Gluten Free Flour Tortillas

These soft, flexible gluten free flour tortillas are dreamy! Literally. I’ve been imagining tortillas like these that don’t completely crumble and fall apart.

If you’ve been dreaming the same dream, this recipe is for you. With just a few ingredients you’ll have perfect homemade gluten free flour tortillas in no time at all. Now bring on the tacos!

Do I need a tortilla press to make this recipe?

No, you don’t need a tortilla press for this recipe! All you’ll need is a rolling pin and a little bit of elbow grease. The dough for this recipe needs to be rolled super thin, so while a tortilla press would be really handy - it’s definitely not necessary. (Full disclosure - I don't own one.)

If you want to invest in a tortilla press, you absolutely can. They’re also handy to press out tartlet dough, pasta, small pizza crusts and even crackers.

Here’s why this recipe is so great

This gluten free flour tortilla recipe is so great because it comes together quickly and doesn't require a ton of ingredients. There’s nothing like fresh, homemade tortillas, especially when I have yet to find a store-bought brand that doesn’t fall apart!

The best part is you can make these ahead of time and freeze them for later. Gluten free flour tortillas whenever you want them!

Ingredients

Here is what you’ll need to make your very own gluten free flour tortillas:

• Tapioca starch (tapioca flour): from the roots of the cassava plant, this gluten free flour is what gives the recipe its lightness
• Brown rice flour: a heartier gluten free flour, this adds density to the dough
• Millet flour: also a heavier gluten free flour and adds some extra nutrition and fibre to the recipe
• Psyllium husk: the essential gluten free binder that brings the flours together
• Salt
• Xanthan gum: another gluten free binder that provides elasticity to the recipe
• Olive oil: provides flexibility and reduces stiffness in the tortillas
• Water: hydration is essential in gluten free recipes!

Substitutions to the recipe

If you don’t have all of the ingredients listed, or want to change things up because of dietary restrictions or preferences, here are some suggestions:

• All purpose gluten free flour: Don’t have all of the flours listed? GIve a gluten free all-purpose flour a try. If it already has xanthan gum added, omit it from the recipe. As always, if you change up a gluten free flour, results may not be exactly what you expect!
• No brown rice or millet flour: These flours are similar in densities and are mild flavoured, so you can use them interchangeably. If switching these flours for other ones such as buckwheat, oat, sorghum or teff, the flavour profile will be different and may also result in a denser tortilla. Monitor the amount of water you add, as different flours will need different hydration amounts.
• No tapioca starch: substitute this flour with similar gluten free starches such as arrowroot starch or cornstarch.
• No xanthan gum: if you don’t have or don’t want to use xanthan gum, try substituting with the same amount of ground chia seeds, ground flaxseeds or cornstarch.

How to measure gluten free flours

This recipe provides two ways to measure out your gluten free flours: by volume or by weight. By far, my preferred method of measuring is by weight, since it gives a really, really accurate bake (which is exactly what temperamental gluten free food needs).

• To weigh the flours, use a basic kitchen scale. You can either tare the flours (set the scale to zero) between each addition or measure them out separately and then combine. The more you weigh out ingredients, the easier it gets.
• If measuring by cups (and tablespoons), don’t scoop the flours. This can lead to compacting more flour than is needed into the measuring cup, which will throw off your recipe big time! Use a clean spoon to add in the flour into each measuring up and level off as needed.

How to make this recipe

Making these gluten free flour tortillas is so easy!

Start by combining all of the dry ingredients into a large-sized bowl. Add in the olive oil and mix to combine. You may notice a few clumps in the dough, but that’s ok at this point.

One tablespoon at a time, add the water to the dough and incorporate with each addition. The dough will eventually become quite sticky, but once all the water is added and the dough is fully mixed (and even kneaded a bit), it will come together in a smooth ball.

Divide the dough into 12 equal balls and roll until each tortilla is approximately 6-7"/15-17cm in diameter. (They will be very thin.)

Over a dry frying pan heated over medium high heat, place one tortilla in and cook on either side for 1-2 minutes, until the dough is bubbling and slightly browned. Be careful not to overheat as this will result in brittle tortillas.

How to make the softest gluten free tortillas

A soft, bendable tortilla is a dream come true for people on a gluten free diet. In order to achieve just that with this recipe, here are a few tips:

• Use the tapioca starch. This gluten free flour is lighter and adds a fluffiness to the tortilla that can’t be matched. If needed, only substitute with another starchy flour (see the substitution section).
• Don’t skip the oil in the dough. The oil helps keep things soft when baking, so we all don’t end up with brittle, breaking tortillas. Choose a good quality cold-pressed oil in a dark glass jar and store it away from heat and light.
• Don’t overcook them. These tortillas cook quickly - just 1-2 minutes per side - so be sure not to overcook them. You’ll end up with tough, brittle tortillas which are not wrap-friendly at all!

