Making flour tortillas by hand can seem like a daunting task if you’ve never made them before. I promise, though, that the overall process is simple and can be mastered through repetition. The reward is a homemade tortilla that’s fluffy, pliable, and elastic, perfect for making the best burritos you’ve ever had.
The most important part of making a great tortilla is to not overwork the dough and to make sure it is hydrated enough. If the dough is overworked, then it will be difficult to roll out. If the dough is not hydrated enough, then they will dry out and not be pliable. Keep in mind that the moisture in your tortilla dough may vary from day to day, depending on the weather and moisture in the air. As you begin to knead the dough, it will start off a bit sticky but slowly come together into a smooth ball. Whenever your dough is resting, be sure to cover it to avoid letting it dry out.
Each type of flour absorbs moisture in a different way. I recommend starting with all-purpose flour in this flour tortilla recipe before moving on to other types.
Ingredients
Makes eight 10" tortillas
3⅓ cups (417 g) unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for surface
1 Tbsp. Diamond Crystal or 1¾ tsp. Morton kosher salt
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
6 Tbsp. lard or vegetable shortening, melted
Preparation
Step 1
Whisk 3⅓ cups (417 g) unbleached all-purpose flour, 1 Tbsp. Diamond Crystal or 1¾ tsp. Morton kosher salt, 1 tsp. baking powder, and 1 tsp. baking soda in a medium bowl to combine. Using your hands, work in 6 Tbsp. lard or vegetable shortening, melted, until incorporated and mixture looks crumbly. Pour in 1 cup plus 2 Tbsp. hot water (about 100°F) and mix well.
Step 2
Transfer dough to a surface and knead until it comes together and springs back slowly when pressed, about 5 minutes. Wrap dough in plastic and let rest at room temperature at least 1 hour, or chill up to 12 hours (preferable). If chilling, let dough sit at room temperature 1 hour before making tortillas.
Step 3
Unwrap dough and divide into 8 equal pieces (about 99 g each if you have a scale). Working with 1 piece at a time, pull edges of dough up and into center, then rest a cupped hand over dough so your palm and fingers enclose it and slowly work your hand in a circular motion on the counter to shape dough into a ball. Cover balls with plastic wrap to keep from drying out and let rest 30 minutes.
Step 4
Working one at a time, roll out each ball of dough on a lightly floured surface, dusting lightly with more flour if needed (use as little as possible) to 11"–12" rounds (they should be thin enough that you can see the counter through the dough).
Step 5
Heat a comal or large cast-iron or nonstick skillet over medium-high until smoking. Working one at a time, cook tortillas until charred in spots and bubbles form on surface, 10–15 seconds. Flip and cook until charred in spots on second side, about 10 seconds. Stack and wrap in a kitchen towel to keep warm as you go.
