Soft Flour Tortillas Recipe (VIDEO)
Learn how to make Flour Tortillas with just 5 ingredients. These are the best soft flour tortillas with a taste and texture that can’t be rivaled by store-bought.
Fresh Homemade Tortillas make all the difference in recipes like Shrimp Fajitas, Breakfast Burritos, and Breakfast Quesadillas. Check out the video tutorial to see how easy they are to make!

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Flour Tortillas Recipe
I’m rarely one to pass up the convenience of store-bought. But sometimes, making homemade versions with better ingredients makes a world of a difference and the taste is more authentic. We love recreating our favorite Mexican foods including these soft homemade flour tortillas. I learned the technique for making these Mexican-inspired tortillas from Cooking with Claudia.
Homemade tortillas make tacos, fajitas, and quesadillas taste that much better. You can even turn these tortillas into crispy Hard Taco Shells. And the good news is, flour tortillas are incredibly simple to make.
Soft Flour Tortillas Video
Watch Natasha make these easy flour tortillas in under an hour, with a handful of pantry ingredients. You’ll be turning out your own tortillas in no time. These also keep well, meaning you can use leftovers to make even more delicious meals all week long.
Ingredients
The ingredients for flour tortillas are basic, and likely already in your pantry. Below you’ll find a short summary of what you’ll need, with the full details available in the recipe card.
- Flour – All-purpose flour works perfectly for making soft tortillas.
- Salt – I love using fine sea salt in my recipes because it tastes better than table salt
- Baking Powder – Use fresh baking powder so that the tortillas puff up nicely in the pan.
- Butter – Take your butter out of the fridge to soften before you start. This makes it easier to combine into the dough.
- Hot Water – Essential for bringing tortilla dough together (see my Pro Tip below).

Pro Tip: Make sure that the water you’re using to form the dough is hot enough (over 140ºF). I use boiled water and drizzle in a little at a time. The high temperature is needed for the starches in the flour to trap moisture, in what’s called gelatinization. This is key to soft, moist tortillas.
How to Make Flour Tortillas
This tortillas recipe makes about ten large 8” tortillas or twelve small 6” tortillas. You can adapt the size of your flour tortillas depending on what you’re using them for (larger ones are better for wrapping burritos, for example). Making flour tortillas from scratch couldn’t be easier.
Preparing the Tortilla Dough
First, you’ll prepare the tortilla dough so that it has time to rest:
- Combine Dry Ingredients – Begin by whisking together the flour, salt, and baking powder.
- Add Butter – Use your hands to work the softened butter into the flour until you have a sandy texture.
- Add Water – While you work the dough with your hands, drizzle in hot water. Be careful and go slowly, adding a little at a time. Continue to mix until the dough forms a sticky ball that pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
- Knead – Next, turn the dough out onto a clean work surface, and knead for 5 minutes. The dough will get less sticky as you knead.
- Rest the Dough – Pinch off golf-ball-sized balls of dough and roll them on the counter into smooth balls. It’s similar to rolling Dinner Rolls. Arrange on an oiled baking sheet and cover with oiled plastic wrap and rest for 20-30 minutes.

Pro Tip: You can roll out your tortillas in the time it takes to preheat the pan you’ll cook them in. If you have one, you can use a griddle or comal which is a specialty tortilla skillet. Otherwise, a large, non-stick skillet will do the trick.
How to Cook Flour Tortillas
- Preheat the Skillet – set your skillet over medium heat (it should reach 500˚F on an infrared thermometer)
- Roll the Tortillas – Turn the first dough ball out on a floured surface. Using a floured rolling pin, roll out your tortillas, rotating and flipping as you go, until you have a thin 10” round. Repeat with the remaining tortillas. Properly rolling a tortilla is the difference between a puffed, perfect tortilla and a flat, lifeless one, so make sure to follow the detailed rolling directions in the recipe card.
