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Easy Whole-Grain Corn Tortillas

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Making corn tortillas from scratch is an incredibly simple process with the help of a tortilla press. And I promise it is Corn Tortillas from 100 Days of Real Foodworth the effort because freshly made corn tortillas absolutely blow away the store-bought bagged version. All you have to do is take a warm homemade tortilla out of the hot pan, sprinkle a little shredded Monterey Jack cheese inside, fold the tortilla over so the cheese can melt, and dig right in with a big bite to know exactly what I am talking about. Yum! And trust me – do not try to take shortcuts by making these without a tortilla press (pictured below) because as far as I’m concerned rolling them out by hand is an impossible task. I’ve tried it several times only to fail miserably so I just want to save you the trouble.

The key ingredient to corn tortillas is “masa harina.” Even though this corn flour does not say “whole grain” on the package I’ve been told it is an exception to the rule. According to the Whole Grains Council, masa harina is not labeled “whole grain” because of the process that’s used to make the flour. Manufacturers start by soaking the corn kernels in an alkali solution; next the liquid is poured off; then the corn is dried and the remaining whole kernels are ground into flour. The thought is that some of the corn is lost when the liquid is drained, but the Council says the loss is so minimal that the end product is very close to a whole grain flour.

 

Easy Whole-Grain Corn Tortillas
5 from 7 votes

Course: Dinner, Lunch, Sides, Snacks & Appetizers
Dietary Restriction: Dairy Free, Egg Free, Gluten Free, Peanut/Tree-Nut Free, Vegetarian

Active Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Servings (Adjust to suit): 12 Tortillas
Author: Lisa Leake
Recipe from Bob's Red Mill

Print

Corn Tortillas from 100 Days of Real Food

Ingredients

  • 2 cups masa harina, whole corn flour that is found in the baking aisle – not to be confused with corn meal
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/4 cup water, warm (you may need 1 1/3 cup instead)
  • olive oil, in a sprayer

Instructions

  1. Blend the masa harina and salt with a whisk or fork.
  2. Pour in the warm water. I heat my water in a glass measuring cup in the microwave for 1 minute.
  3. Stir together the mixture with a wooden spoon until dough starts to form...not too sticky and not too dry. Add more water or flour if necessary. Finish mixing the dough with your hands. You can also mix the dough in a Kitchen Aid Mixer with the dough blade.
  4. Make a log out of the dough (pictured). Cut it into twelve equal pieces by first cutting down the middle, then cutting each piece in half again, then cutting the remaining pieces into thirds until you have twelve pieces.

    Whole Grain Tortilla Recipe from 100 Days of Real Food
  5. Roll each piece into a round ball. Flatten each ball onto a cutting board then cover the entire board (and dough) with plastic wrap.
  6. Heat a cast iron skillet over med-high/high heat. It is important to let the pan heat up thoroughly before you start cooking the tortillas. So let the empty pan heat up while the dough rests under the plastic wrap for 10 – 15+ minutes. By the time I am ready to cook my tortillas my pan is smoking a little.
  7. Flatten the dough balls into tortillas with a tortilla press by doing the following (pictured as follows)


    Cover the inside of the top and bottom of the press with plastic wrap. Place one dough ball at a time on the bottom of the press

    Whole Grain Tortilla Recipe from 100 Days of Real Food

  8. Close the top and push down on the handle as hard as you can. 

    Whole Grain Tortilla Recipe from 100 Days of Real Food

  9. To ensure the dough is pressed evenly you can flip the tortilla around 180 degrees and press again. It’s that simple!

    Whole Grain Tortilla Recipe from 100 Days of Real Food
  10. Spray some oil onto the hot smoking cast iron skillet and then toss in the first tortilla. It only takes a minute to cook on each side (be sure you flip it once). You don’t want the tortilla to cook too much longer than a minute or two because it will start to become stiff.
    Keep the tortillas warm and covered until all of them are done.

Recipe Notes

Special equipment needed: tortilla press, and preferably a cast iron skillet for cooking

We recommend organic ingredients when feasible.

 

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About Lisa Leake

Lisa is a wife, mother, foodie, blogger, and New York Times Best-selling author who is on a mission to cut out processed food.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Ali

    January 28, 2014 at 5:55 pm

    We make these often. A tip I suggest is using an old silicone mat and cutting it to the size of the press. You’ll never have them stick again to the press!

    Reply

  2. Amanda

    January 28, 2014 at 6:45 pm

    I’ve made these by hand many times. My high school Spanish teacher taught the class how. If it’s done right, they puff up kind of like pita bread. Delicious! The key was to use a plastic surface (gallon baggies work well. Never tried it but a silpat probably would too) and sprinkle it with water to keep the dough from sticking while flattening the dough into tortillas.

