OH. MY. GERSH.
If you haven’t tried soaking your flour yet, either because you are squeamish about leaving something on the counter or you are just lazy, then YOU NEED TO SUCK IT UP AND TRY THIS RECIPE!
Sorry for yelling. It’s just that these tortillas are that good, you guys.
Trust me, I’m married to a Mexican. So, yeah.
I’ve made my fair share of tortillas, but these are by far my favorite. And they’re the healthiest I’ve ever made! They’re made with 100% whole-wheat, but you’d never know it because these babies are light and fluffy.
If you are new to soaking, let me explain why I do it.
- By soaking the flour in water and an acidic medium (apple cider vinegar or whey) this breaks down the phytic acid, an anti-nutrient found in all grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds.
- Soaking also makes the gluten more digestible, so if you have trouble digesting wheat you’ll feel a huge difference with these tortillas.
- Instead of whole wheat tortillas being heavy and dense, by soaking the flour for 12-24 hours you change the fundamental design. They turn into a fabulously light tortilla, perfect for burritos.
- Traditional societies have prepared their grains properly by either soaking, sprouting, or sour leavening. They’ve done it literally for THOUSANDS of years. It’s tried and true! The practice has since been ignored since about the time when the industrialization of food came about and our dependence on companies to make our food for us became the norm. You can read my recent article on preparing grains properly, or you can read about why I eat a traditional diet here.
- It will make your life so much easier. I know it seems arduous to soak something for 12 hours before cooking it. But seriously, it makes my life and cooking process so much easier. I simply mix it up in the morning, and by dinner time I have dough waiting for me to roll into tortilla form and cook. All it takes is training that ‘ol brain of yours to remember to start it soaking and you’ll be set!
Now, on to the recipe!
Homemade Soaked Tortillas (to blow your mind!)
Ingredients
- 2 c whole wheat flour
- 1/4 c lard or tallow, coconut oil , olive oil, or butter
- 3/4 c water (plus 1-2 tablespoons if it seems dry)
- 1 TBS of an acidic medium (apple cider vinegar or whey works best in this recipe)
- 1 tsp salt
- Arrowroot powder , for rolling out your tortillas
Instructions
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Makes 8 delicious tortillas.
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1. Mix the flour with the fat/oil of choice by cutting it in with either a pastry cutter or a fork. You can even work it together with your hands. Mix until the fat/oil is well incorporated. and there are no large clumps.
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2. Add water and acidic medium of choice. Mix together with a fork and make sure all the flour gets wet. You can use your hands and roll it around in the bowl to get all the flour.
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3. Cover with plastic wrap and leave on your counter for 12-24 hours. I know if you’re new to this, it could seem weird or gross. Get over it! It won’t grow bacteria and make you sick, or grow legs and kill you in your sleep. I got over it. So can you.
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4. After 12-24 hours, add the salt and work it in the dough with your hands by kneading about 5-7 times. Don’t overwork it—just mix until the salt is incorporated. Let the dough rest for 5 minutes.
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5. Divide the dough into 8 pieces and heat a pan over medium-high heat.
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6. Dust your counter top with arrowroot powder, and roll out a tortilla. Then cook it in an un-greased pan for about 30-40 seconds on each side. Slightly underdone is best.
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7. Repeat for the remaining tortillas.
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8. Eat warm or store in your fridge for up to 2 weeks. You can even freeze them for future use.
TIP: Don’t buy this tortilla maker. It breaks! Just roll it out with a rolling pin, they don’t break as easily.
Well, they are OK. My adult daughter said they taste like noodles. I thought they were ok, definitely had a strong wheat flavor, and they were a bit stiff, but I probably cooked them too long. 2yo and 9month old liked them lol. I might try with a different flour.
Can you soak these longer than 24hrs? I had mine soaking and would have cooked lastnight but had other plans for dinner…did I waste them?? 🙁
Love these tortillas by the way!!!! We make them weekly!
Best tortilla recipe ever in my opinion! Love the fluffiness of the tortillas and they’re super easy to make too
Hi,
Could these be made crispy instead of soft? I was looking for a traditionally prepared crunchy tortilla recipe but wasn’t able to find one.
Thanks!
Hi Taylor-
DaNelle keeps them soft, but you can try frying them. Let us know how they turn out.
Thank you -Bobbi (DaNelle’s Assistant)
Hi, I was wondering if I can still let the dough sit for 12-24 hours on the counter if I use milk and lard in the recipe. If not, would the fridge still work?
Thank you
Hi Pam-
The recipe offers lard as one of the options so you can use that. If you use milk, still be sure to have an acidic medium, such as the vinegar or lemon juice.
Thank you -Bobbi (DaNelle’s Assistant)
In one of the episodes of your vlog you suggested using hot water to make tortillas because it makes a smoother dough. Will that work with this recipe?
Hi Lisa-
No, it wouldn’t be the same since you are letting it set and soak.
Thank you -Bobbi (DaNelle’s Assistant)
Hello,
I doubled this recipe on my first attempt. After the soaking period, the dough was very wet! Some of the liquid pulled away from the dough. Should I have added more flour? I used apple cider vinegar and butter with store bought Bob’s Red Mill Organic Spelt Flour. Because it was so wet, I used quite a bit of arrowroot flour for dusting. Otherwise there was no way to touch the dough – it was sticking all over the place. The taste came out pretty good, but the shape is definitely no a circle, LOL. When I tried to move from counter to pan the dough stretched and stuck. Toward the end, I just adjusted to using a ton of arrowroot and then I got them from A to B easier.
