Homemade Whole Grain Tortillas

5 from 1 vote

Soft and scrumptious tortillas that can be enjoyed in a number of ways!

These homemade whole grain tortillas are perfect for tacos, burritos, quesadillas, and more!

There are several benefits to simple recipes. They’re easy to prepare, more affordable because they require fewer ingredients, and are generally better for you, and fresher! And not only do homemade recipes taste better, but they also allow you to control what ingredients you’re putting into your body.

These homemade whole grain tortillas are no exception. All you need to make them is five basic ingredients and less than an hour. After that, you’ll have twenty tortillas that you can use for a number of different meals throughout the week!

Why Should I Make My Own Tortillas?

Make your own tortillas at home to save money.

You may be wondering why you should take the time to make your own tortillas instead of just buying the packaged ones at the store. Well, we can say with absolute certainty that homemade whole grain tortillas taste far better than any of the store-bought brands. And if you ask us, the texture is more pleasing too.

In addition to better taste and texture, the ingredient list for our recipe is way shorter than packaged tortillas. If you look at the ingredients for most name brands, you’ll see a list of 15+ ingredients (several of which are near impossible to pronounce). Plus, as we mentioned above, fewer ingredients (that can make several batches of tortillas) will save you some money, as well! Keep it simple, inexpensive, and healthy by making your own! And, when you see how easy it is, you’ll admit that making these happy littler wrappers is FUN! Make it a family activity by getting the kiddos involved.

Making these Homemade Whole Grain Tortillas

These homemade tortillas can be used in so many different recipes!

Preparing your dough is a very simple and quick process. Begin by combining the whole wheat flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Add the canola oil and work it into the flour with your hands until it’s well combined. Then, add a little bit of water at a time until the dough is good and moist. 

Next, turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead it until it reaches an elastic consistency. Place the dough in a covered bowl and let it rest for 15 minutes at room temperature.

Turn the dough back out onto a light, freshly floured work surface and divide it into 20 evenly sized balls. Note that each ball will create approximately 8-inch tortillas. Depending on your use, you can make more or less for smaller or larger tortillas. 

Roll each ball with your hands, then, use a rolling pin to roll out each ball. Rotate the dough about 45 degrees with each roll, continuing to do so until the desired size is reached. The dough should be thin (but not paper thin,) easy to handle, and not overly sticky. If it’s sticky, you’ll want to re-flour your work space! 

Cooking your tortillas is the most time-consuming part of the process. Preheat a large, ungreased skillet to medium-high heat and begin cooking one tortilla at a time. A heavy pan, like one made of cast iron is ideal because it’ll heat evenly and retain it’s heat during cooking. Be careful not to overcook them, as they should be soft enough to fold. Your tortillas will be ready to flip after about 45 seconds, or when air bubbles begin to appear. Cook the opposite side for the same amount of time! 

If you’re going to use them immediately, you may want to add them to a tortilla warmer. You can also turn your oven on warm (170-200 degrees) and place the finished tortillas in a covered pan until they are all cooked.

Storing and Reheating These Tortillas

Homemade recipes are always better for you!

We know it might be a stretch to assume you will use all 20 tortillas at once, so keep in mind that they will last up to a week in the refrigerator when stored in an airtight container or bag. 

Alternatively, you can keep the tortillas in the freezer for up to 6 months, but we recommend enjoying them sooner. The fresher, the better! If you store them in the freezer, layer parchment or wax paper between each one. Then, place the tortillas in a zip-close freezer bag and remove as needed! 

To reheat the tortillas, place a slightly damp paper towel on top and between each one, and microwave for approximately 45 seconds, or until heated through and malleable.

What Should I Do with Them?

Skinny Black Bean Flautas

From wraps to quesadillas, and tacos to burritos, or even casseroles, our homemade whole grain tortillas will be perfect! We love Mexican and Southwest flavors, and because we adore this cuisine so much, we have hundreds of recipes to choose from. Here are a few of our favorite recipes that you can use these tortillas in:

5 from 1 vote

Homemade Whole Grain Tortillas

These guilt-free homemade tortillas have only five ingredients and are super easy to make.
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Yield 20 people
Serving Size 1 tortilla
Course Dinner, Lunch
Cuisine Mexican

Ingredients

  • 3 cups white whole wheat flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
  • 6 tablespoon canola oil
  • 1 cup water hot

Instructions

  • Combine in a medium bowl, flour, baking powder and salt. Add canola oil and work into flour with hands, until well combined. Add water a little at a time until dough is moistened.
  • Turn dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead 2 to 3 minutes or until an elastic consistency. Place dough in a bowl, cover with a towel and let rest for 15 minutes.
  • Turn dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and divide into 20 balls, depending on the size of tortillas preferred. Roll each ball with your hands until smooth and round.
  • Use a rolling pin and roll each ball, rotate 45 degrees, continue rolling and rotating until approximately an 8-inch circle is formed. Roll dough until fairly thin, but not paper thin. Dough should be easy to handle and not overly sticky.
  • Preheat a 10" ungreased skillet or griddle to medium-high heat and begin cooking tortillas. Be careful not too over cook, as they should be soft enough to easily fold. Tortillas are ready to flip when air bubbles begin to appear. Flip and cook on the other side. Cook approximately 45 seconds on each side.

