Tortillas were one of the first things I ever tried making completely from scratch.
I made my first attempt back when I was still buying Ramen noodles, margarine, and boxed cereal on a regular basis…
In fact, I probably made that first tortilla recipe with a generous slug of canola oil…. Oh how times have changed…
I’ve come a long way since then, and so has my tortilla recipe.
After I had that initial blissful moment of “look what I made!”, I ended up experimenting with about a million different tortilla recipes before I found one I was finally happy with.
We had gummy tortillas, burnt tortillas, cardboard tortillas, crumbly tortillas, soaked tortillas, rubbery tortillas, and tiny tortillas… Betcha didn’t know it was possible to mess up one item so many ways, huh?
I finally found a whole wheat sourdough tortilla method that I loved. However, there was a problem– I didn’t always have a sourdough starter going (I don’t right now, actually), so we needed an alternative.
Enter this tortilla recipe. I’ve made it many, many times and I think it’s pretty much perfect.
Homemade Flour Tortilla Recipe
(this post contains affiliate links)
- 2 cups flour (use what you have: unbleached white, whole wheat, or a combo of the two. See kitchen notes at bottom.)
- 1 teaspoon sea salt (where to buy)
- 4 tablespoons melted coconut oil (where to buy coconut oil) OR lard (how to render lard)
- 3/4 cup hot water (or whey)
Mix the flour and salt in a large bowl.
Mix coconut oil or lard into the flour until the mixture is crumbly. I usually start with a fork and end up using my hands to mash all the little coconut oil balls into the flour. It’s going to be lumpy, and that’s OK.
Add the water and mix until the dough comes together. Knead for 2 minutes, then cover the dough and rest for 20 minutes. One of the reasons I love this recipe is that it always seems to be the perfect ration of flour to liquid. I rarely, if ever, have to add extra flour or water to make a knead-able, dough consistency. But be ready to adjust as needed, as climate and flour variety can play a part in this.
Divide it into 8 balls. Roll each ball as thin as you can in a circular-ish shape. (Even if you like thick tortillas, they will end up puffing when you cook them.)
Cook the tortillas in a pre-heated, medium-hot skillet for about 30 seconds on each side. You are looking for some golden brown spots to show you it’s ready to flip. My oven has a fifth burner in the center that converts into a cast-iron griddle, so I usually use that to make tortillas. However, I also love using my cast-iron skillets for making tortillas, too.
Store in the fridge. They are best if used immediately. However, you can re-heat them for a few seconds in your skillet if you plan on using them the next day.
Serve alongside my refried beans recipe, or turn them into tacos or burritos. You also might catch me smearing a warm tortilla with butter and homemade jam sometimes…
Kitchen Notes:
- Use whatever flour you like for these. I usually splurge and use unbleached white for this recipe. The more whole wheat you use, the more you will struggle with them turning cardboard-y the next day… Yes, you can reheat them and that helps, but hubby still doesn’t like taking the cardboard ones in his lunches…
- I have a tortilla press. But, I still prefer my rolling pin. It’s hard to get a large tortilla from a press, plus I’m faster with my pin.
- When I’m in a hurry, I often skip the 20 minute resting period. Actually, I almost always skip the 20 minute resting period…
- You’ll want to make a double or triple batch of these… At least that’s what I always do. They will freeze- just reheat them in your skillet to soften them before serving.
- I have found that I don’t need to oil my skillets when cooking these. They do just fine in a dry pan.
- The secret to making large, thin tortillas? THE OIL. It took me a loooong time to figure out why my tortillas would never roll out… I’d be standing there rolling with all my might, but the dough was like a rubber band… It would always shrink back as soon as I lifted it off of the counter… I realized that it was from the liquid olive oil I was using. Tortillas are traditionally made with lard. In our modern times, many folks use shortening instead (a big no-no…) I knew I needed to use a solid fat for my dough, but
don’t have access to lard at the moment(We finally butchered our hogs! Here is my DIY lard rendering tutorial), and I won’t touch shortening. So, I turned to coconut oil. Bingo! (where to buy coconut oil) - To store my tortillas, I like to line a large Ziploc baggie with paper towels. This seems to help keep them from drying out so fast.
- 2 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 4 tablespoons melted coconut oil OR lard
- ¾ cup hot water (or whey)
- Mix the flour and salt in a large bowl.
- Mix coconut oil or lard into the flour until the mixture is crumbly. I usually start with a fork and end up using my hands to mash all the little coconut oil balls into the flour. It's going to be lumpy, and that's OK.
- Add the water and mix until the dough comes together. Knead for 2 minutes, then cover the dough and rest for 20 minutes. One of the reasons I love this recipe is that it always seems to be the perfect ration of flour to liquid. I rarely, if ever, have to add extra flour or water to make a knead-able, dough consistency. But be ready to adjust as needed, as climate and flour variety can play a part in this.
- Divide it into 8 balls. Roll each ball as thin as you can in a circular-ish shape. (Even if you like thick tortillas, they will end up puffing when you cook them.)
- Cook the tortillas in a pre-heated, medium-hot skillet for about 30 seconds on each side. You are looking for some golden brown spots to show you it's ready to flip. My oven has a fifth burner in the center that converts into a cast-iron griddle, so I usually use that to make tortillas. However, I also love using my cast-iron skillets for making tortillas, too.
- Store in the fridge. They are best if used immediately. However, you can re-heat them for a few seconds in your skillet if you plan on using them the next day.
- Serve alongside my refried beans recipe, or turn them into tacos or burritos. You also might catch me smearing a warm tortilla with butter and homemade jam sometimes...
I just tried a new thin crust pizza dough last night and had a little trouble rolling it out. But after adding a dash more liquid it was fine. I’ll have to try these tortillas! Thanks for the tip on the oil.
I have some nice white lard in the fridge that I’d like to try. Have you used lard in this recipe, and if so are the ratios the same? Thanks! Sheri
I’ve not yet tried lard, but the ratios should be exactly the same. Let me know how they work for you!
The reason your tortillas get hard the next day, is because you’re using too much lard or coconut oil. It should be half of what your recipe calls for. Just a FYI.
so toritillas don’t get hard.wrap them I’m a kitchen cloth and put into a plastic bag.it will keep soft for 4.