Can you tell me about the wetness of the dough after the soak, i.e. should the dough look a bit wet and separated from the liquid? And about what size should I roll these out to? Can you provide a few more pics of your process?
Hi Kathleen-
The dough can be a bit sticky, but there shouldn’t be a separation of dough and liquid. Some tips to help would be to slowly add (by tablespoons) flour until the dough is soft, with a very slight stickiness. You can also use a little bit of oil on the dough when rolling it out instead of arrowroot flour to help it not stick to the counter, etc.
And while this recipe is for biscuits, it has some good pictures in it. https://www.weedemandreap.com/recipe-whole-wheat-soaked-biscuits/
I hope that helps!
Happy Baking!
-Bobbi (DaNelle’s Assistant)
Spelt absorbs less water than wheat, so you need to use less water. Try reducing the water by 20%, then adjust flour or water a needed to attain a workable texture.
hello! I just tried these and they completely fell apart, could not even roll them out. I did use freshly ground spelt flour and thought they were too soft but tried anyways. My question is do I need more flour when freshly grinding it? thank you
Hi Aneta-
Yes, using freshly milled flour will change a recipe, requiring more flour (about 2 Tablespoons+/- per cup).
I hope that helps and you give it another go.
Thank you -Bobbi (DaNelle’s Assistant)
I do a lot of sourdough whole wheat bread . Bread is much better if the day before I mix flour and water and let rest for 12 to 18 hours. Now I would like to do tortillas. I would like to do with barley flour ( problem with cholesterol) can I do just barley flour or I must do 1/2 for whole wheat and 1/2 of barley . Thank you. I cannot wait to try your recipe. So much good comments about it.
Hi Francoise-Marie-
You can use all barely flour, but your tortillas may be denser and possibly turn out a bit crumbly. If you do try it please let us know how they turn out.
Thank you -Bobbi (DaNelle’s Assistant)
Hi Danielle – thanks for this recipe!! I was really happy with how these turned out, although I will add more salt & did have trouble rolling them out (I did use arrowroot powder), which I attribute to being a total novice. Although they are yummy as is, I’m wondering if you have any recommendations for flavorings? Would you stick to small amounts of dried spices such as garlic & onion, and do I need to worry about it drying them out? I have seen recipes which call for blending something such as sundried tomatoes into the water. I would have guessed to use dehydrated vegetable powders, but again, this is very new to me!
Hi Marilyn-
Either way would work to flavor the tortillas. It’s really just your preference of taste. If you do find they become dry for whatever reason, you an always slowly add very small amounts of water until you get the consistency you want.
I hope that helps! Happy Baking!
Thank you -Bobbi (DaNelle’s Assistant)
Hi, is it possible to freeze the dough after soaking it and use it a few days later?
Also, I have a lot of whey water from making cheese, can I use it instead of the water in the recipe?
Thank you so much!
Hi Rotem-
Yes, you can freeze the dough, and yes you can use whey.
Best of luck with your tortillas!
Thank you -Bobbi (DaNelle’s Assistant)
Thank you so much!!
Hi! Would tapioca starch work in place of arrowroot powder?
Hi Marilyn-
You can use tapioca starch, but this can possibly make them a bit gummy. If you don’t want to use arrowroot flour, it would be better to use cassava flour in its place.
I hope that helps.
Thank you -Bobbi (DaNelle’s Assistant)
Hi Danelle! I’ve made these several times and they’ve become a staple in our house. Very versatile item to make. I always make a double batch and freeze a bag, which they freeze wonderfully. The first few times I made them with coconut oil and the texture was very difficult to work with in the skillet. When I switched to lard, it was like night and day. They form better, cook better, and taste better in my opinion. I just wanted to share this in case anyone else was frustrated with coconut oil or wondering which fat worked best. Thanks again for your wonderful blog!
Where do you buy your lard?
I accidentally dusted my dough ball with white flour to make it less sticky on the sides of the bowl. Ahhh whyy whyyyy!?!? ?♂️
Lol Jesse! We’ve all been there! -Bobbi (DaNelle’s Assistant)
Is it possible to not include fat in this recipe (oil, lard, etc.)???? If not, how much could I reduce it down to??
Hi Brittny-
You really do need fat in this recipe, and a reduction really isn’t going to work either because without it, or not enough of it, you are basically going to have flour and water, which is pretty much paste. The fat isn’t bad for you, in fact it is very, very healthy and essential for your body to function properly. Here’s an article DaNelle wrote about making lard that gives information of fats. https://www.weedemandreap.com/how-to-make-lard/
I hope this helps! Thank you for reading and posting! -Bobbi (DaNelle’s Assistant)
Hi DaNelle,
I used to make these bad boys a few years ago and I absolutely adored them! Then came the second baby and tortilla making flew out the window. Anyways-
We’re recently diagnosed with a wheat allergy, wheat specifically. Have you tried this with spelt flour?
Yep, spelt works!
I’ve just stumbled onto your blog and the soaking flour/grains method. It’s intriguing. Especially since I’m gluten free.
I’ve only seen reference to wheat, so far, and like the fact that when I can begin buying my heritage red turkey wheat again I can utilize this process to break the gluten down even further. Thus allowing me a little more leeway with the gluten effects after eating.
But my Comment is actually in regards to other grain flours. Is this process also beneficial to rice flour and tapioca flour? (no idea whether tapioca is an actual grain or not) but I use these 2 for my homemade gf tortillas, which are such a godsend, since I haven’t been able to eat our usual homemade tortillas due to the gluten factor.
