Best Homemade Flour Tortillas

For the longest time I thought making my own tortillas would be hard but guess what? It’s extremely easy and only takes a few ingredients. Not only do homemade tortillas taste much better than store-bought tortillas, but they are extremely cheap to make using only three ingredients, well four, if you count water! The one thing that sets homemade flour tortillas apart from store-bought? The use of lard.

Once the dough is rolled out the goal is to quickly cook the tortillas at a fairly high heat so they brown and cook but do not dry out and harden/ stiffen. Use for your favorite tacos, quesadillas, fajitas and more.

Best Homemade Flour Tortillas

Key Ingredient in This Recipe

• Lard or fat – You can definitely tell when restaurants use lard in their tortillas versus using a substitute like vegetable oil! Instead of searching grocery stores and butcher shops for lard, I’d recommend cooking up some bacon and using the rendered fat. It adds great flavor.
• Flour – I use basic all-purpose flour for this homemade tortilla recipe!

How to Make the Best Flour Tortillas

1. Make the dough. In a large bowl whisk together the flour and salt. Stir in the pork lard and ¾ cup warm water. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth. Wrap the dough ball in plastic wrap and let the dough rest for 15 minutes.
2. Roll out the dough. Divide the dough in half and then each half into 6 equal portions (so you have 12 pieces total). Lightly flour a workspace. Roll each piece of dough into a ball. Working one at a time, roll each piece of dough out into a 6-inch diameter circle using a rolling pin.
3. Cook the tortillas. Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat, and working one at a time, add a tortilla and cook until lightly browned in spots on both sides, about 1 minute each side. Remove and set aside covered with a paper towel while the remaining tortillas cook.
4. Serve. To reheat the tortillas simply return to the non-stick pan and heat until warmed on both sides.

Tips and Tricks for This Recipe

Swaps and Substitutions

• Vegetable oil, vegetable shortening or even butter can be substituted for lard if needed as a substitute or to make it vegetarian, but I really recommend using lard, which is authentic in Mexican cooking. It adds a ton of rich flavor to the tortillas, and the balance of the fat keeps the tortillas flakey and tender.
• Cooking one pound of thick-cut bacon should yield enough fat for one recipe of flour tortillas. Just let it set until it solidifies – this will allow any impurities to sink to the bottom.

How to Freeze Tortillas

Place the cooked tortillas in a resealable plastic bag and remove any excess air from the bag and store in the freezer. Freeze for up to 6 months. To defrost the tortillas move to the fridge 1 to 2 days in advance or let sit on the counter for 1 to 2 hours to defrost before using. To speed the process along place the tortillas on a plate and wrap in a damp paper towel. Microwave until warmed and pliable, about 30 seconds to 1 minute.

FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions

How should I reheat tortillas?

To reheat the tortillas simply return to the non-stick pan and heat until warmed on both sides. I also like to hold over a gas flame to add a bit of char to my tortillas.

Do I have to use lard?

No but the lard adds so much flavor! You can use vegetable oil or vegetable shortening instead.

How many tortillas does this recipe make?

12 (6-inch) tortillas. Divide the dough into 6 pieces and roll out for larger tortillas to make quesadillas and burritos.

What pan is best for cooking tortillas?

I recommend using a large cast-iron skillet or nonstick pan.

Other Recipes to Try

If you enjoy this recipe, I recommend checking out some of these:

• Carnitas Tacos with Stewed Pinto Beans
• Sweet Potato and Black Bean Tacos
• Beer Battered Baja Fish Tacos
• Surf and Turf Tacos with Chimichurri “Aioli” and Crispy Onions

Flour Tortillas

Print Pin

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Serves 12 (6-inch) tortillas.

US Customary – Metric

Ingredients:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ cup pork lard, melted if needed

Instructions:

• In a large bowl whisk together the flour and salt. Stir in the pork lard and ¾ cup warm water. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and let the dough rest for 15 minutes.
• Divide the dough in half and then each half into 6 equal portions (so you have 12 pieces total). Lightly flour a workspace. Roll each piece of dough into a ball. Working one at a time, roll each piece of dough out into a 6-inch diameter circle.
• Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat, and working one at a time, add a tortilla and cook until lightly browned in spots on both sides, about 1 minute each side. Remove and set aside covered with a paper towel while the remaining tortillas cook.
• To reheat the tortillas simply return to the non-stick pan and heat until warmed on both sides.

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