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    Home » Mexican Cooking 101

    Homemade Corn Tortillas

    June 27, 2020 By Patrick 218 Comments

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    These Homemade Corn Tortillas are still the most popular recipe on the site, so if you're new to them please consider giving it a go!  I've updated this post with tips for the most common obstacles you'll encounter when making tortillas for the first time  -- plus some brand options if you're new to Masa Harina.  

    Imagine walking into the grocery store early one morning and seeing this:

    Homemade Corn Tortillas are so easy! mexicanplease.com

    Cozumel, Mexico -- Photo by Chloe Miller

    That's the dough used to make fresh corn tortillas each morning in the markets of Cozumel.

    Producers will de-hydrate this corn dough and sell it in bags like this:

    Big bag of Maseca Masa Harina for homemade corn tortillas

    This is Masa Harina and it's your golden ticket to easy homemade corn tortillas!

    Add some water, a bit of salt, and you've got masa on your hands -- which means you're only a few minutes away from an authentic stack of tortillas.   What exactly is Masa Harina?

    Making your own corn tortillas at home will give you a massive upgrade in flavor compared to store-bought tortillas. They are cheaper too!

    Making a batch of these beauties comes with two main benefits, the most obvious being a stack of corn tortillas that are good enough to be eaten on their own.

    Take a bite out of a corn tortilla.

    The other, hidden benefit is that your taste buds will now have a built-in tortillameter that you can use to gauge the quality of tortillas sold in your neighborhood.   

    This will help you stay away from store-bought tortillas that have strayed too far from the original process.

    How To Make Corn Tortillas

    First things first, get some Masa Harina in the house!

    Here are the three brands that are most common in the States:  Bob's Red Mill, Maseca, and Gold Mine.

    Here are 3 different Masa Harinas to choose from for your next batch of tamales or corn tortillas. Yum!! mexicanplease.com

    Maseca is the most common brand and it's a worthy starting point.  Lately I prefer the flavor of Bob's Red Mill so keep an eye out for that one too.  More info on comparing these Masa Harina brands.

    Update:  Bob's Red Mill also sells an organic Masa Harina.  More details on organic Masa Harina options. 

    Okay, here's your starting recipe:

    2 cups Masa Harina
    1.5 cups of warm water
    1/2 teaspoon salt

    Add the 2 cups of Masa Harina and 1/2 teaspoon salt to a mixing bowl.

    1 cup masa harina

    Add one cup of the warm water and stir until all of the water is absorbed. 

    It will probably look like this:

    Homemade Corn Tortillas so easy! mexicanplease.com

    Now start adding the rest of the warm water incrementally, a couple tablespoons at a time, and stirring regularly.

    The idea is to keep adding water until the flour bits meld into a dough.  At that point you can pick it up with your hands and knead it together.

    Eventually it will look like this:

    Ahh tortillas, the cradle of Mexican cuisine. It's surprisingly easy to make a batch of fresh, homemade corn tortillas that might just convert you over for life. So good! mexicanplease.com

    Next, separate the dough into golf ball sized chunks, rolling them between your hands to form a smooth ball. 

    This will make the tortillas about 4 inches across.

    Ahh tortillas, the cradle of Mexican cuisine. It's surprisingly easy to make a batch of fresh, homemade corn tortillas that might just convert you over for life. So good! mexicanplease.com

    You'll need something to put on either side of the dough ball to prevent it from sticking when you flatten it. 

    You can use plastic wrap, but I’ve found that a large Ziploc bag cut in half works best:

    Putting a masa dough ball in a tortilla press

    So that’s half a Ziploc bag on either side of the dough ball.   

    And after flattening it the plastic should peel off effortlessly.  If it’s sticking then there's probably too much water in the dough.

    After flattening a masa dough ball in the tortilla press

    Do I Really Need A Tortilla Press?

    No, you definitely don't need a tortilla press, so please don't let that stop you from making your own tortillas!

    You can use a skillet or any flat-bottomed dish to squish 'em. 

    Here I'm using a casserole dish and it's just as effective as a tortilla press.  Just be sure to put plastic on either side of the dough ball before flattening it.  

    Ahh tortillas, the cradle of Mexican cuisine. It's surprisingly easy to make a batch of fresh, homemade corn tortillas that might just convert you over for life. So good! mexicanplease.com

    How To Cook Your Corn Tortillas

    Okay, there are two schools of thought when it comes to cooking the tortillas.

    The first simply cooks them on each side for about a minute, or until brown spots start to appear on the underside.

    The second school flips the tortilla 10 seconds after putting it on the skillet and then cooks each side for about a minute.  The idea is that those first 10 seconds will seal in some of the heat and help the insides cook quicker.

