Homemade Corn Tortillas
Tortillas de Maíz
Recipe Yield
16 tortillas
Cooking time
30 minutes
Rate this recipe
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups (231g) masa harina
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 2/3 cups warm water plus more as needed
To Prepare
To make the dough:
- In a large, shallow mixing bowl, combine the masa harina and salt. Gradually add the warm water, stirring with your hands to make a cohesive dough.
- Using your hands, mix and knead the dough in the bowl until it’s smooth and somewhat firm, about a minute or so. If the dough sticks to your hands and feels wet, add more masa harina a teaspoon at a time. If it crumbles when you roll a piece into a ball, add more water a teaspoon at a time.
To shape the tortillas:
- Preheat a comal, a cast iron or nonstick pan, or a griddle, over medium heat for 5 minutes, or until evenly hot.
- Cut two round or square pieces of food-safe plastic – from a plastic produce or zip-top bag – to a size about 1/2" larger than the diameter of your tortilla press (see “tips,” below). Set aside.
- Divide the dough into 16 pieces (about 35g to 40g each) and roll each piece into a ball. Place the balls on a clean work surface and cover them with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel to keep them moist.
- Working with one ball of dough at a time, place one piece of plastic on the bottom of the tortilla press, place the ball of dough, and top it with the second piece of plastic. Gently, squeeze the handle of the press until the dough is about 1/16” to 1/8” thick and about 5” in diameter. To achieve a nicely round tortilla, jiggle the handle of your press just as you near the bottom. You may need to press it a couple of times to get the desired thinness.
To cook the tortillas:
- Open the tortilla press, peel off the top piece of plastic, and then take the tortilla on the bottom piece of plastic next to the comal, so that you can pass the tortilla to one hand as you remove the bottom plastic with the other hand and quickly but gently lay the tortilla on the hot pan. Don’t worry if it isn’t perfectly flat (you’ll get better as you practice), and don’t try to move it, which will cause it to tear. Return the piece of plastic to the bottom of the tortilla press.
- Cook the tortilla until it releases easily from the pan and its color has lightened and become opaque, 40 to 45 seconds; you don’t want the tortilla to brown or become freckled at this point.
- Using a spatula or your fingers, flip the tortilla and cook it until the bottom starts to brown and freckle, 70 to 90 seconds more.
- Flip the tortilla one more time and cook it until it puffs, 10 to 15 seconds. If the tortilla doesn’t puff on its own, gently poke it a few times near the center. Once it puffs, let the tortilla cook for 15 seconds longer, until fully set and soft.
- Remove the tortilla from the heat and wrap it in a clean kitchen towel, or transfer it to a cloth-lined tortillero.
- Repeat the pressing and cooking process with the remaining dough.
Comments
32comments inHomemade Corn Tortillas
Kathy Rhodes
Jan 31
Oh my goodness – this Yankee (now living in Texas for 3 years) made these tortillas last night😆 . They tasted wonderful and were actually flexible, but no puff. I analyzed afterward, and believe I needed to have my dough more moist, and perhaps my griddle hotter? They seemed a bit heavy, but my husband (a corn tortilla fanatic) kept saying “wow these taste really good”😁
Practice practice practice💖
Pati Jinich
Feb 01
So glad you like this recipe Kathy, and you are right it takes some practice but you will make it to that moment when you will know that your dough is perfect!
Rosa María Vivas
Jan 25
Thank you so much.i believe 1). Ever added Kosher salt
2) I was cooking tortillas too long
3) plus, masa was 6 months old.
Can’t wait to try the recipe.
Muchísimas gracias.
Pati Jinich
Jan 27
Let me know how your tortillas come out this way 😉
Ann Marie
Jul 05
Thanks so much for the great instructions. I was my first attempt and they were delicious. The ‘jiggle the handle’ is a super idea.
Pati Jinich
Nov 09
Yay! Glad you had fun making the tortillas!
CarolB
Jun 17
These tortillas were great! They came together so easily and I love the cast iron press. The tortillas peeled right off!
