• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Mexican Food Journal logo
  • Recipe Index
    • Salsas & Sauces
    • Tacos
    • Enchiladas and Enmoladas
    • Soups
    • Desserts
    • Fish & Seafood
    • Chicken
    • Beverages
    • Pork
    • Beef
    • Tamales
    • Salads
    • Eggs
  • About
  • Contact
  • Join Community
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Salsas
  • Tacos
  • Enchiladas
  • Beef
  • Pork
  • Chicken
  • Eggs
  • Seafood
  • Soups
  • Drinks
  • Chiles
×
You are here: Home / Cooking Techniques / How to Use a Tortilla Press

How to Use a Tortilla Press

Douglas Cullen, This blog generates income via ads and affiliate links which earn us a small commission.

Como Usar la Prensa Para Hacer Tortillas de Maíz

Nothing beats a homemade corn tortilla. If you have never used a tortilla press (tortilla maker) before they’re simple to use and inexpensive. They are a great addition to your Mexican kitchen.

How to Use a Tortilla Press

Get a Tortilla Press

Time to make some tortillas! Yeah…!

First, You need some dough

Obviously, you are going to need some tortilla dough called masa to make tortillas. The first option, make the dough. You can prepare it using corn flour for tortillas which you should be able to get at almost every supermarket. 

Follow the directions on the package to prepare the dough. The second option, buy the dough. You can buy prepared dough at a local Mexican market. If you are really lucky, you might find masa prepared from ground corn, not corn flour.

If you do have the opportunity to buy ground corn masa buy it. Your tortillas will have a hearty more traditional taste.

Now you have some dough, Let’s get started

Besides the dough and press, you will need 2 squares of waxed paper or plastic to keep your tortillas from sticking to the press.

Most cooks in Mexico cut up plastic grocery bags for the plastic squares although I generally use waxed paper. 

Cut 2 squares of waxed paper just large enough to cover the base plate of the press.

Place 1 square of butcher paper on the base plate. On top of the butcher paper place one ball of dough the size of a golf ball.

How to Use a Tortilla Press 1

Place the other square of butcher paper over the dough.

How to Use a Tortilla Press 2

Lower the top plate onto the dough.

How to Use a Tortilla Press 3

Get a Tortilla Press

Firmly press down on the handle.

How to Use a Tortilla Press 4

The tortilla after the first press.

How to Use a Tortilla Press 5

Grab both sheets of butcher paper with the tortilla in between and flip it over.

How to Use a Tortilla Press 6

Press the tortilla a second time. Notice how the tortilla has extended and is more evenly shaped.

How to Use a Tortilla Press 8

Gently peel the tortilla away from the waxed paper. Your tortilla is now ready to cook.

How to Use a Tortilla Press 9

Get a Tortilla Press

Cooking the Tortillas

heat a comal or griddle to medium-hot. Place a tortilla on it and cook until it starts to lift.

Corn Tortilla on Comal 1

Flip the tortilla until it starts to lightly puff which indicates that it is fully cooked.

Corn Tortilla on Comal 2

The finished product. Keep fresh tortillas warm by wrapping them in a cloth towel or tortilla warmer.

Homemade Corn Tortillas

Provecho!

More Mexican Cooking Techniques

  • How to Use a Molcajete
  • How to Roast and Clean Poblano Chiles
  • How to Use Mole Paste
  • How to Peel Jicama
  • How to Clean Cactus Fruit

More Cooking Techniques

  • How to Peel Jicama
  • How to Use Mole Paste
  • How to Roast and Clean Poblano Chiles
  • How to Use a Molcajete

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. madeinmorelia says

    January 29, 2019 at 6:36 am

    A tortilla press is very nice to have and homemade tortillas are very tasty. We created a company who sells tortilla presses and give recipes for delicious tortillas. The profit of the presses will be donated to the indigenous people of Mexico, so you help yourself and the Mexican community!

    Reply
  2. Doug says

    August 13, 2020 at 5:55 pm

    My Mexican girlfriend taught me to use a quart-sized Ziploc bag, cut open on both sides. The bag bottom acts as a “hinge” that keeps everything from sliding around, and the plastic has just the right weight and slipperiness to use 1 bag for the entire batch.

    Reply
    • Douglas Cullen says

      August 15, 2020 at 7:10 pm

      That’s a great tip!

      Reply
  3. Maria G Serrano says

    September 15, 2020 at 6:26 pm

    How do I clean for the first time

    Reply
  4. Tan says

    December 09, 2020 at 2:46 pm

    Ok

    Reply
  5. Tan says

    December 09, 2020 at 2:46 pm

    Ok

    Reply
  6. Divya says

    January 13, 2021 at 1:30 am

    Well, I am convinced to buy one for my grandma. But I have a dought, do we need to put a lot of pressure on the upper lid to make the dough round?

    Reply
    • Chris says

      January 17, 2021 at 6:28 pm

      You don’t need much pressure at all! Most of these presses are cast iron and the weight does most of the work for you.

      Reply
  7. Avnee says

    February 03, 2021 at 12:25 am

    I am looking for big Rotis for Tawa size.
    can you tell me whats the diameter of this Tawa size roti maker?

    Reply
  8. David Callistini says

    March 05, 2021 at 5:41 pm

    Hi thanks for the instruction, we just started making corn tortillas , and settled on using the hard plastic cutting sheets , like the one shown in your pics, my kids cut them to shape of the press and they work great, additionally once one side is peeled off, that empty plastic sheet is used as sort of a spatula to peel and plop the uncooked tortilla on the skillet.

    Reply
  9. Glen Spencer says

    February 27, 2022 at 3:12 pm

    Hello Mr D my name is Glen, I’m in the process of making another wooden tortilla press made too many mistakes on the first one, I’m wondering the gap size between the plates should it be 1/16 or 1/8, my first one was 1/8 and when I put them in the skillet after I press them out they never puff up so I was using a spatula to do it and even then it worked maybe three times out of 10 anyway thank you for your guidance on this

    Reply
  10. Mark Ronald says

    August 08, 2022 at 3:14 pm

    Thanks team, i am Mark from Africa-Uganda, i love cooking. Can a tortilla be made out of wheat four please?

    Reply
    • Zen says

      November 01, 2022 at 11:42 pm

      Yes it can. Google wheat flour tortillas

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

D. Cullen Profile Picture

Hola, I am Douglas. Let me share my love of Mexican Cuisine with you that developed over 20+ years of living in Mexico.

More about me →


Most Popular Recipes

  • Classic Salsa Verde
  • Restaurant Style Salsa
  • Traditional Sopa de Fideo
  • Red Pork Pozole
  • Chicken Tinga
  • Agua de Jamaica
  • Tres Leches Cake
  • Beet Salad with Feta Cheese and Citrus Balsamic Viniagrette
  • Red Enchilada Sauce
  • Mole Poblano
D. Cullen Profile Picture

Hola, I am Douglas. Let me share my love of Mexican Cuisine with you that developed over 20+ years of living in Mexico.

More about me →


Most Popular Recipes

  • Classic Salsa Verde
  • Restaurant Style Salsa
  • Traditional Sopa de Fideo
  • Red Pork Pozole
  • Chicken Tinga
  • Agua de Jamaica
  • Tres Leches Cake
  • Beet Salad with Feta Cheese and Citrus Balsamic Viniagrette
  • Red Enchilada Sauce
  • Mole Poblano

Footer

↑ back to top

About

  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms & Conditions

Newsletter

  • Sign Up! for emails and updates

Contact

  • Contact

As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

Copyright © 2021 Mexico Publishing LLC