- Cook – As you finish rolling each one, cook the tortillas one at a time on the hot skillet for 20-30 seconds per side, flipping when you see bubbles on top and golden brown spots on the first side. Keep the hot cooked tortillas covered in a dry kitchen towel.

Pro Tip: Keep tortillas covered after cooking them so that they can steam a little. I like to wrap them in a dry kitchen towel to trap the warmth and keep the tortillas soft and pliable.
Tips For the Best Tortillas
Here are some helpful tips to make perfect tortillas, every time:
- Rest the Dough – Make sure to let the dough rest for 20 to 30 minutes before rolling. This relaxes the dough and gluten strands, making it easier to roll.
- Roll Correctly – Properly rolling out the dough is key to having it bubble and puff up the way it should in the pan. The tortillas should be ultra-thin and nearly translucent. Follow the rolling directions as they’re written to avoid disappointment.
- Use the Right Pan – Use a non-stick Hexclad skillet, griddle or comal that’s large enough. It should be wide enough to fit the whole tortilla without curling.
- Wait for the Bubbles – Let bubbles form before you flip, for light, airy tortillas.
- Get the Temperature Right – If your pan is too hot, your tortilla will develop black spots. Meanwhile, if it’s been half a minute and your tortilla is still flat, this could mean that the pan isn’t hot enough.

Common Questions
We have experimented with a variety of different fats including butter, lard, and oil. Our favorite was butter. It didn’t add any off taste or smell and was the most accessible.
Tortillas are traditionally made on comal. We used a 12-inch Hexclad skillet or comal/griddle for tortillas rolled to 10” in diameter. The tortillas shrink down to 8 – 9” in diameter once cooked.
Your skillet should be preheated over medium/high heat until it’s starting to smoke, or about 500ºF on an infrared thermometer.

Ways to Use Homemade Tortillas
Soft flour tortillas are super versatile and taste great in plenty of easy recipes, from Mexican-inspired enchiladas to homemade quesadillas. Here are some of our favorite easy recipes with flour tortillas:
- Burritos – Use flour tortillas to bundle up the ingredients in Breakfast Burritos.
- Quesadillas – Make Breakfast Quesadillas, or try these savory Philly Cheesesteak Quesadillas.
- Tacos – Make Fish Tacos, Chicken Tacos, or turn your soft tortillas into Hard Taco Shells.
- Wraps – Wrap these flour tortillas around your favorite fillings for a sandwich wrap, or make the famous Tiktok Tortilla Breakfast Wrap.
You can even drizzle these tortillas with a bit of olive oil, sprinkle them with sea salt, and then bake them until crispy for homemade tortilla chips or strips to serve over Chicken Tortilla Soup. Or, add your favorite pizza toppings, and then bake until the cheese is melted for a homemade thin-crust pizza.
Make-Ahead
Flour tortillas are wonderful to serve warm, or you can make them ahead to store for later use.
- To Store: Store your tortillas airtight at room temperature on the day they’re made, and afterward refrigerate them for up to 1 week.
- Freezing: To freeze, stack the cooled tortillas with parchment paper in between (to keep them from sticking), and seal them inside a freezer bag. They can be frozen for up to 2 months. Thaw the tortillas at room temperature before reheating.
- To Reheat: Dampen a paper towel and use this to line the bottom of a microwave-safe dish. Place the flour tortillas over the paper towel, then microwave uncovered until warmed through (about 15-30 seconds). Keep the reheated tortillas covered to trap the steam while serving.

I’ll be the first to admit some things aren’t worth making from scratch, but flatbreads like Pita Bread, Focaccia, and, of course, these flour tortillas are an exception. You won’t know what you’re missing until you’ve tried fresh homemade flatbreads.
