Chewy Flour Tortillas Recipes

FLOUR TORTILLAS

Steps:

• Combine the flour, salt and sugar in a medium bowl. Add the shortening or oil and mix until mealy. Stir in 3/4 cup water to form a dough. Turn it out onto a surface and knead, adding more flour if needed, until a smooth, slightly sticky dough is formed, 5 to 7 minutes. Cover the dough with plastic wrap or a towel and let it rest at room temperature for 30 minutes. (Full disclosure: When we're hungry, we skip this step. But letting the dough rest does make it easier to roll these out.)
• Heat a dry skillet over medium heat. Divide the dough into 8 equal parts and roll them out on a lightly-floured surface until they're really thin, keeping the remaining dough balls covered. I like a 1/16- or 1/8-inch thickness but wouldn't turn down a 3/16-inch-thick one. Cook them in the skillet on both sides until they're just starting to show some brown spots, 45 seconds to 1 minute per side. Keep warm in a towel until ready to serve.

OUR FAVORITE SOFT FLOUR TORTILLAS

Steps:

• Add the salt to the warm water and stir together until the salt has dissolved.
• In a large bowl, use a fork to combine the flour with the oil (or other fat) until it looks crumbly. Pour in almost all of the salty water and stir until a shaggy dough forms. If the mixture seems dry, add a bit more of the water.
• When the dough comes together, transfer to a floured work surface and knead until smooth, two to three minutes. Cover with a clean dish cloth and leave for at least 15 minutes and up to an hour or two. Resting the dough makes rolling it out easier.
• Divide the dough into ten equally sized blobs and then shape into small disks. Use a rolling pin to roll each small disc into 8-inch rounds or use a tortilla press. The thinner the better, here. If you happen to get 9-inch tortillas, don't worry! We also don't worry too much about making them perfectly round. (See our video to watch us do it.)
• Stack the rolled tortillas with a piece of parchment paper between them. Alternatively, you can roll and cook the tortillas at the same time. Roll one tortilla out, then while it cooks, roll the next tortilla out.
• Make ahead: Divide the dough into smaller balls (this recipe makes ten 8-inch tortillas), wrap them very well, and then place into the refrigerator up to three days. About thirty to forty minutes before you are ready to cook the tortillas, take the balls out of the refrigerator and let them come to room temperature before rolling them out.
• Heat a wide, heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat. When it's hot, add the first tortilla. Within 20 to 30 seconds, you should start to see it puffing up with bubbles forming.
• When the bottom of the tortilla has some brown spots, flip it and cook until the second side is browned in spots and the tortilla looks dry around the edges. Each tortilla will take 1 to 2 minutes to cook. If this is taking a long time, increase the heat. If the pan starts to smoke or brown the tortillas too quickly, turn the heat down a bit.
• Transfer the cooked tortilla to a dish towel and cover it then continue with the remaining tortillas, adjusting the heat as needed.
• Store leftover tortillas in a resealable plastic bag for a day or two or freeze if needing to store longer. Fresh homemade flour tortillas are in their softest state when warm so if you have room temperature or cold tortillas, we recommend reheating them in a skillet until they are warm and pliable again.

CHEWY FLOUR TORTILLAS

Steps:

• 1. Stir together flours and baking powder.
• 2. In another bowl, combine salt, oil, and milk and give it a good whisk.
• 3. Gradually add the milk mixture to the flour and mix into a nonsticky dough. (This will be much tougher to do by hand, rather than a mixer. You'll need to combine, then knead vigorously.).
• 4. Divide dough into 6 balls of equal size, cover, and let rest 20 minutes. (The dough won't rise, it just needs to rest to activate the gluten.).
• 5. Spritz your tortilla press with cooking spray and press each ball flat. (You can roll them out too, but you'll really need to flour your surface and it's far easier to use a press.).
• 6. Transfer the tortilla to a hot, dry skillet or griddle. Let cook 30 seconds to a minute, flip it, and cook the other side 30 seconds to a minute.

