Sometimes the word “homemade” can sound daunting. No worries, I assure you that this recipe is anything but daunting and the end product is worth it. The difference between homemade and store bought corn tortillas is significant!
Costa Rican Learned
I learned to make Homemade Corn Tortillas while in Costa Rica from a local lady named Sonja. We did these old school, shaping them by hand and using a traditional clay oven! Fortunately, they taste just as good cooked on your stove top and shaped with a tortilla press.
Corn Flour (MASA)
In my photos I used blue (azul) and yellow (amarillo). The type of corn flour you use is all based on your personal preference. Many people prefer the taste of white corn. If you’re wondering which one you would prefer, a good indicator would be corn tortilla chips. Do you like blue corn tortilla chips? Or do you prefer yellow corn tortilla chips? Or, do you enjoy the flavor of white corn tortillas typically sold in stores? I have even ground my own corn flour using multi-colored dried corn in the past! There honestly isn’t a huge difference in the flavors. American grocery stores will at least carry yellow or white corn flour. I purchased the blue from a local Mexican grocery store.
Tortilla Press
The easiest way to avoid oddly shaped tortillas is by using a tortilla press. I purchased mine from a local Mexican market, but linked here is one from Amazon. IMUSA USA MEXI-86008 8″ Easy to Use Aluminum Tortilla Press, Silver (paid link). If you do not own or tortilla press and you’re not sure if you want to invest in one quite yet, you can get creative. For example, you can place your ball of dough between two sheets of parchment or Saran Wrap and press it down with a casserole dish.
PrintHomemade Corn Tortillas
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 15
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 (12-16 tortillas) 1x
Ingredients
- 2 cups corn flour (harina de maíz)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)
- 1 1/2 cups water (roughly)
Instructions
- Combine flour, salt, and add the water in small increments. Mix well by hand, kneading until you form a soft dough. Note: water amount varies by climate, here in Arizona I add more than 1.5 cups water. If the dough is dry, add more water one tablespoon at a time. The dough should be a consistency similar to Play-Doh; meaning, the dough should be wet but still holding together. If the flour is too dry and not forming a cohesive ball add water, too wet and sticking to your hands, add flour.
- Divide dough into balls about 1 oz each. Similar to the size of a golf ball.
- Line a tortilla press with plastic wrap or parchment paper and sprinkle with a little bit of corn flour. Press the balls down on the tortilla press. (or use a flat bottomed pan)
- Heat skillet or griddle to medium high heat. Carefully peel tortilla from parchment or plastic wrap and cook tortilla on both sides for 1-2 minutes on each side. Or until the Tortilla forms steam bubbles or until golden spots appear.
- Enjoy!
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