I hadn’t had a real flour tortilla in over ten years. I was gluten-free that entire time, and tortillas were one of those things I just accepted I’d live without. Once fresh milled flour brought real wheat back into my life, tortillas were still intimidating to me. The recipes out there gave me the ingredients but left me guessing on the method, and I didn’t want to waste good flour on a guess.
I finally sat down and figured out a method that works with fresh milled hard white wheat, and I’m still a little mad at myself for waiting this long. These came out soft, pliable, and puffing up on the griddle exactly the way they’re supposed to. If you’ve been scared to try tortillas from scratch, this is your sign. The recipe was never the hard part. The process was.
Why Hard White Wheat Works So Well Here
Hard white wheat has enough protein to give the dough structure, but a mild enough flavor that it doesn’t fight with whatever you’re wrapping inside the tortilla. Milled fresh, it also absorbs water a little differently than store bought flour, so don’t be surprised if your dough needs more or less water than mine did. That’s normal with fresh milled flour, not a sign you did something wrong.
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Tools and Resources
Here’s what I use to make this recipe:
- NutriMill Classic grain mill
- Cast Iron Skillet or Griddle
- Pastry Blender
What You’ll Need
- 460g hard white wheat, milled fine
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup lard or tallow (I used tallow)
- About 1 1/2 cups warm water
The Method
Mix your dry ingredients. Mill your wheat berries fine, then stir in the salt and baking powder until well combined.
Cut in the fat. Add your tallow or lard to the flour mixture and cut it in until it resembles coarse sand. A pastry cutter works great here, but two knives or even your hands will get the job done.
Add your water gradually. Make a well in the center of the flour and add warm water a little at a time, mixing as you go. You’re aiming for a dough that holds together, is workable, but isn’t sticky. You may not need the full 1 1/2 cups, so add slowly and stop when the dough comes together.
First rest. Cover the dough and let it rest for 15 minutes. This gives the bran time to hydrate and soften, which makes a real difference with fresh milled flour.
Knead. After the rest, knead the dough for 5 to 10 minutes. I did this by hand, and it’s a nice way to feel the dough change as the gluten develops.
Second rest. Cover and let the dough rest again for 15 to 20 minutes.
Divide and shape. Portion the dough into balls, smaller for taco size and larger for burrito size. Place the balls in a bowl and keep covered while your griddle heats.
Heat your griddle. Get it to medium heat before you start rolling.
Roll thin. Here’s the part that surprised me most. Roll each dough ball in flour before you ever pick up the rolling pin. I picked this trick up from watching videos of an authentic Mexican tortilla maker who learned it the same way she was taught growing up, and it makes a real difference in how the dough handles. Once it’s coated, roll it out as thin as you can get it. You want to almost see through it.
Cook. Place the tortilla on the hot griddle and cook 15 to 20 seconds per side, flipping every 15 to 20 seconds until it stops puffing.
Keep warm. Transfer finished tortillas to a towel lined bowl and keep covered so they stay soft while you finish the batch.
Homemade Flour Tortillas with Fresh Milled Flour
Ingredients
- 460 g hard white wheat milled fine
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup lard or tallow I used tallow
- 1 1/2 cups warm water
Instructions
- Mix your dry ingredients. Mill your wheat berries fine, then stir in the salt and baking powder until well combined.
- Cut in the fat. Add your tallow or lard to the flour mixture and cut it in until it resembles coarse sand. A pastry cutter works great here, but two knives or even your hands will get the job done.
- Add your water gradually. Make a well in the center of the flour and add warm water a little at a time, mixing as you go. You're aiming for a dough that holds together, is workable, but isn't sticky. You may not need the full 1 1/2 cups, so add slowly and stop when the dough comes together.
- First rest. Cover the dough and let it rest for 15 minutes. This gives the bran time to hydrate and soften, which makes a real difference with fresh milled flour.
- Knead. After the rest, knead the dough for 5 to 10 minutes. I did this by hand, and it's a nice way to feel the dough change as the gluten develops.
- Second rest. Cover and let the dough rest again for 15 to 20 minutes.
- Divide and shape. Portion the dough into balls, smaller for taco size and larger for burrito size. Place the balls in a bowl and keep covered while your griddle heats.
- Heat your griddle. Get it to medium heat before you start rolling.
- Roll thin. Here's the part that surprised me most. Roll each dough ball in flour before you ever pick up the rolling pin. Once it's coated, roll it out as thin as you can get it. You want to almost see through it.
- Cook. Place the tortilla on the hot griddle and cook 15 to 20 seconds per side, flipping every 15 to 20 seconds until it stops puffing.
- Keep warm. Transfer finished tortillas to a towel lined bowl and keep covered so they stay soft while you finish the batch.
Notes
- Fresh milled flour can absorb water differently depending on humidity and how your kitchen runs that day.
- Add the water slowly and stop once the dough holds together without being sticky, you may not need the full 1 1/2 cups.
- Lard and tallow both work well here. Use whatever you have on hand or prefer.
- Rolling each dough ball in flour before you pick up the rolling pin makes a real difference in how the dough handles. Don’t skip this step.
- Store leftover tortillas in an airtight container or bag at room temperature for 2 to 3 days, or in the fridge for up to a week. Reheat on a dry skillet for 15 to 20 seconds per side.
- These also freeze well. Stack with parchment between each tortilla and freeze in a bag for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before reheating.
A Few Notes
Fresh milled flour behaves a little differently every time depending on humidity and how your kitchen is running that day, so trust the dough in front of you over the exact measurements. The stickier-than-expected dough in the first rest is normal. Give it grace and let the rest periods do their job.
Storage
Store leftover tortillas in an airtight container or bag at room temperature for 2 to 3 days, or in the fridge for up to a week. Reheat on a dry skillet for 15 to 20 seconds per side. These also freeze well. Stack with parchment between each tortilla and freeze in a bag for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before reheating.
Craving more from scratch recipes made with fresh milled flour? Grab my free Beginner’s Guide to Fresh Milled Flour and start your own journey back to real food.
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