Homemade Flour Tortillas

Makes sixteen 6-inch tortillas

Making tortillas from scratch can be a lot of fun, but it can also be a little frustrating. My eleven-year-old son, Jordan, rolls his tortillas out into perfect circles, but mine end up looking like the state of Texas! Don’t give up if they don’t come out right on the first try. Once you get the hang of them, everyone will be asking for more. These will keep, well wrapped, for up to 1 week in the refrigerator and up to 2 months in the freezer.

ingredients

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/3 cup vegetable shortening
1/3 cup hot water, or as necessary

directions

1
Combine the flour, salt, and baking powder in a large bowl. Add the shortening and hot water, mixing until a soft dough forms.
2
Divide the dough into 16 pieces and shape each into a ball (these are called testales). On a floured surface, using a floured rolling pin, roll out each ball to a 6-inch circle.
3
Heat a griddle until hot. Place a tortilla on the griddle and cook until the bottom is lightly browned in spots, 1 to 2 minutes; the tortilla will puff up. Turn and cook until lightly browned in spots on the second side. Place in a towel-lined basket and cover with the towel to keep warm while you cook the remaining tortillas. Serve immediately.

Variation:

For extra flavor and crunch, add 1 cup finely chopped pecans to the dough, mixing thoroughly.