Homemade Corn Tortillas – with step by step photos

Making your own Homemade Corn Tortillas is an easy way to add more homemade deliciousness to taco night with your very own, hot-off-the-pan corn tortillas!

A step by step guide on how to make the best corn tortillas you’ll ever eat, and only 3 ingredients!!

Step-by-step photos and instructions are below. Jump to the recipe card if you wish!

Everyone has tacos on Tuesday, right? Why not kick your weekly habit up a notch with these homemade corn tortillas?

I have to admit – if given the choice between flour and corn tortillas, I almost ALWAYS opt for flour. Something about store-bought corn tortillas didn’t strike me as terribly fabulous. Rubbery, and kind of flavorless – I didn’t see the point. Turns out I was missing out – only because I hadn’t yet attempted to make my own! This is of a technique than a complicated recipe, these have a lovely pronounced corn flavor to complete your meal.

I live in Arizona, so I have easy access to Mexican grocery stores, restaurants and food trucks. I first began making my own corn tortillas when watching a lady in the store making tortillas to order for customers to purchase and take home. She was like a dream to watch, mix, roll, press, cook, flip and wrap.

I finally got up the courage to ask her for her hot tips on how to make tortillas, and she laughed!! Not really AT me, but because to her – it was like an automatic function. She grew up watching her mother make them, and gained the skill as she got older and began cooking for her own family. She showed me how to mix the dough, and how it should “feel” when it was ready to be rolled into balls and cooked. Showed me the proper heat, and how to keep them warm and soft. I did not grow up with a mama who made tortillas, but I feel like she was an excellent substitute!

I have been making my own ever since, and always keep a bag masa flour in the pantry, in case taco fever strikes (it does, about once a week actually!) Flour tortilla lovers – try these corn tortillas at home and let me know if you are a convert, like me!

Step-by-step photos and tips and tricks are below. Jump to the full recipe card instead

Frequently Asked Questions:

• Instant Yellow Corn Masa Flour –  also known as masa harina, buy this with the regular flour in the baking aisle of most grocery stores, or grab it from Amazon.
• Water – you’ll want this to be hot water – not boiling, as you’ll be handling the dough soon after mixing, but hot from the tap.
• Salt– this flavors the tortillas, but you can absolutely leave it out if you wish.

Equipment notes for Homemade Corn Tortillas:

• Tortilla press. You don’t need one, but it makes shaping tortillas quick and easy. You can find them online or at many grocery stores. Mine is plastic, but cast iron or aluminum ones are great too, like this Tortilla Press (affiliate link)
• Tortilla warmer. Keeps tortillas warm, soft, and ready to use. If you don’t have one, wrap them well in a towel and keep them covered.
• Cast iron skillet. Gives you even heat and a better cook than nonstick. A smaller skillet works perfectly for tortillas. It’s this 10.5 Inch Cast Iron Skillet (affiliate link)

How to make Corn Tortillas

Make the dough

In a large bowl, add the corn masa and the salt and mix well. Add the hot water, and mix into a soft dough (it should be about as firm as a soft cookie dough). Add more water if needed. Line a tortilla press with a zip lock bag (I just cut down the sides). Sheets of plastic wrap, parchment paper and wax paper also works well.

Divide the dough into roughly 20 dough balls. Place 1 ball onto the lined tortilla press and …. press.

Cook the tortillas

Carefully remove the tortilla from the press, and add to a large cast iron pan or large skillet – heated at medium-high heat.

Let the tortilla cook about 30 seconds, until the edges look like they’re drying… then flip

Cook a further 45-60 seconds, then flip again – the tortilla will puff up.

Add tortilla to a towel line tortilla warmer.

Repeat with remaining balls of dough.

More recipes to love

Want some ideas on how to use your fresh corn tortillas?

• Spicy Soft Chicken Tacos. Kick your Taco Tuesday habit up a notch! Topped with anything you like, this is a recipe you’ll make again and again. Perfect for a weeknight dinner or for sharing with friends on the weekend!
• Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup. Hearty and warming with just the right amount of spice, blended with cheese, topped off with jalapenos, cilantro, and crispy tortilla strips.
• King Ranch Chicken Casserole. A classic recipe using chicken layered with a creamy sauce studded with peppers and onions, then baked in a casserole dish with cheese and corn tortillas.

4.91 from 10 votes

Homemade Corn Tortillas

Author Kylee Ayotte

Servings 20

Prep Time: 5 minutes mins

Cook Time: 15 minutes mins

Total Time: 20 minutes mins

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Homemade Corn Tortillas is an easy way to add more homemade deliciousness to taco night with your very own, hot-off-the-pan corn tortillas!

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Equipment

• Tortilla press
• Tortilla warmer
• Cast iron skillet

Ingredients

 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 2 cups instant yellow corn masa flour
• ▢ 1 teaspoon salt
• ▢ 1.5 cups hot water

Instructions

• In a large bowl, add 2 cups instant yellow corn masa flour and 1 teaspoon salt and mix well.
  2 cups instant yellow corn masa flour, 1 teaspoon salt
• Add 1.5 cups hot water, and mix into a soft dough (it should be about as firm as cookie dough).
  1.5 cups hot water
• Add more water if needed.
• Line a tortilla press with a zip lock bag (I just cut down the sides)
• Divide the dough into roughly 20 dough balls
• Place 1 ball onto the lined tortilla press and …. press.
• Carefully remove the tortilla from the press, and add to a medium hot cast iron skillet.
• Let the tortilla cook about 30 seconds, until the edges look like they’re drying… then flip
• Cook a further 45-60 seconds, then flip again – the tortilla will puff up.
• Add tortilla to a towel line tortilla warmer.
• Repeat with remaining dough balls.

Notes

How to make corn tortillas without a press?
Use a rolling pin and roll the dough into a thin, even circle. It takes a little longer, but still totally worth it.

How to keep homemade corn tortillas soft?
Humidity helps. Use a tortilla warmer if you have one, or wrap them well in a clean towel. If making ahead, reheat in the microwave wrapped in a damp paper towel.

Keep the dough covered.
This keeps it from drying out while you’re cooking the tortillas.

Dough too dry or too wet?
If it’s dry, add a little water. If it’s too sticky, add a bit more masa harina.

When to flip tortillas?
Flip when you start to see brown spots forming on the bottom.

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Nutrition

Calories: 41kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 1g | Sodium: 117mg | Potassium: 29mg | Vitamin A: 25IU | Calcium: 16mg | Iron: 0.8mg

Nutritional information is an estimate and provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.

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About Kylee Ayotte

I am a born and raised New Zealander (a Kiwi), now living in Phoenix, Arizona. I’m happily married to the love of my life – a hot American boy I met while traveling the world. I’m a mama to 2 awesome little boys and love red things, rugby, cheesecake, and bacon. Mmmmm. Bacon. Meet Kylee