Soft, homemade flour tortillas are so incredibly easy to make that you'll have no excuse but to mix, roll, and pan-fry your own! Make them any size you like, from thick street taco-style tortillas to extra-large burrito wraps! Be sure to make extras too as these tasty tortillas are so popular that you'll be inspired to make wraps, quesadillas, and much more!
Traditional Flour Tortilla Recipe
Seriously, the flavor difference is amazing! So much so that once you make your own flour tortillas you simply won't want to settle for anything less than the absolute freshness of handmade tortillas that you have made at home!
There is also something to be said for quite literally making something by hand (although you can use a food processor or stand mixer to cut in the lard, and gradually add the water). My whole family has found that we really do enjoy making traditional tortillas by hand the best.
Jump to:
Want More Recipes? Enter your email below and we'll send them straight to your inbox!
If you love your Mexican dishes and family taco nights as much as we do, you will love adding this homemade flour tortilla recipe to any Mexican-themed dinners (and they will be in demand)!
🥘 Ingredients
Most likely, you will have all of the necessary ingredients on hand (with the possible exception of lard) as all that is required is flour, salt, baking powder, water, and lard.
With just these 5 simple ingredients, you can take your Mexican dishes to a whole new level. You'll love these super soft, easy-to-make flour tortillas!
- All-Purpose Flour - 2 cups flour.
- Salt - ½ teaspoon of salt.
- Baking Powder - 1 teaspoon baking powder.
- Lard - 1 tablespoon of lard (or use vegetable shortening or vegetable oil).
- Water - ¾ water.
*Be sure to see the free printable recipe card below for ingredients, exact amounts & instructions with tips!*
🧂 Substitutions & Additions
If you happen to have self-rising flour on hand, you can swap out the flour and baking soda in this recipe. Use 2 cups of self-rising flour instead.
What Can I Substitute For Lard in Homemade Flour Tortillas?
You can substitute vegetable shortening if you don't have lard on hand. The ratio in this recipe should be the same, 1:1 or 1 tablespoon of vegetable shortening, the same amount as the lard called for in my easy flour tortilla recipe below.
In other recipes, you may need to add slightly more vegetable shortening when substituting for lard.
Vegetable oil is another alternative to using lard. When I do use vegetable oil, I add in the tablespoon portion, then slowly add additional vegetable oil as needed in teaspoon size portions.
Typically, the vegetable oil method requires two tablespoons to reach the desired consistency of the homemade flour tortilla dough.
🔪 Step-By-Step Instructions
Grab a mixing bowl, whisk, and your measuring cup and spoons to get started making these fantasic, soft tortillas!
Make The Tortilla Dough
- Combine dry ingredients. Start out with a medium to large mixing bowl and combine your dry ingredients: flour, salt, and baking powder.
- Add lard and mix. Add the lard and use your fingers to mix with the flour mixture. You will want to do this until you have fine pieces of lard and a cornmeal-type appearance.
- Add water. Once you have reached this consistency, add water and stir to combine. I frequently continue to use my hands (but this is oh-so messy).
- Combine. Mix the tortilla dough just enough to wet all ingredients, and then turn it out onto your lightly floured working surface.
Knead, Portion, Roll & Cook
- Knead and portion. Knead the dough for 2-3 minutes, divide it into eight equal portions, and round each portion into a ball for rolling out your tortillas or placing them in a tortilla press.
- Press and rest. Press each rounded ball of tortilla dough flat with the palm of your hand and then cover it with a warm, damp kitchen towel and allow the dough to rest for about 10-15 minutes.
- Roll out. I divided this recipe into eight portions and rolled them out until fairly thin. You can always stretch your dough rounds out more when transferring them to the frying pan. Have your frying pan at medium-high heat (and a touch of oil in a non-stick skillet helps too) and cook your tortillas individually.
- Fry and flip. Cook until bubbly and golden brown on the underside, about one minute. Flip and cook the opposite side until golden brown, about 30 seconds to a minute.
Once your tortillas have bubbled and are golden, set them aside and keep them warm before serving your shredded chicken tacos or assembling cheese enchiladas. Enjoy!