    Corn tortilla puffing up in a small skillet.

    I’ve found the second method makes the tortillas lighter and fluffier, so I use that one.  It’s a little bit more work, but I think it’s worth it.

    So again...heat the skillet to medium-high heat.  Add a tortilla and flip after 10 seconds, then cook each side for about a minute or until brown spots form on each side.

    Ahh tortillas, the cradle of Mexican cuisine. It's surprisingly easy to make a batch of fresh, homemade corn tortillas that might just convert you over for life. So good! mexicanplease.com

    Don’t be surprised if they start to puff up during cooking, that’s a good sign!

    You can also try pressing down on them with a spatula once you flip to the final side -- sometimes this will make them puff up instantly!

    Use a spatula to make your corn tortillas puff up

    Eventually, you’ll have a stack of warm, steaming corn tortillas.

    14 corn tortillas after cooking on comal

    They are best eaten as soon as possible.  If you want some friends for life feel free to share with neighbors.

    Tips For Making Tortillas The First Time

    There are two main sources of frustration that you should know about before venturing into tortilla land. 

    First, getting the consistency of the dough right can take some fiddling.

    Forming dough ball from masa harina

    Ideally, you can handle the dough without it sticking to your hands.  If it's sticky then simply add a few sprinklings of Masa Harina to dry it out. 

    And conversely, if the dough is crumbly and not coming together then it means you are low on water.  Simply add splashes of water until it forms a cohesive ball. 

    Kneading masa dough into a cohesive ball.

    That's why I typically recommend adding the final 1/2 cup of water incrementally -- this will help you find the right consistency quicker. 

    And the second pitfall is the temp of the stove.  You might need to make a tortilla sacrifice to get the temperature of the stove right so don't sweat it if this happens!

    Quick flipping a corn tortilla in the skillet 

    For my stove that means a little over medium heat does the job. 

    This will have brown spots forming on the underside in about 60 seconds or so.  This also makes it easy to flip the tortilla with your fingers as it will be sliding around the pan in a matter of seconds when the temp is right.   

    If it's taking significantly longer for brown spots to form then you'll need to raise the heat.  Conversely, if you're getting black spots forming in a matter of seconds then you need to lower the heat. 

    Taking a bite from homemade corn tortilla

    How To Store Corn Tortillas

    These are best eaten right off the skillet!  But you can keep them warm by simply wrapping them in a tea towel or by using a dedicated tortilla warmer. 

    They'll keep for a few days in the fridge, but don't forget that you'll need to reheat them to bring them back to life after they have chilled down. 

    I always use a dry skillet over medium heat to do this -- simply add as many tortillas as you need to the skillet and give them 30-60 seconds per side to warm up.  Using the stovetop will also crisp them up slightly and that's when they are most tasty.    

    Here's the recipe for a recent batch of homemade corn tortillas I made using some White Olotillo Corn. I used a food processor to grind the corn down and added in some Masa Harina to get the right consistency. mexicanplease.com

    Can I Freeze The Tortilla Dough?

    I haven't tried freezing the masa dough but I 've gotten multiple emails saying it doesn't work!  Once thawed the masa dough seems to be crumbly.  Sure, you could probably add some water to rebuild it, but it would probably be quicker and tastier to start over.   

    Instead, I will sometimes use only half of the dough to make tortillas and store the rest of it in the fridge where it will keep for at least a few days. 

    Simply wrap the leftover dough in plastic and foil, and then store it in the fridge.  The next day you can pull off a chunk, flatten it, and cook up a warm, homemade tortilla in a matter of minutes 🙂

    Take a bite out of a corn tortilla.

    Okay, I hope this solves Homemade Corn Tortillas for you!   For reference, here are some additional articles on my site to fill in any gaps:

    • 3 Different Masa Harina Brands To Choose From
    • Organic Masa Harina Options
    • What the heck is Nixtamalization?
    • Trying out the Masa Harina from Masienda
    • Homemade Masa Dough Using Dried Field Corn
    • Corn Tortillas Made With Fat
    • Masa Harina vs. Cornmeal:  What's the Difference?
    • Masa Harina Cornbread
    • Corn Tortillas Made From Popcorn Kernels
    • Half and Half Tortillas (Corn + Flour)

    Please use this post as permission to just go for it!  Making your own corn tortillas is a massive upgrade for your home kitchen -- plus it will give you an expert tortillameter for life 🙂

    Buen Provecho.

    Want the latest recipe?  Click your favorite from these options and follow me:  Instagram,  Facebook,  Pinterest,  TikTok,  YouTube.