More Mexican-Inspired Recipes
If you loved this tutorial on how to make flour tortillas, turn your next meal into a Tex-Mex feast with these easy dinner ideas:
Homemade Flour Tortilla Recipe

Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for rolling
- 1 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 5 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup hot water, or as needed to form dough
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, salt, and baking powder
- Add softened butter and work it into the flour with your hands until you have a sandy/ fine crumb mixture.
- While mixing with your hands, pour hot water into the dough a little at a time (and carefully since it’s hot). Drizzle in some water then mix and drizzle again and add more water if needed to form a sticky dough ball that pulls away from the edges of the bowl, then transfer the dough to a clean countertop. Knead for 5 minutes until soft, elastic, and smooth (The dough will get less sticky as you knead).
- Lightly oil a baking sheet and a sheet of plastic wrap. Pinch off balls of dough (about golf-ball size) and roll each into a ball over your counter. Place dough balls on the oiled baking sheet and cover with oiled plastic wrap and rest at room temperature for 20-30 minutes.
- Preheat a large 12” non-stick Hexclad non-stick pan (or comal if you have one) over medium heat until it’s super hot (500 ̊F on an infrared thermometer).
- Lightly flour a work surface. Place one dough ball over the surface, dust it with flour and lightly flatten it with your fingers. Roll the tortilla once, rotate the dough, roll again, then rotate again. Repeat until the dough is about halfway rolled out, then roll it up and down, rotate, and roll it up and down again. As it gets larger, flip the dough over to prevent the edges from curling and continue rolling. Continue until you have about a super thin 10” diameter round, or until your dough begins to look see-through.
- Cook on the hot pan for about 20-30 seconds per side until you get some bubbling on top and blistering/golden browning on the bottom then flip and saute for another 20 seconds. Stack warm tortillas wrapped in a dry kitchen towel. Once the tortillas are cool, transfer them to a zip-top bag to keep them from drying out.
This recipe turned out really nice, I don’t usually like flour tortillas, but this was the exception!
Thanks for sharing, Leanna. Great to hear that you liked our recipe!
I’m at a loss. I’ve tried 4 times over the past few months. Cannot figure out my mistakes. Tortillas taste good but are not soft enough to fold without breaking like a soft cracker. I measure, use thermometer for water temp. Any recommendations? Please. I’m desperate. Thank you v
Hi Zulema! Are you making any substitutions to the recipe or using another type of flour? There are several reasons that could cause this. Be sure to measure your flour correctly. I’ve attached my tutorial on how to measure ingredientshere. Be sure to let your dough rest as recommended for about 30 mins. You’ll need to roll them out thin enough and make sure your pan is hot enough when you start to cook them. It may also help to store them in a ziplock bag or air-tight container while they are still warm. I hope that helps troubleshoot.
i would like to ask, how many pieces of tortilla can be make with 375g of all purpose flour?
Hi Kew! This recipe used 375g of flour and the serving size is 10 (listed at the top of the recipe card).
It was my first time making flour tortillas and these were super easy to make. Thank you so much for your recipe my family loved it and my daughter even said if I could make them every day. It truly reminded me of the way my mom used to make us flour tortillas, they taste just the same. Thank you so much again.
Hi Maria! You’re very welcome. I’m so glad they were a hit with the family.
Natasha, I love your recipes !! They are all amazing and hit the ball out of the park !
I have made this with my daughter who is about to be eight years old and she loves them.
I just ordered a tortilla press, and we will be using them today for our third time making this recipe 😁
Thank you so much, please keep those recipes coming ❤️
Sounds great! I’m so glad that you’re enjoying my recipes, I hope you’ll love all that you will try!
With flour tortillas it’s best to roll with a rolling pin. The tortilla press is best with corn tortillas.
Absolutely perfect!!!! So easy and delicious. Love it 🙂
Thank you Natasha
Thank you, appreciate it!
I did it! This recipe is simple, and the tortillas turned out beautifully. Natasha, your recipes are my favorite! Thank you.
So glad to hear that, Jana! Thank you for the feedback.
