Homemade Whole Wheat Tortillas
on Jan 13, 2010, Updated Jul 02, 2024
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Hearty and healthy, whole wheat tortillas are beyond simple to make and go great with bold flavored wraps, tacos, and gyros!
Homemade whole wheat tortillas just bring the foods wrapped inside them together so splendidly, and anything that takes only four ingredients and less than a half-hour to make is something worth attempting, in my book! I love these when I’m making brightly flavored foods, like tacos, gyros and colorful buffalo chicken wraps.
If you’re anything like me, you might be thinking tortilla-making is some sort of unattainable art. That’s totally what I thought until I gave it a go and realized: A) It’s NOT unattainable, or difficult whatsoever, to make them, and B) They add SO much subtle heartiness to a meal that has big, bold flavors!
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Whole Grain Goodness: I love when you can make simple swaps to add a little more nutrition without sacrificing taste. Whole Wheat Tortillas, especially homemade ones, are one of the easiest ways to do that.
- Homemade Flavor: Just about everything tastes better when it’s homemade and tortillas are definitely one of them.
- Versatile: Tortillas are one of the most versatile things you can have in your cupboards. The number of combinations that you can fill them with is just about limitless. So many of the best quick meals start with tortillas!
Ingredients
- Whole Wheat Flour: I like whole wheat pastry flour best. It has a finer texture and lighter flavor than a lot of whole wheat flours.
- Salt
- Oil
- Water
See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities
How to Make Whole Wheat Tortillas
Step #1. Mix the dry ingredients in a medium bowl, then add in the wet ingredients to make a stiff dough. (You may need a little more or less water depending on how recently your flour was ground.)
Step #3. Cook the the tortillas one at a time in the skillet, flipping when bubble form.
Step #2. Heat a skillet over medium heat. Divide the dough into eight pieces. Roll them out as thin as possible without getting holes in them.
Step #4. Keep the cooked tortillas in a towel to keep warm while cooking the rest.
Recipe FAQs
The ingredient list for whole wheat tortillas is amazingly simple! All you need is whole wheat flour (I prefer to use whole wheat pastry flour), some salt, oil, and bit of warm water. Odds are, you probably already have everything you need to make these beauties!
YES! They’re soft but strong and keep up to hearty fillings, and they don’t taste “grainy” or nutty. I love that they are chewy and reminiscent of regular flour tortillas, with an added nutritious element.
They are! Whole grains are packed with fiber, which is generally thought of as a healthier option than refined grains (think: white flour). But you know me… As long as it’s in moderation and makes you feel good, I don’t believe that any foods are actually “bad.”
Keep these guys tucked away into a paper towel-lined plastic bag in the fridge for up to 7 days. Reheat them using a nonstick pan over medium heat.
Expert Tips
- Roll the dough balls from the center out in all directions to get an even flatness and more rounded shape. (But don’t worry about them being perfectly round, just “round-ish.” As long as you get them nice and thin, it will be just fine.
- Freshly ground wheat flour is amazing if you have access to it. It has a little more moisture and flavor than flour that has been sitting around for a while.
- Store your wheat flour in an airtight container in the freezer if you don’t use it all that frequently. It has more oils in it than white flour so it needs a little extra care to keep the flavor fresh. Stored in the freezer, it will last 6 months to one year!
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Whole Wheat Tortillas
Ingredients
- 2 cups whole wheat flour, I like whole wheat pastry flour best
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons oil
- 1/2 cup warm water
Instructions
- Mix flour and salt in a medium bowl. Add oil and water to make a stiff dough. You may need more or less water depending on the type of wheat and how recently it was ground, but the dough should be stiff.
- Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Divide dough into 8 balls. Roll out each ball on a lightly floured surface until super thin (pretty much as thin as you can without making holes in it).
- Cook tortillas one at a time in the skillet, turning when bubbles start to appear.
- Keep warm cooked tortillas wrapped in a towel while you are cooking the others.
- Eat right away while still hot!
Notes
- I really like these for big flavored meals, like gyros and wraps with lots of flavors.
- To get a more consistent “round-ish” shape, roll the dough ball from the center out in all directions.
- Practice makes perfect, especially with tortillas! Don’t give up if they aren’t perfect the first time.
- You could definitely make this dough into bigger burrito size or smaller street taco sized tortillas. Just make sure to roll them nice and thin and cook them the same way.
Nutrition
This post was originally published in 2010 and has been updated and rephotographed in July 2019.
How long do they last, as in shelf life? And can you share metric measurements?
These turned out great and were so easy to make! They worked great in enchiladas!
I’ve totally been looking for a good whole wheat tortilla recipe! You read my mind!