Tortilla Presses, Masa Harina & Taco Tools

Fresh tortillas at home

Freshly made tortillas are simple, satisfying and very different from most ready-made wraps. With good masa harina, a sturdy tortilla press and a hot cooking surface, you can make soft corn tortillas for tacos, quesadillas and other Mexican-inspired dishes.

A tortilla press helps flatten the dough evenly and quickly, giving a more consistent shape than rolling by hand. Cast iron and metal presses are especially useful because their weight does much of the work, helping create an even tortilla without needing excessive pressure.

What you need for tortillas and tacos

The essentials are straightforward: masa harina or nixtamalised maize flour, water, a tortilla press and a hot pan, griddle, baking steel or baking stone. A taco bag or cloth wrap is also useful for keeping cooked tortillas warm and soft while you prepare the rest of the batch.

If you are new to making tortillas, start with the flour and a press, then add accessories such as a taco bag or dedicated pan as you refine your setup. You can follow our tortilla recipe for the full method.

Tortillas & Tacos - FAQs

What do I need to make corn tortillas?

The basic essentials are masa harina or nixtamalised maize flour, water, a tortilla press and a hot pan, griddle, baking steel or baking stone. A taco bag or cloth wrap is useful for keeping the cooked tortillas warm and soft.

Do I need a tortilla press?

You can flatten tortillas by hand or with a rolling pin, but a tortilla press makes the job much faster and more consistent. It helps create an even thickness and a neater round shape with less effort.

What is masa harina?

Masa harina is a maize flour made from corn that has been nixtamalised, then dried and milled. It is the traditional flour used for corn tortillas and gives the dough its characteristic flavour, aroma and handling.

Can I cook tortillas on a baking steel or stone?

Yes, a hot baking steel or baking stone can be used as a cooking surface for tortillas if it is heated thoroughly. A cast iron pan or griddle also works well.

How do I keep tortillas soft after cooking?

Stack the cooked tortillas together and keep them wrapped in a taco bag, clean cloth or covered container. The trapped steam helps keep them warm, flexible and soft while the rest of the batch cooks.

Where can I find a tortilla recipe?

You can follow our tortilla recipe using nixtamalised maize flour or masa harina in the Baker's Blog. It walks through the method in more detail than this category page.