    Reply

    • Assistant to 100 Days (Amy)

      February 2, 2014 at 12:22 pm

      Hi Mona. If not using them within a few days, freeze them. They do freeze well. I use wax paper to separate and store them in a Ziplock bag with all the air removed. ~Amy

      Reply

  5. Barb

    January 28, 2014 at 8:24 pm

    What is the difference between cornmeal & corn flour? The gal in the natural food section said I could make corn flour by putting cornmeal in my food processor. Is that true or not. Also where can you buy organic corn flour cuz I like to avoid gmos.

    Reply

    • Assistant to 100 Days (Amy)

      February 5, 2014 at 11:47 am

      Hi Barb. Corn flour is just more finely ground than meal. And, yes, you can do that in your food processor. Bob’s Red Mill is a common brand that you can find with an organic option.~Amy

      Reply

  7. Chrissy g

    January 31, 2014 at 2:31 pm

    I wonder if it’s possible to bake these in the oven to make crunchy tacos? Like flip
    Over a muffin pan and make into a shell? I would be curious to see if that would work!! :)

    Reply

    • Stephanie

      February 1, 2014 at 12:22 pm

      I saw something on pinterest about hanging corn tortillas over the bars on your oven rack to make shaped taco shells. I haven’t tried it but I’m sure it would work. We also have those taco shell makers (as seen on tv, of course!) and corn tortillas don’t work in those, so I doubt the turned over muffin tin would work either. Flour tortillas are great in those bowls, however!

      Reply

    • Assistant to 100 Days (Amy)

      February 17, 2014 at 12:25 pm

      Hi Colleen. Masa is a finer ground corn flour. A more course corn flour will not hold together as well. ~Amy

      Reply

  12. Jen

    March 12, 2014 at 10:24 pm

    Well I am not giving up on these but I had a big fail tonight ha ha! I bought bobs red mill but it was corn flour not masa harina corn flour and it did not turn out and they didn’t even taste good (Ithought maybe they were just ugly but tasty but no!) Am ordering the masa harina from Amazon and giving it another go. I so want them to work. Hopefully I can be a cautionary tale for someone else! Masa harina, not just corn flour :)

    Reply

  13. Holly Leisey

    March 16, 2014 at 3:09 pm

    Has anyone tried using these to make corn tortilla chips?? Really needing something healthier to eat with my guacamole and wondered if baking these could be the answer!! Of course would want to bake in oven rather than fry..

    Reply

  14. Terri

    April 1, 2014 at 10:32 pm

    Please help!
    I could not get the dough to not stick to the press!!
    I tried adding more flour, adding more water….even rolled them in flour before putting them in the press.
    Is there a difference between fine corn flour & masa harina corn flour??
    Like Jen, I SO want this to work! Have bought the press, the warmer…and I’m a good cook! My family said I just wasn’t Hispanic enough!
    Thanks for your help!
    Terri

    Reply

  15. Terri

    April 28, 2014 at 9:46 pm

    Thanks so much, Amy!
    The site did help clarify. As I am a huge Bob’s Red Mill fan, I will look for that Masa.
    I did use plastic wrap on my press, but I think the fine corn flour I used, with a single ingredient of CORN, was definatley NOT the same! FYI Everyone!
    So excited to try this again…! Tacos for dinner tomorrow!

    Reply

  17. Ann

    May 30, 2014 at 7:04 am

    I have had good luck making corn tortillas by puttIng the ball of dough inside a ziplock bag and then flattening it with a Pyrex pie plate. Kids can do this easily.

    Reply

  18. Jessica

    August 14, 2014 at 5:14 pm

    I came across some uncooked tortillas at Costco. They had both flour and corn varieties. The corn tortillas had water, corn, salt, lime, cellulose gum and guar gum. Any thoughts? I don’t have a tortilla press and thought these might be better than the run of the mill variety in the grocery store.
    Thanks for your help!
    -Jessica

    Reply

    • Assistant to 100 Days (Amy)

      August 18, 2014 at 10:29 am

      Hello Jessica. We typically don’t go into the details of various additives and preservatives. We just try to avoid them in general which is why Lisa likes to make her own. It sounds like those tortillas have a fairly short ingredient list compared to many but it is very difficult to avoid additives/preservatives in the store bought varieties. ~Amy

      Reply

  19. Kendall smith

    August 28, 2014 at 11:44 am

    Hi, I see that this recipe calls for a tortilla press but the flour one does not. Is there a difference? Can I use the tortilla press with the flour recipe? I just ordered one so just wondering!! Thanks!!

    Reply

    • Assistant to 100 Days (Amy)

      August 30, 2014 at 12:02 pm

      Hi Kendall. I’ve used the tortilla press for flour tortillas but always end up rolling them out in order to get them thin enough. ~Amy

      Reply

  20. Julie B.

    August 30, 2014 at 7:44 am

    Can these tortillas be made ahead of time? How many days can they be stored and how would you store them? Thanks!

    Reply

    • Julie

      January 26, 2015 at 9:56 am

      Le Ann, it might be easier for you to peel them off if, instead of wraping the whole press with the plastic, you just cut to pieces roughly the size of the press.

      You put one piece of plastic on the bottom, place your masa on top and then the other piece of plastic. Press your tortilla and it will be easier for you to flip it onto your hand, since the plastic won´t be stuck to the press.

      In Mexico we use almost any plastic or produce bags to do this (of course clean bags in case anyone wonders).

      Reply

  24. Jennifer

    December 21, 2014 at 8:59 pm

    These are great. I cut the recip in half and make 8 small tortillas in about 15 minutes. I use a Lodge cast iron skillet and have never had to use any oil. The key is to get the skillet good and hot while making the dough. I cook 30 seconds on the first side, 1 min on the flip side, the return to the first side for 30 seconds where they puff beautifully. I’ll never buy premade corn tortillas again! Thanks for all of your great recipes.

    Reply

  26. Tara

    January 6, 2015 at 6:43 am

    I live in Kenya, and I can get 100% whole grain cornmeal (it’s actually Bob’s RedMill brand!), but not Masa Harina, which I assume is quite different. When following the recipe above, I need A LOT more cornmeal to get anything that will even think about sticking together – and yet it is also crumbly. I can’t get it to roll into a log like in the photo above. Any tips on making these tortillas with 100% whole grain cornmeal?
    We just got your cook book, and we use TONS of your recipes in our household! Thanks for everything!

    Reply

    • Amy Taylor (comment moderator)

      January 12, 2015 at 8:22 am

      Hi again, Tara. Any of the ones I find using regular cornmeal also call for flour. I am assuming you are wanting all it to be all corn?

      Reply

  27. Leslie tutty

    January 7, 2015 at 12:26 am

    Can you make these without a tortilla press? Would it work if you just flatten the dough out by hand or used a rolling pin? I hate to buy a tortilla press before I have tried making tortillas.

    Reply

  28. Catherine

    January 8, 2015 at 4:19 pm

    Anyone just try and flatten/smash the tortilla flat with a skillet……? I think I was viewing a tv special one time and a wood hammer like tool was used…….
    I’ve made the whole wheat tortillas and they were amazing looking forward to having these corn tortilla.I bought the masa harina from bobs red mill however not organic. It contains lime. The also had plain organic corn flour…. Would that work?

    Reply

  29. Melanie

    January 11, 2015 at 10:39 pm

    I’m curious what kind of oil she uses considering the pan is so hot. What are the best high-heat oils to use for these/

    Reply

    • Amy Taylor (comment moderator)

      January 13, 2015 at 10:42 am

      Hi Melanie. Coconut oil, clarified butter/ghee, or avocado oil all work for higher smoke point cooking.

      Reply

  30. Angie Gordon

    January 13, 2015 at 7:55 pm

    I bought a tortilla press and made a batch. Much better flavor than store bought by far. But the texture was off. They were too chewy. I thought I cooked them long enough since there was charring on the surface. Any tips? Maybe I need to get them thinner?

    Reply

      • Jennifer

        June 24, 2015 at 9:31 pm

        In regards to freezing these, should they be made and then frozen and re-heated to eat later? Or should the dough be frozen before heating through?

        Reply

        • Amy Taylor (comment moderator)

          June 28, 2015 at 10:27 pm

          I always cook and then freeze if i have leftovers I wont use within a few days. They are a little more fragile once frozen, however.

          Reply

  32. Julie

    January 26, 2015 at 10:13 am

    If you use a very hot grill or skillet, no oil or grease of any kind is needed.

    When tortillas are ready to be flipped they will slide in the pan, if they don´t, they are not yet ready.

    Another idea for you, that my daughters love, is to make sopes or tlacoyos.

    For the sopes you will take less masa and press it thicker than you do for the tortillas, cook the same way that you do the tortillas and when they are done, pinch the sides all around, to make a sort of Wall (this is better done when they are still hot). Then spread some refried beans and shredded cheese. Additional toppins are salsa, onions, shredded chicken or meat, shredded lettuce, chorizo, sour cream, etc. Of course they can be made large or small, but like doing them small.
    These are some images for you that I found on the web, not mine:
    http://cocinandoentreamigasesmasfacil.blogspot.mx/2011/04/receta-de-sopes.html

    And for the tlacoyos, you take the masa in your hand, flatten a bit and put a spoonful of refried beans. The idea is to mold them with your hands and to have the beans all surrounded by the masa, flatten them a bit and put them on the pan or grill to cook the same way as the tortillas. There are great for lunchboxes, it is my daughters´favorite.
    This is not mine either, but show how tlacoyos look:
    http://media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com/originals/45/6e/df/456edfb8074dc121ec819d7d23333444.jpg

    Both the sopes and tlacoyos can be fried before adding any toppings, but we usually don´t do that and they are still very good.

