How To Make Tortillas From Scratch

Tortillas are a staple that everyone should know how to make. They are the base for many different meals, such as tacos, quesadillas, or breakfast burritos. Not only are homemade tortillas significantly healthier (and less expensive), but they are also simple to make and taste so much better. The most time-intensive part is rolling them out, but that can actually be a pretty therapeutic process. If you don’t want to roll them out by hand, you could invest in a tortilla press if it makes sense for you.

What You’ll Need

I make these tortillas at least once a week, and my family is always thrilled when I do. We usually do a “taco Tuesday” each week, and everybody looks forward to it!

Tortillas require only a few simple ingredients, and you most likely already have them in your pantry! Here’s what you’ll need:

Ingredients:

• all-purpose flour
• salt
• granulated cane sugar
• baking powder
• butter (or coconut oil)
• hot water

Equipment:

• a medium bowl
• a triple loop batter whisk or a spoon
• a pan, griddle, or tortilla press
• a bench scraper or knife

The Process

In your bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, sugar, and baking powder. Cut the butter into half-inch chunks and add to the flour mixture. Using your hands, begin to smush the butter pieces into the flour mixture using your thumbs and pointer fingers. Make sure the flour and butter are evenly incorporated and that there are no pieces larger than a pea.

Add your hot water to the bowl and mix using a triple-loop batter whisk or a spoon. Once the mixture has cooled a bit, you can use your hands. Ensure everything is well incorporated. The dough should be slightly sticky/tacky. This means good hydration. If it’s too sticky, add more flour, if it’s too dry, add more water.

Key Dough Characteristics:

• Initial Mix: Slightly sticky/tacky (good hydration).
• After Kneading: Soft, smooth, elastic, and less sticky (but not completely dry).

Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and perform basic kneading by taking your hands and pushing the dough away from you with the palms of your hands. A bench scraper is great for managing the dough in this stage. Next, turn the dough counterclockwise, and continue to push the dough away with your palms. Repeat this basic kneading for about 5 minutes. The dough should be elastic and not sticky. Place the dough back in your bowl and cover with plastic wrap or a towel. Let rest for 10-20 minutes.

After the time is up, uncover the dough and repeat the basic kneading for another 5 minutes. You should have a ball that is smooth and shiny. Transfer back to your bowl and cover again for 20-30 minutes or for up to 2 hours.

Transfer the dough to a clean, lightly floured work surface and roll the dough into a log. With a bench scraper or knife, divide into 12 pieces for smaller tortillas or 6 pieces for larger tortillas. Round each piece into a ball and cover with your towel or plastic wrap as you go. Roll the balls out with a rolling pin and hang from the side of your bowl (7 inches for the 12 pieces or 12 inches for 6 pieces).

Cooking The Tortillas

Heat your pan or griddle over medium heat. You can test to see if the pan is hot enough by adding a drop of water to it – the water should immediately evaporate. Place a round on the hot pan and cook for about 10 seconds or until you see it starting to bubble, then flip. Cook for 10 seconds on that side and repeat the process once more. The tortillas should be barely cooked to ensure they are easy to bend. After finished cooking, remove from the heat, place on a plate, and cover with a towel so that they don’t dry out. You can also turn your oven on warm and transfer them there so that they stay warm. Repeat the process until all the tortillas are cooked.

How To Store Tortillas

Tortillas will keep at room temperature in an airtight container for 1 day, or up to a week in the fridge. If looking to store them longer, you can store them in the freezer with a piece of parchment or wax paper between each one for up to 2 months.