Corn Tortilla Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Why do my homemade corn tortillas come out hard? ›

Make sure not to over cook the tortillas as they will get hard and tough as they cool down. If you don't wrap them as they come off the stove they will not stay soft instead they will dry out. If your dough is sticking to the plastic wrap/baking paper your dough it to wet and it needs more flour.

Steam corn tortillas in the microwave so they stay pliable and don't split under the weight of taco fillings.

The baking powder creates fluffy and flaky tortillas with a dreamy texture you will love.

You could set up a steamer, but much faster is to simply dip the tortilla in water and toss it straight on a hot surface. As the surface moisture evaporates, it steams the tortilla until it's soft all the way through. Meanwhile, the hot contact with the pan gives it some nice toasty browned spots.

You can throw your tortillas in a cast iron skillet, warmed over medium-high heat, for about 15 to 30-ish seconds on each side. If the tortillas smell toasty, with a few browned or darkened spots, you're doing it right.

Heat the oil to ~350F. Place a tortilla in the hot oil for about 30 to 40 seconds then turn over for another 30 to 40 seconds. Place the tortilla on a paper towel to remove excess oil. The tortilla will then be much more flexible.

Place a damp towel and over the dough to keep it from drying out. Let rest for 20 to 30 minutes. Cut a zip-top bag into 2 rounds the same size as your tortilla press.

Masa harina and corn flour are non-interchangeable ingredients.

If your oil is too hot, the outside will cook more rapidly than the inside, creating a hard exterior that will inevitably rupture and crack. Dry tortillas crack and break. Hydrated ones don't.

When mixing the masa, work it with your hands. If it seems to dry, add a little more water a tablespoon at a time. Too much water, and you will not be able to peel the tortilla from the paper in the press. Too little water and your tortilla will crumble when pressed.

Why do you double corn tortillas? ›

But a popular explanation is that the second tortilla can be used to make another taco with any fillings that spill out the side. Other reasons include preventing a tortilla from breaking, or if you have a particularly moist filling, & others do it because corn tortillas are delicious – can't argue with that!

So, if you don't have baking powder then you can omit it altogether. The tortillas will be just as good! However, the version I tested that had more baking powder resulted in a thicker, doughy tortilla that wasn't as pliable and was harder to roll when making a burrito or wrap.

Corn tortilla dough usually only contains masa harina and water, but the ratio of the two ingredients is key. “If the masa [dough] is too dry, the tortilla is going to turn out too dry once cooked,” said Téllez.

Take a tip from Mexican restaurants and steam your tortillas to warm them. They retain their flavor and texture, without getting too soft or too crisp. Steam-warming tortillas is a great way to heat them up before using without adding any extra fat, requiring a gas stove, or getting them too crisp.

Practice makes perfect: If your tortillas come out dry or aren't easy to roll once cooked, it could be one of the following: The masa needs more water, the masa dried out while resting, or it was cooked for too long.