I subbed a smoked pink Himalayan sea salt for the kosher salt. Your instructions were detailed and easy to follow!
Pati Jinich
Nov 09
Glad you had fun making the tortillas 😉
Jen
Mar 31
Once again a wonderful recipe! I don’t know what I’d been doing wrong previously but finally! And I needed to land it! living abroad where I can’t find corn tortillas (thank goodness I packed my tortilla press!)
Made this with your adobo fish taco recipe.
Thank you. My 3 years in the Middle East just got a little more home-y 🙂
Pati Jinich
Jun 12
Aw, so glad to hear Jen, enjoy!
Susan
Nov 22
Pati, I made these tonight and have to tell you that not only did we enjoy eating them, I really appreciated how detailed your instructions are. I did end up with two dud tortillas, because I clearly didn’t let them cook long enough on the second side, but when I timed them right, the tortillas did exactly what they were supposed to do. I am really glad that I invested in a cast iron tortilla press – it works way better than the aluminum one I used to own. These were so simple to make and are so good, that I will not be buying corn tortillas again. I’ve also figured out that I can set the timer on my phone for cooking the second side, since that is clearly crucial to having them turn out right. Live and learn! Thank you for transforming me into a corn tortilla maker.
Pati Jinich
Jan 01
And thanks to you for giving this recipe the time it needs to master it Susan, bravo, you go girl!
Joann
May 15
Hello I’m not much of a baker, but i want to make the corn tortillas i don’t have a tortilla press is it ok is a cast iron pan (small) to flatten the tortillas. I enjoy show especially when your sons join you growing into very handsome young men…
Keep smiling😁🌶
Pati Jinich
May 19
Thanks for your kindness Joann! Yes, you can use your cast iron pan to flaten the tortillas, or a rolling pin or even do it using your hands 🙂
Linda
Jul 17
I’ve seen it done using a clear glass pie plate. Put the ball of dough centered, between the two pieces of plastic bag. Place the center of the pie plate over the dough and start pressing down slowly on the edge in a circular type motion. You can see your tortilla take shape. When you’re happy with the shape and thickness, repeat.
Pati Jinich
Jul 20
Great trick Linda, thanks for sharing!
Mallory McCool
May 07
Any tips if they aren’t puffing? I got about 1.5 to puff and not the rest.
Love your recipes and show!
Thanks,
Mallory
Pati Jinich
May 13
Try teasing them a bit pressing with your fingers softly while they are still cooking, it works!
Susana from Liberty, Texas
May 07
What is corn flour? Maseca? Thank you
Pati Jinich
May 13
Yes, that works 😉
Dolores Guerrero
Feb 12
LOVE YOUR SHOW!!
Pati Jinich
Feb 12
Thank you so much Dolores!
Diane
Dec 25
How long can you store extra Tortillas and can they be frozen? Thanks!
Pati Jinich
Dec 26
Yes Diane, you can freeze them, but if keeping them in the fridge, try to eat them in 2 to 3 days tops. Enjoy!
Melinda
Nov 14
Pati I love your show!!! I very much like all the places and people you meet!
Can I just use what i need and freeze the rest?
Pati Jinich
Dec 28
Absolutely, enjoy the tortillas Melinda!
Samantha
Nov 06
Thank you! My husband misses traditional Mexican tortillas and never learned how to make them when he lived in Mexico. I did not start learning how to make Mexican food until I married him and these corn tortillas with this recipe turned out perfect! I have tried them many times with other recipes and I could never make them Right. I tried the recipe today and everything went smoothly my 1st 10 tortillas didn’t turn out the best, But now I’ve got the hang of it thank you!
Pati Jinich
Jan 04
My pleasure Samantha, so glad you master the tortilla making, yay!
Susan Reynolds
Oct 19
Can you let the tortillas sit in the refrigerator after first cooking them overnight to fry them the next day for tacos?
Pati Jinich
Dec 25
Absolutely yes Susan!
Maria Powell
Sep 17
Do you let the masa sit for 1/2 hour before making the tortillas? Thanks
Pati Jinich
Oct 03
It is not necessary Maria 🙂