First time I made them, they didn’t quite turn out. My fault entirely as I didn’t roll out using the proper technique. 2nd time, absolutely awesome. So light and delicious. I filled them with chicken, pot5 and sautéed onions, green peppers and jalapeños.
Glad that it was a success the second tine around. Thank you for the review, Susan!
I made these last night. I have a tortilla press that I was gifted but hadn’t used it yet. I made the tortilla dough as instructed and then instead of rolling it out, I used the press. Fantastic tortilla recipe!
That’s great, Patty! Thank you for trying my recipe.
I don’t have unsalted butter but salted butter can I still use it in the recipe
Hi Tina! If you use salted butter you will need to omit the rest of the salt from the recipe or use less. I hope you love the tortillas.
This is my 1st attempt at homemade tortillas. I am finished buying products with ingredients I can’t pronounce. I followed your instructions and they came out PERFECTLY and so delicious. (not perfectly round yet though. lol) What are your thoughts on a tortilla press? I will be making these from now on but want to make the process faster to save time:)
That’s wonderful, Denise! So glad you loved the recipe. Thank you for trying it. 🙂
So I decided to skip the press and ordered the rolling pin like you use. This was a total game changer! I previously was using the old fashioned one with the handles before. This new wood dowel type of roller made the tortillas paper thin and it took half the time. And my tortillas actually came out round this time. Practice makes perfect. Thank you for the recipe and great instructions. No fail after 2 batches so far!!
That’s amazing, Denise! Thank you for the feedback. 🙂
Added 2 Tblsp of sourdough starter and IT BLEW MY MinD!, they came out insanely good!
Hi Marta! That’s great to hear. Thank you for sharing.
With the soft flour tortillas can you leave it longer to stand more than 20 – 30 minutes before I roll it out ?
Hi Chantel! That should be fine. I hope you love the recipe.
No! no butter for authentic tortillas. The closest recipe like my moms and all her sisters is Joshua’s Weisserman’s tortillas recipe. They are fluffy and oh so beautiful. Sorry, not a 5 rating the tortillas are way too flat and thin. No bad intentions just being honest. Authentic tortillas are not rolled with a rolling pin, but with a 12 inch cut from a broom or mop handle, sanded down smooth. Nice try tho. I love most of your recipes. I wish I could show you how AUTHENTIC tortillas are made.
We have experimented with a variety of different fats including butter, lard, and oil. Our favorite was butter. It didn’t add any off taste or smell and was the most accessible.
I will try this weekend, so excited! But I couldn’t find sharky.
I hope you love the recipe, Victoria! 🙂
The best ever! I made these three times already. My family loves them. Thank you Natasha for another great recipe!
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Vera!
Made this! Trust the process, it seems like a lot of water but it turns out beautifully! So so good!
Yes, great to hear that you followed the recipe and liked it!
These are so good even when reheated they are very soft. I love this recipe.
So glad you love it! 🙂
If I reduced the amount of salt (I have to watch my sodium intake), I know the flavor would be a bit different, but do you think they’d still be puffy and the same, texture-wise?
Yes, that should be fine. 🙂
I was so nervous about making these tortillas, but following the easy instructions, they turned out fabulous.
I make a chicken sharwarma here in libya. These tortillas were so soft and delicious. Best sharwarma I have ever made.
Hi Susan! I’m so glad you loved the recipe. Thank you for the feedback.
I’m loving this recipe. Can I substitute cornmeal to make corn tortillas?
I’m glad you love this recipe, Helen. I have not tested this using cornmeal to advise. If you do an experiment, we’d love to know how it goes.
Do not attempt to just sub cornmeal for the flour. You buy masa mix at your grocery store, and all you have to add is hot water. A good brand is
MA SE CA. Look for it.
Very easy and quick recipe. I didn’t bother to at my dough, but they were still awesome. I made larger tortilla for breakfast burritos. Thank you for this recipe.
