Skip the chemicals and dough conditioners commonly found in store bought tortillas, and start making your own homemade tortillas from scratch! These tortillas are soft and pliable. Perfect for burritos, enchiladas, and of course quesadillas! Today you will learn how to make homemade whole wheat flour tortillas.
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I use tortillas all the time. They are a must have for my family. When I started paying attention to the ingredients in store bought tortillas I was shocked! Of course almost every tortilla brand out there uses soybean oil which is known to mimic estrogen, which can cause problems in both men and women. They use baking powder that contains aluminum, and dough conditioners. What the heck are dough conditioners!? According to Holidays in the Kitchen “A dough conditioner is a chemical or ingredient that goes into the dough to improve its texture, elasticity, and/or strength. Examples include emulsifiers, oxidants, and enzymes.” That’s nothing I want in my tortillas, or anything else for that matter! Please check out that article for the whole rundown on dough conditioners.
I decided to count how many ingredients are in a big name brand of tortillas, and I counted 33 ingredients…33! That’s crazy how many ingredients they can pack into one tortilla! In this recipe I will be sharing with you today there are only 5 ingredients. That’s it. How they get 33 ingredients crammed into a tortilla is beyond me.
What ingredients are in my Whole Wheat Flour Tortillas?
- Freshly milled whole wheat flour
- Baking powder
- Redmond’s Real Salt
- Warm water
- Butter
- Xanthan Gum which is optional.
After these ingredients are mixed…
I roll them out and cook them in a delicious garlic infused olive oil. You can purchase this, or make it yourself.
Why I use freshly milled flour?
- When you use freshly milled flour you are getting the most out of your flour.
- freshly milled flour still has its nutrients left in, unlike store bought flour.
- Store bought flour most of the vitamins taken out of it to lengthen shelf life.
- When using freshly milled flour the vitamins are all natural, coming straight from the grain. When you use flour from the store the vitamins are synthetic and not nearly as good for you.
- For more information check out this excellent article from healthline.com called wheat 101.
What type of grain mill do I use?
I use the Nutrimill Classic, and I love it! I have yet to have a problem with it. This Nutrimill Classic does exactly what it’s supposed to do, and has produced much freshly milled flour for my family. So far the Nutrimill Classic is the cheapest mill I have come across, which is great for how good it works and how long it has lasted!
Why you are going to love these homemade whole wheat flour tortillas!
These tortillas are so delicious! Especially when cooked with garlic infused oil like I cook them in. You’re going to love these tortillas, because you will be confident that you are giving your family the BEST option possible. When you make these from scratch you know exactly what is going into your food. No chemicals, no dough conditioners, no additives of any sort. Just flour, salt, butter, baking powder, and water. All simple natural ingredients. Nothing more, nothing less. These tortillas are very pliable and can fit any need you will need them for!
Do I have to use whole wheat flour for this recipe?
No, you do not have to use whole wheat flour for these tortillas. You can use white flour as well, but if you do I suggest using an unbleached all purpose flour. If you don’t have to use flour that has been bleached, don’t! But if it is all you have, no shame! It works just fine too!
Tips for making the perfect homemade whole wheat flour tortillas:
- Mix all your dry ingredients together before adding the butter to the mix.
- After you mix the water in and are kneading the dough, let the dough rest for about 15 minutes. It gives the flour a chance to absorb all of the water. It helps make the dough easier to roll out.
- As you are cooking your tortillas, place the cooked ones on a plate and cover them with a towel. This will give your tortillas a chance to steam and will help the tortillas be more soft and bendable.
- These tortillas only take a minute to cook. Be careful not to overcook them!
- The tortillas will seem a bit stiff at first. They will turn soft when steaming under the towel.
- You can use a 1/2 tsp of xanthan gum ensure the most pliable tortilla.
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Here is a quick video showing how to make homemade whole wheat flour tortillas
How to make homemade whole wheat flour tortillas
Mix the flour, salt, and baking powder together. If you choose to add xanthan gum add that now too as well. Make sure all of the dry ingredients are mixed together well.
Use your fingers and distribute the butter throughout the dry ingredients.
Once the butter is well distributed throughout the mixture, add the hot water. Mix until all the ingredients are wet.
Put your spoon aside and knead the dough until it forms a smooth ball. After it forms the ball, set aside covered for about 15 minutes.
Once the 15 minutes are up you can start rolling out your tortillas. The way I do it is by rolling one tortilla out, then throw it in a hot greased pan, roll another one out while it is cooking, and once I’m done rolling the next tortilla out in about 30 seconds, I flip the tortilla that is cooking in the pan and let it cook for another 30 seconds. I repeat this step until all of the tortillas are cooked.
Once the tortilla is done cooking I put it on a plate, and cover it with a towel. This is important! The tortillas soften even more when you allow them time to steam.
Repeat the cooking steps until all of the tortillas are cooked.
I hope you enjoyed learning how to make homemade whole wheat flour tortillas! Want to be updated every time I post a new recipe?
Whole Wheat Flour Tortillas
Ingredients
- 4 cups whole wheat flour (or white flour)
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 1/2 cups hot water
- 1/2 tsp xanthan gum (optional)
Instructions
- Mix the flour, salt, and baking powder together. If you choose to add xanthan gum add that now too as well. Make sure all the dry ingredients are mixed together well.
- Use your fingers and distribute the butter throughout the dry ingredients.
- Once the butter is well distributed throughout the mixture, add the hot water. Mix until all the ingredients are wet.
- Put your spoon aside and knead the dough until it forms a smooth ball. After it forms the ball, set aside covered for about 15 minutes.
- Once the 15 minutes are up you can start rolling out your tortillas. The way I do it is by rolling one tortilla out, then throw it in a hot greased pan, roll another one out while it is cooking, and once I'm done rolling the next tortilla out in about 30 seconds, I flip the tortilla that is cooking in the pan and let it cook for another 30 seconds. I repeat this step until all of the tortillas are cooked.
- Once the tortilla is done cooking I put it on a plate, and cover it with a towel. This is important! The tortillas soften even more when you allow them time to steam.
- Repeat the cooking steps until all the tortillas are cooked
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I have ALWAYS wanted to make my own tortillas instead of buying store-bought. This looks so simple. Thanks!
Really looking into getting a grain mill! These look delicious!
Thank you for sharing! I can’t wait to try this recipe.
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