Chubby Flour Tortillas
Tortillas de Harina Gorditas
Recipe Yield
16 tortillas
Cooking time
40 minutes
Rate this recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound all purpose flour about 3 2/3 cups, plus 1/4 cup for finishing the tortillas
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher or sea salt
- 1 cup vegetable shortening plus 2 tablespoons for rolling the pieces of dough
- 1 12-ounce can evaporated milk
To Prepare
- Combine 1 pound of all purpose flour and the salt in a large bowl, or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons of the vegetable shortening by spoonfuls or chunks. Start mixing with your fingertips, or with the mixer on low speed, until the fat has been broken into very small pieces and evenly distributed through the flour.
- In 4 to 5 additions, add the evaporated milk, each time folding it through the flour in a circular motion scraping from the bottom and folding the dough from the center out to the edges of the bowl, or beating continually on low speed in the mixer. If using a mixer, turn the speed to medium and beat for 7 to 8 minutes, until the dough is elastic and no longer sticky. If kneading by hand, at first it will be very sticky and lumpy, but as you continue to knead, it will become more elastic and less wet, with fewer and fewer lumps. After 8 to 10 minutes the dough should be completely smooth and springy to the touch, though it will still be a bit sticky. Gather it into a ball, place back in the bowl and cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel. Let it rest for 20 to 30 minutes.
- Divide the dough in half. Grab one piece and squeeze out 1 1/2-inch balls of dough between your thumb and index fingers, as if you were making biscuits. Repeat with the other half of the dough. Alternatively, divide the dough in half, then in half again, and repeat until you have 16 pieces. Set them on the counter as you move along.
- Sprinkle 1/4 cup flour on the countertop and grease the palms of your hands with one of the remaining tablespoons of vegetable shortening. Roll the balls in your hands to grease them, then roll them generously in the flour and place back in the bowl or on a sheet pan. Repeat with the remaining dough and shortening. Cover the balls with a kitchen towel and set aside to rest for 20 to 30 minutes.
- Preheat your comal, griddle or nonstick skillet over medium-low heat for at least 5 minutes.
- Lightly flour your work surface and your rolling pin and one at a time, roll out each ball into a 1/8-inch thick tortilla. Rotate the tortilla on your work surface about 5 or 6 times as you roll it out. Do not worry if you don’t get perfect circles. As soon as you are done rolling out a tortilla, throw it on the comal and cook for about a minute, until you begin to see bubbles forming on top. Check to see if the bottom has become a little freckled and if so, flip the tortilla and cook on the other side until it puffs way up and the side that is now on the bottom begins to freckle. Remove and place in a clean kitchen towel. Continue to roll out and cook the tortillas one by one, placing them in the towel as you move along. Serve warm.
Comments
81comments inChubby Flour Tortillas
Travis
Feb 18
Thanks Pati – What a wonderful tortilla, made these this morning a great addition to Eggs and Green Chili
Pati Jinich
Feb 27
Yummy! You know how obsessed I am with eggs, so yay!
Deborah a Finley
Jul 28
Pati can I use lard instead of vegetable shortning?
Pati Jinich
Aug 20
Of course, go for it Deborah!
Anonymous
Sep 18
This is not on tortillas .l would like to know how to make cajeta . Can you help me please ?
Dora Rodriguez
Rodreguzd@gmail.com
Pati Jinich
Sep 26
Of course, here is my homemade cajeta recipe for you 😉 http://patijinich.com/homemade-cajeta-or-dulce-de-leche/
Kathy
Jan 16
Absolutely fantastic tortillas! Would love to see PBS create a complete collection of every eipsode and recipe – that would truly be a treasure and
I would be the first to pre-order it! Absolutely love you chica and enjoy watching your boys grow up with mine.
Pati Jinich
Feb 07
Thanks so much Kathy, you are very sweet! You can check out all seasons from 3 to 10 with all the recipes on Amazon Prime 😉
Mimi
Nov 27
Are these the Sonoran tortillas that were featured on your segment on PBS about the Sonoran wheat fields?
Pati Jinich
Dec 28
Yep, these are the ones Mimi, enjoy 🙂
Christine Soto
Oct 13
The recipe says “1 cup vegetable shortening, plus 2 tablespoons for rolling the pieces of dough.” However, in the directions it states to add this to the flour and salt: “Add 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons of the vegetable shortening by spoonfuls or chunks.” Later on in the recipe, you are instructed to ” grease the palms of your hands with one of the remaining tablespoons of vegetable shortening. ”
I found this confusing when making these tortillas. Should I add the 2 tablespoons of shortening to the flour, or should I save it for rolling the dough into balls. Please clarify. Thank you.
