Best Homemade Flour Tortillas
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A stack of homemade flour tortillas can transform even the simplest taco night. While store-bought tortillas are convenient, this four-step recipe gives you soft, pliable tortillas with chewy edges and a rich flavor that’s hard to beat. After making these countless times, I’ve found that the process is much easier than people expect, requiring just a handful of pantry staples and a little patience while the dough rests. Whether you’re serving them with tacos, breakfast spreads, or alongside your favorite Mexican-inspired dishes, these homemade flour tortillas are well worth the effort. They are a staple in my house!
If you’ve been intimidated by making tortillas at home, this recipe walks you through every step for consistently delicious results. If you loved these homemade flour tortillas, try setting up your own breakfast taco bar or pair these tortillas with my favorite carnitas tacos recipe. But the real takeaway here? Homemade tortillas take any recipe to the next level!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Better than store-bought – These homemade flour tortillas are soft, tender, and full of fresh flavor.
- Surprisingly simple – Made with pantry staples and straightforward techniques, they’re easier than you might think.
- Versatile – Use them for breakfast tacos, burritos, quesadillas, wraps, and more.
Key Ingredients in This Recipe
- Lard or fat – You can definitely tell when restaurants use lard in their tortillas versus using a substitute like vegetable oil! Look for lard by the bacon at your grocery store. You can also cook up some bacon and use the rendered fat. It adds great rich flavor.
- Flour – I use basic all-purpose flour for this homemade tortilla recipe!
A full ingredient list with exact amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
Pro Tip
I like to reheat my homemade flour tortillas by holding them over a gas flame to add a bit of char.
Swaps and Substitutions
- All-purpose flour – Stick with the flour called for in the recipe for the best texture, though a portion can be substituted with whole wheat flour if desired.
- Fat – Adding a bit of fat is important as it contributes to the tortillas’ signature tenderness and flexibility. If you can’t find lard or are in a pinch you can use rendered and cooled bacon fat for a great rich flavor! I let it cool so any impurities sink to the bottom before use.
- Salt – Adjust slightly to suit your taste preferences, but don’t omit it entirely, as it enhances the flavor of the dough.
How to Make the Best Flour Tortillas (Step-by-Step)
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Serve. To reheat the tortillas simply return to the non-stick pan and heat until warmed on both sides.
How to Serve This Recipe
- For taco night: Fill with your favorite meats, vegetables, and toppings.
- For breakfast: Use them for breakfast tacos or breakfast burritos.
- For entertaining: Serve alongside fajitas so guests can build their own plates.
- For everyday meals: Use them in quesadillas, wraps, or as a side for soups and stews.
How to Store This Recipe
- At room temperature: Store cooled tortillas in an airtight container or resealable bag for up to 2 days.
- In the refrigerator: Refrigerate for up to 5 days and reheat before serving.
- In the freezer: Freeze with parchment paper between tortillas. Keep them in a larger bag for up to 3 months.
- To reheat: Warm briefly in a skillet on both sides, microwave, or wrapped in foil in the oven until soft and pliable.
FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions
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. If you’re short on time, the microwave works just fine, just make sure you wrap them in a wet paper towel if they feel dry.
No, but the lard adds so much flavor! You can use leftover bacon fat, vegetable oil or vegetable shortening instead if needed.
12 (6-inch) tortillas. Divide the dough into 6 pieces and roll out for larger tortillas to make quesadillas and burritos.
I recommend using a large cast-iron skillet or nonstick pan.
If your dough shrinks while rolling, it likely needs more time to rest. Allowing the gluten to relax makes the dough easier to shape.
Yes. Homemade flour tortillas can be made in advance and stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or frozen for longer storage.
Other Recipes to Try
If you love making Mexican-inspired dishes at home, check out some of my other favorite recipes that these homemade tortillas are perfect for:
- 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
Thanks for cooking with me! If you made this recipe, leave a 🌟 rating and share your thoughts or tips below. I’d love to hear from you!
Flour Tortillas
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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.
Watch this Recipe
Notes:
Nutrition:
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OH. MY. GOD. I am never buying tortillas again. Not that I should be surprised, every recipe from this queen is exceptional. It is so hard to find simple recipes for seemingly basic essentials that taste better than restaurant quality! 10/10 recommend to a friend
YAY! I’m so happy to hear that! Thanks so much for sharing!
I’ve gotta get better at shaping them, but there’s no need to ever buy tortillas again! Love these! Thanks for the great recipe
Haha practice makes perfect! I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Will be trying this recipe THIS week. Homemade tortillas are in a league of their own.
Yay! They absolutely are!! Hope you enjoy!
These tortillas were AMAZING!!! Never buying tortillas again.
YAY! I’m so happy to hear that! Thanks for sharing!
Could you you make these with shortening instead to make them vegetarian?
yes, absolutely!!
Can you refrigerate dough?
Yes! I’d just recommend letting it sit for 30 minutes – 1 hour at room temperature before using!
I’m never buying tortillas again. I am so committed to this recipe that I cook bacon just for the grease (I keep it in a jar in the pantry, 1 pack of bacon makes about 1/2 cup of grease), AND I went out and bought a tortilla press to make shaping them easier.
They’re a hit every time! The dough freezes well; I’ll often only cook 1/2 a batch at a time.
Welcome to the world of homemade tortillas!! It’s so hard to go back! I am so glad you like it and thank you for sharing the note about the bacon fat!! So helpful!
I was so excited when I first saw this recipe because something simple like tortillas can be made complicated with excessive ingredients, but yours looked so promising…and they were! I gotta admit the lard made me swoon the first time I read it. (lol) This one is staying in my arsenal for good and I’m so thankful for the find!
I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed!! That makes me so happy!
These were SO easy to make I couldn’t believe it and now that I’ve made them I’ll never not make my own! So much better than anything store bought