Real Recipes From Real Home Cooks ®

easy homemade corn tortillas

Recipe by
Tammy Brownlow
Dallas, TX

If you love Mexican food you should give this recipe a try. There is nothing like the smell of fresh corn tortillas cooking in your kitchen. Don't be intimidated - there are only 3 ingredients. It is a super simple recipe that will make the best corn tortillas you've ever had - it will make you rethink why you've been buying them at the store. If you are making them for the first time you can use a heavy pan or plate to press the tortillas. After that, you may consider buying a tortilla press - they run around $8 - $12 and are so worth it! It makes the process faster and easier.

yield serving(s)
prep time 5 Min
cook time 20 Min
method Stove Top

Ingredients For easy homemade corn tortillas

  • 2 c
    masa harina flour
  • 1/2 tsp
    salt
  • 2 c
    boiling water

How To Make easy homemade corn tortillas

  • 1
    In heat proof bowl combine masa and salt.
  • 2
    Add 1 1/2 cups of the water. Stir to combine.
  • 3
    If the mixture is still dry continue to add 1 tablespoon at a time until mixture is pliable.
  • 4
    When you can handle the dough - it should still be very warm, knead by hand in the bowl. It should remind you of a soft pizza dough.
  • 5
    Cover and let rest 30 minutes. Preheat your iron skillet to medium heat.
  • 6
    *** Note *** I use a tortilla press for corn tortillas. It is so much easier and quicker with this method. I cut a sandwich size ziplock bag down the seams to place the dough to be pressed.
  • 7
    Separate the dough into 12 equal pieces. The should be about the size of a golf ball.
  • 8
    Flatten slightly in your hand and place about 1/2 away from the bottom of the press as shown.
  • 9
    Press the tortilla. It should look like this and remove easily by peeling one side of the plastic at a time. If it sticks that means your dough is too wet and will need a little more Masa. If you do add a little more let the dough rest before trying again.
  • 10
    Place tortilla on hot pan and let cook until it can easily be removed and flipped. Don't force it - the tortilla will release when it is done on that side.
  • 11
    Flip and cook on the other side for 1 minute.
  • 12
    Stack finished tortillas in between a clean dish towel. Cover with plastic to allow tortillas to steam while you finish cooking the rest of the batch.
  • 13
    Corn tortillas are always best fresh, but you can refrigerate any remaining and reheat in the microwave for 15 seconds. These are fantastic with butter, or making street tacos.
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