Pati Jinich
Oct 29
Thanks Christine for the observation and my apologies for the confusion. Go ahead and add a cup + 2 tablespoons to the flour and then just use some extra to grease your palms while working with the dough. Enjoy the chubby tortillas!
Loujuanna
Oct 03
I love to watch you cook anything, Pati. I will have to try this recipe. I do want to know what is the best way to heat flour tortillas the next day? Even if they are fluffy when cooked, later they get “slick”. What do I do?
Thanks
Pati Jinich
Oct 05
I use a comal in medium low because they burn fast. If not, just warm them up in a regular pan, but do not use the oven or the microwave ever, ha!
Virginia
Sep 19
Hi Patti, i used your chubby tortillas recipe and they came out fantastic. I made one substitution. Instead of vegetable shortening i used chilled bacon fat with the bits. They were so good. My husband and I follow you on our local PBS channels. We love you. Thank you.
Pati Jinich
Oct 04
Wow, that sounds delicious Virginia, thanks for sharing! So happy you guys have been tuning in and enjoying the show, abrazos!
Jeff and John
Aug 31
Hi Pati
We adore you and these tortillas are like little pillows of heaven. Almost dessert-y
Muchisimo Gracias.
Pati Jinich
Sep 18
So glad you liked these tortillas guys, thanks so much! Love back at you.
Esther Lopez
Jun 27
Muchas Gracias por las recetas
Pati Jinich
Jun 28
Con muchisimo gusto Esther, un abrazo!
Bert
Jun 11
Love your show
Pati Jinich
Jun 12
Gracias!
MAGGIE RIVERA
May 21
Going to make these tortillas. They look delicious. Thank you
Pati Jinich
May 23
Let me know how you like them Maggie 😉
DMaria Lopez
May 21
Hello Pati, I love your recipes. Gotta try these tortillas (new to me to add milk will see how this goes I expect delicious) gracias por compartir Pati
Pati Jinich
May 23
Con gusto Maria! Ojala que te hayan gustado las gorditas 😉
Paula Rodríguez
May 21
Thank you for this recipe my dear aunt was the only family member who made these and we called them gorditas when she passed away no one knew her recipe so we didn’t have them anymore 😢now I’ll attempt to make them👍My grandma was from Sonora
Pati Jinich
May 23
So happy this recipe brought back sweet memories of your aunt Paula 😉
Julie
May 02
First Pati I love your show. I have made several of your recipes and the family love’s them. I have two question. On the show when you were pouring the evaporated milk it appears like a lot of milk. I was just wondering is that because it has been diluted with 1 can of water added??
Second question do you use Anihime peppers per your preference, or do you ever use Pablano peppers? I may have miss spelled both of the pepper names.
My husband is from Very Cruz, and my Mother in law taught me how to make Gorditas. Their Tamales are made in Banana leaves. They also prefer Black beans to Pinto beans. I have become proficient in most of the food they cook, but love to cook from other area’s in Mexico. I have loved watching you cook Sonora dishes. Thank you for the recipes.
Pati Jinich
May 11
Hey Julie, thanks for reaching out! No water added just the evaporated milk, might seem like a lot because you add it slowly, in 4 or 5 additions. As for the chiles, the recipe calls for Anaheims because these are really popular in Sonoran cooking, but you can use Poblanos as well, it is really up to you. Good luck!
C.F.
Apr 16
Buenos Dias,
My husband is Mexican American, but I am not. We love watching your show and I try to cook Mexican recipes for my children to enjoy and embrace their heritage. My MIL has taught us how to make tortillas, using her family’s recipe. She said that when she was a young girl you couldn’t find them in the stores so she and her mother made dozens every day to feed the family. She even flips them on the griddle with her bare hands. I had never heard of using canned milk in tortillas but I am anxious to try this recipe. So, I don’t have a comment on the recipe yet…but wanted to tell you how much we enjoy your show. Everything you cook looks so wonderful and your enthusiasm is contagious.
Pati Jinich
Apr 30
Hola! Thanks so much for reaching out and for sharing the stories of your mother in law. I hope her and the whole family enjoy the Chubby Flour Tortillas when you make them 🙂
Deborah H.
