Flour Tortillas
Fat worked into the flour keeps these pliable and foldable instead of stiff and cracking.
Makes 10 tortillas · Prep 15 min · Rise 30 min · Bake 15 min
Ingredients
Dough
- 3 cups All-purpose flour
- 1 tsp Baking powder
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1/3 cup Lard or vegetable shortening, cold
- 1 cup Warm water
Instructions
Dough
- Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together, then cut or rub in the lard or shortening until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs.
- Stir in the warm water gradually until a soft, slightly tacky dough forms.
Rest
- Divide into 10 balls, cover, and let rest. (Tip: This rest relaxes the gluten so the dough rolls out thin without springing back — skipping it makes for a frustrating, resistant roll.)
Roll
- Roll each ball out on a lightly floured surface into a thin, even round.
Cook
- Cook in a dry skillet over medium-high heat until lightly browned in spots and puffed slightly, then flip and cook the second side. (Tip: No oil needed — the fat is already in the dough. A dry pan just needs to be genuinely hot.)
Keep warm
- Stack finished tortillas under a clean towel to keep them soft and pliable while the rest cook.
Tips
- Tortillas cracked when folded: Not enough fat worked into the dough, or they were rolled too thin for the amount of fat present. Increase the shortening slightly next time if this keeps happening.
- Butter as a substitute: Butter works in place of lard or shortening, though it has a lower melting point and a higher water content, so the dough may need slightly less added water to compensate.