💭 Angela's Tips & Recipe Notes
- When cooking your homemade flour tortillas, you will know the skillet heat is right, and the flour tortillas are cooking correctly when bubbles are formed in the tortillas.
- Flip and cook the other side when the bottom side has golden brown spots.
- About 1 minute on the first side and 30 seconds to a minute on the second side. Voila! Perfect homemade flour tortillas that are soft enough to roll into burritos and enchiladas yet sturdy enough to stuff full of your favorite taco fixings!!
- If you do not have a tortilla warmer, make a 'pouch' with aluminum foil to keep your freshly cooked homemade tortillas nice and warm before serving dinner.
🥡 Storing & Reheating
Your freshly cooked tortillas can be left out at room temperature for up to 12 hours while you enjoy them. After that, store then in an airtight storage container or plastic storage bag. Refrigerate for up to 2-3 days.
Alternatively, traditional flour tortillas can be frozen for up to 6-8 months. Store in an airtight freezer storage bag. Thaw at room temperature before using.
Reheating Homemade Tortillas
Tortillas are really simple to reheat! You can microwave one, or a whole stack of tortillas. Use a damp paper towel sheet over each tortilla and heat in short 30-second increments until warmed to your satisfaction.
🌮 Essential Taco Night Recipes
- Ground Beef Taco Meat
- Authentic Salsa Verde
- Pico de Gallo
- Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas Crock Pot Recipe (Mexican Pulled Pork)
- Taco Seasoning Mix
- Creamy Guacamole
📋 Recipe
Homemade Flour Tortillas
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 Tbsp lard
- ¾ cup water
Instructions
- Combine dry ingredients: flour, salt, and baking powder. Add lard and work in with your fingertips until crumbly (resembling cornmeal). Add the water and mix until all ingredients are wet.2 cups all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 tablespoon lard, ¾ cup water
- Turn the tortilla dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead for 2 minutes and divide dough into 8 portions. Shape each portion into a ball then press each rounded ball of tortilla dough flat with the palm of your hand. Cover with a warm, damp kitchen towel and allow the dough to rest for about 10-15 minutes.
- Use a rolling pin or tortilla press to make a round, thin tortilla. Set rolled tortillas aside without stacking them (as they tend to stick together).
- Preheat a large skillet or frying pan to medium high heat, and use a heat resistant basting brush to coat the surface with vegetable oil. Place each rolled out tortilla in the skillet or frying pan one at a time.
- Cook tortillas until bubbly and golden brown on the underside, about one minute. Flip and cook the opposite side until golden brown as well, about 30 seconds to a minute. Remove from heat and stack in a tortilla warmer, an aluminum foil pouch, or stacked on a plate for immediate use.
Equipment You May Need
Video
Notes
- You can substitute vegetable shortening if you don't have lard on hand. The ratio in this recipe should be the same, 1:1 or one tablespoon of vegetable shortening, the same amount as the lard called for in this recipe below.
- Vegetable oil is another alternative to using lard. When I use vegetable oil, I add in the tablespoon portion and then slowly add vegetable oil as needed in teaspoon size portions. Typically, the vegetable oil method requires two tablespoons to reach the desired consistency of the homemade flour tortilla dough.
- When cooking your homemade flour tortillas, you will know the skillet heat is right, and the flour tortillas are cooked when bubbles have formed.
- Flip and cook the other side when the bottom has golden brown spots.
- About 1 minute on the first side and 30 seconds to a minute on the second side. Voila! Perfect homemade flour tortillas that are soft enough to roll into burritos and enchiladas yet sturdy enough to stuff full of your favorite taco fixings!!
- If you do not have a tortilla warmer, make a 'pouch' with aluminum foil to keep your freshly cooked homemade tortillas nice and warm before serving dinner.
Nutrition
Angela is an at home chef that developed a passion for all things cooking and baking at a young age in her Grandma's kitchen. After many years in the food service industry, she now enjoys sharing all of her family favorite recipes and creating tasty dinner and amazing dessert recipes here at Bake It With Love!
Thanks for coming! Let me know what you think: