jalapeno flour tortillas.

Do you know how many ridiculous ingredients are in flour tortillas from the supermarket?  A lot. I know this because I have a slightly absurd obsession with reading labels in order to better understand some of the ingredients that get added to the simplest of foods.  Out of principle, I don't buy bread that contains 2 inches worth of ingredients.  If I want bread I bake it or I buy it from the awesome French bread shop down the street from my apartment (hi Choc-o-pain!) or I buy Bread Alone bread since they don't add all of that extra junk.  

For a while I struggled with what to do about flour tortillas because there is a certain level of convenience associated with tortillas from the supermarket.  But after another week of wondering why I needed to eat something with azodicarbonamide in it (which is apparently a dough conditioner according to Google and is also used to make yoga mats YUM), I decided to finally tackle the flour tortilla at home and after doing so, I wondered why I waited so long.  These homemade tortillas ate the tenderest version I have ever encountered and FAR superior to anything you can purchase in the stores. They are oh so fluffy and perfect for everything from bean and cheese quesadillas to steak fajitas.  Once you make them once, you'll find yourself looking for things to stuff in them.  

Jalapeno Flour Tortillas 

Recipe adapted (barely) from the Homesick Texan

The original recipe called for roasting a chile and while I normally would have done that, it was cold and I didn't feel like visiting the supermarket for the 10th time that weekend so I added some diced jalapenos and that worked beautifully, just pat them dry before adding them to the dough. The jalapenos can be omitted if you so desire but they make an excellent addition especially if you are using the tortillas for breakfast burritos.  

¼ cup pickled jalapenos, diced small
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup canola or vegetable oil
3/4 cup warm water

To make the tortillas, in a medium bowl stir together the flour, baking powder, and salt until well combined. Stir in the diced jalapeno until well distributed. Pour in the oil and warm water, and stir until a soft dough is formed (if it feels too wet, you can a more flour, a tablespoon at a time.) Cover the dough and let it rest for 1 hour. 

After an hour, divide the dough into 8 balls. Lightly flour a clean surface and one at a time place a dough ball on the floured surface, pat it out into a 4-inch circle, and then roll with a rolling pin from the center until it’s thin and about 8 inches in diameter. If the jalapeno fall out of the dough as you roll, pick them up and then lightly press them in the center of the tortilla, flip the tortilla, and then continue rolling. 

Keep the rolled-out tortillas covered until ready to cook. 


In a dry cast-iron skillet heated on medium high, cook for 30 seconds on one side, flip it and then cook for 1 minute on the other side. It should start to puff a bit. Flip it again and cook for 30 seconds more. Place cooked tortillas in a basket lined with cloth. Repeat process for remaining balls of dough. 

These will keep refrigerated for 1 week.