These (15-minute!) gluten free and keto tortillas are super pliable, easy-peasy and make the best low carb tacos… at just 2g net carbs a pop!
15-Minute Gluten Free & Keto Tortillas
Suuuper pliable, 2g net carbs & not eggy (at all!!)
I’m very (very) excited to share this recipe for keto tortillas with you guys! Because know that I’m (half!) Mexican i.e. I know tortillas.
The result is a nice and pliable tortilla which will puff when cooked. An ideal replacement for flour tortillas (or corn, for that matter). All for your taco’s delight!
Oh, and did I mention just 1 egg for 8 tortillas?! Yup, no eggy business here here peeps.
Also note that this recipe was first published here on October 17th, 2017… and has since appeared in multiple other websites (ahem!!). Just know that you saw it here first (plagiarism is the greatest form of flattery right?! 😉
The Flours
The original recipe is a mixture of super fine almond flour (I love Anthony’s) and coconut flour (again Anthony’s best taste and texture by a mile!). Add a touch of xanthan gum, baking powder, and we’re golden.
The Substitutes
I know you guys need to substitute often (allergies, preferences etc), so this should come in handy:
- Almond flour can be substituted with sunflower seed flour on a 1-to-1 ratio. Given its similar fat and protein content to almond, this really is the best sub out there for those of you with nut allergies! Just note that its generally not ground as fine as almond and it has a different flavor profile, but I know you guys love it as you report back on it often.
- Coconut flour is a bit of a trickier one to sub as its more unique in its behavior, but still totally doable (as I found out in the naan recipe!). In fact, when yeast is involved, oat fiber had the best texture out of the lot, arguably as it is a grain. Oh, and the neat thing about oat fiber is that it’s virtually carb-less (I’m assuming there’s a trace, but labels read 3g carbs – 3g fiber = 0 net carbs!). Also keep in mind that brands vary a lot here and Lifesource seems to be the best (no weird aftertaste, etc).
- Xanthan gum is the trickiest of the lot to sub, because of its totally unique ability to act like a binder to replace gluten. Which means that for best results I suggest not trying to sub this one. Having said that, in case of allergies or sensitivity (or if paleo), you can use 1 tablespoon of psyllium husk powder instead. The dough won’t be a as malleable, but results will still be solid.
The Method
Couldn’t get any easier tbh! You simply whisk together the flours (very thoroughly!), add them to your food processor, add in a touch of apple cider vinegar (or any neutral tasting one), add in the egg and a touch of water. The dough will then come together into a ball, which you’ll wrap with plastic wrap and knead for a couple minutes (think sort of like a stress ball!).
No food processor? No worries! You can use your hand or stand mixer or even do it by hand with a little extra elbow grease. I don’t suggest using blenders though, as the dough is quite stiff and it could damage your engine.
And for the roll out, using a tortilla press is much easier (I use this one!). But it works just fine with a rolling pin and two pieces of parchment paper.
One last (very important!!) thing: when cooking, coconut flour burns rather rapidly. So while this does help you to get the traditional charred marks of flour tortillas, you do need to keep an eye out for them to keep them from burning. Having said that, you do want your skillet to be very hot in order for the tortillas to cook quickly (in under a minute) and stay pliable. Like any tortilla, if the heat is not high enough it will harden and crack.
Taco Ideas!
You’ll soon find that our keto tortillas are incredibly versatile! You can make crisp taco shells with them, use them up for fish tacos and carnitas, burritos, turn them into tortilla chips (and subsequently nachos!), taco bowls… you’ve got plenty of options!
And last, but not least, I’ve also since found that the tortilla dough has multiple uses (outside of Mexican food, that is)! So I suggest you check out our Crazy Keto Dough for more deets (think cinnamon roll knots, pizza and pasta!).
