Fresh, homemade corn tortillas are such a treat. This is my favorite recipe for making tortillas. They turn out soft, foldable, and so delicious!
I love homemade tortillas, and corn tortillas are much easier than you might think. The dough comes together quickly, and each tortilla takes only a minute or two to cook.
If you’ve never had a freshly made corn tortilla, I beg you to try our recipe. They really are incredible. For flour, see my easy homemade flour tortillas!
Key Ingredients
- Masa harina: The main ingredient in tortillas is nixtamalized corn. Look for brands like Masienda, Maseca, or Bob’s Red Mill.
- Warm water: Used to rehydrate the masa harina and “bloom” its flavor.
- Salt (optional): Brings out the flavor of the corn.
Masa harina, the main ingredient in homemade corn tortillas, is made from dried corn that has gone through nixtamalization. This ancient technique, developed by the Aztecs and Mayans, involves cooking and soaking the corn in an alkaline solution, which makes it easier to digest and unlocks its nutrients. It also gives corn tortillas their incredible flavor!
Not all store-bought tortillas are made with nixtamalized corn, which is why their flavor can vary, and these homemade tortillas are so special. I’ve tried several brands of masa harina, and my favorite is Masienda, but Maseca and Bob’s Red Mill are also great options you can often find in stores.
How to Make Corn Tortillas
To make homemade corn tortillas, I combine the masa harina with salt and slowly stir in warm water until all the dry bits of masa flour are gone. I use my hands to knead the dough until it’s smooth and evenly hydrated.
You’ll know it’s ready when the dough is moist to the touch but not sticky, similar to the texture of playdough. Then, I flatten small balls of dough using my tortilla press (watch me do this in our video).
Parchment paper or a plastic bag cut into two sheets helps to prevent the dough from sticking to the press. Place the dough between the sheets of parchment or plastic.
Press the dough down a bit, close the press, and push it down to flatten it into a thin disk.
Then, open the press and remove the tortilla. Work gently and go straight to the hot skillet. I like to press a tortilla while the one I pressed before it is cooking.
When you cook the tortilla, you should see that the tortilla puffs in the middle. If yours isn’t puffing up, use a spatula to press down gently in the middle of the tortilla, which usually encourages the dough to puff.
I also like to keep a spray bottle of water nearby while cooking. If the tortillas appear dry or begin to crack, I spritz them lightly with water to keep them pliable. Again, watch our video next to the recipe to give you a better idea.
Ways to Use Homemade Corn Tortillas
Our family loves these corn tortillas! We eat them for breakfast with scrambled eggs and a little pico de gallo. I also love using them for our favorite taco recipes, such as shrimp tacos, roasted cauliflower tacos, and easy pork tacos. They are also amazing with our crispy carnitas.
If you have any tortillas left over, you can turn them into chips. Here’s our recipe for homemade tortilla chips!
Easy Corn Tortillas
- PREP
- COOK
- TOTAL
Fresh, homemade corn tortillas are such a treat. Watch our video to see us go through the whole process. If you have never seen a tortilla press, the article has some photos to guide you.
Watch Us Make the Recipe
You Will Need
1 cup (115g) masa harina
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt, optional
1 cup (237ml) warm water
Directions
1Whisk the masa harina and salt together until well blended.
2Switch to your hands or a spoon. While mixing, slowly pour in the warm water. When the dough is moist and starting to hold together, stop adding water. You will most likely have a little water left over. If the dough seems dry, add a little water, a few teaspoons at a time. If it seems too wet or sticky, add a little more masa harina.
3Knead the dough for a few minutes or until no dry or powdery spots are left. Kneading the dough helps the masa flour to rehydrate. You are looking for a dough that resembles playdough. It should be moist but not tacky. You should not feel any dough stick to it when you press your finger into it.
4Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces and roll into balls. Cover the balls with a damp towel while you press and then cook each tortilla. It is important that the dough does not dry out; working quickly and keeping the balls covered helps with this. If the balls are drying out, spritz them with a little water.
5Heat a wide, heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat. As you cook the tortillas, you might need to reduce the heat slightly. If you notice that the tortillas are browning too quickly, turn the heat down to medium.
6While the skillet heats up, cut two pieces of parchment paper into the shape of the tortilla press’s surface. You can also cut a plastic freezer bag into two sheets.
7Open a tortilla press and lay one piece of parchment paper or plastic down onto it. Add a ball of dough and gently press it down with your fingers. Cover the dough with the second piece of parchment paper or plastic. Close the tortilla press and press down until the dough has spread into a thin disk, about a sixteenth-inch thick. Watch us do this in our video.
8Carefully remove the tortilla from the parchment or plastic and place it on the hot skillet. Cook the first side for 10 seconds, flip, and cook the second side for about 1 minute. Flip again and cook until the tortilla starts to puff and is cooked in the middle, 30 to 60 seconds more. If the tortilla is cracking or looks too dry, spray it with a little bit of water.
9While the tortilla finishes cooking, press the next tortilla.
10Transfer cooked tortillas to a tortilla warmer or bowl lined with a clean dishtowel. Keep the tortillas in the warmer or wrapped with a towel until ready to serve.
11Fresh tortillas are best when enjoyed fresh. However, you can store them in an airtight container for a few days. Reheat on the stovetop (if they are a bit dry, spritz or brush them with a little water).
Adam and Joanne's Tips
- Masa harina: This is dehydrated masa dough made with nixtamalized corn. Do not use cornmeal. Read our article above explaining masa harina and providing suggestions for where to buy it. Common brands found in the United States are Maseca, Bob’s Red Mill, and, if you are willing to purchase online, Masienda.
- No tortilla press: You can use a baking dish to press the tortilla dough instead of a tortilla press. Place a ball of dough between two sheets of parchment paper and then slowly and evenly press a baking dish down on top until the dough is about a sixteenth-inch thick.
- Spray bottle: A spray bottle filled with water is helpful to have close by. If you notice the dough beginning to dry out, spray it with a bit of water. You can also do this when cooking the tortillas. If they are cracking or look too dry, spray them with water (we do this in our video).
- The nutrition facts provided below are estimates.
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crazy recipe wow
Did you make the tortilla press?
No, we bought it from a local Mexican grocery store.
Made the cirn tortillas. Wow!! Delish and sooooo easy. Went ahead and baught a press streight away. Thanks for the great recipies guys! Love from South Africa
I made Blueberry crisp so easy and delious
a tortilla press. Wow! WHo has those for sale? LOVE YOUR COOKING/BAKING. Fantastic!
Thank you so much for posting this. I thought I was a complete corn tortilla failure. Turns out, I was using organic cornmeal not realizing I needed Masa Harina! You always have great recipes and I love your new kitchen. Can’t rate this now because I haven’t made the corn tortillas but I will as soon as I have the right ingredients.
I can’t wait to try these! I appreciate how you explained the process of the corn.
Love freshly cooked corn tortillas and look forward to making this straight-forward recipe.