Corn Tortilla Recipe
by Sommer Collier — last updated on Aug 15, 2025 
This homemade Corn Tortilla Recipe from scratch makes soft and warm tortillas that are SO MUCH better than the store-bought version. Use these corn tortillas to make your favorite tacos, fajitas or quesadillas.
Sommer’s Recipe Notes
According to a good friend of mine who grew up in Mexico, real cooks make tortillas from scratch every single day, without fail. There is never a reason to buy them.
In order to make corn tortillas taste fresh, they must be made without preservatives. Yet the masa (corn flour) in these tortillas is so very perishable once cooked, the tortillas must be eaten within a couple of days. Personally, I find most store-bought corn tortillas either taste fake (full of preservatives) or rancid because they’ve been sitting on the shelf too long. No bueno!
Therefore, I do prefer making homemade corn tortillas from scratch because they taste fresh and are much more pliable than the store-bought version.
Why You’ll Love This Corn Tortilla Recipe
- Few ingredients – With just 4 simple ingredients, you will have the most delicious and fresh tortillas on hand.
- Flexible and tender – These homemade corn tortillas are soft, warm and so incredibly flexible!
- Versatile – Whether you like tacos, enchiladas, quesadillas or even wraps, then these tortillas are perfect for you.
Did I mention that these are ready in under 30 minutes?!
Ingredients and Tips
- Masa Harina – This is just instant masa corn flour and it will give the tortillas that amazing texture.
- Lard – You can also use vegetable shortening for a vegetarian recipe.
- Salt – To enhance the flavor.
- Hot Water – To melt the lard and soften the dough.
Recipe Variations and Dietary Swaps
- Flavored tortillas – Mix in chili powder, garlic powder or some chopped cilantro for a boost of flavor.
- Blue corn – Swap the yellow/white masa with blue masa.
- Olive oil – Replace the lard with olive oil for a slightly lighter tortilla.
How To Make Corn Tortillas
Find the full Corn Tortilla recipe with detailed instructions and storage tips in the printable form at the bottom of the post!
Storage Notes
- Storing Leftovers – Store leftover tortillas in a ziploc bag in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Freezing Leftovers – Store in the freezer for up to 2 months. Make sure these are stacked and divided between parchment paper.
- Reheating Leftovers – Cook on a skillet for about 30 seconds per side over medium or medium-high heat. Don’t forget to flip!
Serving Suggestions
These homemade tortillas are super versatile and can be served in so many different ways! Don’t forget you can also turn them into tortilla chips. Here are a few ideas to get you started:
Authentic Corn Tortilla Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 2 cups Masa Harina (Instant Masa)
- 1/3 cup lard (or vegetable shortening)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/4 cups hot tap water
Instructions
- Set out a large mixing bowl, a cutting board and knife, a cast iron or nonstick skillet, and a tortilla press.
- Measure the masa, lard, and salt into the mixing bowl. Pour very hot tap water over the lard to melt it. Mix the dough with a wooden spoon at first, then by hand until it is very smooth.
- Press the dough into a rectangle. Then wrap in plastic and leave to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes. *The rest time softens the masa to make the tortillas more flexible.
- Set the skillet over medium heat. Place plastic wrap over the to top and bottom pressing-surface of the tortilla press. (Some people like to slide a freezer bag over each section because it's a little more sturdy than plastic wrap.) Cut the dough into 16 equal pieces, leaving them under the plastic, so they don't dry out.
- One at a time, place a ball of corn tortilla dough in the middle of the press, just slightly closer to the hinge. Press down hard to flatten the tortilla into a paper-thin circle.
- Gently peel the corn tortilla off the plastic and move it to the hot dry skillet. Make sure you lay it in the skillet carefully so it has full contact with the hot surface. Cook for approximately 1 1/2 – 2 minutes per side. *Pulling the corn tortillas off the plastic is the only tricky part of the process. Because the tortillas are so thin and delicate, you might rip the first few in half. Simply form the dough back into a ball and repress.
- Move the cooked corn tortillas to a holding plate and cover with a towel to keep warm. Repeat with the remaining pieces of dough. Serve warm.
Notes
Nutrition
Frequently Asked Questions
It should be stated, the tortillas will feel crisp when you take them out of the skillet, but will soften as they sit. Stacking and keeping the tortillas warm is an important part of the process.
No, these tortillas are always best if made right before serving. They can last a day or two in the refrigerator, but they are just not quite the same.
Yes, they are. Since the base of the recipe is cornflour, not wheat four, the recipe is gluten-free.
This Soft Corn Tortilla Recipe is also dairy-free, egg-free, and nut-free.
If you need to buy a tortilla press, check out this post on the best tortilla presses, which includes the ever-popular, Victoria tortilla press that’s similar to the cast iron press that I use regularly. It’s a basic, durable design that you can get on Amazon for around $25. Or, the IMUSA aluminum press is lightweight and a little more affordable and sells for $15 at Target.
You can roll the balls of dough between two sheets of plastic or wax paper. This does take a little more effort, but is doable.
However, it is much easier to make a flour tortilla without a press, than a corn tortilla. The masa dough is so delicate, using a press is much better.
Can these be fried for thin crispy tacos?
Hi Tasha,
Absolutely! Practice one 1-2 to get your temperature right at 350-375 degrees F. It should take about 3 minutes per shell.
I have been involved in making tortillas since a youth in my father’s kitchen.
That was over a half century ago. From then until now, I have experimented with different recipes and methods.(The reason I came here was to see if anyone had tried something I have not tried. Here is my experienced take:
You do not need oil or fat; however adding a type of fat will make the tortillas slightly more tender and make them softer and more pliable after they cool and are reheated. I have taken to skipping adding fat and brushing mine with a small amount of melted butter or marg on each side as I place them in the keep warm tortilla container. Replacing some of the water with whole milk will also add a bit of fat. The only caution is that milk might shorten the storage life. “Authentic” tortillas de maize can be made with or without lard. If a fat is used, lard is most true to genre. I always add a bit of salt, stirring it into the warm liquid, rather than adding it to the flour. The recipe here is a good one. The only quibble I make, and it can mean the difference between success and failure is the advice “Pulling the corn tortillas off the plastic is the only tricky part of the process”. Yup. Tricky is an understatement. If you are making relatively thin tortillas with a dough of the proper consistency, it is impossible to “pull” the tortilla off the plastic. If you use plastic, place the tortilla in your flat open palm, tortilla side down, with one edge of the tortilla near the wrist edge of your hand. Working from there away from you, gently and evenly peel the plastic off the tortilla. If you are a serious
tortilla lover,
get a manual tabletop tortilla machine. They make consistent size and thickness tortillas and can be purchased on EBay for under $100. Have fun and make great tortillas!