Good to know–I’ll have to try that.
heehee your range looks a lot like mine. Just cleaner.
Thanks for this recipe and directions. I finally have the homemade refried beans down, as my son is now living with us. He eats beans and rice like most folks eat candy. Not that the beans and rice are expensive, but knowing what is in them sure makes me feel better.
Great site.
blessings, jill
PS. I see you are a rattlesnake killer…do you eat them? My husband does, totally gross in my city girl opinion;-)
No, I haven’t tried eating them yet– although a lot of people do and say they are yummy, lol!
Enjoy the tortillas! 😉
I do love me some rattlesnake meat!!!!!! Here in OK., we have festivals that center around the hunt & eating of them!!!!!! YUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUMMY!!!!!!!
Thanks so much for sharing! I have seen lots of tortilla recipes which required sourdough starter, but like you I rarely (if ever) have this on hand! I am a little senorita at heart, and I love my Mexican cuisine! I believe I will be trying this recipe soon! Thanks Again!
AFG,
Megan Jenelle @ A Blossoming Homestead
1 Cor 10:31
I just made some homemade tortillas last night and they were amazing! I have been using my recipe for years and it is similar to yours, but I use butter (2c flour, 1/4c butter, 3/4 salt, and 1/2c + 2Tbsp cold water). I don’t have an issue with shrinkage either with my recipe and I can roll them out pretty paper thin. Once cooked, they are highly soft, flexible, and addicting! Nothing beats homemade tortillas!
seems like alot of salt, 3/4 cup?
I think that is 3/4 tsp not 3/4 cup.
Thank you! I recently moved to South Texas and tortillas are a staple here. I’ve been intimidated by the rolling/pressing process, but will try your recipe and see what happens.
Hope you like it Melissa! The rolling isn’t hard at all- mine are always a little lopsided, but they still taste great. 😉
Oh thank you, Jill! We’ve just started our homesteading adventure (I’m currently reading and working through your book), and tortillas are a thing we eat a lot of – and I do mean a LOT of them, both wheat and white. I’ve yet to come across a good recipe. Your’s seems like it might actually work! 😀
I have seriously considered buying a tortilla press….but so far, I have not shelled out the money for a good one. 🙂
I was all excited to get mine (it’s 100% cast iron- super heavy), but have been unimpressed with it… I takes just as much work to press them as it does to roll, in my opinion. And the tortillas are pretty small (hubby likes the BIG ones!). So, unless you could find a super nice one with better features, I’d save my money! 😉
I’ve seen on that is electric that gets good reviews…and that’s the one I’m considering. But I’m still considering. At this point in life, nails and paint are much more important. 🙂
That one might be worth a try! If you end up getting it, I’d be very interested in how it works. And I totally understand- I usually ask for fence posts and wire for my birthdays…. 😉
I bought a electric press. I also thought it would save time and looked like it would make tortilla making easier but don’t bother. Tortillas end up tough and no air bubbles. I am 60 years old. I’ve been rolling tortillas since I was a young girl. Rolling tortillas makes a fluffier flour tortilla. Trust me.
Tortilla presses are mostly for tortillas that use masa or corn flour. It’s not really typical for people to use a tortilla press for flour tortillas. If you want to make the round try to go for a square shape and just keep turning it and it will round itself out.
That makes sense, since they are the smaller tortillas. And you say the press, presses smaller ones.
I’ve only used my tortilla press for corn tortillas…and it is amazing!!! I can’t imagine trying to use it for flour tortillas because of the gluten and elasticity!!
Tortilla presses are for corn tortillas. They weren’t meant for flour tortillas at all.
I love my tortilla press, as I am not a good one for rolling anything! The tortilla’s cook so nicely and quickly. Only drawback is that you can only do one at a time unless you also have a griddle which I also use. This recipe sounds awesome!
the tortillas come out to small with a press, a rolling pin is the best. My Grandma, my mother and my sisters and myself have always used lard, its better than any thing.
Great recipe! We eat ALOT of tortillas in our house and while the whole wheat organic ones I can find at my local natural grocer’s are tasty (and locally made), I’ve been toying with the idea of trying them at home. Thanks for doing all the hard work to perfect the recipe (and sharing, of course!)
I live in New Mexico so toritllas are all over here!!! But, I do have to say that homemade ones are the best!!! We do have a bakery here that makes them fresh every morning!! For me a great snack is cheese melted onto a tortilla!!
I have tried making tortillas many times and they always turn out hard. These look wonderful. I will have to save the recipe and try them the next time I make beans.
Kimberly
Cut the amount of lard in half. They’ll be softer.
totally trying. thanks.
Can you use warm almond milk instead of cows milk?? We’re Vegan and lactose intolerant 🙁
I’m betting that’d work just fine Amanda!
I’m vegan as well and made this with just warm water. Although I dont know if its because I had the heat up too high, I rolled them too thin or cooked them too long but I was able to snap it in half :/
It sounds like you might have cooked them a bit too long Ashley. Using water instead of milk seems to make them a tad less soft, but not to the point where they break. Hope they work better next time around!
MILK Shouldnt be part of the recipe this receip is wrong.
this recipe is not authentic Mexican recipe..email me if you want it?
would like authentic recipe for tortilla
Okay thanks!! 🙂 I appreciate it!
I love how simple (since you’ve already ironed out the wrinkles with the difficult parts) the recipe looks – only 4 ingredients!! I’ll definitely be trying this. Thanks.
We love our homemade tortillas…there’s really nothing like them 🙂 Thanks for sharing your tips!
Love this recipe but curious about using my coconut oil. It seems to alternate between liquid and solid on a regular basis. I was told not to store in the fridge but since we have VERY hot summers, I probably won’t have solid room temp coconut oil until the fall. 🙂
Thanks! Love the blog! 🙂
Good point, Yekcal. Our summers aren’t quite that hot, but mine does turn liquid sometimes, too. You can use the liquid oil for sure- it just seems to make the torts harder to roll out.