You’re so welcome! We appreciate your comments and review. thank you!
We love your cooking recipes. and you have a lot of fun make flour Tortillas you look silly and funny we enjoy to watching you cooking. Great job, Thank you for share with us.
Aww, thank you! 🙂
Doesn’t anyone make traditional corn tortillas anymore? I can’t find a recipe for them.
Hi Sheree! I don’t have a recipe for that one yet, but hopefully something we will be able to do in the future.
You can buy Corn Masa in most supermarkets. Corn masa from scratch is very time-consuming, and is very easy, with the mix. A good brand is MA SE CA
I made tortillas for the first time ever today with this recipe, it was so easy and they came out perfectly! I’m never buying store bought again. Thank you for this lovely recipe 🙂
Hi MJ! That makes me happy. Thank you for sharing. So glad you loved them.
Great recipe & my tortillas turned out really yummy! My family loved them. My daughter makes delicious bread & she told me how to use my mixer instead of hand mixing & the results were perfect! I incorporated the dry ingredients with Crisco instead of butter, in my mixer. I added the hot water & mixed unit until the ingredients combined to make the dough. Then I put my bread hook on the mixer, set it on 1 & let the mixer knead it for 5 minutes. I had the dough made & ready in less than 10 minutes & my arms weren’t tired. I needed my strength to roll out the tortillas! LOL
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Liz!
They turned out perfect. I made 10 instead of 8.
I cooked mine on a cast iron griddle.
Thank you for a great recipe.
Hi Candi! Thank you for trying my recipe. I’m so glad you loved it.
Natasha, This recipe sounds delicious and will be making soon. Can these tortillas be frozen?
Yes, you freeze these. See my “make-ahead” notes above. 🙂
Natasha – I love your recipes and videos, and I also love Cooking Con Claudia! Thanks for sharing this!
Hi Stephanie! Glad to hear that, thank you. 🙂
Hi Natasha,
I just made the dough but wanted to confirm if 3 cups of flour equal to 375g or flour? I followed the metric measurements and only got 8 small dough balls. Thanks for a reply.
Hi Stephanie! Yes, that is correct and I was able to get 10 tortillas from this recipe.
Thanks Natasha.
The tortillas turned out very soft and very tasty. I will try to get 10 next time. The tortillas in your video look much bigger than mine. Haha
I’m so glad you loved this recipe, Stephanie!! Thank you for sharing that excellent review with me!
My daughter watched this video and later asked me to search it so we can try an make it. Her exact words to search ” Natasha’s cool cooking show”
Haha! I love that! 🙂
Can you use almond flour and will it be the same amount. I enjoy all your recipes.
Thank you, Marge! I have not tested this with almond flour to advise.
These are so good!! Very flavourful and way better than store bought! And as you showed, they come together easily. I made these last night to compliment your white chicken chili recipe (a recipe on repeat in our home). The video tutorial really helped to get the little things right, and the little recap of the tips for a successful outcome was helpful.
I’ve been following your blog for years and have made a vast majority of your recipes. Thank you so much for your trustworthy delicious dishes and reliable tips! You are my number one go-to for food references. A huge thank you to you and your team.
You’re so very welcome, Lara! I appreciate the feedback.
I’ve always made mine with lard. That’s just how my mother made them in our home growing up mexican. No need for oiled pan or wrap. We just set the dough back in the bowl & cover with dish towel for a few minutes the roll those tortillas out. Yum.
I’m definitely going to try the butter next time. ❤️
Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Rita!
Have you tried to make tortilla’s gluten free. I was just put on a gluten free diet and I love tortilla’s. My Mexican neighbor use to make them and put them right on her coal stove to cook. They were deliciious. Love your site. Thank you
Hi Dorothy, I haven’t tested this recipe with gluten free flour so I can’t speak to that. If anyone else tests it out, please let us know!
