Soft Flour Tortillas
Soft, flexible delicious homemade flour tortillas in no time at all. Just flour, water, lard and salt and a bit of patience.
Homemade Flour Tortillas: Soft, Flexible, and Delicious!
Hey there, tortilla aficionados! 🌮 If I had a dollar for every time I attempted homemade flour tortillas and ended up with chubby little gorditas instead… well, I’d have a lot of gorditas (and probably some extra cash). Not that I’m complaining—they were delicious—but I was on a mission for soft, thin, and ultra-flexible tortillas, just like the ones from the store. So, I rolled up my sleeves (and a whole lot of dough) to crack the code. And guess what? Mission accomplished!
Here’s the not-so-top-secret trick to getting perfect, soft, rollable tortillas that will make your tacos sing:
While some folks go old-school with hand-rolling, I’ve found a game-changing tortilla press hack. Line the press with a plastic bag, plop your dough ball in, and give it a solid press. Then—here’s the magic—flip it over (still in the plastic) and press again. Boom! Perfectly round, thin, and ready to be stuffed with all the taco goodness.
Speaking of tacos, I grew up on my mom’s classic ground beef version—solid, nostalgic, no complaints. But as I got bolder in the kitchen, my taco horizons expanded. Current obsession? Burrata Steak Tacos! Think: creamy burrata, juicy steak, sweet blistered corn, and peppery arugula pesto all wrapped in a dreamy tortilla. Also high on my list: Chili Lime Steak Tacos, Tandoori Chicken Tacos and Jamaican Jerk Shrimp Tacos. Basically, if it fits in a tortilla, I’m making it. 😏
Visual Process for Making Flour Tortillas
Step 1
Make Tortilla Dough
It’s a simple mix of flour, water, lard, and salt—nothing fancy, just the good stuff. Once it all comes together, you’re left with a buttery-soft, perfectly pliable dough that’s not the slightest bit sticky!
Step 2
Roll and Rest
Divide the dough into 12 equal portions and roll them into little dough balls. Cover them with a dish towel and let them chill for 30 minutes—think of it as a little nap for the gluten. This extra rest time keeps your tortillas from springing back like a rubber band when you press them out!
Step 3
Press The Flour Tortillas
Now, onto the tortilla magic—place your dough ball between two sheets of plastic (a cut-up ziplock bag works like a charm) to keep your press clean and your tortillas happy.
Here’s the trick: Press once, count to five (patience, my friend), then release. Flip the plastic over and press again. Why does this work? No clue—but it keeps the dough from shrinking, and my tortillas stay bigger. And that’s what matters, right?
Step 4
Cook Your Flour Tortillas
Cook the tortillas on one side for about a minute, then flip and cook for another 30 seconds. They’re done when they’re no longer wet and have a few little charred spots. Keep ’em warm by storing them in a tortilla warmer with a damp paper towel.
Recipes that use tortillas
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Flour Tortillas
Equipment
- Measuring Cups and Spoons
- Spatula
- Tortilla Press optional
Ingredients
- 3½ cup all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ cup lard
- 1 cup hot water
Instructions
- In the bowl of a standmixer, add flour and salt.
- Add one cup hot water and ½ cup lard to a microwave safe dish. Heat for a couple minutes. Don't boil. And wait for the lard to be almost melted.
- Add water and lard to the flour. Use dough hook and knead the dough for 10 minutes. Use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides and toss the flour into the middle. Just be careful you don't get the spatula caught in the dough hook. It should be super soft and not sticky when you are done.
- Divide dough into 12 sections and cover with a clean kitchen towel. Allow to rest for 30 minutes.
- Heat a cast iron skillet or similar skillet over medium heat.
- Take the dough ball and place it between 2 pieces of plastic or similar barrier in a tortilla press. Press down once firmly. Flip the tortilla and the plastic over and press again firmly. This double press ensures your tortillas stay flat when you heat them.
- Place the tortilla in the hot skillet. When bubbles form on the top of the tortilla it is time to flip. Cook for an additional 30 seconds on this side.
- Remove hot tortilla from the skillet and store in a tortilla press or cool completely for storage.
