Extra Flour Tortillas Recipe

Combine dry ingredients

In a large mixing bowl whisk together 4 cups all-purpose flour, 2 tsp baking powder, and 1.5 tsp kosher salt until evenly distributed.

Incorporate fats

Add 1/2 cup neutral oil and 2 tbsp softened unsalted butter (or lard) to the dry ingredients. Use a fork or your fingertips to rub the fats into the flour until mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces. This creates tender, pliable tortillas.

Add water and form dough

Pour in about 1 1/4 cups warm water gradually, stirring with a wooden spoon or your hand until a shaggy dough forms. You may not need all the water; stop when dough comes together and is soft but not sticky. If dough is too dry, add up to 2 tbsp more warm water; if too sticky, add up to 2 tbsp more flour.

Knead briefly

Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead 6–8 times until smooth and cohesive but not firm. Over-kneading makes tortillas tough; a brief knead is enough to bring it together.

Rest the dough

Divide dough into 12 equal pieces for large tortillas (or 16 for smaller). Shape each piece into a smooth ball. Place balls on a plate or baking sheet and cover loosely with a damp kitchen towel or plastic wrap. Let rest at room temperature for 20–30 minutes to relax the gluten and make rolling easier.

Prepare workspace

Lightly flour your work surface and a rolling pin with the extra 1/4 cup flour. Preheat a heavy skillet, cast-iron pan, or griddle over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking (about 2–4 minutes). If using, lightly oil or spray the skillet; traditionally tortillas are cooked dry on a hot surface.

Roll tortillas

Take one dough ball, press it flat with your palm, and dust with a little flour. Roll from center outward with even pressure into a circle about 8–10 inches in diameter for large tortillas (6–7 inches for smaller). Rotate the dough frequently and add small amounts of flour to prevent sticking, tapping off excess.

Cook first side

Place the rolled tortilla onto the hot skillet. Cook 30–45 seconds, until you see the surface start to bubble and pale brown spots appear. The edges will look set.

Cook second side

Flip the tortilla with a spatula and cook the other side 30–40 seconds more. A few larger brown spots should form and the tortilla may puff slightly. If it puffs, gently press it with the spatula once to encourage even cooking.

Finish and keep warm

Remove cooked tortilla and stack on a clean kitchen towel or in a tortilla warmer to retain steam and pliability. Repeat rolling and cooking with remaining dough balls. If skillet gets too hot and tortillas brown too fast, reduce heat slightly. If tortillas are taking too long to brown, increase heat a little.

Serve or store

Serve warm. To store, let cooled tortillas cool completely, then stack and wrap tightly in plastic or place in an airtight container. Refrigerate up to 4 days or freeze for up to 2 months. Reheat on a hot skillet or in microwave wrapped in a damp paper towel for 20–30 seconds.