Mar 17
Another Deborah. My mother, Margarita, left me the legacy of homemade flour tortilla lessons. She would do all of the very same steps that were demonstrated in your video. It was heartwarming, and your accent as you explain things, very clearly, was dear to me as well.
Pati Jinich
Mar 20
Aw Deborah! Thanks for sharing with me the sweet memories of Margarita and her flour tortillas, loved reading about her. Un abrazo!
Debra
Jan 30
Can I use pork lard for this recipe?
Pati Jinich
Jan 31
Definitely Debra, lard will give these tortillas a delicious flavor 😉
Deborah
Jan 25
I was intrigued by the big thin flour tortillas from Hermosillo. I would love to try cooking those!
In another place and time I would pack a bag and go so I could experience the authentic food. The people seem so generous and loving, I would love that experience too.
Pati Jinich
Feb 01
I know what you mean Deborah 🙂 I had the loveliest time filming in Sonora and meeting great people!
Gabrielle
Jan 25
I bought Sonoran wheat flour and all purpose white Sonoran flour.does it matter which one I use. My dad is from Sonora and I want to make his last days the best.
Pati Jinich
Jan 31
The original recipe calls for all purpose Gabrielle, but I think wheat flour will be so good in these tortillas. If you try it, please let me know how they come out. Abrazo to you and your dad 😉
Glenn Reynolds
Jan 22
This a great recipe. It takes a little more time, but it’s well worth it. I divided it into 32 balls and pressed them in an 8″ tortilla press for pork fajitas. Excellent!!!
Pati Jinich
Jan 25
So glad you liked them Glenn, super yummy with pork fajitas, yay!
Randy Quantrell
Jan 18
About how many tortillas does this recipe make?
How long will they stay good in the refrigerator? Or freezer?
I love your show, thank you!
Pati Jinich
Jan 21
About 16 tortillas Randy; couple of days in the fridge, up to 2 weeks in the freezer. Enjoy!
LOUIE MORENO
Jan 17
I’m going to try the tortillas gorditas… Where can I find the recipes for the artisan bread from Tucson ?
Pati Jinich
Jan 17
Hope you’ll love the tortillas Louie. I do not have the recipes from Don Guerra’s Barrio Bread, those are his secrets 🙂
Anonymous
Jan 18
Thank you !!!
Sheryl Stone
Jan 16
The chubby tortillas look wonderful. We will try them tonight. Wish we could find the rest of the recipes that were on this show Jan 16 2021 …….best show efer
Pati Jinich
Jan 16
Thanks so much Sheryl. You can find all recipes from Episode 901: Tucson: Gateway to Sonora here http://patijinich.com/pati_2020/show/patis-mexican-table-season-9/ Enjoy!
Morgana
Jan 14
This page doesn’t seem to allow a five star rating for this recipe, which MUST be why it doesn’t have a five-star rating. When I hover over the stars to rate, it doesn’t let me choose the fifth star. Regardless, this is a five-star recipe!!
I used pastured pork lard for these, as my family doesn’t eat hydrogenated fats, and the flavor from lard is better, but otherwise followed the recipe and instructions to the letter. These were FANTASTIC. I would have given more than five stars if I could. I will make these instead of buying any time I have the time to make them. The quality is so far above and beyond anything I’ve purchased in the store. Such great flavor and texture. Thanks for this recipe!
Pati Jinich
Jan 16
Thanks so much Morgana for your feedback, so glad you enjoyed the recipe! You can still click on the 5th star, it will show the average so far but your rating counts!
Mary Ellen
Jan 12
Thanks Pati! This is the first homemade tortilla I made and they turned out AMAZING! Your recipes are the best 🙂
Pati Jinich
Jan 16
So glad you loved them Mary Ellen, yay!
Becky
Jan 11
My first time making for tortillas, they tasted amazing. They were approved and given 5 stars from my husband, who is from Ciudad Obregon.
Pati Jinich
Jan 17
Wow! So glad he liked them Becky, yay!
Rich Mathis
Jan 09
Patti:
In this show you visited a bread maker’s shop. Do you know if he sells his breads mail order or online?
They look so good.
Pati Jinich
Jan 10
Hey Rich, it is Don Guerra’s Barrio Bakery. I think they are delivering local right now but you can double check on his website here https://www.barriobread.com/ Enjoy!
IMarjorie Escalante
Nov 01
I plan to use the Chubby Flour Tortillas recipe (going to market to buy evaporated milk). My grandmother made a variation of your recipe; I can remember the aroma as she made them and the wonderful taste of the “tortillas gorditas.”