Tapioca is a root and white rice flour doesn’t need soaking because it has had the outer bran layer removed. Some people do rinse white rice and do a gentle 1 hour soak, but that’s it. When I make gluten free recipes, I don’t soak rice or tapioca flours:)
What does the arrowroot powder on the board do when making the ww tortillas?
It makes them not stick to the counter. If you added flour, it wouldn’t be soaked flour. You can do this, but the arrowroot will ensure everything in your tortillas is prepared properly.
I am wondering why you left the salt out when soaking / fermenting ? I have left eggs out of pancake mix when soaking . And I have left the oil out when soaking.
Hi George,
Salt can inhibit the soaking process. It prolongs it a bit and in overnight soaking you want it to be quick:)
So, I felt adventurous and tried these using all purpose einkorn flour. Probably not my best decision ever. I started with the amounts listed but quickly discovered I had to add LOTS more einkorn just to make it a doughy consistency. After soaking for about 18 hours, it was painfully obvious when I added the salt that I still had not added enough einkorn as I could not even handle the dough. So rather than throwing out the dough, I decided to give up on the “properly prepared grain idea” this time and add more unsoaked flour until I could knead it a bit. I probably added more than 1 cup of extra einkorn before I was done. Rolling it out was also exciting. Imagine the mess…arrowroot on counter didn’t work, parchment didn’t work, arrowroot on parchment didn’t work…finally I threw a bunch more einkorn on the parchment and used my hands to spread the dough….that worked…sort of. After LOTS of messing around, I got some strange looking, but tasty tortillas. Will definitely try this recipe again but with different flour and make sure I can handle the dough BEFORE the 12-24 hour soak. Thanks for the adventure inspiration!
Einkorn is super hard to work with because it’s so sticky:( I haven’t tried to make tortillas with it yet, but I do make bread with Einkorn!
Using einkorn flour, don’t you need to use less liquid since it absorbs less liquid than typical flour? Would love to be able to use it in this recipe if you ever experiment with it DaNelle. Until then, I will try a high quality whole wheat. I can’t wait to try this. I have been buying these from an online bakery that uses similar ingredients…just no salt. And they are delicious and only 4 ingredients. Not cost effective so when I googled those ingredients I found you! Thanks for a great blog!!
Hi Barb-
If you are using Einkorn, yes you will need about a 1/3 less of the water, but the dough should still be sticky and wet, which can be difficult with tortillas, but is doable. When making the recipe and using Einkorn, be sure to use the animal fats suggested, not the oils or butter. Also Einkorn requires less kneading, so knead only to mix your dough. I hope that helps!
Happy tortilla making!
Thank you -Bobbi (DaNelle’s Assistant)
Ok, so let me start by saying I follow a lot of recipe blogs online and cook at home every day, and never have I ever posted a comment on anything, just because I didn’t feel the need. But after making these I absolutely needed to tell you how amazing they were! I had never had a homemade tortilla before in my life, and boy was I missing out. The dough for these came out perfect, not too sticky and relatively easy to roll out. The finished tortillas were light and had just the right amount of chew. Mmmm. Thank you for this recipe!
Oh, I’m so happy they worked out for you! I think the soaking time is what makes them so soft and delicious!
I am wanting to make these early in the morning, so I won’t have a full 12 hours to soak. Will they turn out decent enough if I can only soak them for 6-8 hours or should I save this recipe for a time when I’ve planned ahead better?
Yes, absolutely!
We’ve been searching for the perfect tortilla recipe, and this is it! Thank you for sharing it! They are so soft and fluffy, unlike the other recipes we’ve tried. We used King Arthur organic whole wheat flour and they turned out beautifully. We also used white vinegar and they came out great!
YAY! I’m so glad you like it, it’s such a favorite of ours!
What is the purpose of spoaking over night? Also can this be done to whole wheat bread? Thank you.
Hi Nicole, I explain this process above in the post:)
I did use this recipe as a bread, I did the directions as its wriiten. The next day, I used one packet yeast, 1/4 cup white flour, 1 tbs honey. Incorporated into the soaked mixture. Kneaded salt into it and let it rise for like 20 min. I then stretched it a bit with rolling pin and put it into a bread pan. Bake 400 for 15 min, turned down to 375 for 25 min.
I’m going to try these tomorrow and roll them out on olive oil instead of using arrowroot (which I have but would rather save). Looks great!
I’m sorry if this has been asked before… I made it through about half the comments and didn’t see it lol Is it necessary (or beneficial in any way!) to soak flour from sprouted grain?
Hi Jessica!
Grains only need one method, either soaking, sprouting, or sour leavening. So, they only need one:)
Hi! So if I want to naturally leaven these instead of soaking the flour – What would the ratio be in this recipe? I’ve read flour and water can be replaced with equal parts sourdough starter in any recipe – but I haven’t experimented yet.
Because tortillas don’t use a leavening agent, your only option is to soak, or use sprouted grain to begin with:)
I’ve made these about 5 times. I absolutely love the taste and texture ❤️
My only issue is that I have to add at least an extra cup of flour to have any hope of touching let alone kneading these after the soaking period. Would you mind telling me the weight of the amount of flour you use?
Hi Lisa,
Shoot, I don’t have the weights, but the if you’ve freshly ground the flour, that could be the reason for it to be off. A lot of air gets into the flour during grinding.
True that the aluminum tortilla press will break, however the cast iron one is quite durable. As with most cookware, cast iron is superior.