Hi Yekcal,
I made these last night with liquid coconut oil (mine is only solid for three months of the year if I’m lucky) and they were quite easy to roll out. I just rested them in the fridge before rolling. Give them a quick knead in your hands to warm them up a fraction before you start rolling them out, otherwise the edges won’t be smooth.
Thanks for the recipe Jill!
I tried these tonight and they were AMAZING! This is the first time I’ve had success making homemade tortillas. Since we have tacos at least once a week around here, I will be making many more in the near future! Thanks for the great recipe!
(I found you through frugally sustainable!) I’m glad you posted there. 🙂
Wahoo!! So happy that they turned out for you- it’s truly my favorite tortilla recipe. 🙂
As much as we eat tortillas in this family, I should give this one a try! I’m sure they are tons better than the store bought variety!
Is it supposed to be 2 teaspoons or 2 tablespoons of coconut oil? It seems like a very small amount of oil for 2 cups of flour.
Thanks!
I am going to try making these with the palm oil shortening I just got from Tropical Traditions. I made peach cobbler using it the other night and it was awesome.
I think the palm oil shortening should work great for these!
Thank you for sharing your recipe & tips. I’ve wanted to make tortillas but wasn’t sure they would work well without a press. I hadn’t seen anyone on food network roll them..I will make these, though. I’m not fussy about having them perfectly round. My granddaughter often wants tacos for her birthday supper, so I’ll make these next time.
Yes- I definitely prefer my rolling pin over the press. And it helps not to be picky about them being perfectly round. 🙂 Mine are usually lopsided, but they still taste just as good. 😉
I’ve been struggling with figuring out a tortilla recipe that works well. I use lard and water, but I think milk might be just the trick. Thanks for the recipe!
Yes- I think the milk really helps. You’ll have to let me know how it goes if you try it!
We have stopped eating tortillas here, only because the gluten free, rice ones we found in the store were hard and crumbled easily. Thank you for sharing this recipe. I’m going to give it a try with my gluten-free flour blend and see how they turn out. I know that my children would love to have breakfast wrapped in these and it would be a welcome surprise for everyone in the family!
Did you try with GF flours? What kinds and how were they?
I wonder if you could make them using Kefir Milk? I’m always searching for different ways to use it.
Lard and hot water work great in making the tortillas. My husband also made me a tortilla roller out of a 1″ dowel. I use the press to flatten the ball of dough and start the shape in the right direction and then roll it out with the pin. this allows me to get it much thinner than with a regular rolling pin.
I am curious about the comment above asking if it is truly 2 t (teaspoons) or if it is supposed to be 2 tablespoons? All the other recipes I have seen use a much larger ratio of coconut oil. I just made this with a random spoonful of oil since all the recipes called for different amounts and they were good. Pretty think since I have no roller and had to use my hands, but the taste was right! I used unsweetened almond milk for anyone wondering. Can’t wait to try the same recipe with whole wheat flour and a rolling pin!
Whoops! Yes, it is supposed to be 2 tablespoons. Going to change that right now. However, I usually just eyeball it and they always turn out ok. So, exact isn’t real important in this recipe. 😉
If you don’t have a rolling pin, or just don’t feel like taking it out, use a big glass tumbler. My Mom used to do that when making something quick.
I have been making them for years ! (Parents are from NM) My recipe uses water and not milk. As for the tortilla press, those are typically used for corn tortillas and not flour. I have 3 “special” towels that are only used to hold/store my tortillas in. And yes you can use lard, although by this recipe I would definitely add more to it. I typically make about 10-12 by using 4 cups of flour.
Sopapillas anyone? Roll your tortillas out and I use a pizza cutter to make pie shapes. Throw them into some hot oil and watch them puff up. Brown on both sides then drizzle with honey to eat. Can you say Yum???? Enjoy !!
I’d like to know more about how you use your special towels to store them. I currently put them in a paper-towel lined Ziploc baggie, but would like to figure out a method that isn’t so “disposable”!
Thank You so much for this recipe. I just have to try it.
Can the dough be made in advance and kept in the fridge? I’d like to use whole wheat but we won’t eat them all in one day. Thanks
I just came across your blog and browsing through posts found this one. I love homemade tortillas, but have had trouble finding time to make them lately… this makes me want to get back to it! And I have to say that lard makes a truly fantastic tortilla!
I’m wondering why you say that the liquid oil is what makes the dough resist rolling… My understanding is that the gluten causes that, and that’s the reason for the rest period– to allow the gluten to relax, just like when shaping loaves or rolls or any other bread. I usually pull off balls of dough and let them rest a few minutes while I roll others. By the time I get to them, they’re relaxed enough to roll.
For as long as I’ve tried to make this recipe with olive oil, it was incredibly difficult to roll out. It didn’t matter how long I let the dough relax, my results were always the same. However, as soon as I switched to using a solid oil (coconut oil, but lard would be awesome too) and “cut” it into the flour (think more like a pastry dough), the tortillas roll out nice and big with no problem.
Thanks! I had a different recipe, but I like the way this comes together better. I also rolled some of the dough thicker for a pita-like flatbread. Some even puffed correctly without doing anything else! Going to try leaving the dough to actually rest next time to develop more flavor.
How would it work with hand milled flour? I cant wait to try these 😀
Should work fine– I use my freshly ground whole wheat flour all the time. Using whole wheat makes for a slightly less soft tortilla, but still good.
Do you change the amount of flour when you use fresh milled? And do you prefer one of the wheats over the others? I am newer to the fresh milled world and learning with every recipe I make.
I love hard white wheat– you may need slightly more if it’s freshly ground. 🙂
Thank you, thank you, thank you!! The dough was so easy to work with and rolled out nice and thin.
We had these for dinner tonight with red beans and raw cabbage filling. My husband and son went ballistic and gobbled down all but one of the tortillas (mine). We’ll definitely be having these again, but a double batch, for sure.
~Anne
Wahoo! I love comments like these Anne. 🙂 Sounds like my hubby– he gets so possesive over food, ha! 🙂
Why kill rattlesnacks? They are important to the eco system. When I worked in the Claifronia Mtns. The site staff were trained in removing them.
