Homemade whole wheat tortillas are soft and pliable with a nutty, wheat flavor and just the right amount of chewiness. They are perfect for wraps, tacos, quesadillas, breakfast burritos, and more!
I can’t stress enough how much better homemade tortillas are than the bagged, grocery store kind. Buying a bag of tortillas sounds easier, and it is easy, but the taste, texture, and versatility of your own tortillas are far superior. We often enjoy these homemade sourdough tortillas and these einkorn tortillas, but I really love the down-to-earth flavor of this whole wheat tortilla recipe!
The ingredients are shockingly simple. Four ingredients, guaranteed to be in your pantry, are the pathway to the most delicious, soft, wrappable tortillas. The addition of whole wheat flour in this recipe boasts a wholesome, nutty flavor, while also adding fiber and nutrition.
These tasty tortillas make a wonderful taco, burrito, or quesadilla when filled with melty cheese, seasoned meat, and lots of fresh toppings. But they’re not just for taco night. They also pair perfectly with sandwich ingredients for a lunch wrap, or with peanut butter and banana for a healthy, sweet snack. And one of our favorite ways to enjoy whole wheat flour tortillas is filled with scrambled eggs, sausage, homemade salsa, lots of freshly shredded cheese, and a spoonful of homemade sour cream. Breakfast burritos are filling and absolutely delicious, particularly with these pliable whole wheat tortillas that wrap up perfectly.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Simple ingredients – Wheat flour, oil, salt, and water. All in your kitchen and no questionable additives. This is an incredibly easy recipe that you’re guaranteed to love!
Better flavor and texture – There’s really no comparison. Homemade tortillas have a soft, foldable feel, a pleasant chew, and a salty, wholesome flavor.
Make-ahead – These pliable tortillas can be stored in an airtight container or plastic bag at room temperature for a couple of days, or refrigerated for up to a week. Just warm and serve!
Ingredients
Whole wheat flour – I use fresh-milled hard white wheat, but you can also buy white whole wheat flour from the store. If you’re interested in milling flour, you might enjoy reading my post comparing different grain mills.
Oil – A neutral oil, such as avocado or light olive oil, works best.
A full ingredient list with exact amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
How to Make Whole Wheat Tortillas
Step 1: Add flour, oil, salt, and water to the bowl of a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment. Knead for 7 to 10 minutes until a smooth ball forms and the dough is elastic and not sticky. Cover with a tea towel and let the dough rest for 15 minutes to one hour.
Step 2: Divide the ball of dough into 16 pieces, keeping them consistent in size. A bench scraper is helpful for this part. On a lightly floured surface, roll the 16 pieces into thin, round tortillas with a rolling pin.
Step 3: Heat a large, cast-iron pan over medium-high heat with a little oil. Place the first tortilla in the pan and cook for 30-45 seconds on each side. You’re aiming for golden patches on the tortillas while keeping the cook time short. Adjust the heat if needed on the next tortilla. The key to soft, foldable tortillas is not overcooking them.
Step 4: Place cooked tortillas on a clean tea towel, folded over to trap the heat and moisture. Enjoy!
Tips
- A rolling pin works better for flour tortillas, while a tortilla press works well with corn tortillas.
- The rest period relaxes the gluten in the flour, making the dough easier to roll out. Warm water in the recipe makes rolling the dough easier, as well.
- Roll the tortillas thinly so that they cook quickly and completely, and resemble a tortilla. However, if they are too thin, they may scorch or burn.
- This recipe makes a pretty big batch, so plan to use them through the week in other ways!
Recipe FAQs
They should be kept in an airtight container or bag either at room temperature for a couple of days or in the refrigerator for up to one week. To freeze, layer the tortillas between sheets of parchment paper and store in a freezer-safe container for several months. To thaw, pop them in a warm oven for a few minutes to gently thaw and reheat.
The most common reason would be overcooking, but it’s also possible your batch had too much flour. Add a small amount of water to the dough, mix well, and try again! Keep the cook time short!
I mill hard white wheat berries with my grain mill, but a white whole wheat from the store will work well, too. You can also do a 50/50 blend of regular whole wheat flour and all-purpose flour in order to keep the light texture and soft chewiness. I love the flavor, color, and nutrition of using whole grains.
It sounds like you’re interested in milling your own wheat berries at home. I have a lot of good information on my website for getting started. If you haven’t purchased a grain mill yet, check out my post comparing two popular grain mills to offer some direction.
What we consider regular flour, or all-purpose flour, has been processed so that the bran and germ are removed. This results in a white flour that is airy and light, mild-flavored, and consistent for baking. Whole wheat flour is heavier, as it retains the bran and germ, giving it a richer flavor, heartier texture, and overall greater nutrition.
More Recipes from the Farmhouse
- Sourdough Pita Bread Chips
- Easy Sourdough Flatbread
- Sourdough Cornbread
- Einkorn Biscuits
- Sourdough Dinner Rolls
If you try this recipe and love it, I would love it if you could come back and give it 5 stars! Tag me on Instagram @farmhouseonboone.
Whole Wheat Tortillas
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to the bowl of a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment. Knead for 7 to 10 minutes until a smooth ball forms and the dough is elastic and not sticky. Cover with a tea towel and let the dough rest for 15 minutes to one hour.
- Divide the ball of dough into 16 pieces, keeping them consistent in size. A bench scraper is helpful for this part. On a lightly floured surface, roll each piece into a thin tortilla with a rolling pin.
- Heat a large, cast iron pan over medium-high heat with a little oil. Place the first tortilla in the pan and cook for 30 – 45 seconds on each side. You’re aiming for golden patches on the tortillas while keeping the cook time short. Adjust the heat if needed on the next tortilla. The key to soft, foldable tortillas is not overcooking them.
- Place cooked tortillas on a clean tea towel, folded over to trap the heat and moisture. Enjoy!
Notes
- Please double-check amounts when using the multiplying feature in the recipe card.
- If you are looking for gram measurements, toggle to the “metric” version in the recipe card.
- A rolling pin works better for flour tortillas, while a tortilla press works well with corn tortillas.
- The rest period relaxes the gluten in the flour, making the dough easier to roll out. Warm water in the recipe makes rolling the dough easier, as well.
- Roll the tortillas thinly so that they cook quickly and completely, and resemble a tortilla. However, if they are too thin, they may scorch or burn.
- This recipe makes a pretty big batch, so plan to use them through the week in other ways!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
