How To Make The Perfect Soft Tortillas Made With Fresh Milled Flour

How To Make The Perfect Soft Tortillas From Fresh Milled Flour, I want to dive in and show you how this can be done, and easily as long as you follow my simple tricks. A Flour tortilla is a simple, yet versatile culinary gem, so why is it then, so many things can go wrong when we try to make them at home? Let’s take a deep look behind the scenes, and do some troubleshooting. But, first we need to discuss what is the perfect flour tortilla Recipe? Well, It is not always just in the recipe, sometimes it is simply the technique or method that can make or break it!

What Is The Perfect Tortilla?

So, what is the perfect tortilla? Well, I say that depends on who you ask. And, each person you ask will probably have a different opinion. However, I do think there is one thing we can ALL agree on, and that is a homemade tortilla, served fresh is the best tortilla!

Troubleshooting Fresh Milled Flour Tortillas

I tested multiple different variations of my favorite tortilla recipe. And, of course I made them each with fresh milled flour. So, let’s jump in together and see all the fails and successes along the way.

What Liquid Is Best For Making Fresh Milled Flour Tortillas?

I made several batches using water, milk, and a buttermilk substitute. And, I was surprised to find out that the traditional option of water preformed the worst for me. Not to say that they were terrible, of course they were still edible, but we can do better. When I used milk instead of water, I got more of the browned bubbly goodness! So, I opted to continue on with the milk as the liquid. But, then I decided I would try adding vinegar to my milk to make a buttermilk “substitute” (To be honest, I would have just used buttermilk, but I did not have any on hand.) But, this made a nice difference with the amount of bubbling action! So, with this milk & vinegar combo (which honestly sounds, and kind of looks disgusting) I found to be the best browning & bubbling! So, I stuck with that!

What Kind Of Wheat Should I Use To Make Fresh Milled Flour Tortillas?

I tested out many different wheat variations, and combinations of wheat berries. Some were easier to work with than others, and some tasted better than others. Again, this does come down to personal preferences. But, hands down 4 out of 4 of my family members. The recipe I share with you here was the favorite, and hit all the points of a perfectly cooked, soft flour tortilla. We decided that half hard white and half Kamut (Khorasan Wheat) was the perfect balance. Those perfect points I was looking for were as follows:

• How easy is the dough to work with?
• Did the dough dry out too much?
• How soft was the dough?
• Did the tortilla dough roll out easily?
• Was there enough gluten & strength to hold the dough up to thin rolling, lifting, and flipping?
• Was I able to roll it out super thin?
• Did they remain soft even after they cooled down?
• Lastly, and most importantly, did it taste good!

What Fat Should I Use To Make Flour Tortillas With Fresh Milled Flour?

This may be controversial, because I am not using the traditional lard in this recipe. But, I figured, with the delicious results I attained with the olive oil, why not keep it just a bit healthy. I didn’t feel it sacrificed from the flavor or texture at all! There are some areas lard is easily obtainable, and alternatively, some areas we have been in that has been impossible to find (unless it was ordered in.) So, I feel olive oil is a great choice for these reasons.

Why Do My Dough Balls Keep Shrinking When I Am Rolling Them Out?

When rolling out tortilla dough, and you find the dough just keep shrinking back, then the dough is telling you it is not quite ready. Put it back in the bowl, and cover it back up. Let that dough rest a bit longer, even 5 or 10 more minutes makes a world of a difference. Listening to our dough is one of the most important things we can do while baking, or cooking… anything really. Typically, the dough tells us what it needs.

Tips For Making Soft Fresh Milled Flour Tortillas

It doesn’t matter what recipe you follow, if these 5 things are not right, then the results will be less than ideal.

• The Heat Is Important! Make sure to preheat your pan well before you start cooking. Preheating your pan to the correct temperature is crucial! (I preheat cast iron pans for about 10-15 minutes, and regular pans for at least 5 minutes) You want the pan to be slightly smoking, but not billows of smoke.
• Don’t Let The Dough Dry Out! Make note of the dryness of your dough during each step. If it seems dry in the mixing, then it will be too dry! Make sure the dough is soft and pliable, and not starting to form a skin.
• Roll Your Tortillas Thin! Make sure to roll the tortillas thin. If your dough is ripping and breaking during rolling, it is too dry, and needs to be kneaded longer.
• Don’t Overcook Your Tortillas! Overcooked tortillas, are crispy tortillas. No more than 1 minute on each side. I like to do about 30-40 seconds each side. If they don’t bubble up in the first minute, they probably aren’t going to. Maybe something else went wrong.
• Keep Cooked Tortillas Covered! It is VERY important to make sure to have a kitchen towel or tortilla keeper on hand to put the freshly cooked tortillas into. Right after pulling them off the heat, wrap them in the towel. This helps retain the steam, and ensures your tortillas will remain soft & pliable.

So, if you follow those 5 tips, that will ensure a perfectly soft flour tortilla every time!