Kim, As a Jill’s fellow prairie dweller, let me address your question about why we would kill a rattlesnack. SE Wyoming is nowhere near Claifronia. (I’m assuming you mean rattlesnakes and California and that you have a wayward autocorrect function on your phone.) We modern homesteaders don’t have site staff trained to remove “rattlesnacks” from our property. The rattlesnakes here on our prairies are sometimes aggressive depending upon the time of the year, especially when molting, and may without provocation, strike at a kid, a dog, or a shovel. Personally, I shoot them rather than make snacks from them, although they might be pretty tasty with Jill’s above posted tortilla recipe. As far as the ecological benefits, I agree.. they can be beneficial somewhere far away from my house, my dogs, my livestock and my kids. And let me be clear.. we don’t hunt them just to hunt them. I will not kill a bull-snake, which has many of the same ecological benefits as their poisonous brethren, such as rodent control etc… I went to great lengths to catch and re-locate a bull-snake last summer (the bastard bit me for my trouble) since they are not poisonous and didn’t pose a threat to my chickens, except stealing eggs. However, rattlesnakes are another matter entirely. Another point: Most of us live a fair distance from the nearest clinic or hospital. If our kids get bit… it might be an hour to the nearest 24 hr care facility. That isn’t something I’m going to risk. I hope this provides you and any other potential rattlesnack-loving commenters, with some insight about why we might do things a certain way out here in the middle of prairie no-where. (Oh.. and lest you think I’m an ignorant, truck-driving, tobacco-chewing, country music lovin’, redneck, let me clarify any potential stereo-types: I’m probably the most liberal, classical-music listening, crunchy granola lovin’, environmentally conscious, college educated, Birkenstock-wearing, tree-hugger within three counties. I just don’t like rattlesnakes!)
I totally agree. “Rattlesnacks” aren’t worth dead livestock or severely sick and injured children. And I am a member of PETA.
Totally agree, Jana. Well put and to the point. From another prairie dweller that loves hugging trees but not rattlesnakes!
This calls for a rattlesnack recipe using tortillas. in 1958 while camping near Raton, NM we actually did this. Catch and skin rattlesnakes and cut into 2 inch pieces. Place and wire wrap the pieces on a skewer stick and roast over glowing coals, keeping the skewer constantly turning. When the meat quits sizzling, it is done. For a different taste treat, roll the cooked meat in a flour tortilla with refried beans and eat it like a sandwich. Watch out for the bones. We did not catch them but killed them then skinned them before making our snacks. There was a fellow there from Venezuela who crawled around on the ground looking for rattlers in the bushes to hand catch but most of us kept way back while he did his foolishness.
So glad I found this recipe on your site! I got some corn flour from the 99 cent store, (along with 2 packages of tortillas, a staple around here lately..) and I think I am going to try rolling out my own thanks to your recipe and tips! My daughter is hooked on my simple egg burritos for breakfast- scrambled eggs,grated cheese, green salsa wrapped in a flour tortilla.Easy peasy and yummy. =) Thanks again!
Thank you!!! I have just made these and used butter. They tasted so good! I cannot believe that I have never tried to make these. For some reason, I thought they would be difficult. Not at all! Your instructions were great. For those in Australia, the flour is plain flour.
Yay! So glad you enjoyed them. 🙂
Thank you for another great recipe. This is going to save my family tons of money!
Your recipe for tortillas was inspirational. I changed the flour to one part bread flour and one part almond flour, however, but used the coconut butter and water as your recipe suggested. The tortillas were fantastic, easy to roll out, and incredible to eat. I served them rolled up with fried rice and as a dessert, they were mouthwatering with a bit of olive oil margarine and cinnamon-sugar sprinkled on top.Thanks so much.
Sounds DELISH! So happy you are enjoying the recipe. 🙂
You mentioned using paper towels to keep them from drying out. Do you dampen the paper towels? Also, I don’t have a griddle or cast iron. Can I ‘dry-fry’ them in a regular (non-teflon) skillet? Thanks for this recipe. I’ve been wanting to try, and was intimidated until I read this post.
No, I don’t dampen the towels– but they do become damp from the steam that comes from the hot tortillas. And yes, a regular skillet should work just fine. Best of luck! 🙂
These look good and sound easy. What I’d like to know though is what brand of stove do you have with a cast iron griddle in the middle? I have a smooth top electric but my next stove will be gas and I would love to have a griddle if that size stove would fit. Thanks.
It’s a Fridgidaire– it also came with a grate that you can use in place of the griddle if you wish. I love it! I had a smooth-top for a while, but got this one last year. 🙂
Oh my goodness. I am pinning this and making them… maybe tonight! Thank you for showing me how! 😉
Hey Jill,
Can you cook these on an electric griddle???? Does the press make them faster???
You should be able to cook them on a griddle just fine. Honestly– I’ve found that a rolling pin is just about the same as a press.
hi! If we are using whey do we have to substitute the entire liquid with whey or can we add 50% whey and the rest 50% with water?
Any ratio would work– so 50/50 would be fine.
HELP!!!!! I keep rolling them out and they keep sticking to my table!!!! I rolled one out then i had to scoop it up and do it again, then again, and again!!!!!!! I tried adding more flour and helped a tiny bit but I don’t know what to do!!! It just keeps on sticking!!! Are you online right now? ‘Cause I kind’a need help fast!!
Hi Katie,
I would keep adding flour as you roll until they don’t stick anymore. I usually don’t have to do that, but everyone’s climate/flour is different. Another option would be to use a bit of olive oil rubbed onto your pin and counter top. hope that helps!
Thank you a lot. Unfortunately, the boys got too hungry before I read your reply and I had to compromise. So I made them really small, and added a lot more oil to the pan and presto! Super yummy tortilla chips!! They ar-….uh….were really good!!! We um *ahem* already ate them. But I did make a half-recipe……But hey! They liked ’em a lot! 🙂 Thanks for the recipe, maybe next time i’ll make them right 😛
hehe– well, I’m glad you got creative and made them work anyway! Yes– I do believe they would make good chips too!
Just want to point out, no snake, in the ENTIRE world is poisonous. There are venomous snakes. And I have collected snakes from Maine to San Diego, and when I read this stuff I always chuckle at how ignorant or exaggerated a story can get about reptiles. Leave them alone, don’t act like thr dang thing came after you.. You walked up on it.
