Make Your Own Tortillas

Tortillas are a staple in our house. They're easy and lend themselves to all sorts of foods—burritos, wraps, quesadillas, chips, etc. Usually, they're fairly inexpensive at CostCo or Sam's, but I've noticed that the organic stuff can get quite pricey (when you can find it).

Thankfully, this is one of those recipes that's super easy and super fast to make from scratch. And bonus! You can control the quality of ingredients that goes into them.



--

Ingredients

• 3 c. all purpose (organic or non-GMO) flour
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. aluminum free baking powder
• 1/3 c. vegetable oil (organic, or you can also use lard)
• 1 c. lukewarm water

Directions

1. In a large bowl, mix the flour, salt and baking powder until combined.
2. Add the oil and water and mix well until the dough starts to come away from the sides of the bowl and form a ball. If it's too dry, add water 1 tablespoon at a time and mix to incorporate. If it's too sticky, sprinkle the surface with flour and incorporate. (A little sticky is okay, since you'll be kneading it on a floured surface.)
3. Place the dough on a lightly floured surface and knead until dough is smooth (about 2-3 minutes). 
4. Divide the dough in half and half again. Keep doing this until you have 16 pieces that are about the same size.
5. Roll each piece into a ball and flatten with the palm of your hand.
6. Cover and allow the dough to rest for 15 minutes.
7. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.
8. Working on a floured surface, roll out a piece of dough into a circle that's about 1/8th inch thick. (The thinner, the better.) If you have a tortilla press, you can use that. If not, a rolling pin works just fine.
9. Place it into your preheated skillet (no need for oil) and cook for about 1 minute, then flip it over and cook it for another 30 seconds or so.
10. Remove the tortilla from the pan and place it in a towel-lined basket, bowl, or plate to keep warm. 
11. Repeat until all of the tortillas are cooked.
12. These are best served warm, but will keep in an airtight container (or ziplock bag) in the fridge for a week or so.

Cost Breakdown

3 cups organic flour = $0.75
1 tsp. salt = $0.01
1 tsp. aluminum free baking powder = $0.05
1/3 cup organic vegetable oil = $0.24
1 cup water = negligible

Total: $1.05 / 16 tortillas

As a comparison:

• 16 count (not organic) 8" Mission Tortillas run $2.99-$3.99
• 20 count (not organic) 8" Market Pantry Tortillas (Target) run $3.37 (or about $2.70 for 16)
• 8 count organic Simply Balanced 8" Tortillas run $3.29 (or $6.58 for 16)

You just saved yourself anywhere from $1.94-$5.53 on your monthly grocery bill.