April 11, 2024

Flour Tortillas

Flour tortillas are versatile and easy to make, if you have a griddle or a non-stick pan. Use them as the basis for many Mexican dishes or to create easy bread wraps. The secret to keeping these pliable is the increased fat content and the brief cooking time. These are best eaten and most pliable the day they are made, but you can refresh them in a microwave in a pinch.Watch our video, or follow the text recipe below!

Flour Tortillas

Flour Tortillas

Serves: 8 | Prep Time: 30 min | Cook Time: 20 min 

 
Ingredients

  • 3 C (12 oz or 340g) Better Batter Gluten Free Flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 4-6 Tbsp solid fat (shortening, lard, etc)
  • About 1 1/2 C warm water (reserve 1/2 C)


Instructions

Mix all your dry ingredients together – except the fat- until evenly mixed.

Add the fat and mix until the mixture resembles cornmeal.

Add 1 C water and mix – the mixture should resemble pliable, non-dry play-dough, and the dough should not crack when rolled out very thin (it should not stick, either!). If the mixture is too dry, add up to 1/2 C extra water, a little at a time.

Roll. Very lightly flour a rolling surface, and break the dough into about 8 even pieces. Roll each piece out into about a 12-13 inch circle, about 1/8 inch thick. If you would like (for best cooking), use a pie plate and a knife or spatula to even the edges into a 12 inch tortilla.

Roll the Dough. Roll up the dough into a cigar shape, for easy transfer. Repeat with remaining pieces and cover with a damp towel.

Heat. Heat a very heavy, flat surface to medium high heat.

Transfer the tortilla to the surface and unroll until it is flat.

Prepare and Cook. Using a slightly damp tea towel, folded into a little packet, press down on the tortilla as it cooks/puffs, to ensure all surfaces touch the hot pan. Cook for a minute each side.

Transfer and Serve. When cooked, transfer to a plate or container and cover with a damp towel. Continue to cook and stack on top of the other tortillas. Allow to steam for about 2-5 minutes, then use as desired.
 
 This recipe was originally tested and adapted from a recipe published by Naomi Poe in April 2022. Original photo of food by Jennifer Bigler.