Do you have the other flour tortillas recipes you stared in the Sonora Episodes? If so, I would appreciate getting the recipes. Thank you.
My family roots are Sonoran I can recall that when viewing any and all of your shows I would wonder if you would ever feature Sonoran style cooking (which is near and dear to my heart). Again, thank you.
I am impressed with the Chile Colorado recipe (it is close to the one used in my family for years and years!
Pati Jinich
Nov 03
Hola! Thanks for reaching out; chubby tortillas are the ones I learn how to make when I visited Sonora earlier this year, but I also have a recipe for regular flour tortillas http://patijinich.com/pati_2020/homemade-wheat-flour-tortillas/ Enjoy!
Jim Blomquist
Oct 21
Pati, The recipe text says “Add 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons of the vegetable shortening” to the bowl with the flour. Don’t you mean 1 cup of shortening as you are reserving the 2 tablespoons for greasing the balls of dough when you form them?
Pati Jinich
Oct 22
Yes Jim, you are correct 😉
Jim Blomquist
Oct 25
We made the tortillas and loved them. Now I’m planning a trip to Dogos del Miami! Thanks.
Pati Jinich
Oct 27
Awesome! Enjoy the hot dogs 😉
Randy
Oct 17
Pati ….. Love your show and recipes! The excitement in your approach to good food is contagious, and the love of what you do is so refreshing. I always enjoy when you include your family in your cooking ….. Thank you for sharing with us!!
Pati Jinich
Oct 19
Thanks so much to you for tuning in and for your kind words Randy 🙂
RVS
Jan 16
I grew up coming home from school to my mama making a stack of tortillas. She made the thinner tortillas with less shortening or lard, however she always used baking powder. This recipe does not include that ingredient. Doesn’t baking powder help the masa to rise. Thank you for your great representation of Mexican culture.
Pati Jinich
Jan 16
Thanks for your feedback! I do not see any particular difference in the masa with or without baking powder, that is why I just leave it out 😉
Pat
Oct 10
Can the finished tortillas be stored and if so how
Pati Jinich
Oct 22
Yes Pat, you can wrap them in a plastic bag but they do not last more that couple of days in the fridge.
Ophie
Oct 07
When do you put Water in your tortillas ?
Pati Jinich
Oct 08
Hi Ophie, thanks for catching it! This recipe does not include water and it has been corrected already here on the website 😉
Tortilla
Oct 07
The ingredients say 1 tablespoon water but I don’t see it in the directions.
Pati Jinich
Oct 08
You are absolutely right, no water needed in this recipe. We have eliminated it from the list of ingredients, thanks for catching it 😉
Elena Anaya
Oct 04
Hola Pati, cual es la harina para esas tortillas y como la consigo he tratado muchas marcas gracias me encantan tus recetas gracias
Pati Jinich
Oct 04
Hola Elena, es harina normal, all purpose flour, la marca que prefieras. Saludos!
Patricia Castellanos
Oct 04
Hola solo quiero compartir mi experiencia ase como dos semanas compré esta harina white sonora flour y en cuanto la recibí cocine unas tortillas de harina y mis hijos si rieron el aroma de las tortillas comenzado. A acordarse de su infancia y que gustó ver a mis hijos y mi esposo en la cocina y verlos alludando a terminar de aser las tortillas , gracias por su tiempo y poder leer mi email trate de conseguirá harina que mensiono en unos de sus programas donde visitó Tucson , Az
Pati Jinich
Oct 04
Muchas gracias Patricia, me encanta cuando mis recetas unen a la familia en la cocina, disfruten mucho. Abrazos!
Anita
Oct 03
I really enjoy your show. As well as being very informative on regional foods and geography, the recipes are fantastic. I also love the products that you use.
Pati Jinich
Oct 04
Muchas gracias Anita, have a wonderful Sunday 😉
Antonio Celaya
Oct 03
I loved the two Tucson shows. I was born and raised in Tucson and the Sonoran desert. The shows give me ganas de comer sobacas, tamales de elote, enchiladas sonorenses, colla bud salad, Saguaro syrup, and carne seca!! Did you try the Tucson version of the dessert, Almendrado? I might have to make a vist to Tucson when the pandemic is finished its havoc. Thanks for the shows.
Pati Jinich
Oct 04
Thanks so much Antonio, so glad you enjoyed the shows especially being a native from the area. I am also looking forward to going back soon 😉