You are so right about that.. I couldn’t help but SMH and lol at that tip.
I for one am a little more old school in theory and roll my flour tortillas but use the ‘cast iron’ press for homemade corn tortillas.
This has become a staple at our house! I make a double batch with my boys nearly every week.Thank you so much for sharing this!
These are brilliant. Just lovely light tortillas! Took a risk and made a triple batch. These will definitely be included in meal prep from now on! Thanks for the recipe!!!!!!
Why do you use arrow root powder to roll out the tortillas and not extra wheat flour? I’m am going to make these today.
Rina
Great question, Rina!
We do that to avoid introducing flour that hasn’t been properly broken down yet. Also, when you cook the tortillas, the extra flour will burn, while the arrowroot does not:)
Thanks!
Just found your blog, love it. Originally from Yuma, (now in NC)and half Mexican, grew up on the lg paper thin torts my NaNa made. She couldn’t make them fast enough when the grandkids where there(32). Can’t find any good torts here exept TJ’s. Can’t wait to make these this week.
I just made this. I’m starting a clean meal challenge and it calls for tortillas. I think it will be healthier to make me own ones, so I tried your recepi. They are pretty nice and the flavor is a bit sour, but not bad at all. I wonder if you have any idea the amount of calories per tortilla. Thanks again
I made these today. They are wonderful! I love how thin they can be pressed in my cast iron tortilla press. I used freshly ground hard white wheat flour. Thank You!
Hi, I’m new to this soaking thing going on (like, only read about it today and figure is might be worth a try). I just have one question. Why do you add the salt after the soaking period? And this is just out of curiosity.
Thanks.
Hi Tania,
The salt inhibits the soaking process:)
Where do you get they whey and how do you use it?
You can take the liquid off of yogurt:) That’s whey!
Well done excellent recipe!
Thank you!
I have given up onmaking homemade tortillas until this recipe. So excited that they are so much lighter and less dense than anything else I have made. Thank you!
My family and I decided to do the Daniel Fast. I am a bread lover and knew that tortilla’s were on the list. We went to the health food store thinking they would have tortilla’s without baking powder! The brand that I did happen to find felt like cardboard when I picked it up! I decided to google and came upon your recipe. I thought, “Everyone says there recipes are good.” I then focused on the negative reviews. The dough falling apart, being to mushy, etc.,. I became discouraged, but decided what would it hurt to try, and because I am pretty good in the kitchen I could always tweak the recipe. Well, these came out amazing. I could not wait until this morning. I let the dough sit overnight. I was tempted to make them last night, but decided to follow the directions. I put a little olive oil in the pan to give it a little crunch around the edges. All I can say is I just had two, and can’t wait for my husband to get home! I used olive oil in the recipe. This kept the dough moist overnight. One question, why do you wait to add the salt? Also, can the salt be decreased or eliminated? My husband has high blood pressure, and we try to use salt sparingly. Again, this recipe it the BOMB!!!
Oh, this makes me so happy Milly! Good job on making them, I know soaked recipes can be kind of scary, but these are so worth it!
good!
Just to let everyone know the author says not to buy the tortilla press, evidently doesn’t know that it is just for corn tortillas and not to be used for flour tortillas, I have six in my restaurant and have never replaced one in three years
Made these yesterday. I’ve been baking my own bread for 30 years. I also love skillet breads and appreciate good recipes that work. These work!
The dough is tender, pliable and flavorful. Well done! Thank you. Will make this frequently.
I just made these tonight and they turned out perfect! I have tried so many soaked tortilla recipes and all of them have ended up being too hard. These were soft and yummy! I used freshly ground spelt flour and it was super sticky with the original amount of flour, so I just added 1/4 cup more until the dough was soft, but not sticky. Also, I used Nutiva brand palm oil/coconut oil shortening and I think that that made all the difference, too. Great recipe!
Hi DaNelle thank you so much for this recepie. These tortillas are wonderful!!!!! Tasty soft and they don’t break even from the fridge. But why were they so hard to digest? I usually don’t soak the flour and never had any problems. I used a tbsp of Apple cider vinegar and left on the counter for 10 hours. It was a cold day and the dough got cold air from the window, could that have caused the problem? Should I have done them with kefir instead? I absolutely want to make them again. They are perfect tortillas but I first need to find out what I did wrong.
These are brilliant! I let them sit for more like 36 hours…(oops) and was a little worried about the sour smell, but they turned out great! Very impressed with the flavour and texture. Now I just need to work on my rolling skills…
Hi, I had to stop and tell you how much I love these tortillas. I’ve been looking for 4 years for a vegetarian wheat tortilla (I used EVOO for the fat) that tastes and acts like a storebought tortilla and I am thrilled to say these are it! I’ve been making soaked sandwich bread for awhile and have been pleased with the taste and texture so I went looking for a soaked tortilla, thinking it might be the answer. I was actually wary to make these, as the ingredients are so simple and similar to every other tortilla recipe I’ve tried and been disappointed to discover the finished product is dry and cracks. These are soft and pliable. Even cold from the fridge, they’re perfection. Thank you so much for this recipe!
Oh that makes me so happy Dawn! I’m so glad you like them!
as much as i wanted the convenience, i just couldn’t bring myself to buy those oh so nasty “healthy” tortillas made with soybean oil in the store. so yesterday i finally put on my big girl panties and soaked my flour. i just finished making these with the help of my 5 year old. super easy and soooo delicious. best tortillas i’ve ever made. thank you thank you.
maybe if i get really brave, i’ll try and make my own lard for the next batch, one step at a time. thanks again.