Notes

As the tortillas cook, add them to either a tortilla warmer or a stoneware type casserole dish with a lid.
TIP: Lightly dust a large piece of parchment paper and roll out balls. Parchment paper helps prevent sticking.
To Freeze Tortillas: Layer parchment between each tortilla. Place the tortillas in a ziplock freezer bag and remove as needed.

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1tortilla | Calories: 106kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 4g | Sodium: 31mg | Fiber: 1g |
SmartPoints (Freestyle): 3
Keywords Budget-Friendly, Diabetic-Friendly, Quick and Easy

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If you make these homemade whole grain tortillas and love them, we think you might also like to try these related recipes:

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Gale Compton

Gale co-founded SkinnyMs. with a goal to provide women with delicious recipes, fitness routines, and ways to reach their ideal weight. Gale has been featured on the Today Show in which she won a cook off for the best Lasagna. Be sure to search for her winning recipe, Skinny Lasagna Rolls.

Guided by her firm belief in healthy eating and the power of exercise, Gale has written two cookbooks and several fitness ebooks. She earned her Fitness Training Certification from, National Exercise & Sports Trainers Association. Gale loves to run with her dog Maggie and has completed numerous half-marathons.

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26 Comments

  1. When ever i make or need to heat Tortillas in a large amount i get out my electric griddle…It is amazing how much faster you get done….Let me know how it works for you>>>>

  2. Yields: 8-10 | Serving Size: 1 tortilla | Calories: 298 | Total Fat: 10 g | Saturated Fat: 1 g | Trans Fat: 0 g | Previous Points: 6 | Points Plus:7 | Cholesterol: 0 | Carbohydrates: 40 g | Sodium: 129 mg | Dietary Fiber: 7 g | Sugars: 2 g | Protein: 9 g |

  3. But whole wheat isn't necessarily "whole grain".— I was hoping for something else. Although I'm sure these are good, I want the added metabolic impact of whole grain.

  4. Whole wheat.. is a whole grain. Wheat is a type of grain, and as long as it is whole, you're getting the benefits. The terms to avoid are "multi-grain" and made with "whole grains/wheat", or just plain "wheat". If you read the ingredients label, the first should be an ingredient that lacks the words "enriched" of "bleached" etc., such as whole wheat flour.

    1. Hi, Coconut oil should work in equal amounts. I wouldn’t recommend using virgin coconut oil, because they will taste too much like coconut. If dough is too dry add a touch more.

      1. Just made these with coconut oil. They were INCREDIBLY dry! To the point where they were difficult to roll out, couldn't use as tortillas, they broke and crumbled when you tried to fold, there was no chance of rolling.

        1. Ginger, Sorry to hear that!! At the hot water stage the dough should be quite wet. You can add in more water at that point if it is too dry.

  5. How did you calculate your nutrition facts? Even with 10 servings the lowest calorie count I could get was greater than 200 kcals per tortilla; the oil alone contributes around 70 kcals. Any clarification is appreciated! The tortillas look great.

  6. These are fantastic. Easy and delicious. I used my electric skillet to cook them. I weighed out the dough and divided it according to weight and was able to get 17 tortillas. I am really enjoying this website. Thank you for this recipe.

    1. Michael, You can purchase whole grain or whole wheat tortillas at any major grocery store, just look in the International food section.

  7. Can you use Whole Wheat PASTRY Flour? It is a little lighter flour for anything without yeast in it. You may already use WW Pastry Flour. I am not fond of just whole wheat flour and wondered if you have tried to use oats, or any other flours.
    Nina

    1. Nina, Actually we used White Whole Wheat flour which is also lighter than regular whole wheat. I haven’t used ww pastry flour for this recipe so I can’t say for sure how it would turn out. 🙂

  8. Can these be stored in the fridge? If so, for how long? Also, is there a preferred type of canola oil. I always wonder with all the GMOs. Thanks.

    1. Melanie, Yes they can be stored in the fridge for at least one week. Please use the canola oil you prefer. 🙂

  9. Fantastic recipe! Very soft and delicious tortillas. Love them and will make them whenever I need tortillas for my meals. TQ very much for sharing the recipe.5 stars

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