The Best Homemade Flour Tortillas

There are a few recipes that each cook has in her arsenol, that turn out perfectly without fail.  You know the ones, they are usually referred to as a "go to" recipe.  Well, this is my "go to" recipe for flour tortillas that I've used for years.  I've tried several, and while each one was good, it didn't leave me remembering how perfectly soft and delicious each one was.  Like this one. 

Some of you may think to yourself, "Why would I want to make my own tortillas?"  Sure, you can hop in your car, drive to the store, and pick yourself up a bag of ready made ones.  But where's the fun in that?  Besides, the  store bought tortillas are filled with preservatives and who knows what.  These homemade ones are filled with simple ingredients and you know exactly what's in it. 

Do I even need to bring up the most obvious point?  Have you ever tasted a homemade tortilla?  It tastes supremely better than anything old Wally World could serve you.  Trust me on this.  If for some reason you're one of those people, and you find making these is too much hassle, you can always make up a bunch and freeze them.  Or give me a holler and I'll make some up for you.  I only charge $100 per tortilla :

Joking aside, these really are simple to make and taste delicious.  They keep very well and maintain their supptleness, without turning dry and stiff.  Try them, you might never buy a bag at the store again:)

Homemade Flour Tortillas                            

(Prep: 30 min; Cook: 12 min; Servings: 12) 

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon shortening
1/2 cup water

In a large bowl, combine flour, salt and baking powder. Add shortening and cut in with a fork, mix well. Add water and mix. If needed, add more water a tbsp at a time, until it comes together. I usually add about another 1-3 Tbsp.

Divide the dough and roll into 12 balls, let rest for 15 minutes.

Take a dough ball, and flatten with the palm of your hand. Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface, or I like to use a silicone baking mat. Roll the dough out very thin, until it becomes transparent, turning the dough a quarter turn with each stroke. It will be about 6 inches in diameter when finished.

Heat your skillet over medium heat, then place the tortilla in the skillet and cook the first side for about 20-30 seconds, until it just begins to turn golden. Flip and cook the other side for 20 seconds. Place cooked tortilla in a ziplock bag to stay warm while cooking the other tortillas. The steam from the cooked tortillas in the bag will prevent them from drying out.

*Tip: The secret to getting soft tortillas, is not cooking them for too long on each side. I cook mine for exactly 20 seconds each side over medium heat. After I have several tortillas cooked, I turn the heat down a little since the pan continues to heat while cooking. I roll and cook each tortilla separately. I find if I roll all of my tortillas first, the dough is so elastic that the tortilla will shrink up and become thicker than I want. If you want to roll all of the tortillas out first, you may need to reroll each one a little before cooking. These keep very well for several days in a ziplock bag.