Please.
Poisonous or venomous, it makes NO difference. It is an hour to the nearest hospital. A rattlesnake in my yard is a dead snake. I have very small dogs and young grandchildren.
I use coffee filters in between my tortillas, they work great, A tip I got off the internet somewhere, just wanted to share this tip.
That is a good tip– never heard of that one before. 🙂
I did it according to your recipe and it is really gooey and sticky. Thus is the first time I have ever done anything like this so maybe that is how it should be????
No– shouldn’t be very gooey– Maybe try adding more flour next time until you get a nice, workable dough? Differences in flour/climate/elevation might make adjustments necessary. 🙂
My family and I are all allergic to coconut. What would you suggest I use instead?
Tina, in South Texas where I grew up and iin. Mexico, lard was used in everything that needed oil. And the food was so tasty. Also, use water, not milk. Hope that helps.
Tina, I have been making tortillas for a long time. I have used lard too but I have also used real butter, not margarine. Like Sandy says you can use lard. I’m from Texas too 🙂 Give it another try.
HOLY WOW!!! Now I have to make a second batch for supper LOL (I ate too many of the first batch 😉
Oh yes, I always, always make a double batch!
(like)
I made another 1.5 batch for supper 🙂
you ROCK!
I made these today and they were delicious. I used Coconut oil at first, but it was warm today so I grabbed my Coconut Butter which was more solid and used it. And then I also worried the warm milk would melt the coconut butter/oil that I had added. So I added cold milk. I used a food processor to blend. I also added 1 tsp of baking powder. I have seen that in other recipes and so I just added it before I realized it wasn’t in this one. These came out perfectly. When you roll them out, if you have a Silpat or silicone sheet they will not stick. I did use a bit of flour on the surface for my rolling pin. I had no problems with sticking. I bought an extra large silicone mat at Aldi once and I love it. I use it all the time on my counter top when working with doughs. It’s too big for my oven sheet pans. http://www.silpat.com/roulpat.html
Yay Angela! So glad you enjoyed them. And that’s cool about the coconut butter– I haven’t thought to try that.
Hi there, Jill……Just wanted you to know that I realy like your website. Found it when I was looking for something to do with our egg-shells from our chickys……great info! Our ladies love them! We do have two lazy ladies – not sure what to so with them…not laying…:(
Anyway, back to my question. We love the tortilla recipe. I have made it 3 times now! My question is ~ I am still having the “rubberband” problem after I roll them out. I am using coconut oil in the recipe. I roll them our nice & big; pull them off the counter & boing…..they are smaller than my hand….:(
What am I doing wrong? We love them……but they are getting smaller rather than bigger…..;)
Janet , I don’t know if you have gotten an answer I have not read all the comments, but it is very important to let them rest for about 20 minutes or so. Then,I get the dough balls & dip them in a little bit of flour and roll them out & flip sides & continue to roll out. If I need more flour I get some with my hands & sprinkle it on the cutting board that I use to roll out my tortillas. Make sure your griddle is preheated. I hope this helps you. I have been making tortillas since I was about 7 & I am almost 40 now he he.
Thank you Nicole…..:)….no, I have not received a reply. But will gladly try your tips! I also tried using milk instead of water and that seems to help a little bit more too. But I will try using more flour on each. Which makes sense – you see a lot of the Hispanic ladies making tortillas & they use a lot of flour….:D Thanks again & Have a Blessed day – Janet
Hi Janet, ok great! I am Hispanic & I use white all purpose flour. If you use wheat flour it will surely change the way the tortilla comes out . Milk is fine, but I always use hot water. I have a different recipe than this but it seems like Jill is sharing what she knows & doing a great job 🙂 I have used coconut oil, or butter or lard when I make tortillas. Now I mostly use real butter, then coconut oil, or lard. I do NOT use Crisco. It is all hydrogenated soybean oil & it is very bad for us. Thanks & you a have blessed week 🙂 Nicole
Oh you can also check Pinterest for additional recipes. I have mine on Pinterest, I have to look for it if you want it. Just let me know. Oh also when I let the dough rest, I just use the bowl that I mixed the masa it in & cover it with a clean dry cloth. After I roll them out I lay the towel out & then fold in half & stack the tortillas on top of each other & then cover them up after I stack them on top of each other. They are always great! 🙂 You have to keep practicing, mine use to look like the shape of Texas. I kept making them over & over & now they are nice circles 🙂
sounds great! I only use coconut oil. Butter is a bit $$ out this way…Nevada…..:) And I will try the rest of those nifty tips…..thanks…:D
You’re welcome 🙂 yes, butter can be expensive here as well. Same thing for coconut oil…..Happy cooking!
Hi! Yaaay for homemade tortillas! They’re great for just about anything from actual tortillas to pizza crust to sandwich wraps and toasted ‘dippers’! And relatively easy to make too! I use hot water recipe and it’s awesome!! Anything homemade is better tasting and better for you. For example, have you ever read the list of ingredients on store bought tortillas? Yuck! Stuff like fumaric acid, guar gum, modified cellulose and monoglycerides! (Whatever that is) Anyway, I had bought these Casa Mendosa W/W Tortillas and used a couple and popped the rest in the veggie crisper and promptly forgot about them. Every time I added veggies or cleaned the fridge I’d check them and MONTHS later they were not moldy and actually smelled good! Well they’ve been in there close to a YEAR now and still looking and smelling good! Gross! Goes to show you what preservatives can do! I might as well just discard them cuz I’ll NEVER eat them no matter how good they look or smell. I was just curious to see how long they would last. Obviously longer than dirt! Lol!
Yes, I agree- store bought tortillas are filled with nasty stuff! And they never, ever seem to go bad…
Hi, I was looking for a great recipe and yours seems to have hit the mark. I’m wondering sense all I have is lard and olive oil, could I fry up some bacon and use what I get from that?
You bet! You could totally use your lard as well. The olive oil will still work, but sometimes it just makes them a bit harder to roll out.
