to be warm to the touch, not cold or boiling. This will help the dough come together quickly.
• Salt: I recommend kosher salt, but table salt will work in this tortilla recipe.

No Baking Powder? Many recipes claim baking powder will make homemade tortillas more light and fluffy. However, in all of my testing, there is a negligible difference, therefore, I don't find it necessary.

How to Make Flour Tortillas

• In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour and the salt until the salt is evenly distributed through the flour. 
• Make a well in the middle of the flour then pour in the water and oil. 
• Combine the ingredients together, by mixing with a wooden spoon or your hands. It won't take long for the dough to come together.

• Turn the tortilla dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead just until the mixture forms a ball. This should only take about a minute or two. 
• Cover the dough with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap and let it rest for 15 minutes.

• Once rested, divide the dough into even balls. How many balls will depend upon the size of the tortilla you would like.
  • For 6-inch tortillas, this recipe will yield 12 tortillas. 
  • For 9-inch tortillas, this recipe will yield 8 tortillas. 
• Once the dough is shaped into balls, cover them with a kitchen towel, damp paper towel, or plastic wrap so that the dough stays soft and moist while you work to roll out the tortillas one at a time. 
• On a lightly floured surface or piece of parchment paper, gently roll the tortillas into a 6-inch or 9-inch circle, working from the center to the outer edge with a rolling pin. Alternatively, use a tortilla press to evenly press the tortillas.

• Preheat a heavy-duty skillet, nonstick griddle, or cast-iron pan over medium-high heat.
• Gently dust or brush off excess flour on the tortilla and then add the tortilla to the heated pan. Cook for 60 seconds or until little bubbles form in the dough and flip and cook for an additional 30 seconds or until golden brown spots form on the surface of the tortilla. 
• Remove the tortilla from the skillet and place it into a tortilla warmer or wrapped in a clean kitchen towel, to ensure the tortillas stay warm and soft while you finish shaping and cooking the remaining flour tortillas. 
• Repeat the process until you have made tortillas from each of the dough balls. Personally, I find I save time by rolling out the next tortilla while one is cooking.

Storing Fresh Flour Tortillas

For the ultimate homemade tortillas, I recommend cooking them right before serving. That said, you can store the tortillas for several days or freeze them for later use. 

• To Store Prepared Tortillas: Once cooled completely, transfer to an airtight container or bag and store at room temperature for 24 hours or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. To reheat the tortillas, place one or two tortillas on a heat-safe plate, cover with a slightly damp paper towel, and microwave for 10-20 seconds. They'll be nice and soft again. 
• To Freeze Prepared Tortillas: Prepare the tortillas as directed and allow them to cool completely. Layer tortillas between sheets of parchment or wax paper and then place them in a freezer-safe bag. Remove the air, seal the bag, and store them in the freezer for up to 3 months. Remove as many frozen tortillas from the bag as desired and either defrost in the fridge overnight or warm individually in the microwave or dry skillet.

How to Serve Flour Tortillas

You can use flour tortillas in any way that you use store-bought tortillas. From tacos to burritos, to wraps, to quesadillas, to enchiladas, the uses are truly endless. Below are a few of my favorite recipes that use flour tortillas.

• Vegetarian Enchiladas
• Mexican Lasagna
• Honey Lime Chicken Fajitas
• Instant Pot Chicken Fajitas
• Healthier Cheese Quesadilla
• Easy Chicken Enchiladas

So if you are looking for the BEST-tasting flour tortillas, homemade is the way to go! I hope you give this recipe a try and let me know how it went in the comments.