Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/3 cup lard or vegetable shortening, cut into small pieces
- 1 cup warm water (100-110F)
Mix and Knead the Dough
In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, kosher salt, and baking powder.
Add the pieces of lard or shortening to the flour mixture. Use your fingertips to rub the fat into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse, sandy crumbs. This process is what will make the tortillas tender and flaky.
Pour in the warm water and mix with your hands until a shaggy dough comes together. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for ~5 minutes. The finished dough should be smooth, soft, and elastic, with a texture similar to Play-Doh.
Rest the Dough
Place the dough back in the bowl and cover it with a damp kitchen towel. Let it rest at room temperature for at least 30 minutes, or up to an hour. This rest allows the gluten to relax, which is essential for rolling the tortillas out thinly without them shrinking back.
Divide and Roll
Divide the rested dough into 16 equal pieces for taco-sized tortillas, or 8 pieces for burrito-sized. Roll each piece into a smooth ball. Keep the dough balls covered with the damp towel as you work.
On a lightly floured surface, use a rolling pin to roll one ball of dough into a very thin, roughly 8-inch round. It should be almost translucent.
Cook the Tortillas
Heat a large, dry skillet (cast iron is ideal) over medium-high heat.
Carefully lay one rolled-out tortilla in the hot pan. Cook for ~30-45 seconds on the first side, until it starts to puff up and bubbles form on the surface.
Flip the tortilla and cook for another ~15-30 seconds on the second side. You are looking for scattered golden-brown spots.
Keep Them Soft
As each tortilla comes out of the pan, immediately stack it in a clean kitchen towel or a tortilla warmer. The trapped steam is crucial; it keeps the tortillas warm, soft, and pliable. Serve immediately.
Homemade Flour Tortillas
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour plus more for dusting
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/3 cup lard or vegetable shortening cut into small pieces
- 1 cup warm water 100-110F
Instructions
- Whisk the flour, salt, and baking powder in a large bowl.
- Add the lard pieces and rub into the flour with your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse sand.
- Pour in the warm water and mix with your hands until a shaggy dough forms.
- Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 5 minutes until smooth and elastic.
- Place the dough in the bowl and cover with a damp kitchen towel. Let rest for 30-60 minutes.
- Divide the dough into 16 pieces for taco size (or 8 for burrito size) and roll into balls.
- Keep the dough balls covered with the damp towel while working.
- On a floured surface, roll each ball into a thin 8-inch round.
- Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat.
- Place a tortilla in the hot pan and cook for 30-45 seconds until bubbles form.
- Flip and cook another 15-30 seconds until golden spots appear.
- Stack the hot tortillas in a kitchen towel to keep warm and soft.
