How To Feed A Loon

  • About Us
  • Recipe Index
    • Appetizers
    • Asian
    • Breads and Doughs
    • Cajun / Creole / Louisiana
    • Breakfast / Brunch
    • Comfort Food
    • Delectable Desserts
    • Entrees / Mains
    • Instant Pot
    • Italian
    • Pizza
    • Rubs, Spices and Sauces
    • Soups & Salads
    • Sides
    • Seafood
    • Southern
    • Mexican / Tex-Mex / Cal-Mex
    • Thanksgiving
    • Vegetarian
  • Videos
    • Recipe Videos
    • Web Stories
  • Work With Us
  • Contact
  • **Premium Access**
  • Recipes
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Grilling
  • Recipes
  • About Us
  • Work With Us
  • Premium
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Grilling
  • Recipes
  • About Us
  • Work With Us
  • Premium
×
Home » Recipe Index » TexMex / Mexican

Homemade Flour Tortillas

Published: Sep 10, 2019 · Modified: Mar 2, 2025 by Kris Longwell · This post may contain affiliate links

641 shares
  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Bluesky
Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe

Homemade Flour Tortillas are about as comforting as it gets.

Simple ingredients and a simple process make this a universal favorite.
Perfect for steak fajitas, chicken fajitas, and chicken quesadillas.
And these come together in only about 30 minutes! Make these along with our homemade corn tortillas!

A person pulling back a festive-color napkin to reveal a stack of homemade flour tortilla

How To Make Flour Tortillas

 

NOTE: If you liked this video, please subscribe to our YouTube channel. Remember to click the little ‘bell’ icon so you’ll never miss a new video. Thank you!

 

The Ingredients You Will Need

We find that using pork lard and softened butter for our flour tortillas yields the softest and best-tasting tortilla.

However, you can substitute shortening, if you can’t find lard.

How To Handle the Dough

After a shaggy dough comes together, it’s time to briefly knead the dough.

A cook pulling a piece of flour tortilla dough on a floured cutting board.
A hand holding a ball of dough for homemade flour tortillas.
A damp kitchen towel being lowered over flour dough balls on a cutting board.

How Thick to Roll the Flour Dough

After the dough has rested for 15 minutes, grab one of the balls and use the palm of your hand to flatten the dough. Press, then turn the dough 90°, and press again. This will help keep the tortilla round.

Use a pastry roller (small or large) to gently roll the dough out to the thickness of about a dime and a diameter of about 6 inches.  NOTE: The tortilla will get thicker once it cooks in a hot skillet.

We like to roll all the dough balls out before we start to cook them. However, do NOT stack the uncooked tortillas because they will stick to each other.  We recommend stacking them with a piece of wax paper, or parchment paper, between each layer of dough.

Cook in a hot skillet just until air pockets start to form, usually about 1 minute. Flip and cook for another minute. Small brown spots should appear on both sides, too.

A pastry roller stretching out dough for homemade flour tortillas.
A flour tortilla cooking in a black skillet.

How To Keep Homemade Flour Tortillas Soft

As soon as you have finished cooking each tortilla, transfer them to an insulated tortilla warmer, preferably lined with damp paper towels.

We find that letting the tortillas sit for a few minutes before eating them allows them to soften even more and taste even better.

The homemade tortillas are perfect as they are, but get even better with:

  • Butter
  • Fresh pico de gallo
  • Best-ever guacamole
  • Restaurant-quality salsa
  • Classic Tex-Mex queso!

A knife spreading butter onto a warm homemade flour tortilla.

Homemade Flour Tortillas FAQs

  • How do you keep the tortillas from breaking? Don’t over-process, knead, or roll the dough. Also, let the dough balls rest for 15 minutes under a damp kitchen cloth. Your skillet should be hot enough so that the tortillas start to get air bubbles along with small brown spots after 1 minute of cooking on each side. All this adds up to soft, tortillas that won’t break.
  • How long can you keep tortilla dough? You can keep the prepared dough in the refrigerator for 1 day, and you can freeze it for up to one month. In both cases, let the dough come back to room temperature before rolling out the tortillas and cooking.
  • How do you reheat homemade flour tortillas? Simply wrap them in a slightly damp paper towel, or a kitchen towel, and microwave in 30-second intervals until warmed through.
  • What can I use in place of lard? Pork lard is the most authentic way to make homemade flour tortillas, and we find produces the best taste and texture. However, you can substitute shortening, and still get nice tortillas. You can also use soft butter, or vegetable oil, though the end result won’t be quite as fluffy.

A hand holding a stack of homemade flour tortillas in a colorful cloth.

Looking for corn tortilla recipes? Try our Authentic Tex-Mex Enchiladas, Pork Carnitas, or Mahi-Mahi Tacos! In the meantime, whip up a batch of these incredible homemade flour tortillas!   And you might also want to make our amazing Corn Tortillas!

When you make them, be sure to take a picture, post on Instagram, and tag @howtofeedaloon and #howtofeedaloon!

Hands holding a stack of homemade flour tortillas in a colorful cloth.

Homemade Flour Tortillas

These Homemade Flour Tortillas are so fresh and velvety soft and amazing, especially with fajitas. These are simple to make, but as with just about anything, practice makes perfect. If you can't find pork lard, you can go with all shortening or all room-temperature butter.
No ratings yet
Print Pin Rate
Course: Appetizer, Mexican
Cuisine: Mexican, Tex-Mex
Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes
Resting time: 10 minutes minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes minutes
Servings: 8 people
Calories: 256kcal
Author: Kris Longwell

Video

Equipment

  • Pastry roller
  • Tortilla warmer
  • Sturdy skillet cast-iron or non-stick is preferable.

