Classic Pressed Corn Tortillas

Name: Classic Pressed Corn Tortillas
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 2 cups (240 g) masa harina, spooned into the cup and leveled; ½ tsp (3 g) fine sea salt; 1½ cups (355 ml) warm water, about 110°F (43°C), plus 1–2 tablespoons more if needed

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Three ingredients, a tortilla press and a hot skillet give you soft, pliable corn tortillas that puff on the griddle and smell of toasted corn. This recipe covers how to hydrate the masa dough correctly, since that is the key to tortillas that don't crack.

Prep: 25 min
Cook: 30 min
Wait: 30 min
Total: 1 hr 25 min
Makes: 18 tortillas (6-inch / 15 cm)

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Steps

Before you start

Use masa harina made for tortillas (such as Maseca or Bob's Red Mill), not cornmeal or corn flour. They are not interchangeable.
Heat the water to about 110°F (43°C), comfortably warm to the touch, so the masa hydrates quickly and evenly.
Cut two squares from a zip-top bag or use parchment to line the tortilla press so the dough doesn't stick.
Plan on a 30-minute rest for the dough. Skipping it is the main cause of cracked edges.

1
Mix the dry ingredients
- In a medium bowl, whisk 240 g (2 cups) masa harina with 3 g (½ tsp) fine sea salt until evenly combined.
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Ready when: No streaks or clumps of salt remain.
2
Add the water
- Pour in about 300 ml (1¼ cups) of the warm water, holding back the rest.
- Stir with a fork until the flour is mostly moistened and shaggy, then knead in the bowl with your hands for 2 minutes, adding more water a tablespoon at a time until the dough comes together.
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Ready when: The dough feels soft and smooth like Play-Doh, with no dry crumbs, and doesn't stick to your clean hands.
Tip: Masa varies by brand and humidity. Add water slowly: it is easy to add more but hard to fix a sticky dough.
3
Rest the dough
- Cover the bowl with a damp kitchen towel or plastic wrap and let the dough rest for 30 minutes so the masa fully absorbs the water.
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Ready when: The dough is slightly softer and more cohesive than before resting.
Tip: If the surface has dried out, knead in a splash of water.
4
Test the hydration
- Roll a ball of dough about the size of a golf ball and flatten it between your palms into a 2-inch disk.
- Look at the edges.
- If they crack noticeably, knead 1 tablespoon (15 ml) water into the dough and test again.
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Ready when: The disk has smooth edges with only tiny cracks, if any.
Tip: If the dough is sticky and clings to your hands, knead in 1 tablespoon more masa harina.
5
Portion the dough
- Divide the dough into 18 equal balls of about 33 g (1⅓ oz, roughly 1½ tablespoons each).
- Roll each between your palms until smooth, and keep them under the damp towel as you work.
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Ready when: Balls are smooth and uniform in size.
Tip: Covered dough stays pliable. Exposed balls dry out within minutes.
6
Heat the skillet
- Set a cast-iron skillet or comal over medium-high heat and let it heat for 3–4 minutes.
- Don't add oil.
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Ready when: A drop of water sizzles and evaporates within a couple of seconds.
7
Press the tortilla
- Place a plastic square on the press base, set a dough ball in the center, and cover with the second square.
- Close the press and push the handle down firmly to make a round about 6 inches (15 cm) wide and ⅛ inch (3 mm) thick.
- Open the press and peel off the top plastic, then flip the tortilla onto your palm and peel off the bottom plastic.
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Ready when: The tortilla is an even round that peels off the plastic cleanly.
Tip: If it sticks, the dough is too wet. If the edges crack badly, it is too dry.
8
Cook first side
- Lay the tortilla on the hot skillet and cook for 30–45 seconds, until the edges start to lift and curl slightly and the underside has a few light brown spots.
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Ready when: Edges lift from the pan and the underside has pale brown flecks.
Tip: Don't move it before it releases easily, or it may tear.
9
Flip and puff
- Flip with a spatula and cook the second side for about 60 seconds.
- Flip once more and cook 15–30 seconds, pressing gently on the center with the spatula if it begins to puff, until the tortilla inflates.
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Ready when: The tortilla has browned spots on both sides and is cooked through with no raw, gummy patches. Puffing is a good sign but not required.
Tip: If tortillas brown too fast or turn stiff, lower the heat to medium.
10
Steam and repeat
- Move each cooked tortilla to a towel-lined bowl or tortilla warmer and wrap in the towel.
- Press and cook the remaining dough balls, stacking them in the towel.
- Let the stack steam together for 5 minutes before serving.
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Ready when: Tortillas fold without cracking.
Tip: Wrapping them while hot is what makes them soft.

Good to know

Tips

Weigh the masa and water when you can. Cups of masa vary, and the right dough is about 1 part masa to 1.5 parts water by weight.
No tortilla press? Press the ball between plastic with the bottom of a heavy skillet or a flat plate.
Keep a cup of water nearby to dampen your hands if the dough starts drying.
Tortillas that are cracked at the edges or stiff after cooking usually mean the dough needs more water.

Make ahead

"The dough can be made up to 24 hours ahead. Keep it tightly wrapped in the refrigerator, bring to room temperature, and knead in a little water before pressing."

Storage & reheating

"Room temperature in a sealed bag: up to 1 day. Refrigerator: up to 5 days. Freezer: up to 3 months, with parchment between tortillas. Reheat each tortilla in a dry skillet over medium heat for 20–30 seconds per side, or wrap a stack in a damp towel and microwave for 30–45 seconds."

Substitutions

masa harina → Fresh masa for tortillas. Use about 480 g (1 lb) and skip the water, adding salt and a little water only if the dough is dry.
fine sea salt → Kosher salt. Use ¾ tsp (Diamond Crystal) or ½ tsp (Morton) kosher salt; or omit if you prefer unsalted.
warm water → Room-temperature water. Works too, but rest the dough a full 30 minutes, as it hydrates more slowly.