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Learn how to make soft homemade flour tortillas with my simple trick: melting lard into warm water before mixing the dough. This creates tender, flexible tortillas that stay soft and perfect for tacos, burritos, and quesadillas.
Homemade Flour Tortillas (Soft & Authentic)
There is nothing quite like a warm homemade flour tortilla fresh off the skillet.
Soft, chewy, and slightly blistered from the hot comal, homemade flour tortillas are one of those things that instantly make a meal feel special. Whether you’re wrapping up breakfast tacos, serving fajitas, making quesadillas, or just eating one warm with a little butter, fresh tortillas are worth the effort.
After making flour tortillas over and over, I found one small change that makes a huge difference:
I melt the lard directly into warm water before adding it to the dough.
Instead of trying to work cold pieces of fat into the flour and hoping it’s evenly distributed, this method ensures the lard mixes completely throughout the dough. The result is incredibly soft, flexible tortillas with a tender texture that stays that way even after cooling.
These are the kind of tortillas that bend without cracking, puff beautifully on the skillet, and make every taco taste better.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Soft and flexible homemade tortillas
- Uses simple pantry ingredients
- No special equipment required
- Better than store-bought
- Perfect for tacos, burritos, and quesadillas
- Stay tender instead of turning stiff
- Freezer friendly
The Secret to Soft Flour Tortillas
The biggest challenge with homemade flour tortillas is getting them soft and tender instead of dry or tough.
The fat in the dough is what creates that soft texture.
Traditional recipes often add lard by cutting it into the flour, similar to making pie dough. While that works, it can sometimes leave uneven pockets of fat throughout the dough.
My preferred method is different:
Melt the lard into warm water before mixing the dough.
The warm water melts the lard completely, allowing it to distribute evenly throughout the flour. Every bite of dough gets the right amount of fat, which creates a tortilla that is soft, pliable, and easy to fold.
This small technique makes a noticeable difference.
What Makes Authentic Flour Tortillas?
Traditional flour tortillas are made with just a handful of ingredients. Flour, salt, water, and lard.
The magic comes from the balance. Too little fat and the tortillas can become dry. Too much flour and they become stiff. Too much kneading and they can become tough.
The goal is a soft dough that rests long enough for the gluten to relax, making the tortillas easy to roll.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Flour: All-purpose flour works perfectly for homemade flour tortillas. For the softest texture, measure your flour carefully. Too much flour creates dry tortillas.
- Lard: Lard gives tortillas their classic flavor and tender texture. You can substitute shortening, oil, or butter, but lard creates the most traditional result.
- Warm Water: The warm water melts the lard and helps create a smooth dough.
- Salt: A small amount of salt brings out the flavor.
- If you’re looking for fluffier tortillas you can add 1 teaspoon baking powder to the flour and salt before adding in the fat and water.
How to make Flour Tortillas In Photos
Find the complete recipe card below with measurements and full instructions.
First, heat the water to a hot temperature but not boiling, this can be done on the stovetop or in the microwave. Add the lard and stir, allowing it to completely melt.
I LOVE this method. Most recipes will tell you to mix the fat into the flour until it’s like coarse meal. But I find that the fat is more evenly dispersed in the tortillas and that the entire process is just a bit easier using this method.
Mix the Dough
In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour and salt. Pour the melted lard and water into the mixing bowl with the flour mixture.
Knead with the dough hook on a stand mixer on low for about 10 minutes. If not using a stand mixer, knead the dough by hand on a lightly floured surface for 10-15 minutes.
Once the dough is no longer sticky and the dough has a smooth appearance then it’s ready.
Let the Dough Rest
Divide the dough into 12 equal sections. Roll and pinch each portion of dough to form a small ball. Place the dough portions on a lightly floured baking sheet, or on a floured counter. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let sit for 30 minutes.
Once the dough has sat for 30 minutes, heat a skillet over medium low heat. Lightly sprinkle flour on a clean counter top and lightly sprinkle a rolling pin.
Roll them out
Using your fingers, gently flatten out one tortilla, spinning as you go so that it flattens and creates a circle. If you notice a lot of resistance in the dough, let it rest a bit longer to allow more gluten formation. If the tortilla dough is soft and pliable, easy to press out with your fingers, continue and roll out the tortilla nice and flat in a round shape. The tortilla should be rolled thin and be slightly transparent.
Cook the Tortillas
Place the tortilla on the hot skillet, allow to cook for about 60 seconds, you will notice bubbles forming, don’t press them down. After 60 seconds, take a peek at the bottom to check the color of the tortilla, brown spots should have formed, if not, increase the heat slightly. If dark, almost black spots have formed, decrease the heat.
Flip the tortilla and continue to cook the other side for another 30-45 seconds, bubbles will still form and brown spots will appear.
Remove the tortilla from the skillet and place on a plate or in a tortilla warmer. If you don’t have a tortilla warmer you can place the tortillas on a clean towel that you can fold over to cover the tortillas. This will help them stay warm while you cook the rest.
Why Are My Flour Tortillas Not Soft?
This is the most common homemade tortilla problem. Here are the biggest causes:
- Too much flour- Adding extra flour while rolling can make tortillas dry. Use only enough to prevent sticking.
- Not enough fat- Fat is what gives tortillas tenderness.
