Ready to go all out for Taco Tuesday? Nothing says “I poured my heart and soul into this meal” like making everything from scratch, including these Homemade Fluffy Flour Tortillas.
Learning to make these tortillas elevated my taco game—store-bought tortillas simply can’t match the freshness and softness of homemade. This recipe yields tender, durable flour tortillas that hold up even when overstuffed.
Use these fluffy tortillas for tacos, quesadillas, fajitas, wraps, and more.
As a busy parent who prefers feeding my family from-scratch meals, I love recipes like this that are simple to prepare and can be made ahead and used throughout the week.
Homemade Fluffy Flour Tortillas Ingredients
Five pantry ingredients plus warm water create these super-fluffy flour tortillas. The recipe uses half all-purpose flour and half bread flour for the ideal chew and strength—a tortilla that stays together even when loaded.
Ingredients you’ll need:
- All-purpose flour. Provides a soft, tender texture.
- Bread flour. Adds chew and resilience so tortillas don’t crumble.
- Warm water. Helps emulsify the oil and integrate into the dough.
- Salt. For seasoning.
- Baking powder. Gives a light rise and the signature fluffy puff.
- Coconut oil. Neutral color and a subtle sweetness; you can substitute vegetable oil if preferred.
Tips and Tricks for Fluffy Flour Tortillas
Combine Dry Ingredients First
Whisk the two flours, baking powder, and salt before adding the wet ingredients. This ensures even distribution and smoother mixing.
Make an Emulsion
Warm water helps the coconut oil liquefy. Whisk the oil and water together for about a minute until the mixture looks slightly murky and no solid oil lumps remain. This emulsion blends into the dry ingredients more easily.
Use Your Hands
After combining wet and dry ingredients with a whisk, the dough will thicken. Use clean hands to bring any remaining flour into the dough until it forms a firm, non-sticky ball.
Flour Your Surface
Work on a lightly floured surface and knead just a couple of times until smooth. The dough should be firm and not sticky; if it is sticky, add all-purpose flour one tablespoon at a time until it feels like play-dough.
Flatten Your Dough
Roll the dough into an oval about 1/2 inch thick. Then slice it into 12 roughly equal pieces.
Form Dough Balls
Shape each portion into a ball by rolling between your palms. This gives you 12 pieces ready to roll into tortillas.
Shaping the Tortillas
Roll each ball into a round, slightly larger than your intended final size since tortillas will shrink a bit when picked up. Rotate the dough as you roll to encourage an even circle. A tortilla press can also be used for very thin, uniform rounds.
How to Cook the Tortillas
Preheat a pan over medium heat. Cook each tortilla directly on the hot pan—no oil needed. After about 30 seconds you’ll see small bubbles form. Flip and cook the second side for 10–20 seconds until both sides have golden-brown spots. Adjust heat if the first tortilla cooks too quickly or too slowly.
Storing and Reheating
Store tortillas in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three weeks. They may firm up after a few days; reheating restores their softness. Keep at room temperature for up to 12 hours or freeze for about one month.
To reheat: from frozen thaw first, then warm on a hot pan as when cooking, or microwave between two damp paper towels for 10–15 seconds.
Adjusting Size
These come out about 10 inches in diameter—ideal taco size. For larger burrito-style tortillas, divide the dough into 8 pieces and roll to about 14 inches. For smaller tortillas, divide into 14–16 pieces and roll to roughly 6 inches.
More on Homemade Flour Tortillas
Making Tortillas without Lard
Traditional recipes use lard, but you can substitute shortening, butter, or oil. This recipe uses coconut oil for a neutral color and subtle sweetness; vegetable oil works well too.
Cost: Homemade vs Store-Bought
Making tortillas at home is typically more economical and yields fresher results. Exact savings depend on local ingredient prices, but homemade tortillas are generally cheaper per piece than many commercial options.
Why Are My Tortillas Chewy?
Overcooking removes too much moisture and can make tortillas chewy. Cook only until small bubbles form and both sides have light golden spots.
How to Ensure Tortillas Puff
Baking powder is the main reason these tortillas puff up. If they don’t bubble, check that your baking powder is fresh.
Bread Flour vs All-Purpose Flour
You can use all all-purpose flour and still make a decent tortilla, but including some bread flour increases protein content, helping the tortillas puff and hold their texture during the quick cooking process.
How to Get Tortillas Flatter
Roll them out flatter to achieve a thinner tortilla. A tortilla press produces very even, paper-thin rounds if you prefer that style.
Why Make These Fluffy Flour Tortillas
- They’re fluffy. A soft, springy base for tacos and wraps.
- They’re fresh. Best served warm and straight from the pan.
- They’re natural. Made without preservatives and customizable to your taste.
5-Ingredient Homemade Fluffy Flour Tortillas
Marley Goldin
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups bread flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 cup hot water
- ⅓ cup coconut oil
Instructions
-
Combine both flours, salt, and baking powder in a mixing bowl.
-
Whisk warm water and coconut oil together until the mixture is murky and no solid oil remains. You don’t need to boil the water—just warm enough to liquefy the oil.
-
Add the oil/water emulsion to the dry ingredients and whisk until the dough begins to come together, then use your hands to fully combine into a firm, non-sticky dough.
-
Transfer to a floured surface and knead briefly until smooth. If sticky, add all-purpose flour 1 tablespoon at a time until the dough feels like play-dough.
-
Flatten the dough with a rolling pin into an oval about 1/2 inch thick, then slice into 12 roughly even pieces.
-
Roll each piece into a ball, then roll each ball out to your desired thickness—about 10 inches for a taco-size tortilla if you prefer them a bit fluffy.
-
Heat a pan over medium heat and cook each tortilla directly on the pan. After ~30 seconds bubbles will form—flip and cook the second side 10–20 seconds until lightly speckled with golden brown.
-
Stack cooked tortillas and keep them warm wrapped in a kitchen towel until serving.
Pro Tips
- Vegetable oil can substitute for coconut oil with similar results.
- To reheat, warm on a hot pan or microwave between two damp paper towels for 10–15 seconds.