Great! Thanks so much 🙂 ohh and I ment shortenting* I guess I just had lard on the brain
Keep on using your rolling pin for this recipe, I actually believe that the tortilla presses are primarily intended for making corn tortillas as the masa is super moist. Just a guess…
Yes- I’ve come to the same conclusion as well– I’m sticking with my pin! 🙂
Made these tortillas tonight and they were awesome! I used white whole wheat flour, not sure if the kids would eat it. They guzzled them down! They even said this is the only kind of tortilla they want going forward! The best part… It was a family affair. We all enjoyed rolling the tortillas and then watching them bubble on the cast iron griddle. Thank you!
Yay! I love it that your kiddos helped- that definitely makes the process go faster. 🙂
I’ve been looking for a homemade tortilla recipe for years! I’m going to give these a try tomorrow. I’m looking forward to a healthier tortilla to bake into a bowl for my salad.
Thanks so much for sharing!
Oooooh, I like the bowl idea! I hope they turn out great for you.
Here in the desert Southwest, I make tortillas quite often, with a white/whole wheat blend and liquid oil – olive, peanut, whatever I have on hand. When I roll mine out (use a pin – presses are for corn tortillas), I let it ‘grip’ the counter top a little – if it rests before I roll them, they usually cooperate. I find its the gluten in the flour that makes it draw back up. I found a fantastic recipe for a homemade dough conditioner on another website that I use, especially if I am using all whole-wheat flour. If your griddle/cast iron is too hot, they’ll cook too fast or even burn (ewww!), thus they dry out and turn into crackers – medium heat is fine. The first one is usually sacrificial, anyway. Mine work every time now. They keep for the week they are in the fridge. One can also make them ahead, NOT cook them, layer the rolled-out rounds between waxed paper or parchment paper in an airtight, plastic, zipper-shut bag, and keep them either in the fridge or frozen. Cook them singly as needed – fresh as fresh can be!
Oh my goodness- you have officially inspired me with your idea about storing them uncooked, and then heating them up one by one. WHY oh why have I never thought of that?! Thanks for sharing your brilliant ideas Terry! 🙂
Terry is right, I know so many, people including myself, that have rolled out the tortilla & placed between wax or parchment paper & then stored in a gallon size zip lock type bag. Then later I placed them on the preheated comal & cooked them right up! 🙂 Also, I have used butter instead of coconut oil. I use them both & they turn out great! It is important to let them “rest”. Also, before I roll them out, I dip the dough balls in a little bit of flour to help me roll them out so they do not stick to the rolling pin. My tortillas used to take the shape of Texas, now they are nice circles & my family loves them! 🙂 Thanks for all you do Jill!
Can you or have you used your beef tallow to make these and if so what was the outcome?
Where I grew up in Arizona, if you make them with milk they are not tortillas but gorditas (little fatties), and they are rolled out slightly thicker than tortillas. Still yummy, especially with whole milk, but not the same. Traditional tortillas are just lard and water. I normally use a much higher proportion of lard to flour than this, and I rest them twice — for an hour after mixing and 20 minutes after forming the testales (balls of tortilla dough for rolling). To keep them from getting hard, you have to put the hot tortillas between kitchen towels to cool. The fabric allows the heat to escape (slowly) but the steam is retained without condensing and keeps the tortillas soft. Every abuelita I ever saw making torts put them right from the skillet into towels to cool. Let them cool until they are room temp or a little warmer and then store. Don’t put them in plastic before they are cool or moisture will condense and run down onto your torts and make them soggy in spots. Blech.
Very interesting Heather! thanks for your tips! I’ll have to try them with just lard and water one of these days. 🙂
You shouldn’t use milk only water for tortillas. In my area though with is pretty much 90% Hispanic you’d do lard, water, flour, salt and a small amount baking powder. Each version is slightly different but I grew up on helping make 3 dozen tortillas a week.
Yes- I know they traditionally call for water, but I love using milk or whey in mine.
I came across this recipe a couple of weeks ago. Finally a homemade tortilla my family LOVES!!!! Thank you.
Whoo hoo Tammy!!
This was great to see someone use coconut oil ! Being hispanic we have always made our own tortillas. I think I would probably be thrown our of my home if I bought store tortillas. I agree with the comment above a tortilla press is used for CORN tortillas. There are so many variations for tortilas these days. I have never used milk just water and we add baking powder to our recipe. As for lard, yes do try it. The flavor is out of this world. And I highly recommend you walk away and let it rest. I have never done the 20 minutes before but maybe 10? LOL I guess I have never paid attention to the time. A few words in spanish for tortillas: Dough = masa tortilla griddle = comal rolling pin = rodillo
Granted there are of course other words people use 🙂 Happy tortilla making !!!
Thanks for your comment Loyda- I totally learned something new! 🙂
I used to make flour tortillas with a cast iron press. The only way to manage sticking was to cut 2 circles a bit larger than the press out of plastic grocery sacks then sandwich the dough ball between them in the center of the press. Not perfect but manageable.
Well my previous reply here just got overwritten.
This calls for a rattlesnack tortilla recipe. In 1958 while camping in the mountains near Raton, NM we actually did this because rattlers kept interrupting our hiking. After killing the rattlers skin, gut and clean them then cut into 2” pieces. wire wrap the chunks on a skewer stick and roast over coals constantly turning the stick. When it stoops sizzling which won’t take long the meat is done. With a fork dig the meat off the bones. Seasoning was not required but could be added to suit your liking, think chicken or crappie meat. For a tasty treat roll the meat in a tortilla with some refried beans. Yummy. Watch out for those fine rib bones.
Sopapillas anyone? Make the same recipe roll them out and cut into what ever shape you want ( pie/triangle or just squares) throw into hot oil and watch them puff up. Flip over to lightly brown and remove. Drizzle with honey
YUMMMMMMM!!
Oh YUM! My mouth is watering Loyda!
Hi Jill, what in incredible recipe! I have never made Spanish food before, any my husband is always very skeptical when I try something for the first time…lol. So in his words, he was “pleasantly surprised” when I made your homemade tortillas and refried beans recipe last night for dinner! We are both looking forward to having it again, he even requested it extra spicy the next time. Finally, a recipe I didn’t have to tweak, thanks so much for adding a new easy to make meal to my kitchen 🙂 God bless ya!