- Skipping the rest time- Resting allows the dough to relax and become easier to roll.
- Overcooking- Tortillas only need a short amount of time on each side. Cooking too long dries them out.
How to Store Flour Tortillas
- Room Temperature: Store cooled tortillas in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
- Refrigerator: Store for up to 1 week.
- Freezer: Freeze tortillas in a sealed bag with parchment between layers for up to 3 months.
Freeze
Make a large batch of flour tortillas for future use. When freezing multiple tortillas it is important to separate each one with a piece of waxed or parchment paper, so that they don’t stick together. Once separated, wrap the stack of tortillas in foil and place in a freezer-safe plastic bag. Store in the freezer for up to six months.
When ready to use, place the tortillas in the refrigerator to thaw overnight. To reheat place the tortillas on a hot skillet briefly just to heat through, or place on a heat safe plate, cover with a damp paper towel and microwave for 15-20 seconds until warm.
Tips for the Best Flour Tortillas
Use warm water- It helps the lard melt completely and creates a smoother dough.
Let the dough rest- This is what makes rolling easier.
Don’t roll them too thick- Thicker tortillas can become chewy instead of soft.
Keep cooked tortillas covered- A clean kitchen towel or tortilla warmer traps steam and keeps them tender.
Flour Tortilla FAQs
Yes. Butter adds great flavor, although lard creates the softest and most traditional texture.
The dough needs more resting time. Resting allows the gluten to relax.
Some recipes include baking powder for extra puff, but traditional flour tortillas can be made without it.
Warm them briefly on a skillet, microwave wrapped in a damp towel, or heat directly over a flame if you have a gas stove.
Ways to Use Homemade Flour Tortillas
Fresh flour tortillas are perfect for:
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Homemade Flour Tortillas
Ingredients
- 3½ cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup lard or fat of choice
- 1 cup hot water
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl add the flour and salt. Whisk together to combine.
- Heat the water to a hot temperature, not boiling, either in a small saucepan or in a heat safe container in the microwave. Add the lard and stir, allow the lard to completely melt.
- Pour the melted lard and water into the mixing bowl with the flour mixture. Knead with the dough hook on a stand mixer on low for about 10 minutes. If not using a stand mixer, knead the dough by hand on a lightly floured surface for 10-15 minutes. The dough is ready when it's no longer sticky and has a smooth appearance.
- Divide the dough into 12 equal sections. Roll and pinch each portion of dough to form a small ball. Place the dough portions on a lightly floured baking sheet, or on a floured counter. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let sit for 30 minutes.
- Once the dough has sat for 30 minutes, heat a skillet over medium low heat.
- Lightly sprinkle flour on a clean counter top and rolling pin.
- Using your fingers, gently flatten out one tortilla, spinning as you go so that it flattens and creates a circle. If you notice a lot of resistance in the dough, let it rest a bit longer to allow more gluten formation.
- If the tortilla dough is soft and pliable, easy to press out with your fingers, continue and roll out the tortilla nice and flat in a round shape. The tortilla should be rolled thin and be slightly transparent.
- Place the tortilla on the hot skillet, allow to cook for about 60 seconds, you will notice bubbles forming, don’t press them down. After 60 seconds, take a peek at the bottom to check the color of the tortilla, brown spots should have formed, if not, increase the heat slightly. If dark, almost black spots have formed, decrease the heat.
- Flip the tortilla and continue to cook the other side for another 30-45 seconds, bubbles will still form and brown spots will appear.
- Remove the tortilla from the skillet and place on a plate or in a tortilla warmer. If you don't have a tortilla warmer you can place the tortillas on a clean towel, fold the towel over to cover the tortillas to keep them warm.
- Continue this process until all tortillas are cooked. Do not roll several tortillas at a time and stack them since they will stick.
- Tortillas are best served warm. Serve immediately and enjoy.
Video
Equipment
Notes
- Flour: Use an all purpose flour or a 1:1 gluten free option.
- Lard: This is the fat that is used in the tortillas, lard is rendered pork fat. You can make your own at home by cooking down pork fat, or you can use store-bought. Substitutes include:
- avocado oil
- butter
- bacon fat
- shortening
- If you’re looking for fluffier tortillas you can add 1 teaspoon baking powder to the flour and salt before adding in the fat and water.
- Storage: Leftover tortillas can be stored in a sealed container or bag at room temperature for 1 day. Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Reheat them to help soften back up either in the microwave or in a skillet on the stovetop. (If you have stale tortillas you can always use them to make migas for breakfast.)
- Freezer: Make a large batch of flour tortillas for future use. When freezing multiple tortillas it is important to separate each one with a piece of waxed or parchment paper, so that they don’t stick together. Once separated, wrap the stack of tortillas in foil and place in a freezer-safe plastic bag. Store in the freezer for up to six months. When ready to use, place the tortillas in the refrigerator to thaw overnight.
- To reheat place the tortillas on a hot skillet briefly just to heat through, or place on a heat safe plate, cover with a damp paper towel and microwave for 15-20 seconds until warm.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe first published September 3, 2019. Updated January 8, 2024. Recipe is unchanged.
Photography by @KJandCompany.co
This is favorite tortilla recipe. I don’t like baking powder in my tortillas