I was wondering this too. I miss flour tortillas and have been gluten free for over 10 years. If you try GF, will you reply? 🙂
Can you use a tortilla press instead of a rolling pin? or is that just for corn tortillas?
Hi Angela! I think it could work, but I have not tested it.
I used a tortilla press today and they were a tad thick, which i like for tacos. The flavor was amazing. I used kings mill gluten free 1:1 flour!!! Delicious.
I’m glad you enjoyed this recipe!
Ah! Thank you Natasha! This is a recipe that everyone should learn and make. So many things that we love will go with tortillas. I will make this, and I know they’ll be great! By the way, I would recommend organic flour, no glyphosate, etc. The tortillas will taste better too. 😋 Thanks again! You’re my go-to Gal in the kitchen! I’m so glad I discovered you in June of 2020, when I was looking for a Stroganoff recipe, which I made again this week. I don’t know where I’d be without Natasha’s Kitchen!
Aww, thanks so much, Steven! I’m so glad you love my recipes. I appreciate the love and support over the years. It means a lot to me.
Was wondering if whole wheat flour could be used instead of white flour.
Hi Dee, I haven’t tried this, but I bet it could work with a few adjustments. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe.
yes you can the trick is in the baking powder and the water – little denser dont fluff up so much but yummy
Can you tell us how much extra or less baking powder and water for making with whole wheat flour?
Hello Natasha,
I have been making my own tortillas for years, but have always used lard. I can’t wait to try this recipe. The secret IS letting them rest for up to 30 minutes.
I hope you love this recipe, Deb!
I love your recipes and when I need an idea, I go to them first. Today you told us how to make tortillas I have recently been put on a salt restricted diet so I have to learn how to cook all over again. Can I leave the salt out of this recipe… And will it make a difference? Thank you, Natasha.
Hi Rosemary, you can leave out the salt. The salt helps season the tortilla a bit and enhances natural flavors. I hope you love this recipe, Rosemary!
Hi Natasha
Can I use half of the recipe to make less tortillas? And can it Stored in the freezer for days or refrigerated?
Hi Karen! Yes, you can decrease the number of servings in the recipe card and it will change the ingredient quantities for you. See my recipe notes above under “make ahead” for recommendations. I hope you love the recipe!
I made these tortillas and they were wonderful, so much better than anything I could buy.
I’m so glad to hear that, Kristen! Thank you for the feedback and thanks for trying my recipe.
Definitely trying this recipe, butter is more healthy than lard. Thank you soo much 🙂 your recipes are amazing 🤩
You’re very welcome! I’m so glad you enjoy my recipes. Let us know how you like this one. 🙂
Just made them, they are delicious and yes, very soft! Ty 😉 ps. they were even round!
Hi Anna! Thanks for trying my recipe. So glad you loved them.
Hello,
I’m just wondering if we can use the oven to cook tortillas? Thank you
Hi Nada! I have not tested this recipe in the oven to advise.
How would these do if I used one for one gluten free flour? I prefer flour tortillas over corn or store bought gluten free.
Hi Mary, I haven’t tested this recipe with gluten free flour so I can’t speak to that. If anyone else tests it out, please let us know!
Hi, Natasha, if I need to make the tortillas with gluten free flour, could you please tell me how or what kind of flour should I use.
Thank you very much
Hi Felicia! I have not tested this with GF flour to advise. I think it could work but you’d have to experiment with it. I don’t have experience with GF flour.
Now that I know how easy these are to make I will never buy from the store again! Loved these!
So easy to make! I’m glad you loved it, Lindsey!
YOUR RECIPE IS RIGHT BUT WE DONT USE BUTTER OK. SHORTING OR LARD. IS THE BEST WAY TO BE ORIGINAL.
Hi Patricia, I’ve tested with butter, lard and oil and butter was still my favorite. Lard imparts an off smell (and I purchased a high quality brand), or maybe it was my sensitive sense of smell, but butter is my go-to.