Yay Lyn! So glad you enjoyed them both!
Jill,
First, thank you for this recipe. The use of the coconut oil is very similar to what a lot of traditional Dominicans use. I have had a recipe for years and loved it until I found this one. It has been wonderful and a definite plus for the little helpers around. Having 3 boys , we are always making something homemade.
As for the milk, I have noticed a lot of Hispanic foods from Texas incorporate the use of milk in various versions the recipe. Adding the milk enhances the flavor and prevents the tortilla or bread from drying out to quickly. While I will not dive in of the science, milk is 85% and has around 18 + proteins. Fat binds with flour, softening it by inhibiting or modifying the gluten structure. It also holds moisture, so breads with fat in them dry out slower. This is a reason why coconut oil works so well as Its density makes it great for a lard substitute but 16 oz of coconut oil is actually 1 pint (16 fl. oz.) = 14.72 ounces = .92 pounds by weight.
Thanks again for a great website and tips. Oh, and thank you for the well wishes for us Coloradans, it has been BAD!
Sorry….85% Water
Interesting Levi- thanks for the tips! Yes, I agree that the milk adds an extra special touch to the recipe, even though I know a lot of folks are saying it’s not “traditional.” Hope you are staying dry down there in CO!
I don’t know if you’ve already tried anything like this or not but… A slice of a nice, not gone stale bread (be it store bought or home made) put on top of the tortillas might keep them even damper! We use this method for our chewy and soft cookies to keep them just-baked soft. The bread releases it’s moisture into the container, while taking the brunt of the drying that the other food would otherwise take.
Ah-ha! That IS a good idea! I’ve done it with cookies, but never thought about doing it with tortillas.
First of all, I want to thank you for putting this recipe out there (I’ve been looking everywhere for a good recipe!) because I am eating a lot of meals with tortillas, and I wanted a more home-made and somewhat healthier type of tortilla. And many other recipes did not work at all, as pretty much all of them used olive oil. My tortillas turned out fine, but looked kind of soggy/clear, and had a lot of flour on them (maybe my fault). Do you or anyone have any advice on how to fix that? And the tortillas still tasted good, and I did use coconut oil, but there is a chance of me putting not enough oil in them (it was liquid when I put it in). Is it from lack of enough oil, or because I used water?
And I am vegan, so could I improve them without using milk/lard?
Hey Michelle-
You can definitely just sub water for the milk with no problem. As far as the soggy/clear issue– it sounds like you may have needed to cook them just a bit longer?
Ok, so I used just a little more coconut oil and cooked them longer, and they turned out great! Thanks for the tips! 🙂
Hi! Just thought I would add another recipe to your “million” that you have tried. 🙂 I’m from Belize and we eat tortillas daily, sometimes a couple times a day. This is the recipe I use. 4 c. unbleached white flour; 2 tsp. non-aluminum baking powder; 1 tsp. salt; about 1/4 c. real lard; about 1 1/2 – 1 3/4 c. warm or room temp. water. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Cut in lard until you have fine crumbs. Add water a little at a time while mixing with your hands until you have a soft, but not sticky dough. Turn out onto your counter top and knead a minute or so. Knead tortillas by tearing open the ball of dough with the heel of your hand out across the counter top then bringing it back into one ball, then turning and tearing out again. Don’t knead too long or your tortillas will be tough when they are done. Make 12 balls of dough and let them set under a tea towel for 10-20 minutes. If you try to roll them out right away they will pull back together again. You have to let them set. Roll out as thin as you like and bake on a hot cast iron griddle until you get golden flecks on the underside, then flip. They are done when fine lines appear between the flecks on the upper side of the tortillas. Wrap them with a tea towel to keep them warm. These are great!
I just read the other comments…we call the cast iron griddle a comal in Belize too. 🙂 And I often make more tortillas than I need for supper and keep the un-needed balls of tortilla dough in the fridge overnight and bake them for breakfast the next morning. I also often mix the dry ingredients and store in an airtight container a couple days then add lard and warm water when I’m ready to make the tortillas. I noticed some one else mentioned frying the tortillas instead of baking them. We call those Fried Jacks in Belize. 🙂 Not sure why… They are also very good with scrambled eggs, refried beans, and salsa for breakfast. 🙂
hi, do you know if spelt flour would work? thank you
I haven’t tried it, but it might! 😉
I scrolled through all the comments, but don’t see it addressed, if so I apologize for the repeat. You mention you could freeze them. Have you ever tried freezing them? I would love to stick a big batch of them in the freezer to use all winter long. Love the recipe, it’s the one I always use now. Thanks!
I Always use half butter and half bacon grease . White flour, a hint of garlic and flax! Great with home made refried beans!
Yum!
I apologize for not reading through all your comments, there are a lot here.My husband loves corn tortillas and prefers them over flour. will your ratios work with corn flour?
After living 800 miles south of Brownsville TX for 5 years…I made ALOT of tortillas ! The tortilla press is for CORN?MASA TORTILLAS…the rolling pin is for the FLOUR TORTILLAS ! 2 totally different things.
My recipe for FLOUR tortillas:
2 cups white flour,
1/2 tsp salt,
3 TB LARD or (Crisco for vegans ) and
about 1/2 cup of warm water.
Mix the salt into the flour, Cut in the lard, and add enough warm water to get a basic knead-able dough. Make into 6 golf ball sized balls, cover with a very damp towel and let them sit for 20 minutes before rolling out — to let the gluten come and go.
If they shrink back when rolling out; they need to sit a little longer.
And the less lard you use, the softer they will be. Brittleness comes from too much lard.
Depending on your weather, the amount of water may be from 1/2 cup to 1/2 cup plus a few tablespoons.
Sounds like making pie dough. Except you used very, very cold water. And a little different amount in the ingredients
Sorry— that should read ” Make into 8 golf ball sized balls. “
YUMMY! I have been looking for a good homemade tortilla recipe. I can’t wait to try these tonight with dinner!