    With the masa you can also make Deep fried quesadillas, those are delicious, but not very healthy, I guess. When you have your flattened tortilla in the press, put some shredded cheese and fold, taking care of pinching the sides well, so that no cheese will escape while frying. Fry until done and top with salsa and sour cream, deliciouss. These can be filled with cheese and all of these aone or combined with the cheese: mashed potatoes, chorizo, beans, huitlacoche, potatoes with chorizo, tinga, cookes zuchini flowers, etc. And they hold great too inside a lunchbox.

    Reply

  33. Helen

    March 12, 2015 at 1:38 pm

    need to make 100% corn as can’t tolerate wheat, over here in the UK I can get maize flour – is that the same thing?
    my other half wants to know if they are flexible enough to make burritos

    Reply

  35. Rosalina

    April 5, 2015 at 9:57 pm

    Julie is right about not using oil. My mother made them and never used oil. They should be flipped immediately as they start to curl on the edges. Sometimes this can be as soon as 25-30 seconds. After you make them enough times, you will get comfortable and know exactly when to turn them so they will actually “rise” after the third flip. If you make them with no oil, they stay very pliable and they will taste more authentic.

    Reply

  36. Carlene Winfrey

    May 3, 2015 at 5:00 pm

    These are amazing. I bought the tortilla press like recommended and a comal because I didn’t have a cast iron skillet. Glad I did. Made it even easier and more fun. Better than any I have ever had out. Thanks so much 100 Days. This is the way life should be.

    Reply

  37. Tiffany D.

    June 2, 2015 at 8:16 pm

    Made these tonight for some quick pinto bean and chicken tostada, excellent texture and everyone loved pressing the tortillas in the press, even the husband got involved with this one!

    Reply

  38. Jennifer

    June 4, 2015 at 2:01 pm

    It’s unfortunate that many of your great recipes require fancy appliances that not everyone has. I don’t have an ice cream maker or a tortilla press. Mostly because I don’t think buying/storing all these gadgets is a good use of my limited space & income.

    Reply

    • Cassie

      June 5, 2015 at 1:14 pm

      I’ve used 2 cutting boards to press my tortillas before, you could even press them between 2 books. You don’t necessarily need a tortilla press!

      Reply

    • Kimberly

      August 18, 2015 at 7:47 pm

      A tortilla press isn’t a fancy appliance. It’s a centuries old technology that you should have if you want to make handmade corn tortillas. That’s like someone going to a sewing blog and complaining that you need a tape measure to make a shirt. If you’re going to make “real food” (the focus of this website), you’re going to need implements to do so. What’s unfortunate is that someone sees a tortilla press as a fancy appliance. No, not everyone has them anymore (not that they did here in North America anyway), but that’s the point of this site. That we SHOULD have these things and make our own food. Whatever it takes.

      Reply

  39. AmyC

    June 23, 2015 at 7:35 am

    I grew up eating homemade corn tortillas. My mom never owned a tortilla press; she pressed them between 2 sheets of plastic wrap using a Pyrex pie plate! Works like a charm and you can see the tortillas progress through the glass.

    Reply

    • Amy Taylor (comment moderator)

      November 24, 2015 at 8:31 am

      Hi there. You can definitely freeze them. I keep the tortillas (unfrozen) for about a week but prefer them fresh off the skillet.

      Reply

  41. Kimberly Turner

    November 14, 2015 at 2:43 pm

    I am very interested in making these corn tortillas, but I can’t use the Bob’s masa harina as it is processed with tree nuts. Have you ever used another brand or is there something I can substitute for the masa harina like some type of corn flour?

    Reply

    • Amber

      February 17, 2017 at 5:39 pm

      We buy the organic sprouted corn flour from to your health and it works beautifully for this recipe and others. You can check out their site for any nut info. They also have blue corn flour. B)

      Reply

  42. Janey Rule

    April 5, 2016 at 9:32 am

    Thank you for your website.
    My granddaughter has health conditions that require she not eat processed or high calorie food. I was amazed how difficult it was to find a basic healthy tortilla recipe. But, now I have your website and plan to use it often.

    Reply

    • Amy Taylor (comment moderator)

      January 26, 2017 at 8:30 am

      Hi. I’ve hardened them up in the oven for taco pizzas but have not tried to make them into something as crispy as, say, baked chips.

      Reply

  48. Charla

    January 7, 2018 at 2:03 pm

    Your tortilla press link (the first one in this article) is broken. I’ve never made tortillas at home, but I’m interested in buying a press so I can make them.

    Reply

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