Homemade Flour Tortillas

Course: Appetizer, Mexican

Cuisine: Mexican, Tex-Mex

Keyword: Authentic flour tortillas, Flour tortillas with lard, Homemade flour tortillas, Tortillas

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 15

Resting time: 5

Total Time: 35

Servings: people

Calories: 256kcal

Author: Kris Longwell

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, using all shortening will still work, but the lard lends significantly to the authentic taste and texture.

Print Recipe

Equipment

Food processor, or stand mixer, or hand mixer
Pastry roller
Tortilla warmer

Ingredients

3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp Kosher salt
1/3 cup lard or shortening
1 ¼ cup hot water

Instructions

In the bowl of a large food processor, add the flour, baking powder, and salt. Pulse a few times to combine.
Add in the lard and pulse again until incorporated, about 30 seconds.
With the motor running on low, add the hot water (should be hot, not just warm) through the tube of the food processor. Process just until a rough ball forms.
Lightly flour your hands and remove the ball onto a floured surface. Form small balls with your hands approx. the size of a golf ball. Place on a floured cutting board and cover with a damp kitchen towel. Let rest for 15 minutes.
One at a time, take a dough ball and gently flatten with the palm of your hand, turning to a 90° angle, and pressing again, to keep the dough round. Use a pastry roller to roll out the dough to about 6 inches in diameter and very thin, about the thickness of a dime.
After each dough is rolled out, stack them up, placing a small sheet of wax or parchment paper between each.
Heat a non-stick, or cast iron skillet, or comal pan (flat cast iron griddle), over medium-high heat.
Carefully pick a rolled out tortilla with your fingers and carefully tranfser to 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 minute then transfer to a tortilla warmer lined with a slightly damp cloth. Once finished with all dough balls, let the cooked tortillas rest for about 5 minutes.
Serve at once, or re-heat the tortillas in the microwave wrapped in a damp cloth in 30 second intervals.

Video

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