I almost always have a sourdough starter going…any chance I could get that recipe?? Thanks:)
Hi Jill,just wanted to let you know that i have made your recipe twice and they are wonderful! This coming from a girl born and bred in south Texas (home of some of the best tortilla makers!).
whoo-hoo! That’s what I like to hear! 🙂
Made these tonight, so easy!!! They were a bit heavier than the store bought or maybe more floury… but GREAT!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thank you so much!!!
I made these tonight and they were awesome. Almost too awesome…to the point I feel a little guilty for loving them so much. The main reason , though, is because I am using organic unbleached all purpose flour. I was wondering what you would recommend that might be a little healthier/beneficial and have a similar taste. I am really new to “from scratch” cooking, but I’m committed. However, from what I have read, even the organic unbleached variety is probably not the best for daily consumption when weight gain is a concern. Thoughts?
It really depends on who you talk too…
Some people say ONLY whole wheat, but then others say that whole wheat is too hard to digest, and then others say that all grains are bad. Personally, we just try to keep things in balance and eat a bit of white flour on occasion and don’t sweat it. 🙂
i do mine the same, however, i also add 1tsp baking powder, and i use 1large cooking spoon crisco oil or shortening, and I use water, not milk. They are yummy!
Thanks so much!!!! Love your site~
So glad I found your blog! LOVE IT!!! I am going to make these this week. I have a whole jar of coconut oil in my pantry and needed something to make with it!! Has anyone tried gluten free all purpose flour? My four year old is on a g.f. diet. I will make a separate batch for her, but if they are good like that, I may just make it all with g.f flour.
Coconut oil has LOTS of wonderful uses. If you like catalina dressing, change out the vegetable oil to use your coconut oil. The coconut flavor transforms it into something special. I love to cook my eggs with it, and also will stir-fry veggies in it, which would go great with these tortillas. Have fun with your experiments with your new oil!
This recipe looks great. However, I think I’ll use buttermilk instead of milk. The last time I made tortillas (different recipe) I did this and they stayed soft and yummy for days. I’m convinced its the buttermilk. 🙂
Hmmmm… I need to try that!
Levi made a comment on the science of it all. That makes sense with using buttermilk. The binding of fat for softer tortillas.
Thanks for the fun reading and all comments. I too am going to try this recipe.
I just made these with my 7 year old… they are so good!!! Best recipe I’ve tried!
I cant wait to try these on our rocket stove. Makes me hungry just thinking about it.
Do you think this would work good with gluten free flour? We have been eating corn tortillas and my husband isn’t a fan of them.
I recently started using palm shortening instead of the now avoided ‘crisco’. Have you used it to make tortillas, do you think it would better that coconut oil (avoiding slight taste of coconut)? I have discovered palm shortening makes the flakiest, tenderest, best tasting pie crust ever so I wondered if it might work with tortillas and what you thoughts were.
I had no idea that my tortillas were struggling because I was olive oil!! I will try with coconut oil tomorrow! YAY! Thanks!!
AWESOME!!! My family loved it WITH the coconut flavor. It is so mild but they loved the sweetness it added. Thanks for sharing your invention!!!
YAY! 🙂 And you are very welcome.
Have you used spelt flour for these, by chance? Glad I found this recipe! Excited to try it!
I made these the other day, and I will NEVER buy a tortilla again! These are perfection.
That’s what I like to hear! 🙂
These look awesome. I like the basic directions and simple recipe. Unfortunately I can’t do the wheat flour 🙁 . However I am constantly adapting recipes away from wheat flour and a non-wheat, barley or rye flour mix that features a large proportion of bean flour works in many applications as does oat flour, so looks like I will soon be trying an adapted recipe soon 🙂
I’ve been making these tortillas for several months, maybe longer, and my fam. adores them! i used olive oil; and grapeseed oil the last time i made them. no difference in taste. i want to become more creative and maybe add some fresh dill in the tortillas dough 🙂 fresh dill is the love of my life 🙂
Oooooh, I love the dill idea!
I appreciate the four recipe, does anyone have a good corn recipe. I am new at making these, but make homemade bread a lot.
Many many many years ago in this country tortillas were made with natural lard & not all this new processed oils- coconut oil was not even here- Also sea salt wasn’t even on the market- I don’t understand the up grades these days- the products that use to be used were simple and on hand & still are! This is not to criticize I’m always curious about everything is all- always have to ask a million questions lol 😀
I love using lard too– but many of my readers don’t have access to it, which is why I use coconut oil here. And unrefined salt/sea salt, is actually the “real” original salt. So that’s not really an upgrade. 🙂
I made these for dinner last night and they were easy to make and amazing to eat!
Thank for giving so much kitchen notes in a article. Without reading them, maybe i will ask you many questions! I hope you will give more notes like this in the next time!
Your tortillas don’t shrink because of olive oil, it’s because you “always skip the 20 min rest period”!!!
This period allows the gluten structure to relax and makes the tortillas easier to roll out. It doesn’t matter if the oil is in liquid-state or solid, that only matters in quickbreads like biscuits or pie crust where you need the fat to create air pockets as a form of mechanical leavening.
In tortillas the fat is worked well into the dough (it ends up melting when you add the warm water/milk and knead it by hand anyway) and like Levi said, bonds with the starches in the flour. Therefore the more it’s incorporated, the softer the tortillas.
Too much fat and it interferes with gluten strand formation, no matter how long you knead or let it rest. Adding whole wheat or anything larger than a fine grind will also interfere with gluten integrity and if mixed with white flour, should be incorporated towards the end of the kneading period. The bran especially, in whole wheat, tends to slice through gluten strands like little tiny razor blades! This is why whole wheat tortillas are more brittle and whole wheat breads are more dense.
Anyway, no matter what oil you use, if your ’tillers spring back let ’em rest another 15-20 mins and then they’ll be soft enough to finish rolling out thinly. I hope this helps!
Thanks for the recipe, the tortillas turned out awesome! But I changed a few things in the recipe, I used 250 gr of wheat flour and 250 gr of masa harina, 8 tablespoons oil and I let the dough rest for 2 hours. Yesterday I bought a tortilla press and tried it out with these changes. and they were muy padre how we in México say!
Muchas gracias 🙂