Haha Katharine, this made me laugh! I’m so glad you took the plunge, they really are easy!
THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU! These were amazing! I’m making this recipe for the third time. I used to pass the freshly made tortillas at Whole Foods, because of the ingredients, but boy did I desperately want to eat them. I’d buy the organic, sprouted prepackaged tortillas, but sorry, there is nothing like a freshly made tortilla! Now I can happily eat fresh tortillas again!!
Awesome!
Hi DaNelle. So glad to see others out there that know about soaking. Sprouting seems way too time consuming, so soaking is so much easier. BUT I’m very discouraged that after quadrupling the recipe, the soaked dough turned sour. I baked them anyway and while I think I could perfect the shape, etc (they were a mess!), the sour taste was SO overpowering I know my family won’t eat them. What can I do with the soured dough and what should I do different next time? Also, I soaked oats for cookies, and they soured as well.
Hi Maria,
I think you may be soaking for too long. I would soak shorter, about 6-8 hours and see if you still have a sour taste.
Hi Maria,
I’m not sure what went wrong, as this always turns out great for me. A soured dough could mean you soaked them for too long or added too much acidic medium.
Made today with fresh milled hard white wheat. Wow awesome. I make tortillas about every week for my family and these are a winner. Thank you
I used 1/2c water at most and the dough was incredibly sticky! It was just unbakeable; I did try, but the baked tortillas had such a texture that it wasn’t possible roll them up either. So I ended up tossing everything. The taste was nice, unlike the smell of the dough.
Did you use freshly ground flour? Sometimes freshly ground flour can be light and have air mixed in. It’s best to use a settled or packed flour. In either case, if you come out with sticky dough, just add more until it’s less sticky:)
I have tried several different whole wheat tortilla recipes, and these are by far the easiest! I used freshly ground whole wheat flour, and I tapped the flour down in the measuring cup to get rid of air (I know, not the official way to do it, but it makes a less sticky dough). My dough had more moisture than your picture, but I didn’t have any problems with it.
Several people asked where to get arrowroot; I got mine from http://www.BulkHerbStore.com
YES! I made these today and added 1/2 cup pickled jalapeños right after the water and vinegar. I could not stop eating it—-and I can always stop eating-except for Oreo truffle balls. And it is the answer to a 10 year old question. I bought a Revel electric tortilla press 10 years ago to make make tortillas from the wheat I grind and loved the press but was never happy with the taste of the tortilla. Today, I love my press and the taste of these tortillas. The press is available from Amazon and from Sears for about $40. Easiest thing ever—if you just use a press (firmly but gently) and turn, press and turn, press and turn approach. Tip for fresh ground wheat-I use it in recipes for focaccia bread, rolls, buns, and now these tortillas and I just pack it when I measure. I know that breaks the rule for measuring flour, but you know what—it works for me every time, because my flour hasn’t been packaged “down” and I need to push a little of the air out. Simply wonderful recipe. Worth the wait all day.
Hi DaNelle! Just wanted to say thank you so much for the awesome recipe. Since I discovered it I have made it part of my weekly Sunday night routine and they’ve provided excellent vessels for everything from breakfast burritos to PB banana roll-ups. I featured your recipe on my blog along with some of my own process photos if you want to take a look!
https://siftschmift.blogspot.com/2014/05/soaked-whole-wheat-tortillas.html
Awesome blog Kirsten! Haha, I love your writing style! And what a fascinating life, living in China!
I have been making tortillas for nearly twenty years. I converted my recipe to whole wheat some years ago. I didn’t realize that I was soaking them. But when I was taught to make tortillas, I was told that the dough made better tortillas if it sits covered for at least a few hours. I do everything basically the same as this recipe states. But instead of forming into balls and making the tortillas right after soaking, I form the balls and then coat each one with a little coconut oil. I then cover and let them sit for another hour or so. Then I dip them in a little whole wheat flour to keep them from sticking to the counter or rolling pin. That extra wait after they’ve been formed into balls makes the dough roll out perfectly every time. I also hand stretch after rolling them out as that was how I was originally taught.
Wow, made these tonight and they were yum! Seal of approval from the man too which is a great sign. Thanks for sharing the recipe (love your soaked flour bread too, it’s a staple round here now).
Did you really use whole wheat flour, not WHITE whole wheat flour? And is the main picture of the finished tortillas yours?They look so perfect and just as good as white flour tortillas!
I’m just so scared to use whole wheat flour…they always turn out so crackery…I just finished looking at other bloggers’ soaked whole wheat tortillas and they looked insanely dry.
The variety I use is Hard White Wheat, but it’s definitely still considered whole wheat.
Wow, all this time whenever I read “soaking” I thought it meant four sitting in a bowl of water. Who knew! I will get over my hesitance to leave something sitting on the counter all day and I will try these this weekend. Honest. 🙂
Oops, I meant flour sitting in a bowl…..not four. 🙂
Mama – You are awesome!!! Way to make this all soooo easy 🙂
I’m looking forward to soaking my flout tortillas now – thank you!
They are awesome!! Making them AGAIN today 🙂
Made these for lunch today. AMAZING!!!! The best tortillas I ever had! Thank you so much!
Great! I’m so glad you love them! They are a staple in our house!