Ingredients

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
  • 3 tablespoon pork lard or shortening
  • 2 tablespoon unsalted butter room temperature
  • 1 cup water warm (heat in the microwave)

Instructions

  • In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Use a wooden spoon to make a well (or indention) in the flour mixture.
    3 cups all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
  • Fold in the lard and softened butter, and then slowly start working the warm water into the mixture. Continue working the dough until most of the flour mixture has been absorbed. At this point, it will be a 'shaggy' dough.
    3 tablespoon pork lard, 2 tablespoon unsalted butter, 1 cup water
  • Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Use the palm of your hands to knead the dough until a soft, pliable dough is formed. Place a bowl over the top of the dough and let it rest for 15 to 20 minutes.
  • Divide the dough into 16 pieces and cover them with a lightly dampened kitchen towel. Working one piece of dough at a time, use your hands to form it into a ball.
  • Take the dough ball and gently flatten it with the palm of your hand, turning to a 90° angle, and pressing again, to keep the dough round. Use a pastry roller (or a rolling pin) to roll out the dough to about 6 inches in diameter and very thin, about the thickness of a dime.
  • Heat a non-stick, or cast iron skillet, or comal pan (flat cast iron griddle), over medium-high heat.
  • Carefully place the tortilla into the hot skillet.
  • Cook until air pockets, or bubbles, begin to form. Usually about 1 minute. Flip the tortilla. Small brown spots should appear on the cooked side. Cook for about another 15 to 30 seconds then transfer to a tortilla warmer lined with a slightly damp cloth. Repeat with the remaining dough. Allow the tortillas to rest for about 5 to 10 minutes, at least.
  • Serve at once, or re-heat the tortillas in the microwave wrapped in a damp cloth in 30 second intervals.

Notes

If you do not have food processor, you can follow the steps using a stand mixer or a hand mixer.  
Shortening can be substituted for the lard, however the taste and texture will not be quite as authentic.
Do not over process, or over knead, or roll the dough.  Over handling the dough will result in a chewier tortilla.  Be sure to let the balls of dough rest for 15 minutes under a damp kitchen towel before rolling them out. 
We find that letting the cooked tortillas rest for about 5 minutes before serving allows them to soften even more. 

Nutrition

Calories: 256kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 293mg | Potassium: 185mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 75IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 66mg | Iron: 3mg
Tried this recipe? Take a Picture!Mention @HowToFeedALoon or tag #HowToFeedALoon!

POST UPDATE NOTE: This was originally posted June, 2017, but was updated with tweaks to the recipe, new photography, and new video in September, 2019.

More Mexican / Tex-Mex / Cal-Mex

  • An arrangement of ingredients for grilled tacos al pastor on a white background including dried chiles, spices, pineapple, pork shoulder, sugar, vinegar, and corn tortillas.
    Grilled Tacos al Pastor
  • A sheet pan filled with a row of beef enchiladas with red sauce and topped with chopped tomatoes and lettuce.
    Beef Enchiladas with Red Sauce
  • A side view of a stack of homemade corn tortillas that are resting on a wooden board topped with a colorful napkin with a bowl of salsa and soften butter nearby.
    Homemade Corn Tortillas
  • An overhead view of two white bowls that are both filled with a serving of a turkey burrito bowl and they are surrounded by smaller bowls of salsa, pico de gallos, cheese, and corn salsa.
    Turkey Burrito Bowl

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Welcome!

Kris & Wesley (The Loon) live for fun, food, and fabulousness. "How to Feed a Loon" is a celebration of just that. Come join us on this joyous culinary ride.

More about us

Memorial Day Cookout

  • Three grilled chicken leg quarters on an oval platter surround by grilled lemon halves and fresh herbs.
    Best Grilled Chicken

  • A straight-on view of grilled vegetables with Italian dressing all resting on a large bamboo oval platter.
    Grilled Vegetables with Italian Dressing

  • Black and bleu burger on a white plate
    Rockin’ Black and Bleu Burger

  • Lamb lollipops in a white bowl
    Lamb Lollipops

  • A grilled whole beer-can chicken sitting on a cutting board next to a carving knife and a bowl of BBQ sauce
    Grilled Beer-Can Chicken with BBQ Sauce

  • A straight-on view of a grilled balsamic glazed pork chop that is sitting next to a pile of roasted vegetables with another plate of the same in the background.
    Grilled Balsamic Glazed Pork Chops

Popular Recipes

  • best-ever chicken salad recipe
    Best-Ever Chicken Salad

  • A white soup filled with roasted tomato basil soup next to sliced grilled cheese sandwiches.
    Roasted Tomato Basil Soup

  • Mahi Mahi tacos on a wooden table in a taco holder
    Amazing Mahi Mahi Tacos

  • A lemon wedge being squeezed onto a platter of chicken francese
    Chicken Francese

  • Southern Shrimp and Cheesy Grits recipe
    Southern Shrimp and Cheesy Grits

  • Slow Roasted Pork Shoulder on a platter with a side of gravy
    Slow Roasted Pork Shoulder

Footer

↑ back to top

Explore

  • Recipe Index
  • About Us
  • Subscribe

About

  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact

Copyright © 2025 How to Feed a Loon • This website contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on a product link, we may receive a commission in return. How To Feed a Loon is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

641 shares

Rate This Recipe

Your vote:




A rating is required
A name is required
An email is required