(15-Minute!) Gluten Free & Keto Tortillas
Ingredients
- 96 g almond flour
- 24 g coconut flour
- 2 teaspoons xanthan gum
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 egg lightly beaten
- 3 teaspoons water
Special equipment
Instructions
- Add almond flour, coconut flour, xanthan gum, baking powder and salt to food processor. Pulse until thoroughly combined. Note: you can alternatively whisk everything in a large bowl and use a hand or stand mixer for the following steps.
- Pour in apple cider vinegar with the food processor running. Once it has distributed evenly, pour in the egg. Followed by the water. Stop the food processor once the dough forms into a ball. The dough will be sticky to touch.
- Wrap dough in cling film and knead it through the plastic for a minute or two. Think of it a bit like a stress ball. Allow dough to rest for 10 minutes (and up to three days in the fridge).
- Heat up a skillet (preferably) or pan over medium heat. You can test the heat by sprinkling a few water droplets, if the drops evaporate immediately your pan is too hot. The droplets should ‘run’ through the skillet.
- Break the dough into eight 1” balls (26g each). Roll out between two sheets of parchment or waxed paper with a rolling pin or using a tortilla press (easier!) until each round is 5-inches in diameter.
- Transfer to skillet and cook over medium heat for just 3-6 seconds (very important). Flip it over immediately (using a thin spatula or knife), and continue to cook until just lightly golden on each side (though with the traditional charred marks), 30 to 40 seconds. The key is not to overcook them, as they will no longer be pliable or puff up.
- Keep them warm wrapped in kitchen cloth until serving. To rewarm, heat briefly on both sides, until just warm (less than a minute).
- These tortillas are best eaten straight away. But feel free to keep some dough handy in your fridge for up to three days, and they also freeze well for up to three months.
All I can say is WOW! I think my eyes might have rolled back into my head after the first bite! So delicious! Taco night is now a reality for me again. I stuffed them with my homemade Mexican chorizo, grilled shrimp, avocado and bit of cilantro. A M A Z I N G! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
P.S. The super picky 3 year old definitely gave her seal of approval. Haha! I think I’m going to make another batch tomorrow and season them up and toast them to be like little crackers for her.
These were phenomenal. Tha k you so much for this recipe. They were so easy to make and so pliable. It tasted and felt just like a regular tortilla 😊
Hi Grace! So glad you liked them and thank you for your note! xo Paola
Whaaat did I just eat low carb??!! These. Are. Ridiculous!!! THANK YOU! Ive done this low carb life for years & always wanted a real tortilla…. but gave up. until tonight! I just pulled chicken enchiladas out of my oven….!! for reals!! SWOON!! You’re amazing!
hahahaha blushing here!! Comments like this make it all worth it! Glad you loved them Jenny! xo Paola!
WOOOOOW! These are wonderful. Followed the recipe to the letter and it came out wonderful! thank you for having it in grams, makes for precise baking!
If we store the tortillas for the next day, can we use the microwave to reheat them?
Hi Yvette! I’m no sure, I don’t own a microwave anymore….!
HOW can you NOT have a microwave?! You’re a food blogger!!
hahaha! I’m a hippy food blogger…! 😉 Gave it away years ago!
Just wanted to let you know that I made a double batch of these…..froze some (cooked) and had the rest in the fridge. I made chips out of them (the ones that were refrigerated) and they were still perfect 8 days later! The freezer ones did just fine, too. I defrosted them over night & they were still great!
Oh NICE! Thanks SO much for the feedback! I’d never tried them frozen (will add to the FAQ section I’m building!). XO! Paola
Not sure if you want to include this, but I did gently vacuum seal them in a plastic bag and individually wrapped in parchment paper. Hope that helps! This is my go-to for lots of meals so I needed to always have some ready! Thanks again for this recipe, it honestly makes life so much easier (and delicious!)
I’m a fan of VERY detailed instructions so in my book every detail counts! Thanks again Angie!
Hello Angie, how did you make the chips? Germaine
I made these as well as the PB cookies and they’re delicious! The BF was impressed as well
Oh man, the comment above has me seriously cracking up!! the stuff you food bloggers have to deal with…! My ‘not corn tortilla’ didn’t taste like a corn tortilla…!!! Laughing my a** off for real!
