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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.
Thinking of ways to use your homemade tortillas? Enjoy them in savory Chicken Tacos, spicy Buffalo Cauliflower Tacos, sizzling Steak Fajitas, a wholesome Turkey Wrap, or hearty Beef Enchiladas.
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.
- Make Homemade Tortilla Chips with your tortillas!
Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this small batch flour tortillas recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder.
- 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.
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 Tortillas: 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 Tortillas: 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.
How To Make A Small Batch Of Tortillas
These step-by-step photos and instructions help you visualize how to make 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.
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 to make chicken fajitas or cooked beef to make beef fajitas, and then add 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.
- Beef Enchiladas: Swap out corn tortillas and use these flour tortillas for a quick and easy enchilada dish.
- Tacos: Make ground beef tacos, chicken tacos, shrimp tacos, or fish tacos 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.
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.
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.
If you take a picture please tag us on Instagram (@onedishkitchen) we’d love to see!
Small Batch Tortillas
Equipment
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.
so glad I found you1 have never learned to cook for 2. i always have too many leftovers now!
I made today for a breakfast tortilla omelette creation. Maybe because I didn’t think about it I just got started….these were the best tortillas I have ever made. I used lard also.
Hi Joanie
Do you need to melt the butter or have it at room temp when mixing.
Use room temperature or softened butter.
I plan to make these tonight and would love to double the recipe to have some on hand. Do you think these will freeze well, if so, should I freeze before or after frying? I can’t wait to try these!!
Yes, you can definitely freeze these homemade flour tortillas to use later. I store them in Ziploc freezer bags and they will keep well for up to 2 months.
If you don’t plan to use all of the tortillas at once, place some parchment paper between each tortilla so they don’t stick together. When you’re ready to use them, leave them in the fridge overnight to thaw.
I made these tonight. They turned out very well. My husband said they were better than bought ones. I made 8 six inch tortillas which were more than enough for the 2 of us.
How can I copy the pictures of the steps you have? I went to print but it is not included.
Hi Sheri, we don’t have the photos in the recipe card only in the post. I think if you’d like to print the photos, you’ll have to print the entire recipe post. On my computer, I’ve found that if you want to print the photos from the entire recipe post you will need to scroll down to the very bottom of the page (so that the pictures have time to load), and then print the page.
As anyone tried gluten free flour?
Oh hi there,
I just made these and they look great! Curious, mine are a bit crispy, will they soften up if I warm them in my microwave for tonights dinner? I took a pic but don’t have Instagram. Thanks for sharing your recipe.
It could be that the tortillas are rolled out too thin or they could have been cooked too long. You may be able to soften them by placing the tortillas on a plate and covering the plate with a wet paper towel. Heat for just a few seconds at a time. I usually do this when I have store-bought bread and tortillas that I need to soften so it may with homemade tortillas.
I have made theses tortillas twice now. The first time with oil and the second with butter. Both batches turned out great! I was so tired of the store bought tortillas going bad before we used them. This recipe makes the perfect amount for the two of us. They taste better than store bought,too!
I’m so happy you enjoyed the tortillas. Thank you so much for your feedback.
Just made these nice easy and tasty
Perfect tortilla recipe! Only problem is I cannot stop eating them lol
Yes, they are addictive. I’m so glad you enjoyed them.