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Imagine rolling out soft, pliable flour tortillas right in your own kitchen. With this small batch Flour Tortillas recipe, you can do just that! Made with simple pantry staples and no yeast required, you’ll yield 4 to 5 perfect tortillas in no time.
Why You’ll Love This Tortilla Recipe
- Simple Ingredients: Made with pantry staples you likely already have.
- No Yeast: Perfect for those who want to avoid yeast-based recipes.
- Quick and Easy: The dough comes together quickly and you can have fresh tortillas on your table in no time.
- Versatile: Use them in a variety of dishes from breakfast to dinner.
- Doubles Well: Need more? This recipe scales up easily for larger gatherings.
Ingredient Notes
See recipe box below for ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions.
- Flour: All-purpose flour serves as the base for these tortillas. It yields a soft, pliable texture.
- Baking powder: This ingredient provides a slight lift, making the tortillas puffier. While it’s optional, using baking powder does enhance the texture. Feel free to experiment with and without it to find your preference.
- Kosher salt: Enhances the flavor of the tortillas. If substituting with table salt, reduce the quantity by half to avoid over-salting.
- Butter or vegetable oil: Both work well in this recipe. Choose based on your dietary needs or flavor preferences.
- Hot water: The water should be hot to the touch but not boiling. You can heat it in the microwave or on the stove.
This is just an overview of the ingredients I used and why I used them. For the full recipe please scroll down to the recipe box at the bottom of the post.
How To Make Tortillas
These step-by-step photos and instructions help you visualize how to make a small batch of flour tortillas. See the recipe box below for ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together your flour, baking powder, and salt. If you’re using butter, add it at this stage and work it into the flour with your fingers until the mixture takes on a wet sand-like texture.
- Add Liquid: Pour in the hot water. If you’re using vegetable oil instead of butter, add it now.
- Mix Dough: Use a fork to stir the mixture, combining the wet and dry ingredients until a dough forms.
- Knead Briefly: Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface, like a counter or cutting board. Knead it just enough to form a cohesive ball. If the dough feels too sticky, sprinkle in a little more flour.
- Divide and Shape: Split the dough into 4 or 5 equal portions and shape each into a round ball.
- Rest the Dough: Place the dough balls on a plate and cover them with a towel. Allow them to rest for approximately 30 minutes before proceeding to roll them out.
How To Cook Flour Tortillas
- Preheat Skillet: Place a cast-iron or non-stick skillet on the stove and heat it over medium heat.
- Roll Out the Dough: On a surface lightly dusted with flour, use a rolling pin to flatten one of the dough balls into an approximately 8-inch round. Don’t stress about achieving a perfect circle; rustic-shaped tortillas are just as tasty!
- Place in Skillet: Carefully transfer the rolled-out dough round to your preheated skillet.
- First Side Cooking: Cook the dough until bubbles appear and the bottom starts to show golden-brown spots, which should take around 40 seconds.
- Flip and Finish: Turn the tortilla over and cook until the second side also develops golden-brown spots. Once done, move the tortilla to a plate and cover it with a clean dish towel to retain warmth. Continue this process with the remaining dough balls.
Expert Tips
- Fat Options: While traditional tortillas often use lard, this recipe is versatile enough to work well with butter, oil, or lard. Add oil in the step where you mix in the water, and for lard or butter, incorporate it with the dry ingredients.
- Baking Powder Optional: If you’re out of baking powder, it’s okay to skip it. Your tortillas will still turn out fine, just a bit less puffy.
- Dough Resting: Allowing the dough to rest makes it easier to roll out. If you notice the dough keeps retracting, simply extend the resting time.
- Thickness Matters: For softer, more tender tortillas, aim to roll the dough thinly. A thicker roll will yield a sturdier tortilla, suitable for single-serving pizza crusts or flatbread roll-ups.
- Size Flexibility: The size of your tortillas is easily adjustable. Simply divide the dough into smaller balls for smaller tortillas or larger balls for bigger ones.
Frequently Asked Questions
While a tortilla press can make the process quicker and yield perfectly round tortillas, it’s not essential. A rolling pin works just fine. If you don’t have one, alternative round objects like a wine bottle or tall drinking glass can be used. Just remember to flour the dough surface to prevent sticking.
Traditionally, a comal, which is a flat griddle, is used for making tortillas. However, a cast iron pan is an excellent alternative. Any skillet will do, but make sure it’s preheated to avoid sticking. Each tortilla should cook for about 30-40 seconds per side.
To warm up your tortillas, set your oven to 350°F (177°C). Wrap the tortillas in aluminum foil and heat for 5-7 minutes or until they reach your desired temperature.
Freshly made tortillas can be kept at room temperature for a day or two if covered. For extended storage, place them in a covered container and refrigerate.
Serving Suggestions
Your homemade tortillas are not just versatile, they’re the key to unlocking a world of delicious meals. Here are some creative ways to enjoy them:
- Quesadilla: Think of it as a grilled cheese sandwich, but with tortillas. Choose your favorite cheese and additional fillings like chicken or veggies.
- Fajitas: Load up a tortilla with cooked chicken or beef, sautéed onions and peppers, and a sprinkle of cheese.
