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+ servings

Homemade Flour Tortillas

Skip the store-bought tortillas and whip up soft homemade flour tortillas in just 30 minutes! This easy recipe uses just four basic pantry ingredients and delivers perfect tortillas every time.
4.90 from 316 votes
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Servings 12 (8-inch) tortillas

Ingredients  

  • 4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 2/3 cups hot water
  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil

Instructions 

  • In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and salt.
  • Add the water and vegetable oil and using your hands, mix together the dough until it is a cohesive ball and all of the liquid has been absorbed. If the dough is too sticky, add more flour 1 tablespoon at a time, as needed. (The dough should be soft and Playdoh-like in texture, but not sticky.)
  • Transfer the dough onto your work surface and knead it about 10 times until it becomes smooth all over.
  • Divide the dough into 12 equal balls then flat each ball slightly into the shape of a hockey puck. Flour each piece of dough on both sides then set them aside and cover them with a towel.
  • Heat a large nonstick sauté pan over medium-high heat.
  • Roll out one piece of dough into an 8-inch circle then transfer it to the hot pan. Cook the tortilla for about 1 minute then flip it once and continue cooking it an additional 30 seconds or until golden brown spots appear on both sides. Transfer the tortilla from the pan into a towel and cover it while you roll out and cook the remaining tortillas.

Notes

  • Mixing the Dough: You must use very hot water, as in, as hot as your hands can stand. The water should not be boiling, however it should be very hot so that the dough comes together quickly and smoothly.
  • Rolling the Tortillas: It's important to roll all the way over the edges of the tortillas so that they are the same thickness all around. The goal is a super-thin tortilla that's see-through before cooking.
  • Cooking the Tortillas: Cook the tortillas for 30 to 60 seconds on one side before flipping them only one time and cooking them an additional 30 seconds. The goal is achieve slight browning in various spots as the tortillas puff and cook.
  • Keeping them Warm: While you are cooking the tortillas, it's important to keep them warm inside a towel as each one finishes cooking. Stacking them atop one another in a folded towel helps the tortillas stay warm and moist, as the residual heat stays trapped within the towel.
  • Storage: Let tortillas cool completely, then store in a sealed plastic bag at room temp for up to 1 week.
  • To reheat: Warm in a dry pan on the stovetop or microwave between two damp paper towels for 15–20 seconds.
  • To freeze: Stack with parchment between each, seal in a zip-top bag, and freeze for up to 3 months.
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