Just made these! They are so awesome!! My three year old approves, and we’ll see what my Mexican husband thinks tonight when he eats them with your chili recipe. The ultimate test will be my digestive system, as I cannot eat wheat at all. So fingers crossed for the soaking effect***Thank you 🙂
DaNelle,
Have you read Ramiel nagels book Cure Tooth Decay? I soaked my flours for awhile too, but it seems he recounts a much more arduous process of sprouting drying milling and removing part of the bran in order to consume them properly. All Weston a price findings. I haven’t read Weston’s book and id love to try wheat/spelt again. I once was able to eat it soaked but that seems only when I was including raw goat kefir in my diet and cultured vegetables. Seems my gut is in dire need of good probiotics but raw goat milk is hard to come by in the winter and fermenting vegetables always takes time and energy on top of all the bone broths and home Cooked meals. Easy to get discouraged 🙁
I agree Hannah, it IS easy to get discourages, especially when you’re trying to heal something with food. I am currently reading Ramiel Nagel’s book but I’m not finished yet. I didn’t see anything in Dr. Price’s book about the need to remove the bran, but it’s a rather lengthy book, I could have missed it. I’ll go back and do some more research to be sure. You can also try to eat some older wheat varieties like Spelt, Emer, & Einkorn. Those will be a lot easier to digest:)
We just made these, and used my old, metal tortilla press to make 12 slightly smaller tortillas. Two sheets of parchment kept the dough from sticking to the press–no arrowroot required. We kept one sheet on to place the tortilla on the griddle, and then peeled off the parchment. Easy and delicious!
I’m learning a lot from your posts! This is the fourth time I made these. Everyone in my family loves them, and if I don’t have any made they ask me when I’m going to make them. Thanks!
Likely the driest tortillas I’ve ever had! Followed the recipe to a tee with terrible outcome.
Dang it! That’s horrible! Next time add more water if you think it needs it.
Has anyone tried freezing these? I’m planning to make some tortilla-based casseroles for the freezer (enchiladas, etc.) and I’d love to use soaked tortillas with lard instead of storebought ones. I’m wondering if these will stand up to the freezing, or if they might disintegrate in the casserole? If so, what about just freezing a large batch and using them for tacos? Thanks!
They do freeze well! When you want to defrost them, just set on the counter and they should be good in about 30 min-1 hr.
These are so good! I made a double batch today(started soaking last night), and they are the best whole wheat tortillas I’ve made. The dough was pretty wet – not sure if I should have added more flour, so I didn’t. After they cooked I kept them in a paper towel lined ziplock bag. They stayed soft and fresh all day this way. They were easy to roll without breaking and the flavor was great, even my preschoolers said they were better than store bought (white) tortillas. I used leftover whey from yogurt as the acidic medium, if that matters.
That is so cool! I’m glad you liked them!
These were great! I just made them tonight for fish tacos. Amazing! Thank you.
Great!
I used my Cuisinart to mix the ingredients. I have no idea if lemon juice is an ok acidic, but that’s what I had so I used it. And I had green tea oil so that’s what I used. The tortillas came out super good and tender, and the dough wasn’t a bit dry. I’d post a photo if I could!
Awesome!
The link you gave shows a CORN tortilla maker, not made in using flour tortillas…it won’t break if it is used for making only corn tortillas. I know. I have one. 🙂 But thank you for the recipe. I never thought about soaking my flour. I am very anxious to try this recipe out now!
Try sourdough tortillas, it’s so much more natural to ferment your dough.
https://www.northwestsourdough.com/discover/?s=tortillas&submit=Search
This is a form of fermentation.
Well, I just set up this recipe to soak overnight… I gotta say, I’m nervous! It feels so unnatural to leave the flour wet! AHH! But, I trust you and will eagerly awaken to my “soaked flour” mixture. Wish me luck!
i made these tonight and they are fabulous!!!!!!!!!! i have just began this real food eating. i have type 2 diabetes and take insulin. i am 6’8″ tall and weigh 335! time to do something different. my granddad lived to be 88 and alzimer’s killed him. his body was healthy. he ate what he grew and raised! later in life he used more “store” feed and he believed that is what caused his mind to melt (as he called it). you have a big fan. im here to stay!!
Made this twice, once with whole wheat flour and the next day with white flour. For the white flour recipie, I needed to add about 1/2 cup flour and flour my surface very liberally when rolling out the dough. The white flour tortillas were amazing!! I’ll never buy them from the store again. Thanks for the recipie!!
Good to know! I am wanting to use white flour instead of wheat! Thanks!
I’ve made these, the first Tortilla’s I ever made (I’ve made Rotti before now – basically the same without the fat), made some Burritos with slow cooked and refried pork shoulder etc. They were fantastic and more importantly……… easy!… Time does the work for you, a 12-24 hour Autolyse.
I don’t get why you need Cornflour or Arrowroot. Surely adding more flour just toughens them up? After all you are adding an unknown quantity of flour content to a balanced recipe. Bakers don’t use extra flour if they can help it and some use oil to stop sticking instead. These Tortillas already have oil in them so they need nothing more.
I used the stated amount of flour & water, rolled them out on a wooden chopping board (the ones made up of blocks stuck together) and guess what… they DIDN’T stick! They were sktick-y but easily workable.I made mine with Olive oil and this oil lubricated the dough when rolling out.
When making dough from a recipe you should go easy on the water for a start as different geographical locations, flour brands, water, humidity etc etc will affect how much water is needed. My measuring cups were just those cheap plastic ones.
I was married to A Mexican also (a chef) and I never heard of soaking the flour but I am going to give it a try.
What is wrong with that press I have been using mine for over 20 years I never had problem, it is mainly used for corn tortillas not flour they are too tough they have to be rolled out.. Thanks for sharing this recipe…I do not want to use lard I am going to use the coconut oil. 🙂
have you doubled this recipe? If so how did it turn out?