- Pinwheels: Spread your choice of hummus, peanut butter and jelly, or seasoned cream cheese and veggies. Roll tightly and slice into bite-sized pieces.
- Spinach Turkey Wrap: Use the tortillas to wrap up some lean turkey, fresh spinach, and your favorite sauce.
- Enchiladas: Swap out corn tortillas and use these flour tortillas for a quick and easy enchilada dish.
- Tacos: Fill with ground beef, chicken, shrimp, fish, or veggies and top with your favorite taco fixings.
- Breakfast Burritos: Make mornings a breeze with make-ahead breakfast burritos filled with eggs, black beans, onions, and garlic.
- Taco Casserole: Layer ground beef, cheese, and salsa between tortillas for a hearty casserole.
Recipe Variations
If you’re in the mood to experiment or want to cater to specific dietary needs, these variations offer a fresh take on the classic flour tortilla recipe:
- Gluten-Free: Substitute all-purpose flour with a gluten-free flour blend for a celiac-friendly version. I personally use King Arthur brand Gluten Free Measure For Measure Flour.
- Herb-Infused: Mix in finely chopped herbs like cilantro or parsley for a burst of flavor and color.
- Spiced-Up: Add 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon of your favorite spice blend, like taco seasoning or Cajun spice, into the dough for an extra kick.
Feel free to mix and match these variations to create your own signature tortillas!
Ways To Use Leftover Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder or you might like to consider using them in any of these single serving and small batch recipes:
For more information on the cooking and baking dishes I use in our “recipes for one”, please visit our FAQ page.
For examples of the dishes used at One Dish Kitchen, please visit our Store page.
If you’ve tried these flour tortillas or any recipe on One Dish Kitchen please let me know how you liked it by rating the recipe and telling me about it in the comment section below.
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Small Batch Tortillas
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons salted butter , softened or use vegetable oil
- ½ cup hot water
Instructions
- In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. If you're using butter, add it at this stage and work it into the flour with your fingers until the mixture takes on a wet sand-like texture.
- Pour in the hot water. If you're using vegetable oil instead of butter, add it now.
- Use a fork to stir the mixture, combining the wet and dry ingredients until a dough forms.
- Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface, like a counter or cutting board. Knead it just enough to form a cohesive ball. If the dough feels too sticky, sprinkle in a little more flour.
- Split the dough into 4 or 5 equal portions and shape each into a round ball.
- Place the dough balls on a plate and cover them with a towel. Allow them to rest for approximately 30 minutes before proceeding to roll them out.
- Place a cast-iron or non-stick skillet on the stove and heat it over medium heat.
- On a surface lightly dusted with flour, use a rolling pin to flatten one of the dough balls into an approximately 8-inch round. Don't stress about achieving a perfect circle; rustic-shaped tortillas are just as tasty!
- Carefully transfer the rolled-out dough round to your preheated skillet.
- Cook the dough until bubbles appear and the bottom starts to show golden-brown spots, which should take around 40 seconds.
- Turn the tortilla over and cook until the second side also develops golden-brown spots. Once done, move the tortilla to a plate and cover it with a clean dish towel to retain warmth. Continue this process with the remaining dough balls.
Notes
- Fat Options: While traditional tortillas often use lard, this recipe is versatile enough to work well with butter, oil, or lard. Add oil in the step where you mix in the water, and for lard or butter, incorporate it with the dry ingredients.
- Baking Powder Optional: If you’re out of baking powder, it’s okay to skip it. Your tortillas will still turn out fine, just a bit less puffy.
- Dough Resting: Allowing the dough to rest makes it easier to roll out. If you notice the dough keeps retracting, simply extend the resting time.
- Thickness Matters: For softer, more tender tortillas, aim to roll the dough thinly. A thicker roll will yield a sturdier tortilla, suitable for single-serving pizza crusts or flatbread roll-ups.
- Size Flexibility: The size of your tortillas is easily adjustable. Simply divide the dough into smaller balls for smaller tortillas or larger balls for bigger ones.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
I made these tonight and they turned out pretty good. I used bread flour because it’s all I had and the reason I looked up the recipe was because I didn’t want to go to the store to buy pre-made Tortillas. Next time I’ll use the right flour, but I’m happy with the results. I used them to make a spicy potato soft taco. I’ll probably use the rest for quesadillas.
Just made these and they turned out amazing!
I used lard and mixed the dough in my food processor. Does not get any easier than this!
Thanks for sharing this great recipe 😋 👍
Used a tortilla press and just put them in 50g balls and these came out amazing.
I used avocado oil. These came out so delicious. Saving this recipe!
I’m so glad you enjoyed the tortillas. Thank you for your feedback.
Can I use whole wheat flour? Thanks.
We have not tested this recipe with whole wheat flour.
These were so easy to make, tasty, and stayed soft for as long as they lasted! Mind you, that was only about 24 hours! I experimented with thickness, and the thinnest ones were by far the best. Thank you for a great recipe!
Taste is good however made them too thick. Only had a 6” pan. Should’ve divided the dough into 8 pieces instead of 6. Used butter but will try with oil.
Methinks could be mixed in a food processor?—as process is similar to pie crust, to biscuits?
Thank you
Delicious!!!!!
Your recipe is so easy too follow, and
Small batches are great for 1 or 2 people
Thanks