Description
This wholesome whole wheat tortilla recipe offers a simple and delicious way to make your own soft, pliable tortillas from scratch using basic pantry ingredients. Made with whole wheat flour, these tortillas are perfect for wraps, tacos, and burritos, providing a nutritious and flavorful alternative to store-bought options. The recipe involves mixing, kneading, resting, rolling, and cooking on a skillet for fresh, warm tortillas ready in about 45 minutes.
Ingredients
Dough Ingredients
- 2 cups whole wheat flour (or white whole wheat or 50/50 whole wheat and all-purpose flour)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 3 tablespoons room temperature unsalted butter or oil
- 3/4 cup warm water
Instructions
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, mix the whole wheat flour, salt, and baking powder thoroughly until the salt is fully incorporated into the flour.
- Add Butter or Oil: Add the unsalted butter or oil to the flour mixture. Using your hands is recommended, as it helps blend the butter thoroughly into the flour. Continue mixing and pressing until the mixture has a sandy texture with no large butter pieces.
- Add Warm Water and Form Dough: Pour the warm water into the flour mixture and combine using your hands until a dough ball forms. Once combined, knead the dough for about 5 minutes either in the bowl or on parchment paper until smooth and elastic.
- Rest the Dough: Place the kneaded dough ball back into the bowl and cover with a clean dampened linen or oiled plastic wrap. Allow it to rest at room temperature for 20 minutes to relax the gluten.
- Preheat Skillet: After resting, preheat a skillet over medium heat. Do not grease the skillet.
- Divide Dough: Cut the dough ball into 8 equal parts using a bench scraper or a knife. Keep the dough portions covered to prevent drying while working on one piece.
- Shape and Roll: Flatten one small dough ball into a flat circle using your palm, then roll it out with a rolling pin. Rotate and flip the dough frequently, rolling it thin enough to almost see light through it. This technique stretches the gluten and prevents shrinking.
- Cook Tortilla: Carefully lift the rolled dough and place it in the hot skillet. Cook for about 60 seconds, moving the tortilla gently with a spatula to ensure even heating.
- Flip and Finish Cooking: Flip the tortilla and cook for an additional 30 to 60 seconds until cooked through and no longer raw.
- Keep Warm: Remove the cooked tortilla and keep it warm wrapped in a clean, damp kitchen cloth or in a tortilla warmer.
- Repeat: Continue rolling and cooking the remaining dough balls using the same process.
- Storage: Use immediately or store tortillas in a resealable bag for up to 2 days at room temperature or up to 1 week refrigerated. For longer storage, freeze with parchment paper separating each tortilla for up to 3 months.
- Reheating Instructions: To reheat, heat a dry skillet over medium-high heat and optionally sprinkle a few drops of water on refrigerated tortillas to rehydrate bran fibers. Heat each tortilla 15-20 seconds per side and keep warm in a tortilla warmer or kitchen towel. Alternatively, microwave a stack covered with a damp paper towel in 20-second bursts until warm and pliable.
Notes
- Using hands to mix butter into flour ensures an even, sandy texture without large lumps.
- Resting the dough for 20 minutes is crucial for gluten relaxation, making rolling easier.
- Do not grease the skillet; the dry heat cooks tortillas perfectly without sticking.
- Keep unused dough portions covered to prevent drying out.
- Rolling the dough thin enough to almost see light through helps achieve soft and flexible tortillas.
- Store cooked tortillas with parchment paper between each piece when freezing to prevent sticking.
- Rehydrating refrigerated tortillas with water drops before reheating helps restore softness.
