Soft homemade flour tortillas with oil instead of lard or vegetable shortening.
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How to store
These store well in a zip lock bag in the refrigerator for upto one week. Make sure they have cooled before closing the bag and putting them in the fridge.
Do I need a comal to make tortillas?
No, all you need is a good non-stick or cast iron pan. I prefer non-stick because those pans usually distribute heat more evenly than a cast iron would or even a comal.
How to reheat
These can be reheated on a comal or pan, just in the same way you cooked them the first time around.
If you plan to reheat these for a later time, it’s also important not to cook them too long when initially making them or they will become tostada like and can crumble.
Does my tortilla need to be round?
No! It takes A LOT of practice to eventually get these babies to be perfectly round! Please do not feel they need to be a perfect circle. It’s ok if they look like the different continents of the world! I’m sure they will still taste great!
Notes:
The KEY ingredient and most important is the BOILING water. Hot water denatures the proteins in the flour and the result is a very tender dough. Which, in turn, also makes the dough easier to work with.
I like to boil more water than needed so that you can measure it out more exact. If you measure out the amount needed (1 ¼ cups of water) part of that will evaporate and you will end up with less water than what is called for.
Another key part to making flour tortillas is to make sure the pan, cast iron or comal is HOT. If it’s not hot enough the tortilla will over cook before getting those delicious dark spots. It will also be more tough and not soft.
Things you will need:
- Coma, non-stick or cast iron pan or griddle
- Rolling pin
- Bowl
- Pot to boil water
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Large stirring spoon
- Large plate or cookie sheet to hold your dough balls
- Kitchen cloth to hold your hot tortillas
- Zip bag to store
Step by step process with photos
Start by boiling your water, to a pot add at least 2 cups of water and bring to a boil. Let it boil until you are ready to add it to your flour.
To a bowl add 3 ½ cups of flour, 1 teaspoon of baking powder, and 1 teaspoon of salt. Mix well.
Next add ½ a cup of oil to your flour mixture and combine until small balls are formed in the flour. It doesn’t have to be perfect, just enough to incorporate it all together.
After that, go ahead and measure 1 ¼ cups of boiling water and add that to your flour and oil mix.
Using a spoon or large utensil of choice, combine the very hot water with the flour mix until it starts coming together. Please do not mix with your hand yet, you will burn yourself! It will look like there isn’t enough water, but keep mixing, it will come together.
Once it has all come together turn it out on to your work surface and you may now start to knead the dough by hand. Knead for about 8 minutes.
Form small round balls about the size of your palm or about 3 ounces in weight or smaller if you prefer a smaller tortilla.
Once you have formed all of your balls, take the extra oil (¼ cup) and rub your dough balls with a light coat of oil set aside on a plate or baking pan.
Let your dough balls rest covered at room temperature for at least 30 minutes or upto 2 hours.
After your dough balls have rested, heat your pan or griddle on medium to medium high heat, depending on how hot your stove runs. You want the pan to be HOT.
While your pan heats up, flatten your balls with the palm of your hand and dip it in the extra flour making sure to cover all sides.
Next, place the floured dough ball on your work surface and using your rolling pin begin to form a disk. You will need to pick up the disk and flip it after every couple of rolls. You want to flatten it to the point it is see through. About 8 ½ – 9 inches in diameter.
Pick it up carefully and take it to the hot pan/griddle and place it down so that it won’t wrinkle too much if possible.
You will know the pan is at the proper heat if bubbles start form within the first 15-20 seconds of cooking. Once you see those bubbles, flip your tortilla.
Let it cook on the second side for another 15-20 seconds.
Flip again and cook for another 10 seconds and remove from the heat.
Place your tortilla inside of a folded kitchen cloth or cloth/towel of choice. You will need them be covered while they cool, but not so covered they become overly wet from the steam.
Repeat until all of your dough balls have been made into tortillas.
Enjoy!