HOMEMADE TORTILLAS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine flour and salt. Stir in water and oil. Turn onto a floured surface; knead 10-12 times, adding a little flour or water if needed to achieve a smooth dough. Let rest for 10 minutes., Divide dough into 8 portions. On a lightly floured surface, roll each portion into a 7-in. circle., In a greased cast-iron or other heavy skillet, cook tortillas over medium heat until lightly browned, 1 minute on each side. Serve warm.

SONORAN-STYLE FLOUR TORTILLAS

Steps:

• In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together flour, salt and baking powder. Place bowl onto mixer, and affix paddle attachment. Mix for 30 seconds at low speed, then slowly add lard in a thin stream. Allow fat to partly incorporate, then slowly pour water in a thin stream. Allow dough to come together, then increase speed to medium-low and knead for about 2 minutes. The dough will be somewhat wet, webby and shiny. Place dough in a plastic bag, and allow to rest at room temperature for 2 hours.
• Divide dough into 12 pieces the size of a golf ball. Roll into smooth balls, and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Cover with plastic, and allow to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
• Working on a very lightly floured smooth surface, use a rolling pin to roll balls into 4-inch circles, and place onto a parchment-lined baking sheet in a single layer. Repeat with remaining dough, adding layers of parchment as needed to ensure tortillas do not touch or overlap. Cover last layer with parchment, and allow dough to rest 10 minutes.
• Heat a griddle or large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat.
• Working on a very lightly floured smooth surface, use a rolling pin to roll each tortilla into an 8-inch circle: Start with the pin in the center of the circle and roll out to the edge, rotating the tortilla after every roll. Roll until the dough is very, very thin and the edges begin to smear onto the work surface. Alternatively, stretch tortillas out by hand, rotating and pulling gently from the edges, until nearly transparent.
• When a few drops of water dripped onto the griddle or pan immediately sputter and evaporate, the cooking surface is sufficiently hot. Gently peel the tortilla off the work surface, and lay onto the griddle. It should immediately sizzle and puff lightly. Cook, rotating, for 20 to 30 seconds per side, until lightly golden in spots. Stack in a resealable plastic bag to allow to steam and soften. Continue with remaining tortillas.
• Serve warm or use to make tacos, quesadillas or burritos.

FLOUR TORTILLAS

Steps:

• Combine 9 ounces flour and salt in the bowl of a food processor and pulse 2 to 3 times.
• Add the lard to the flour mixture in 4 to 5 chunks and pulse 10 to 15 times until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. With the processor running, add the water in a steady stream just until a ball of dough begins to form, approximately 30 seconds.
• Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup of flour on a clean surface. Remove the dough from the bowl of the processor and knead until well incorporated and less sticky. Wrap the dough ball in plastic wrap and let it rest at room temperature for 1 hour.
• Evenly divide the dough into 8 pieces and form them into round balls. Roll each ball into 7-inch rounds with a rolling pin on a lightly floured surface. Keep all of the dough balls covered with a tea towel.
• Heat an electric nonstick griddle to 375 degrees F.
• Put the tortillas, 2 to 3 at a time, onto the griddle and cook until light golden, about 4 minutes per side. Can be held for up to 2 hours, at room temperature, wrapped in a barely damp tea towel. Repeat with the remaining tortillas. Microwave for 1 minute in the damp tea towel to reheat.

CHEWY FLOUR TORTILLAS

Steps:

• Stir together the flour and baking powder in a large mixing bowl. Add the salt and vegetable oil to the lukewarm milk and whisk briefly to incorporate. Gradually add the milk to the flour, and work the mixture into a dough. It will be sticky.
• Turn the dough out onto a surface dusted with flour and knead vigorously for about 2 minutes (fold and press, fold and press). The kneading will take care of the stickiness. Return the dough to the bowl, cover it with a damp cloth, and let it rest for 15 minutes. (This dough will not rise, but it needs a rest.).
• Divide your dough into 8 balls of equal size, cover them, and let them rest again for about 20 minutes. Avoid letting them touch, if you don't want them to stick together.
• Dust your work surface with flour. Working one at a time, remove each piece of dough and pat it into a 5-inch circle. With a rolling pin, roll out the tortilla, working from the center out, until you have a 7- or 8-inch tortilla a little less than 1/4 inch thick. Transfer the tortilla to a hot, dry skillet or griddle. It will begin to blister. Let it cook for 30 seconds, turn it, and let the other side cook for 30 seconds. Remove the tortilla, place it in a napkin-lined basket and cover with aluminum foil. Repeat for the remaining tortillas.

FLOUR TORTILLAS

Steps:

• In a food processor combine 2 3/4 cups of the flour (reserve the remaining flour for rolling out the dough) with the lard or shortening.
• Pulse several times until the fat is evenly distributed throughout the flour and no particles of fat are visible.
• Dissolve the salt in 2/3 cup of the warm water.
• With the machine running, pour the liquid through the feed tube in a steady stream and stop the machine once the dough has come together in a ball.
• Feel the dough; it should be a medium-stiff consistency, not too firm but not as soft as most bread doughs.
• If the dough is too stiff, divide it into several pieces, sprinkle with 1 or 2 tablespoons of the remaining water and process again until a ball forms.
• Divide the dough into 12 portions, roll into balls and place on a flat surface or plate.
• Cover with plastic wrap and allow dough to rest for at least 30 minutes.
• On a lightly floured surface roll each ball into a 7-inch circle by flattening the ball of dough, lightly flouring it, and with a rolling pin rolling forward and backward over the dough, then turn it a sixth of a turn and roll forward and backward again.
• Repeat the turning and rolling process until a 7-inch circle is formed, re-flouring the work surface as necessary.
• Place the tortilla on a plate and cover with plastic wrap.
• Repeat the rolling out process for the remaining 11 balls of dough.
• Heat a flat cast iron griddle over moderately high heat.
• Lay a tortilla on the griddle and cook for 20 to 45 seconds until tortilla bubbles and lightly browns on the underside.
• Flip the tortilla and cook it for another 30 to 45 seconds.
• The tortilla should be lightly browned but still soft and flexible.
• Transfer the cooked tortilla to a heavy towel and wrap it up.
• Cook the remaining tortillas in a similar manner and store stacked in the towel to keep them warm and soft.
• Tortillas can be stored in a sealable plastic bag and refrigerated until ready for use.
• To reheat the tortillas, tuck them in an"envelope" made out of aluminum foil and heat in a 325°F oven for 10 to 15 minutes.

FLOUR TORTILLAS

Steps:

• Stir together flour, baking powder and salt.
• Gradually stir in enough warm water to form a crumbly dough; then work dough with your hands until it holds together.
• Turn out onto a board and knead until smooth.
• Divide into 12 pieces and shape each into a smooth ball.
• Cover lightly with plastic film and let rest about 15 minutes.
• For each tortilla, flatten one ball into a 4 or 5-inch patty, then roll into a 9-inch round, rolling from center to edges.
• Turn tortilla often, stretching dough as you carefully peel it off board.
• Make sure these are paper thin, the thinner, the better!
• As each tortilla is shaped, place on preheated, dry, heavy griddle or heavy wide frying pan over medium-high heat.
• On a preheated electric griddle set at medium-high heat or about 375 degrees.
• Almost immediately, tiny blisters should appear.
• Turn tortilla and immediately start pressing a wide spatula directly on top of it-- press gently but firmly all over the top.
• Blisters will form over most of surface as you press.
• Turn tortilla and press all over other side until bilsters turn a golden brown; tortilla should remain soft.
• If tortillas stick or brown too quickly, reduce heat.
• Stack tortillas as cooked inside a folded cloth towel within a plastic bag; close bag and let tortillas steam and soften until all are cooked.
• Serve tortillas as soon as they are soft; or cool, remove from bag, wrap in foil, and refrigerate or freeze.