Baking / Pizza dough & flatbreads
Soft Flour Tortillas with Lard
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Rest the dough for twenty minutes and each tortilla takes about a minute in a dry skillet. Stack them under a towel, and know the first one belongs to the cook, eaten warm right at the stove.
The short version
Rub fat into flour, add hot water, knead 4 minutes, divide into eight, rest 20 minutes, roll thin, and cook 30 to 45 seconds on the first side and 15 on the second in a dry skillet. Stack them under a towel so they steam soft.
What makes ours better
why ours wins the argument at dinner
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Use lard or shortening. Solid fat makes tortillas tender and pliable the way oil can't, and they stay soft after they cool. Lard tastes best, shortening works just as well.
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Mix with hot water. Water around 120°F relaxes the dough and helps the fat blend in evenly, so the dough rolls out without fighting back.
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Rest the dough for 20 minutes. Resting lets the gluten relax. Without it the dough springs back and you get thick, oval tortillas.
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Stack them under a towel. The steam trapped between hot tortillas is what keeps them soft instead of stiff.
read it twice. buy it once.
Steps
apron on. phone down. mostly.
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Mix the dry ingredients
Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Add the lard and rub it in with your fingertips until the flour looks like coarse, damp sand with no big pieces of fat.
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Add the water
Pour in the hot water and stir with a fork until a shaggy dough forms. If there is dry flour in the bottom of the bowl, add a teaspoon of water.
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Knead briefly
Turn the dough onto the counter and knead for 3 to 4 minutes, until it's smooth and soft like an earlobe. It shouldn't stick to your hands.
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Divide and rest
Cut the dough into 8 equal pieces, about 60 grams each. Roll each into a smooth ball, cover with a damp towel, and rest for at least 20 minutes.
Don't skip the rest. It's the difference between a tortilla that rolls easily and one that shrinks back.
About 20 min. Cook mode has a timer for this step.
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Roll them thin
On a lightly floured counter, flatten a ball and roll it into a round about 7 to 8 inches across and ⅛ inch thick, rotating a quarter turn after every roll. If one fights you, set it aside and roll another; it will relax in a minute.
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Heat the skillet
Heat a large cast-iron or nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until a sprinkle of flour browns in about 30 seconds. Don't add oil.
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Cook the tortillas
Lay one tortilla in the dry pan. Cook 30 to 45 seconds, until bubbles form and the underside is spotted with golden-brown, then flip and cook 15 seconds more. Don't overcook; they turn stiff.
If the spots take over a minute, turn up the heat. If they blacken, lower it.
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Stack and keep warm
Slide each tortilla into a clean kitchen towel and fold the towel over the stack. They'll finish steaming and soften as you cook the rest.
Good to know
read this before somebody asks for seconds
- Weigh the dough balls if you can. Even pieces cook evenly, and a scale makes it easy.
- You can use bread flour for a chewier tortilla that stretches thin. Add a teaspoon more water if the dough feels stiff.
- For burrito-size tortillas, make 6 pieces and roll to 10 inches; cook about 15 seconds longer per side.
- Storage. In a zip-top bag at room temperature, 2 days; refrigerated, 1 week. Freeze with parchment between them, 3 months. Reheat in a dry skillet for 15 seconds per side.
Questions, answered
asked and answered at the kitchen counter
Why are my flour tortillas stiff?
Usually they were overcooked, the pan was too cool so they cooked slowly and dried out, or they weren't stacked under a towel. Cook fast over medium-high heat and cover them as they come off.
Can I make flour tortillas without lard?
Yes. Use vegetable shortening, or 3 tablespoons of neutral oil. Oil tortillas are a little less tender, but they still taste good.
Why won't my tortilla dough roll out?
It needs more rest. Cover the balls and wait another 10 minutes, then try again. Dusting the counter lightly helps too.
Can I make the dough ahead?
Yes. Form the balls, cover them tightly, and refrigerate up to 2 days. Let them sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before rolling.
Do I need a tortilla press?
No. A rolling pin works well, and it lets you roll thinner than most presses do.
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Published October 29, 2026.