Tips for making gluten free flour tortillas

Here are a few tips to follow to make sure your gluten free tortillas are the best they can be!

• Trim the edges to make a perfect circle. If you’re a bit of a perfectionist (hello, you’re in good company!) and want circular tortillas, use a small plate to trace the tortilla and cut away any excess dough with a knife.
• Roll the dough and cook consecutively. While you roll out one tortilla, have another one already in the pan cooking up. It takes a bit of practice and coordination, but once you’ve got the rhythm, it makes cooking these tortillas even easier!
• Use a dry, hot frying pan. No oil is needed in the pan, since you’ll be able to easily flip the tortillas without any issue in a nonstick pan. Lightly flouring the tortillas during rolling also helps.
• Store the finished tortillas on a plate covered with a clean tea towel. This will help trap moisture and prevent them from drying out.

Help! Something went wrong with the recipe!

• If your tortillas are brittle: add more water and/or oil to your dough or decrease your cooking time.
• If your dough is crumbly: add more water while mixing. The dough will be slightly sticky and wet before becoming easier to handle.
• If the dough is tearing when you roll it out: ensure your surface and the rolling pin are lightly floured with brown rice flour or millet flour prior to rolling. If you have a few small tears in your dough, pinch them together with your fingers to fix.

How to store gluten free flour tortillas

These gluten free flour tortillas taste amazing right out of the pan, but they can also be stored for later use. My preferred storage method is to freeze them once cooled in between sheets of parchment paper and wrapped tightly in plastic or in an airtight container.

How to reheat gluten free tortillas

When you need to defrost these gluten free flour tortillas after freezing, simply remove the plastic wrap or container and place them individually on a plate. Reheat for 10-15 seconds in the microwave. 

You can also heat a frying pan to medium-high heat and defrost right in the pan (be sure not to overcook or burn them in the process).

What to eat with these easy gluten free flour tortillas

I’ve been known to eat these tortillas plain (right out of the pan!), but we also use them for tacos and wraps. Fill them with Vegan Egg Salad With Chickpeas or use the buffalo chicken filling from my Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Peppers recipe. The options are endless!

Recipe

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Gluten Free Flour Tortillas

Sick of gluten free flour tortillas that split and fall apart? Make these ones at home! With just a few ingredients, you’ll have delicious homemade tortillas that don’t crumble when you fill ‘em up!

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time20 minutes mins

Total Time30 minutes mins

Course: Basics, Bread

Cuisine: Mexican

Keyword: gluten free

Servings: 12 tortillas

Author: Ashley Schmidt - This Simple Kitchen

Ingredients

• 1 cup + 3 tablespoons (140g) tapioca starch
• ¾ cup (110g) brown rice flour
• ¾ cup + 2 tablespoons (110g) millet flour
• 2 tablespoon (12g) psyllium husk
• ½ teaspoon (4g) salt
• 2 teaspoon (6g) xanthan gum
• ¼ cup (44g) olive oil
• 1 cup (240g) water

Instructions

• In a large bowl, mix together the tapioca starch, brown rice flour, millet flour, psyllium husk, salt and xanthan gum.
• Add the oil in with the dry ingredients and mix until combined. Small clumps may form and that’s ok!
• Incorporate the water into the mixture, adding one tablespoon at a time. Mix the dough until it becomes wet, sticky and thoroughly combined. Additional mixing, or kneading by hand will result in the dough coming together in an easy to manage ball.
• Divide the dough into 12 individual small balls, by either eyeballing the amounts or using a kitchen scale.
• Roll out one tortilla on a lightly floured surface (using either millet or brown rice flour). Roll until the tortilla is approximately 6-7"/15-17cm in diameter. If you want perfect circles, place a small plate or bowl on top of the rolled dough and trace around with a knife, gently removing excess. Re-roll any extra dough into the next tortilla.
• Heat a nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat until it’s fully warmed.
• Once warmed, place the tortilla in the pan and cook for 1-2 minutes on each side until the tortilla starts to bubble and slightly brown. Don’t overcook or the tortilla will become brittle.
• While the first tortilla is cooking, roll out the second tortilla.
• Continue this process until all tortillas have been rolled and cooked. Store tortillas temporarily on a plate covered with a clean tea towel to trap in moisture and prevent drying out.

Notes

• Storage: Freeze tortillas in between sheets of parchment paper in an airtight container or wrapped in plastic.
• To reheat: Place frozen tortillas individually on plate and microwave for 10-15 seconds. Alternatively, tortillas can be defrosted and warmed in a hot frying pan.