Flour tortillas go great with:
- Refried beans
- Pork with Calabacitas (Guisado de Puerco con Calabacitas)
- Potato and Egg Breakfast Burrito (Burrito de Papas con Huevo)
- Shredded Beef in Green Salsa (Carne Deshebrada en Salsa Verde)
Homemade Flour Tortillas with Oil (Tortillas de Harina con Aceite) Recipe
- Prep Time: 45 minutes (includes resting time)
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 10 (9 inch) Tortillas 1x
- Category: Side Dishes
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mexican
Description
Soft homemade flour tortillas made with oil instead of lard or vegetable shortening.
Ingredients
1 ¼ cup water – boiling hot
3 ½ cups all-purpose flour, plus ½ cup more for dusting
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
½ cup of oil – neutral (corn, vegetable, grapeseed, avocado), plus ¼ cup more for rubbing on dough balls
Instructions
Start by boiling your water, to a pot add at least 2 cups of water and bring to a boil. Let it boil until you are ready to add it to your flour.
To a bowl add 3 ½ cups of flour, 1 teaspoon of baking powder, and 1 teaspoon of salt. Mix well.
Next add ½ a cup of oil to your flour mixture and combine until small balls are formed in the flour. It doesn’t have to be perfect, just enough to incorporate it all together.
After that, go ahead and measure 1 ¼ cups of boiling water and add that to your flour and oil mix.
Using a spoon or large utensil of choice, combine the very hot water with the flour mix until it starts coming together. Please do not mix with your hand yet, you will burn yourself! It will look like there isn’t enough water, but keep mixing, it will come together.
Once it has all come together turn it out on to your work surface and you may now start to knead the dough by hand. Knead for about 8 minutes.
Form small round balls about the size of your palm or about 3 ounces in weight or smaller if you prefer a smaller tortilla.
Once you have formed all of your balls, take the extra oil (¼ cup) and rub your dough balls with a light coat of oil set aside on a plate or baking pan.
Let your dough balls rest covered at room temperature for at least 30 minutes or up to 2 hours.
After your dough balls have rested, heat your pan or griddle on medium to medium high heat, depending on how hot your stove runs. You want the pan to be HOT.
While your pan heats up, flatten your balls with the palm of your hand and dip it in the extra flour making sure to cover all sides.
Next, place the floured dough ball on your work surface and using your rolling pin begin to form a disk. You will need to pick up the disk and flip it after every couple of rolls. You want to flatten it to the point it is see through. About 8 ½ – 9 inches in diameter.
Pick it up carefully and take it to the hot pan/griddle and place it down so that it won’t wrinkle too much if possible.
You will know the pan is at the proper heat if bubbles start form within the first 15-20 seconds of cooking. Once you see those bubbles, flip your tortilla.
Let it cook on the second side for another 15-20 seconds.
Flip again and cook for another 10 seconds and remove from the heat.
Place your tortilla inside of a folded kitchen cloth or cloth/towel of choice. You will need them be covered while they cool, but not so covered they become overly wet from the steam.
Repeat until all of your dough balls have been made into tortillas.
Enjoy!
Notes
The KEY ingredient and most important is the BOILING water. Hot water denatures the proteins in the flour and the result is a very tender dough. Which, in turn, also makes the dough easier to work with.
I like to boil more water than needed so that you can measure it out more exact. If you measure out the amount needed (1 ¼ cups of water) part of that will evaporate and you will end up with less water than what is called for.
Another key part to making flour tortillas is to make sure the pan, cast iron or comal is HOT. If it’s not hot enough the tortilla will over cook before getting those delicious dark spots. It will also be more tough and not soft.
These store well in a zip lock bag in the refrigerator for up to one week. Make sure they have cooled before closing the bag and putting them in the fridge.
These can be reheated on a comal or pan, just in the same way you cooked them the first time around.
If you plan to reheat these for a later time, it’s also important not to cook them too long when initially making them or they will become tostada like and can crumble.
Keywords: homemade flour tortillas made with oil, tortillas de harina con aceite
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