     

     

    Homemade Corn Tortillas so easy! mexicanplease.com

    Homemade Corn Tortillas

    Keep some Masa Harina in the cupboard and you'll always have the option of making a quick batch of warm, delicious corn tortillas!
    4.39 from 149 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Side Dish
    Cuisine: Mexican
    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Cook Time: 15 minutes
    Total Time: 30 minutes
    Servings: 4 (12-16 tortillas)
    Calories: 208kcal
    Author: Patrick Calhoun | Mexican Please

    Ingredients

    • 2 cups Masa Harina
    • 1/2 teaspoon salt
    • 1.5 cups warm water

    Instructions

    • Add 2 cups Masa Harina and 1/2 teaspoon salt to a mixing bowl.  Add 1 cup of the warm water and stir until the water is absorbed.  Add the rest of the water incrementally until the flour melds into a dough.  Use your hands to knead the dough into a cohesive ball.  
    • If the dough is sticking to your hands simply add a few sprinklings of Masa Harina to dry it out. Conversely, if the dough is still crumbly then you can add splashes of water until it becomes cohesive.
    • Separate the dough into golf ball sized chunks, this will make tortillas approximately 4 inches across.
    • Flatten the dough balls using a flat bottomed pan or a tortilla press. Be sure to line each side of the dough ball with plastic or Ziploc pieces. I usually just cut off the top of a gallon sized Ziploc bag and then make slits down the sides, leaving it connected at the bottom.
    • Heat a skillet or comal to medium-high heat.  (Lately I use a tad over medium heat on my stove and this will have brown spots forming in about 60 seconds.)
    • Add a tortilla to the skillet and flip it after 10 seconds. Then cook each side for about a minute or until light brown spots are forming on the underside.
    • Continue cooking the rest of the tortillas. I usually put one in the skillet and flatten the next one to expedite the process. Once cooked you can keep them warm by wrapping them in a tea towel or using a dedicated tortilla warmer. Serve immediately.
    • Store leftovers tortillas in an airtight container in the fridge. To reheat, cook them in a dry skillet over medium heat until warm and crispy.

    Notes

    You do NOT need a tortilla press to make these corn tortillas.  You can use a skillet or flat-bottomed casserole dish to squish them.  
    Sometimes it can take some fiddling to get the heat right on the stove. If the tortillas are forming black spots quickly then dial down the heat.  Ideally, each side takes about a minute to form light brown spots on the underside.   For my stove that is a tad over medium heat.  
    If you don't want to do the 'quick flip' method, then you can simply cook each side of the tortilla for about a minute, or until brown spots are forming on the underside. 
    I used to always let the dough rest before making the tortillas, but not anymore!  There's no gluten in this dough that needs to relax, so they roll out just as easily even without any resting. 
    Like this recipe?Click the stars above to rate it or leave a comment down below! @mexplease

    This article we wrote on types of tortillas has a current list of all the tortilla recipes we have on our site, including this one for making corn tortillas from fresh masa dough.

    This masa dough is a great starting point for homemade corn tortillas, tamales, and pupusas. We're taking a shortcut by using a food processor to grind the corn and so far the results are fantastic! mexicanplease.com

     

    We also just used some Masa Harina to make a batch of Tamales.

    Here's an easy tamales recipe to keep in mind for weeknight dinners. Using leftovers for the tamale filling really simplifies the process -- we're using leftover bean dip in this batch! mexicanplease.com

     

    And our latest post shows how to make a batch of tortillas from dried White Olotillo Corn.

    Here's the recipe for a recent batch of homemade corn tortillas I made using some White Olotillo Corn. I used a food processor to grind the corn down and added in some Masa Harina to get the right consistency. mexicanplease.com

     

    Wondering which Salsa to make first?  Check out this page.

    Tomato Jalapeno Salsa vs. Salsa Verde

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Paul Aquilina

      March 07, 2021 at 2:58 am

      Thanks heaps, I have been looking everywhere for a tortilla recipe,without yeast.

      Reply
    2. Rose

      March 01, 2021 at 2:29 am

      5 stars
      Awesome easy to understand recipe.
      Just took my and followed directions.
      A little practice with hands on perfect. Thank You

      Reply
      • Patrick

        March 01, 2021 at 4:19 pm

        Thanks Rose!

        Reply
    3. Philcape

      February 25, 2021 at 4:08 am

      5 stars
      Such excellent step by step instructions! Having finally gotten my hands on masa flour here in in Cape Town, I was able to produce a tasty batch of tortillas pretty confidently and effortlessly. Thank you!

      Reply
      • Patrick

        February 26, 2021 at 9:35 pm

        Hey thanks much Phil, so good to know that your neck of the woods has homemade tortillas 🙂 Cheers.

