Flour Tortilla

Homemade flour tortillas are one of those things that taste so much better than store-bought that you’ll wonder why you ever settled. Five ingredients: flour, lard, warm milk, baking powder, and salt. No yeast, no rising time, no fuss.

The recipe insists on lard for good reason. Lard gives tortillas that distinctive, slightly savory flavor and a tender, pliable texture that shortening just can’t replicate. It melts at a lower temperature than vegetable shortening, which creates tiny pockets of steam in the dough that keep the tortillas soft and flexible instead of stiff and crackery.

Warm milk (not hot) activates the baking powder and helps the lard incorporate smoothly into the flour. Knead until the dough is smooth and elastic, then let it rest for a few minutes before dividing and rolling. Rested dough relaxes and rolls out much easier than freshly kneaded dough that fights you at every turn.

Roll each piece paper thin. Thick tortillas puff up unevenly and stay doughy in the middle. A hot, dry griddle with no oil gives you those characteristic brown spots while the interior steams and puffs.

Kitchen Tips

• If the dough springs back when you roll it, let it rest another 5 minutes. The gluten needs to relax
• Keep finished tortillas warm in a clean kitchen towel. Stacking them steams them slightly, keeping them pliable
• A cast iron skillet or comal works best for even heat distribution
• These are best eaten within a few hours. They stiffen as they cool but reheat well in a dry pan

Variations

• Butter tortillas: Swap the lard for an equal amount of softened butter for a richer, slightly sweeter tortilla
• Whole wheat blend: Replace 1 cup of the flour with whole wheat flour for a nuttier, heartier tortilla