Love the recipe. I make fresh every three days
I made these today and they were perfect! However, mine weren’t quite so perfectly round as yours pictured. How do you get them to be so circle-shaped? I kind of figured it out by the last two, but am interested to know what others do. I’m so glad to have this recipe to add to my repertoire!
I gotta tell ya, I almost ditched the entire double-batch of dough that I made, because I kept having to add and and and ADD flour! I thought for certain it was a doomed disaster. BUT, because I didn’t want to waste my freshly milled wheat flour, I kept at it until the consistency was just perfect….and PERFECT it WAS!!! These were by FAR the best tortillas I have ever made!
I will make them again and again and AGAIN!! 🙂
I’m glad they worked out. Freshly milled flour has a lot of air mixed in, so yes, you’d need to add more. I’m glad you listened to your instincts!
I already put salt in…because I got carried away and didn’t read it all…whats gonna happen ?
It’ll be fine:)
Hi…thanks for this recipe…i am really keen to try it, have you had anyone have success making this with spelt flour by chance? My family are wheat intolerant so I would love to try an alternative flour. Thank you K
Yes, spelt works great!
But what if it grows legs and kills me in my sleep!?? LOL. I just rendered some lard and I can’t wait to try this recipe.
The last time I made tortillas, I rolled them out between two sheets of wax paper, eliminating the need for the arrowroot powder in this recipe.
But where exactly does one find arrowroot powder?
I am looking forward to trying this recipe soon. However, my comment is about the tortilla press. I have had one of the kind for which you have the link for more than two years. It has worked well for me. However, it is for corn tortillas. Normally they are rolled rather than pressed which is most likely the reason that pressing did not work so well for you.
Thank you for this recipe! I’ve been wanting to try soaking flour, but I thought (from the name) that I would be using a cup of acid, not just a tablespoon added to water! I was going to make yogurt (from raw milk) and hope to get enough whey from that to make a batch or two of bread or something. Now I can make a lot more than I realized! Or make such an ordeal out of the whole process–I love real, raw foods but I’m lazy!
I’m not sure how others feel, but I’m grateful for the time someone spends sharing a recipe and I don’t feel I’m entitled to demand that they provide nutritional information when I have that on all of the ingredients I’m using to make the recipe. Just sayin’.
Can you please post the food values of the recipes that you post. I need to know what the calories, fats, carbs, etc. are in the things I eat. I am required to make an accounting of these values for my eating plan. I am always so frustrated that all these, so called, good for you foods, never or rarely, come with the food values.
Jan, you can use any number of online nutrition analysis tools online, for free. The one that I use is http://www.sparkrecipes.com for free, to input my recipes and find out the nutrition values. If you sign up for SparkPeople.com, which is free, you can also save your recipes.
I use spelt flour and they’re delicious!
I’ve got some on the counter right now! I used Einkorn flour. Didn’t need all 3/4 cup of the water. I live in the hot Deep South so I deal with high humidity and often don’t need as much water. Curious to see how these turn out tomorrow! Has anyone made these with Einkorn flour?
Curious if soaking einkorn flour worked… would love an update. Thanks.
Do you use raw apple cider vinegar?
Thanks!
Yes, I use raw:)
Mmm mmm mmmm….deelish!
First try went perfectly.
I thought the tortillas might be a bit on the small side, so I made a couple a wee bit larger.
But now after eating one, they really do have substance to them and are pretty filling.
Thanks again,
Made the dough tonight….really looking forward to making tortillas tomorrow!
Thanks much for the recipe 🙂
I’d just been thinking about the possibility of soaking grain to make tortillas and am delighted to see this recipe. Another possibility for the grain source is Einkorn wheat. I’ve used it and it’s delicious and works up much like present day wheat.
Here’s some information from the Tropical Traditions website: “Einkorn is classified as a “diploid” because it only has two sets of chromosomes. Modern wheat varieties are classified as “hexaploid,” having six sets of chromosomes, due to a long history of hybridization. Einkorn is a rich source of the beta carotene lutein, a powerful antioxidant and has the highest amounts of lutein of any other variety of wheat. It’s also a rich source of tocotrienols and tocopherols, powerful antioxidants and forms of Vitamin E. Compared to modern wheat varieties, einkorn has higher levels of protein, crude fat, phosphorous, and potassium.
Since einkorn is an ancient grain and the only known diploid classified variety of wheat still known to exist today, there has been considerable interest in the issue of gluten toxicity. One way of measuring gluten toxicity is by the gliadin to glutenin ratio, and einkorn has a much more favorable ratio than modern wheat varieties. Einkorn has a gliadin to glutenin ratio of 2:1 compared to 0.8:1 for durum and hard red wheat. While this lower gluten ratio may hold some promise for gluten intolerance disorders, it should be cautioned that einkorn DOES contain gluten, and so those desiring to avoid all gluten are NOT recommended to consume einkorn.”
