Soft, Authentic Gluten-Free Flour Tortillas (30 Mins)

Finally you can enjoy soft, flexible gluten-free tortillas with a copycat authentic taste and texture to traditional homemade recipes! These easy tortillas made with gluten-free flour use only 4 simple ingredients and take 30 minutes start to finish. Whether you are a kitchen novice or not, everyone can learn how to make this simple GF tortilla recipe. I’ll show you how!

Easy Gluten-free Tortillas

Until I started testing this gluten-free flour tortilla recipe I had given up on ever enjoying them again. I had tried a couple store-bought brands, and if I wasn’t first deterred by the price, the taste and texture made me regret wasting the money.

I said goodbye to gluten-free wraps, quesadillas, burritos, flour shell tacos and more, deciding this was one more thing I was destined to live without (or use another corn tortilla). When I started to perfect more recipes using easy gluten-free baking tips that tasted identical to traditional versions (hello, soft gluten-free flatbread!), I determined all hope was not lost.

It was time to enjoy gluten-fee tortillas again. Every time I enjoy one now I’m mad why I lived without them so long!

So what makes this recipe work? Why do these gluten-free flour tortillas not only have an authentic taste, but such a soft and pliable texture?

While the method and ingredients are simple, it’s their combination that creates such exemplary results. Even if the recipe uses only 4 ingredients, the ingredient ratios’ yields an easy-to-handle dough, not saturated with GF flour, which causes dry and crumbly results.

This is achieved by my favorite, magic gluten-free ingredient, psyllium husk powder. Basically it helps absorb liquid and create elasticity, something GF flour has a hard time doing on its own. You can learn other ways psyllium benefits gluten-free baking in the linked article.

Read on to discover just how easy these GF tortillas are to throw together, as well as many more expert tips to make this recipe a success the first time. It will be love at first bite, guaranteed!

Ingredient Notes

Homemade gluten-free tortillas have a simple list of ingredients, making them dairy-free and vegan as well (see note about GF flour). Below I share any important ingredient notes, as well as any workable substitutions.

• All-purpose gluten-free flour blend – The most important ingredient for taste and structure. I personally love and highly recommend Cup4Cup gluten-free flour because the cornstarch in the mixture gives a nice, flexible texture. Plus, the taste mimics wheat flour without grittiness. See the recommended GF flour section for dairy-free recipe notes and substitutions.
• Psyllium Husk Powder – If you are unfamiliar with this ingredient, don’t be deterred! It’s affordable and used for superior results in everything from flour tortillas to gluten-free breads, like soft GF burger buns or sandwich bread. It helps absorb moisture, making the dough pliable and easy to handle without relying on extra flour (which dries it out). It’s best to buy a blonde or light-colored brand because the darker colors will make the tortillas have a slight purple hue, but doesn’t affect the taste.
• Baking powder – Adding a touch of baking powder gives the tortillas a little lift, making them puff up and bubble similar to traditional ones. While other recipes add more baking powder, I found a smaller amount makes them thinner and more flexible.
• Warm water – Using warm water speeds up the absorption with the flour and psyllium, so the dough does not have to rest a long time before rolling out.
• Oil – Adds softness and texture to the recipe. A little oil helps coat the GF starches, eliminating any grainy, dry texture.

how to make Gluten-free Flour Tortillas

Use the tortillas for wraps, tacos, Mexican casseroles or as a deep fried taco shell bowl with this gluten-free taco salad!

(Below shows step-by-step photos and modified instructions. For the complete recipe, along with ingredient amounts, scroll down to the recipe card.)

1. Use a large bowl and wooden spoon or a stand mixer with a paddle attachment (preferred easy method). On low speed mix together the dry ingredients – gluten-free flour, psyllium husk, baking powder, and salt.
2. Continue to mix on low while the warm water and oil are added. Mix until well combined and the dough starts to form a ball, about 1 minute. If you are not using a stand mixer, you may have to knead with your hands at this point so it’s well mixed.
3. Shape the dough into a large ball, cover with plastic wrap, and let rest for 10 minutes to hydrate the GF starches and give time for the water to absorb, making the dough easier to work with.
4. Divide the dough into 6 equal sized balls. If you want to be really accurate about it, you can use a food scale with a piece of greased plastic wrap on top. Mine weighed 2.7 ounces each, but will vary if using a different GF flour.
5. Heat an ungreased nonstick skillet or cast iron skillet over medium-high heat for 5 minutes before cooking the tortillas. While it’s heating begin to roll your first tortilla.
6. Flatten the ball into thick disc on a piece of parchment paper. Use a rolling pin to flatten into a 6 1/2-inch diameter circle, rotating quarter turns as you roll. If the dough sticks to the rolling pin, rub a small amount of GF flour on the rolling pin (not the tortilla) and continue to roll.
7. Use a knife to go around edges, shaping into a round circle. Save the scraps in a piece of plastic wrap because you can combine them to make an extra tortilla at the end.
8. Add the rolled tortilla to the hot pan and cook, undisturbed for 45 seconds, or until the underside has brown spots. Flip it over and cook for 15-20 seconds more. The cook time is key for making sure enough time has passed to cook off moisture and not overcook them, making them stiff.
9. If serving immediately, wrap in a lint-free towel or tortilla warmer to keep warm. Otherwise, transfer to a cooling rack. As one tortilla is cooking, begin rolling out the next tortilla to cook.

Recommended Gluten-free flour

I use and recommend Cup4Cup gluten-free flour blend for the softest texture and best taste. However, this blend does contain milk powder. For a dairy-free, vegan recipe, use King Arthur Measure-for-Measure. You may want to replace a couple tablespoons of the flour with cornstarch to mimic Cup4Cup.

When making gluten-free recipes, the success primarily relies on the GF flour. Unfortunately, with so many differing varieties and availability it’s hard to test them all with the recipe. They all contain different ratios of starches, which can vary the outcome.

I have tested the most common brands with various recipes, which is why I stand behind Cup4Cup. You can see the results of those blind taste tests on this best gluten-free flour resource.

If you use another GF flour that works well, be sure to leave a note in comments below!

Do I need a Tortilla Press?

No. It’s easy to make these homemade tortillas without one! See the tips above for rolling and shaping. You only need a rolling pin and knife to make perfectly round circles.

Alternatively, use a tortilla press. Since the dough may stick to the press, you will want to place the dough in a greased gallon ziplock bag. Cut up the sides so it folds open like a book.

Spray the top and bottom and place the dough ball inside. Place that inside the press and close to flatten.

Best Pan to use

Use heavy nonstick pan, one that maintains and distributes heat well, or a cast iron skillet. If using a cast iron skillet, make sure it is well seasoned so the tortillas don’t stick. Either type of pan will be left ungreased.

Storing, Freezing and Reheating

For storage, once they are done cooking and completely cooled, stack between pieces of parchment or paper towels. Transfer to an airtight container or ziplock freezer bag.

Store at room temperature up to one day or in the refrigerator 3 days. They may also be frozen up to 3 months. Stack and wrap securely with plastic wrap before placing in a freezer bag.

When ready to enjoy, briefly microwave for 10 seconds or rewarm in a dry, hot skillet. To make sure they are just as soft as the day you made them, wrap in damp paper towel before reheating or lightly spray the skillet with water before rewarming.

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