Corn tortillas don’t have to be difficult.  With a few tips, a little practice, you can make your own homemade, fresh gluten free corn tortillas using only three ingredients and few simple steps.

If you love making tortillas from scratch you'll want to try these Gluten Free Flour Tortillas next.

We love making gluten free corn tortillas for our gluten free enchiladas. We also love serving them with our gluten free tacos.

Gluten Free Corn Tortillas Recipe

Did you know that it's really simple to make gluten free corn tortillas? There are only 3 ingredients and you can either roll these gluten free corn tortillas out by hand or you can use a tortilla press.

I've included instructions for both so if you don't have a tortilla press, don't worry, you can still make this gluten free corn tortilla recipe.

These corn tortillas are naturally dairy-free and vegan.

Ingredients in Gluten Free Corn Tortillas

Masa flour - I recommend using the Maseca brand corn flour for tortillas.

Salt - I like adding a bit of salt. It enhances the tortilla, but feel free to remove the salt.

Very warm water - Using warm water is important so the masa will soak it up well and bind together.

Supplies to make gluten free corn tortillas

Skillet or cast-iron pan

Mixing bowl

Tortilla press or rolling pin

Tortilla warmer

If you have any questions, please leave me a comment below. I often get asked are corn tortillas gluten free or do corn tortillas have gluten and I've answered that below.

How to make gluten free corn tortillas

1. Stir the corn flour and salt in a mixing bowl. Pour 1 ½ cups very warm water over the masa and mix till combined. If it is too dry add a little more but don’t add the entire amount unless needed.
2. Mix the masa and water well and let sit for 10 minutes. It is important that the masa soaks up the water and this will bind the tortilla together. Kneed the masa for several minutes till dough is nice and pliable and a nice ball is formed.
3. Begin by pinching off a piece of dough and rolling it into large golf ball sized masa balls. Place balls on a plate and keep covered with a towel. (Should make between 14 and 16 balls.)
4. Cut a piece of plastic (I use a gallon size ziplock bag, cut into 2 pieces the size of the press) into 2 pieces. Heat a skillet or cast iron skillet over high heat.
5. Using a tortilla press (you can roll them out with a rolling pin), place one piece of plastic down, place one masa ball on the plastic and cover with the second plastic piece. Press down. May need to turn the masa and press down again. If using a rolling pin, place the masa ball between the two pieces of plastic and roll it out into a circle shape.
6. Gently remove the plastic and place the tortilla on the hot skillet. Cook 30 seconds each side. They may puff up as they cook. Remove from the skillet and place in a tortilla warmer or under a towel.

These numbered steps match the numbered photos above and are for illustration purposes. For the complete list of ingredients and instructions, please see the recipe below.

Are corn tortillas gluten free?

I often get asked are corn tortillas free or do corn tortillas have gluten? If you make homemade, traditional corn tortillas, they don't contain any gluten ingredients. Most store bough corn tortillas are gluten free but you should always check labels.

Why won’t my gluten free corn tortillas stay together?

Using very warm water with your masa is very important. It is also very important to let the masa sit for 10 minutes when you add the water so it will absorb well.

This will help the tortillas stick together. If the tortillas get too dry they will get crumbly so you can add a little more warm water as needed.

You don’t want it to be sticky though and may need to add more masa if so.

Kneading the masa is also very important. It will be like coarse sand when you first start, but as you knead the dough for a couple of minutes it will become smooth and more elastic.

How should I store gluten free corn tortillas?

Wrap in a paper towel and place in a ziplock bag in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days. Warm before eating.

Can you freeze corn tortillas?

Yes, you can freeze gluten free corn tortillas. It's best to thaw them at room temperature and then reheat them in a tortilla warmer. If you heat them from frozen they may dry out and crumble.

How do you freeze gluten free corn tortillas?

To store gluten free corn tortillas in the freezer, place them in a sealable plastic bag. Make sure you keep them separated by placing a layer of parchment paper between each corn tortilla. This will help you separate the tortillas easily when you take them out of the freezer.

Did you make these gluten free corn tortillas? Please leave me a comment below and let me know what you thought.

Continue to Content

Yield: 12

Gluten Free Corn Tortillas

Print

Corn tortillas don’t have to be difficult.  With a few tips, a little practice, you can make your own homemade, fresh gluten free corn tortillas using only three ingredients and few simple steps.

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Additional Time 5 minutes

Total Time 55 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 cups Maseca corn flour masa
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 ½ to 2 cups very warm water

Instructions

1. Stir the corn flour and salt in a mixing bowl. Pour 1 ½ cups very warm water over the masa and mix till combined. If it is too dry add a little more but don’t add the entire amount unless needed.
2. Mix the masa and water well and let sit for 10 minutes. It is important that the masa soaks up the water and this will bind the tortilla together.
3. Kneed the masa for several minutes till dough is nice and pliable and a nice ball is formed. Begin by pinching off a piece of dough and rolling it into large golf ball sized masa balls.
4. Place balls on a plate and keep covered with a towel. (Should make between 14 and 16 balls.)
5. Cut a piece of plastic (I use a gallon size ziplock bag, cut into 2 pieces the size of the press) into 2 pieces.
6. Heat a skillet or cast iron skillet over high heat.
7. Using a tortilla press (you can roll them out with a rolling pin), place one piece of plastic down, place one masa ball on the plastic and cover with the second plastic piece. Press down. May need to turn the masa and press down again.
8. If using a rolling pin, place the masa ball between the two pieces of plastic and roll it out into a circle shape.
9. Gently remove the plastic and place the tortilla on the hot skillet.
10. Cook 30 seconds each side. They may puff up as they cook.
11. Remove from the skillet and place in a tortilla warmer or under a towel.
12. Serve immediately or place in a ziplock bag in the refrigerator and reheat to serve.

Notes

• You can use a rolling pin or a tortilla press to make these gluten free corn tortillas.
• Make sure to spoon the corn flour masa into the measuring cup and then level it.
• Make sure your water is very warm.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

12

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 139Total Fat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 92mgCarbohydrates: 29gFiber: 3gSugar: 1gProtein: 3g

This nutrition info is based on the exact ingredients and brands that I used a the time. It may not be 100% accurate. Please check your ingredients nutrition labels.