Have you ever tried homemade whole wheat flour tortillas before? Let me just say that the taste and texture are far superior to tortillas that come in a plastic bag at the grocery store. Honestly, they don’t even deserve to be called tortillas compared to the real thing!
Luckily, the tastiness of homemade tortillas justifies the effort it takes to make them. Up until now, almost all the recipes I have posted have been easy to make, but I must admit that this one is definitely an exception to the rule.
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My family LOVED it and said to never buy tortillas again. I ordered a tortilla press as not rolling these out on a regular basis! :-)
Are Whole Wheat Tortillas Easy to Make?
I will also say that I actually tried a couple of different methods for making whole wheat tortillas, and this is the easy (easier) version. Please trust me when I tell you…it is worth it!
Once the dough has been made, it takes me about 30 minutes to roll out and cook a dozen of these tortillas. Everyone in my family (including me) practically scarfs them down as soon as I make them, and if used as wraps they can add some variety to your lunch over typical sandwich bread.
Tips for Rolling Out Homemade Tortillas
Let the dough rest. I find the dough is easier to work with if it’s been resting for about 30 minutes (covered by a towel or plastic wrap) before I begin working with it.
Use a rolling pin. A rolling pin is the easiest way to spread out the dough properly to the correct thinness and shape.
What Can You Use Whole Grain Tortillas For?
My (now 15) 3-year-old’s favorite combination (which she lovingly called a “roll-up”) was to have hummus and cheese wrapped up in her tortilla. I actually love a “roll-up” myself, although I usually add diced tomatoes, cucumbers, or spinach to mine. My kids also just like to snack on plain tortillas too, and if you have time to make a big batch then you can freeze some for later!
Whole grain tortillas can also be used to replace a variety of breads in sandwiches or other snacks. Here are some fun ideas to try:
Tortilla Pizza
Use a homemade tortilla as pizza crust: Spread homemade pizza sauce (pasta sauce or anything similar you have also works fine) over the tortilla, then top with cheese, veggies, or cooked meat. This is an easy way for your kids to have a real food “pizza” snack with whole grain crust and reasonable portions.
Whole Grain Tortilla Pinwheels
Pinwheels are another great snack for kids, especially picky eaters who need some coercing when it comes to vegetables. They’re also fun for parties and potlucks! Spread out your favorite fillings, roll up, and slice.
Quesadilla Style Grilled Cheese
You can also make these homemade veggie quesadillas with these whole wheat tortillas, but sometimes you just want some good ol’ cheese. Thinly slice some organic cheese and place it on half of the tortilla. Fold and fry with a pat of butter until cheese melts.
You can also add vegetables like onions, zucchini, peppers, spinach, and tomatoes. Or, slice and serve with tomato soup.
Easy Breakfast Wraps
Breakfast wraps can be made fresh or ahead of time and frozen for an easy, filling breakfast idea. Add scrambled eggs, cheese, and your favorite meat and vegetables.
Can I Use This Recipe to Make Whole Wheat Tortilla Chips?
If you’re looking for a delicious, real food treat, these whole wheat tortillas can be baked into chips! It’s easy; no deep frying required. Enjoy on their own, or serve with fresh salsa.
- Make the whole wheat tortillas following the recipe directions and let them cool.
- Preheat the oven to 350 F.
- While the oven heats, slice your tortillas into chip-sized pieces (about 6) with a sharp knife or pizza cutter.
- Lightly spray or brush them with olive oil and lightly salt.
- Bake for 7 minutes.
- Flip the chips and lightly oil and season the other side.
- Bake again for another 5-7 minutes, until crisp.
You can also make these chips in an air fryer. The method is the same, just adjust the cooking time to 3 minutes per side.
How to Store Whole Wheat Tortillas
Cool tortillas completely before storing them to keep them from getting mushy. Then just place them into an airtight container or bag and store in the fridge or freezer. Homemade tortillas will keep in the fridge for a week and can be frozen for up to 6 months.
Whole-Wheat Tortillas
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups whole-wheat flour (I used King Arthur’s white whole-wheat flour)
- 1/2 cup avocado oil (or other oil)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup water (heated in the microwave for 1 min)
Instructions
- In the bowl of a heavy-duty mixer set with a dough hook, pour in the flour, oil and salt. Beat with the paddle until crumbly, about 3 to 5 minutes. Scrape the sides as needed. If your hand-held mixer comes with dough hooks those can be used as well.
- With the mixer running, gradually add the warm water and continue mixing until the dough is smooth, about 3 minutes.
- Take out the dough and divide it into 12 equal sized pieces. I do this by making the dough into a big log shape that is about 8 – 10 inches long. Then I cut it in the middle. Then I cut each of those pieces in the middle and so on until you have 12 pieces.
- Using the palms of your hand roll each piece into a round ball and flatten it out on a baking tray or board. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest at room temperature for at least 15 minutes or up to one hour.
- Heat a cast iron skillet, griddle or 12-inch skillet over med-high heat. The pan should be fairly hot before you begin cooking the tortillas.
- On a lightly floured board or counter top, use a rolling pin to turn each ball into a 8 to 10 inch flat circle (measure against your recipe if printed on a 8.5X11 sheet of paper). Be careful not to use more than a teaspoon or two of flour when rolling out each ball into a tortilla because too much excess flour will burn in the pan.
- Grease the pan with a touch of oil (or ghee) and then carefully transfer each tortilla, one at a time, to the pan and cook until puffy and slightly brown, about 30 to 45 seconds per side. Set aside on a plate to cool slightly. Eat within an hour, refrigerate or freeze.
Why is there no baking powder in this recipe?
There’s no need for it in this recipe. Some recipes include it so that they come out a little more “puffy”. – Nicole
I just tried the recipe and the tortillas came out great although they were a bit oily. I used light tasting olive oil instead of avocado oil. Also, I used a stand mixer and let the dough knead for 2 minutes and rolled the dough into balls and covered them with a damp towel for 10 min before rolling them out on a silicone mat. I find that the tortillas can become dry if you use too much flour when rolling them out. Just a bit of flour on the rolling pin. I’m going to try using a TBLS less oil and see how they turn out. Overall not a bad recipe.
Thank you!
Takes a little tweaking but when you find the right proportions they turn out great! – Nicole
Great and simple recipe. I followed the recipe exactly as is the first time. It did seem too oily for me, so i ended up adding about 1/2 a cup of flour to help absorb the oil and make it easier for me to roll. I also noticed that my tortillas got a bit hard, even though I used a thick towel to keep them warm.
My second time trying the recipe, I used 1/3 cup of coconut oil. I also used about 3 cups of flour and 1 cup of boiling water. I used a spatula to mix the ingredients in a bowl and once it was crumbly, I used my hands. This ratio worked much better for me, it was easier to work with and the tortilla did not get hard edges as my first batch.
Glad to hear they finally worked out for you. – Nicole
Authentic tortillas are heated on “a comal” made of cast iron. Every Mexican household has one. Tortillas are cooked on these and reheated as well. We never microwave them to reheat. No oil is ever added to the comal to cook them or to reheat them. I’ve had mine for 20 years and it is well loved and broken in. Enjoy! Buena suerte.
haha true!! i didnt finish reading the directions. I rolled out the dough then placed them on my comal with no oil.
Lisa, the “new math” is a bit challenging for me. Can you explain how you get to 12 pieces but cutting the 8-10 in log in half, and then cutting those pieces in half, “and so on”. When I do that I get 2 pieces, then 4, then 8 and then 16.
Thanks.
To get 12 cut the first piece in half then the two into 3rds to get 6. Then decide those in half to get 12….
Assuming you’re an adult, I think it’s fair for her to expect you to figure out how to get 12 pieces out of 4 without her having to spell it out.