Sonoran Whole Wheat Tortilla Dough

Name: Sonoran Whole Wheat Tortilla Dough
Prep time: 33 min
Cook time: 18 min
Total time: 51 min
Yield: 12 servings
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 3 cups (360 g) whole wheat flour, spooned into the cup and leveled, plus extra for dusting; 1 tsp (4 g) baking powder, fresh; 1½ tsp (9 g) fine sea salt; ⅓ cup (75 g) lard, soft, at cool room temperature; 1 cup (240 ml) water, warm, about 110°F (43°C)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A soft, pliable, nutty whole wheat tortilla dough made the Sonoran way with lard, warm water and salt, rolled thin and cooked on a hot dry comal until freckled and puffed.

Prep: 33 min
Cook: 18 min
Wait: 1 hr
Total: 1 hr 51 min
Makes: 12 tortillas (8-inch / 20 cm), from about 690 g dough

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Steps

Before you start

Measure the flour by weight if you can. Whole wheat flour packs easily, and too much flour makes stiff, dry tortillas.
Use lard at cool room temperature, soft but not melted, so it rubs into the flour in small flakes.
Plan on about 2 hours from start to finish. Two rests (30 and 20 minutes) are what make the dough easy to roll thin.
Warm the water to about 110°F (43°C), comfortably warm to the touch but not hot.
These tortillas are cooked entirely on the stovetop on a dry comal or skillet.

1
Whisk dry ingredients
- In a large bowl, whisk the whole wheat flour, baking powder and salt for 30 seconds until evenly combined.
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Ready when: No streaks of salt or baking powder remain; the flour looks uniform.
2
Rub in the lard
- Add the soft lard in small spoonfuls.
- Pinch and rub it into the flour with your fingertips for 2–3 minutes, breaking up any clumps.
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Ready when: The mixture looks like coarse, damp sand and holds together when squeezed in your fist.
Tip: If the lard is melted or very warm, it will make the dough greasy rather than tender. Chill it for 10 minutes if so.
3
Add the water
- Make a well in the center and pour in the warm water.
- Stir with a fork, then your hand, for about 1 minute until a shaggy dough forms and no dry flour remains at the bottom of the bowl.
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Ready when: A sticky, shaggy mass with no dry patches.
Tip: Whole wheat absorbs water slowly. Resist adding more flour now; the dough firms up as it rests.
4
Knead until smooth
- Turn the dough onto a lightly floured counter.
- Knead for 4–5 minutes, pushing with the heel of your hand, folding and turning, until it is smooth and slightly tacky.
- Form into a ball.
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Ready when: The dough is smooth, springs back slowly when pressed with a finger, and doesn't stick to your hands.
Tip: Dust with only a teaspoon or so of flour at a time to keep the dough soft.
5
Rest the dough
- Return the dough to the bowl and cover with a damp towel or plastic wrap.
- Let it rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
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Ready when: The dough feels softer and more elastic, and stretches without snapping back hard.
6
Divide and shape balls
- Cut the dough into 12 equal pieces of about 57 g (2 oz) each.
- Roll each piece between your palms into a smooth, tight ball, pinching any seams underneath.
- Place on the counter, not touching.
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Ready when: Each ball is smooth and round with no cracks.
Tip: Weighing the pieces gives evenly sized tortillas that cook in the same time.
7
Rest the balls
- Cover the balls with plastic wrap or a damp towel and rest for 20 minutes.
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Ready when: A ball flattens slightly and holds a finger dent when gently pressed.
Tip: Keep them covered. Exposed dough forms a dry skin that cracks when rolled.
8
Heat the comal
- During the last 5 minutes of the rest, set a dry (ungreased) comal or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat.
- Do not add oil.
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Ready when: A few drops of water sizzle and evaporate within 2–3 seconds, and the surface is evenly hot.
Tip: Too cool and tortillas turn stiff and dry; too hot and they scorch before cooking through.
9
Roll thin rounds
- Flatten one ball with your palm on a lightly floured counter.
- Roll from the center outward, giving the dough a quarter turn after every stroke, to an 8-inch (20 cm) round about 1/16 inch (1.5 mm) thick.
- Roll 2–3 tortillas ahead, then keep rolling as you cook.
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Ready when: The round is thin enough to see your fingers faintly through it and has an even edge.
Tip: If the dough shrinks back as you roll, it needs a few more minutes of rest. Cover and wait 5 minutes.
10
Cook on the comal
- Lay a tortilla on the hot comal.
- Cook 20–30 seconds until the top shows small bubbles and the underside has pale brown freckles.
- Flip and cook 30–40 seconds until it puffs in places.
- Flip once more and cook 10–15 seconds.
- Transfer to a towel-lined plate and repeat, wiping off any burnt flour from the comal between batches as needed.
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Ready when: Both sides are dotted with light to medium brown spots, the tortilla is puffed in spots and flexible, with no raw doughy patches.
Tip: Don't press down on puffs. Overcooking, more than about 1.5 minutes total, makes the tortilla crisp and brittle.
11
Steam in a towel
- Stack the cooked tortillas in a clean kitchen towel and fold it over to cover.
- Let sit for 10 minutes before serving.
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Ready when: Tortillas feel soft and bend easily without cracking.

Good to know

Tips

Keep the dough slightly tacky. A dough that feels dry at first usually softens fully after the 30-minute rest.
Rolling tortillas while the previous one cooks keeps the comal busy and the pace steady.
If tortillas turn out stiff, the comal was probably too cool or they cooked too long; aim for about 1 minute total.
Weigh the dough balls for consistent size and even cooking.

Make ahead

Make the dough through shaping the balls (step 6), then wrap the balls individually or place them in a lightly oiled airtight container and refrigerate up to 24 hours. Bring to room temperature for 30 minutes before rolling.

Storage & reheating

Room temperature: wrapped in a towel inside a zip-top bag for up to 2 days. Refrigerator: airtight for up to 5 days. Freezer: stack with parchment between each and freeze airtight up to 3 months. Reheat for 15–20 seconds per side on a hot dry comal or skillet, or wrap a stack in a damp paper towel and microwave 30 seconds.

Substitutions

lard → vegetable shortening or cold unsalted butter. Use the same weight (75 g). Shortening gives the closest texture; butter adds flavor but makes slightly less pliable tortillas.
whole wheat flour → half whole wheat flour (180 g) and half all-purpose flour (180 g). Gives a lighter, softer tortilla; you may need 1–2 tablespoons less water.
baking powder → omit. Tortillas will be denser and puff less, but still tender with lard and a good rest.
water → warm whole milk. Use the same amount for a richer, softer tortilla that browns faster, so lower the heat slightly.