You can buy it at some health food stores and you can get it from http://www.tropicaltraditions.com
Hi DaNelle 🙂 Thanks for this blog, it’s GREAT! I have a question about soaked flour, please. You see, I saw another post by another blogger that said the “only” way to get good nutrition from baked goods (flour) is to soak your grains, dry them, and grind them yourself because the sprouted wheat flour at the store is no good. This was really discouraging for me for a myriad of reasons, not the least of which being I have no clue how to soak/dry/grind wheat (nor do I know where to get the wheat berries) so I’ve been mourning over the fact that my family and I just have to commit suicide by eating regular old flour from the regular old grocery store. 🙁 This post gives me hope again. Yayy! So, my question is, are you just soaking plain old grocery store flour? (Please say yes) and if not, what brand do you use and where do you buy it? Thanks for all you do 🙂
I grind my own wheat, I use “hard white winter wheat”, this creates a lighter flour than red wheat, i highly recommend it! I order mine through a health food coop called Azure Standard. I would see if they have a drop point in your area… they have amazing organic products! Also amazon sells it. 🙂 If you look into buying a mill to grind your flour, I highly recommend a nutrimill!! I love love love mine! I do not presoak my berries before grinding but after in recipes…. Haven’t read anywhere that I should.. maybe I need to look into that… hope this helps a little….
Can I use flour instead of arrowroot to roll out the tortilla? I seem to be allergic to everything these days but I can still eat wheat.
See my comment further down (November) but you basically don’t need any extra flour. Just roll, peel off, turn… repeat until size and shape is right, the oil in the tortilla should stop it from sticking. If your staking them to cook later then you will need some dusting of something between each one.
you could maybe use parchment paper. i plan on doing this with a tortilla press, and i usually see people in restaurants using parchment paper to keep the dough from sticking to the presses..
Given some comments about the dough being too mushy, do you just add water until it’s about the right consistency (referring to photo), or does the whole wheat flour absorb water as it sits? This prepping technique makes it sound easier, i.e., breaking up the time-consuming, messy work of mixing it up, then rolling it out and baking the tortillas. Really looking forward to trying this as soon as I can get to the store to buy more whole wheat flour!
What about (organic) potato starch? That’s what I’ve been using in place of cornstarch.
arrowroot powder & tapioca starch are two different things, but they can both be substituted for each other &/or cornstarch in such an application. 🙂
Does soaking change the carbohydrate count? My 15 yo daughter is a type 1 diabetic and we have to count every carb.
Gosh, I really don’t know the answer to this question. I would say no if I had to guess.
I believe it may lower it a notch, but it isn’t possible to “count” because every batch will be different. If you’re using whey, the lactic acid bacteria are going to work on the starches and digest them at least partially, as they do in real sourdough.
You can lower the carb count some on vegetables by pickling them, and turn them into probiotic food, which some studies show helps balance blood sugars. 🙂
Karen, The Probiotic Jar
I’d like to know a sub for the wheat also, please
Sorry, I can’t give you a good substitute because I’ve never made this recipe wheat-free 🙁
i used a wholemeal spelt flour and they were devine!
Is it possible to use gluten/grain substitutes? Millet, quinoa, “organic” corn?
I’m not 100% sure on this. Try it and tell us how it works!
A better known name for it is tapioca starch.
can I use almond flour instead of the whole wheat?
Because almond flour doesn’t have gluten in it, it will be different. I’m not sure how they’ll turn out. I say try it and let us know how it works!
Cornstarch is a substitute, but I would encourage you to find arrowroot starch. It’s not genetically modified and that’s a huge benefit!
Any suggestions if the batter is hella sticky? Tried the above with home ground flour, and it’s soupy, can’t roll it at all…
Weird, the measurements should work perfectly. Sometimes when you freshly grind flour it’s lighter and not as compact as stored flour. Try adding some more flour to soak up the water.
I loved the flavor of these but I had a similar problem, it was more of a batter. It made them quite tricky to roll out and I actually did some in my sandwich press which worked but didn’t have the nice texture of the thicker pan fried ones. I used store bought flour and oil as the fat and I ended up using probably a cup of arrowroot when I was rolling them out. I was wondering if you could describe the consistency the dough should be before you leave it overnight? Is it like pizza dough or should it be slightly stickier? That way we can just eyeball it! They were so freaking delicious I must prefect them! Thanks!
Because of the humidity of each kitchen, the flour to water ratio will be slightly different. I have updated the recipe to start with 3/4 c. water, then add a couple tablespoons if it seems too dry. I’ve also added a picture of what the dough should look like. Hope that helps!
Thankyou! That is absolutely perfect! Round two. ….
I also grind my own flour, and it always measures a lot fluffier than the store bought. I find measuring by weight works better. Also….fyi, the “official” way to measure a cup of flour is to fluff the flour, scoop gently, and then level it by scraping the top with a knife (NOT shaking it down).
Would this work with a pancake mix, say 1 cup flour, 1/2 cup milk, 1/2 cup water, 1 tblspn Lemon juice and 2 eggs? Or would the acid react with the milk and eggs.
A soaked pancake recipe would be a lot different, if I were soaking, I’d wait and add the eggs at the end.
Totally works for pancakes! 1 cup flour and one cup kefir (if your familiar with that) is what I generally use. You can do 1 cup flour and 1/2 cup plain yogurt/1/2 cup milk. Or as you suggested with the lemon juice. Add the rest of the ingredients when your ready to make the pancakes. So super easy.
Any suggestions for substitutes for arrowroot powder?
What do you use as leavening?
You don’t need any leavening agent with this recipe. They turn our beautifully!
I have this soaking on the counter right now. Can’t wait to try!
Thank you, thank you, thank you! Mexican food is my absolute favorite, and I’ve been missing my tortillas!
So I should use regular whole wheat flour and not sprouted whole wheat flour? Is there a difference?
Hello-
The sprouted flour has already been soaked and will not need to be soaked again.
Thank you -Bobbi (DaNelle’s Assistant)