Soft & Tender Homemade Flour Tortillas
These homemade flour tortillas are incredibly soft and tender, perfect for tacos, wraps, or just warm with butter.
- Prep30 min
- Cook5 min
- Total35 min
- DifficultyEasy
- Servings12
Forget the store-bought tortillas that crack and taste like cardboard. This simple recipe uses just a few pantry staples to create soft, pliable tortillas that will elevate any meal.
The key is letting the dough rest, which relaxes the gluten and makes it easy to roll out super thin. Cook them quickly on a hot skillet until they puff up, and you'll have fresh tortillas that are miles above anything from a package.
Ingredients
Servings
Converted amounts are rounded.
Method
- In a large bowl, mix the flour and salt. Add the shortening and rub it into the flour with your fingers until fully incorporated; the mixture should look like coarse cornmeal.
- Make sure the water is at 110°F, then pour it into the flour mixture. Stir with a wooden spoon, then turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead just until it comes together. It will still be somewhat lumpy; do not over-knead, or the gluten will develop too much.
- Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces and roll each into a ball. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes, or refrigerate for up to 3 days. Don't skip the resting time, or the dough won't roll out thin enough.
- Flour your work surface and one dough ball well. Roll it into a very thin 8-inch circle. Cover with a towel and repeat with the remaining balls. To keep the tortillas round, rotate the dough frequently while rolling.
- Heat an electric skillet to high heat, or a nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Cook each tortilla on the first side until it puffs up and gets lightly browned, about 1 minute. Flip and cook for another minute. Remove from the pan, cover with a towel, and serve immediately.
💡 Tips
- For best results, use a kitchen scale to weigh the flour; too much flour makes tortillas tough.
- If the dough resists rolling, let it rest a few more minutes; this relaxes the gluten.
- Keep cooked tortillas covered with a clean kitchen towel to stay soft and warm until serving.
Inspired by a recipe from My Kitchen Escapades