Ingredients To Make Fresh Milled Flour Tortillas

• 2 cups fresh milled flour 240g (I milled half (120g) hard white(2/3c) & half( 120g) Kamut(2/3c) to get this.)
• 1.5 tsp baking powder (make sure it is not old baking powder)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 TBSP extra virgin olive oil
• 3/4 cup milk 180g
• 1 TBSP Vinegar

Instructions To Making Fresh Milled Flour Tortillas

Making The Tortilla Dough

1. Mill the flour
2. Add baking powder to the flour, stir in to incorporate.
3. In a microwave safe container, put milk, vinegar, and salt. Heat in microwave for about 1 minute. Stir until milk is heated through, and salt has dissolved. It will appear lumpy form the vinegar (this is normal.)
4. Drizzle olive oil over the flour and stir again.
5. Then, make a well in the dry ingredients to add the milk mixture. Pour the milk mixture in and stir to combine. It will be sticky at this point. (if the dough is too dry, add a bit of warm water. Make sure all the freshly milled flour is wet, and no dry flour is left.
6. Cover the bowl, and set aside for 10 minutes.
7. While the dough is resting, make sure to get a towel to place the cooked tortillas in while they are still hot! This is important to keeping your tortillas soft & pliable!
8. After the dough has had a chance to rest, start kneading the dough. Knead until the dough is smooth. (About 3-5 Minutes.) Then, form it into one ball, place back into a lightly oiled bowl and roll the ball to lightly coat the dough ball. Cover the bowl and let it rest for 10 more minutes.

Shaping & Cooking The Tortilla Dough

1. After the second rest period, divide the dough into 10 equal size portions. create a bit of surface tension, then roll into a ball. (You can watch me do all these steps in the video.)
2. During this, I like to get my pan preheating. I place my cast iron pan on an induction coking top at 375*F at least 10-15 minutes before I can cook them. (If you don’t have the same setup as me, that is fine. Just preheat to medium, and if it is a regular pan, you may only need to preheat for 5 to 10 minutes.)
3. Coat each ball in a little bit of olive oil, and place them back into the lightly oiled bowl and cover. Let the dough balls sit for 10 more minutes.
4. Once they have rested for the 3rd time, now it is time to roll and cook them.
5. Flatten each dough piece with your hand a little bit, then flip the dough and roll it out into about an 8 inch round. (You want these to be very thin, I could see my rolling mat through mine.)
6. Lift the dough gently trying not to tear it, so it doesn’t stick to your work surface. If you find things are sticking badly, you can coat your work surface with a little bit of oil. If your dough balls keep shrinking back up while rolling, they need to rest a bit longer.
7. I like to lay each of my rolled out tortillas over the edge of the bowl while they are waiting to be cooked. Continue with the same for each dough ball.

Cooking The Tortillas

1. Place the tortilla in the preheated hot pan (be careful not to burn yourself.) Wait 30-40 seconds (no longer than 1 minute.) Then, the tortilla should puff some bubbles, and the side facing the pan should have some browned spots. Flip, then cook on this side for another 30-40 minutes. If you didn’t get those dark spots on the first side, you can flip it back to the first side, and cook another 10-20 seconds. (If it hasn’t puffed up at this point, it probably isn’t going to. * See my blog post for troubleshooting tips.)
2. While the dough is resting, make sure to get a towel to place the cooked tortillas in while they are still hot! This is important to keeping your tortillas soft & pliable!
3. Stack each cooked tortilla on top of the next, making sure to keep them covered. Then, enjoy!

Can I Double This Fresh Milled Flour Tortillas Recipe?

You can double this recipe if you want to make more, but anymore than double, I just recommend a new batch all together, so things don’t get dried out too quickly. I set aside a day, and made 5 batches so I could have some in my freezer for the future.

How To Store Your Tortillas (Fresh Milled Flour)

Store wrapped up in the fridge for 1-3 days. But, for longer term storage place small squares of parchment paper in between each tortilla, and put them in a freezer safe container, and freeze for up to 1 year. 

What To Serve In Your Fresh Milled Flour Tortillas?

These are very versatile tortillas! We like to mix things up and serve them in many different ways! Here are a few ideas:

• Tacos, Burritos, etc (traditional)
• Air Fried Flautas
• BBQ shredded pork with coleslaw (Texas Style!)
• Cut them into chips, and air fry
• Warm with just butter
• Butter, then add cinnamon and sugar (Dessert Idea!)
• And so many more!

Do I Have To Have A Tortilla Press?

No, you can hand roll the tortillas, which is actually quite satisfying! I have a baking mat, and use a small little hand roller. Although a Tortilla Press will work with a flour tortilla, they work for corn tortillas much better. I think they are more likely to cause frustration, than they are to help. To prove this, I had a fancy tortilla press that cooked the tortillas and pressed them for me, and it cause some frustration, and it broke on me after only a couple uses! See where I broke my tortilla press HERE.

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My Flour Mill

Nuwave Induction Top

Cast Iron Pan

Every Day Storage Bins

Digital Kitchen Scale

Pastry Mat

Aluminum Free Baking Powder

Hard White Wheat

Kamut

My Favorite Mini Rolling Pin – This little rolling pin worked perfectly!

Check Out Some Of My Other Recipes

Kamut Pasta

Spelt Waffles

Chocolate Cake

Every Day Sandwich Bread

Cinnamon Swirl Bread

Pizza Dough

Baked Chicken Flautas

Fresh Milled Flour Recipe Index

Sourdough Recipes

Fresh Milled Flour Tortillas – Printable Recipe

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