Corn Tortillas

Name: Corn Tortillas
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 27 min
Yield: 12
Ingredients: 2 cups instant corn masa flour (masa harina); 1/4 teaspoon salt; 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature; 1 1/2 cups warm water

Recipe GLPR0d0c574b652d6f

Bread

27 min

56 cal

Servings: 12

Stovetop

SNAP eligible

Homemade corn tortillas made from masa harina, a traditional Mexican staple. Soft, warm, and perfect for tacos, enchiladas, or simply enjoyed with butter. This recipe yields 12 fresh tortillas with a golden, slightly charred exterior.

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Ingredients

2 cups instant corn masa flour (masa harina)

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

1 1/2 cups warm water

Directions

Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water before beginning.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the corn masa flour and salt.
Break the room-temperature butter into small pieces and add to the dry mixture. Using the back of a wooden spoon, work the butter into the masa flour until evenly distributed throughout.
Gradually add the warm water while stirring with a wooden spoon or your hands. Mix until a soft, pliable dough forms that holds together when squeezed.
Cover the dough with a clean, damp cloth and allow it to rest for 5 minutes at room temperature.
After resting, divide the dough into 12 equal portions and roll each into a smooth ball about the size of a golf ball.
Line the bottom surface of a tortilla press with a piece of plastic wrap or a cut-open plastic bag to prevent sticking.
Place one dough ball in the center of the plastic-lined bottom of the press.
Cover the dough ball with another piece of plastic wrap on top.
Close the tortilla press and apply firm, even pressure to flatten the dough into a thin, round tortilla.
Carefully lift the pressed tortilla along with both pieces of plastic.
Gently peel away the top piece of plastic from the tortilla. This plastic can be reused for the next tortilla.
Working quickly, flip the tortilla onto a preheated hot griddle or cast-iron skillet, plastic side up, then carefully peel off the remaining piece of plastic.
Cook the tortilla for 1 to 2 minutes until the bottom develops a light golden color with some charred spots.
Flip the tortilla to the other side and lightly press it with a spatula. This will encourage the tortilla to puff slightly as it finishes cooking.
Cook for another 1 to 2 minutes until the second side is golden and the tortilla appears cooked through, with the edges slightly firm.

Comments

Grocery List Plus Editorial Staff4

The ingredient list is radically simple—corn masa flour, salt, butter, and water are all available at any major Charlotte chain, making this genuinely accessible. The real barrier is the 27-minute claim, which ignores the fact that hand-pressing or rolling 12 tortillas takes 15–20 minutes alone, plus 10 minutes cooking them one or two at a time on a skillet, pushing the honest time closer to 40 minutes for a weeknight. Cost per serving lands around 20–30 cents, which is excellent and well below store-bought, though that value evaporates if you're juggling a family dinner on a tight schedule. They reheat fine the next day, and fresh corn tortillas are a legitimate Southern staple in a Charlotte kitchen.