        Reply
    4. Nelle

      January 29, 2021 at 2:06 pm

      5 stars
      I tried ! First time ! It worked so well ! Awesome ! Tip for the beginner : Really focus on the golf ball size, it works easier in the press. I also added way more water to obtain the right texture, like on the picture ! Thanks for this simple recipe/method !

      Reply
      • Patrick

        January 29, 2021 at 2:28 pm

        Thanks Nelle, so glad these worked out for you! Cheers.

        Reply
      • Sue

        March 30, 2021 at 7:13 am

        what do you mean by "way more"? Way more than the 1.5 cups? I did the 1 cup, then i only added a very small bit after that. The balls were dry -must seemed okay for rolling into balls. Should I have added more water? On the grill they just kind of sat there, so real sizzle and no brown spots. I wasn't sure if they were done, but left cooking for a bit then removed and ate. Good flavour but i am not sure about the "flexibility" of them. Should they be hard and crunchy or softer?
        How long in total should they be on the grill?

        Reply
        • Patrick

          April 02, 2021 at 2:08 pm

          Hey Sue, just want to make sure you noticed the recipe box at the bottom of the post that has details on the cooking process. It sounds like your stove temp might have been a little low so I would trying raising it -- typically they'll need around a minute per side to get brown spots forming on the underside. This will also prevent them from getting too hard. Cheers.

          Reply
    5. KT

      January 28, 2021 at 1:22 am

      Awesome description and I've gotten the mix right both times. I was inspired to make my own after eating wonderfully cooked cod in terrible store bought(or commercial) soft tortillas at a good restaurant. (AKA Fish Tacos)Not sure why THEY are not making their own tortillas, certainly ez to do! I used MaSeCa brand but still get this after taste I don't care for so I am going to get some Bobs Med Mill.

      Reply
      • Patrick

        January 29, 2021 at 2:26 pm

        Hey thanks KT good to know you are now a convert! Yeah definitely try out that Bob's Masa Harina at some point as it's still my fav. Keep in mind they have two options and only one is labeled organic -- you can see the difference in packaging in this post:

        Organic Masa Harina Options

        Cheers.

        Reply
    6. Ashley B

      December 29, 2020 at 5:06 pm

      5 stars
      I’m a homemade convert now! We ate half as tortillas and fried the rest up as chips. I can’t believe how easy this is to make and the bag of masa will last for ages, great as a cost efficient staple. Thank you!!

      Reply
      • Patrick

        January 01, 2021 at 3:06 pm

        Thanks Ashley! So glad this post helped convert you 🙂 Cheers.

        Reply
    7. Sue

      December 29, 2020 at 8:22 am

      Can I use the homemade corn tortillas to make enchiladas?

      Reply
      • Patrick

        January 01, 2021 at 3:09 pm

        Hey Sue! Yeah you can use them for enchiladas, but keep in mind that thinner and fresher tortillas will always roll best. Day-olds are more prone to cracking so be sure to warm those up first:

        How To Warm Up Corn Tortillas
        Cheers.

        Reply
    8. Joan

      December 06, 2020 at 10:49 am

      This masa is GMO corn. 90% of the corn in the US is GMO. I am not a fan. Is there one that’s organic?

      Reply
      • Patrick

        December 07, 2020 at 8:28 pm

        Hi Joan! Lately I am using Bob's Red Mill Masa Harina as discussed in this post:

        3 Masa Harina Brands to Choose From

        And just noticed they have two versions on their site and one is organic:

        Bob's Red Mill Masa Harina page

        The packaging on the organic option also has their non-GMO badge on the backside. I was mostly gravitating towards Bob's for flavor purposes so this is really good to know!

        Cheers.

        Reply
    9. Taste of Spain

      November 12, 2020 at 3:49 am

      Thank you for these gorgeous tortillas, will never buy premade ones in the store!

      Reply
      • Patrick

        November 13, 2020 at 1:16 pm

        🙂

        Reply
    10. Sharon Jacobs

      November 08, 2020 at 12:44 pm

      5 stars
      I tried making these today after ordering masa hair a from Mexico. It is chef grade and it’s delicious. They sell it in small bags for $7.00. Check it out. The company is called Masienda.

      Reply
      • Patrick

        November 09, 2020 at 4:11 pm

        Thanks much for your note Sharon!

        For anyone who is curious, here are links to other posts on the site with details on Masienda products:

        Making Corn Tortillas using Masienda Masa Harina

        Making Corn Tortillas using White Olotillo Dried Corn from Masienda

        Reply
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    Hey, I'm Patrick! I spent 2 years living in Cozumel and got obsessed with Mexican food. I built this site to share all the recipes and techniques I've learned along the way. Read More…

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