These are great, thanks a bunch for the recipe! Best low carb tortilla by far!
Hello, Even though I have made regular flour and corn tortillas these are nothing like the real thing but they are pretty good. Being mexican and on a keto diet its hars being without these babies. Thanks for the recipe. Mine did not puff up like flour or corn tortillas, not sure why any thoughts? Thanks again for your hard work on this recipe.
Hi Nanette! Yup, I’m Mexican as well so I know the struggle…
Though of course they cannot taste like corn tortillas because well, they’re made out of almonds and coconut hahaha! ;).
They generally do not puff up if they’re not thin enough or if the pan is not hot enough. You really should be getting 8 5-inch tortillas out of one batch.
Que las disfrutes! Paola
Have you ever used them to make a quesadilla?
😉 https://www.gnom-gnom.com/gluten-free-keto-mexican-sincronizadas/
I’m not sure where I went wrong. Made tortilla chips and they were waaaayy too sweet with the coconut flour. The tortillas were definitely too thick so the texture was more like pita chips, but doubt that related to the flavor. Really ruined the nachos we made. But I don’t think it’s the recipe based on how much everyone seems to love them. Guess I’ll try to sub coconut flour with oat fiber.
Finally, a good low carb “flour” tortilla! Thanks for the recipe!!
Hi Suzanne! Thank YOU for all the love! So glad you liked the tortillas as well! xo Paola
I am IN LOVE with these tortillas!! My son thinks they are the real thing!! I was wondering if there is a keto substitute for the xanthan gum. It has been causing some uncomfortable side effects, unfortunately 😔
AWESOME!! I’m glad you and your son love them! I’ve fed them to friends down here in Mexico, and they also pass the test 😉
Regarding a sub for xanthan gum… there isn’t a perfect one unfortunately. BUT, have you tried guar gum? It’s the most similar thing I’ve tried, though I cannot say if it would work 100% with the tortillas.
I did hear from a reader who made them with flax meal and he said that while they weren’t pliable, he still reported back that they were fantastic tostadas. Not the same, but… ?
Hope this helps! xo Paola
Hi actually I subbed 3 tbsp of psyllium husk powder for guar gum and only added 2 tbsp coconut flour and mine were perfect and pliable. I also added 1/4 cup coconut milk (from the can) in one batch and they ere also perfect.
Oh my goodness… I rarely leave comments on food blogs, but I just have to say that this recipe made my whole day! I’m so sick of the typical texture of almond/coconut baked goods, but this was off the charts good! They were perfect for our pulled pork tacos tonight, and it made me totally forget I was eating low carb for a minute. Thank you so much for a recipe that will now be a staple in our home!
Jenny thank YOU! Means a lot that you took the time to write back! 😉
Glad you guys loved them! xo Paola
these tortillas are honestly getting me through keto! even just one or two a day with eggs or meat and i feel i’m getting in some carbs. totally awesome!!
Awwww sucks Dianne! I must say that these guys have also made my life with keto MUCH easier! i.e. I also have them daily 😉 Thank you SO much for getting back! xo! Paola
Bless you. Seriously. I have tried a gazillion keto/low carb/grain-free/etc. tortillas and none of them left me satisfied. Even the best were, “Well…..it’s not really a tortilla…..but it’s ok.” Until now.
I think I had my heat too low (read about the burn potential and absorbed that but totally skipped over the too low heat problem until after I’d made them) and I was thinking they’d be a flop because they got hard and stiff and weren’t pliable at all once they were cooked. I kept going anyway thinking at least I could try them as tostada shells. Imagine my surprise when I finished cooking and unwrapped the towel I’d kept them warm in and they were soft and foldy just like a tortilla!
The kids are going to be thrilled tonight with REAL soft tacos instead of jicama rounds as *shells.* Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Hi Tiffany! Thank you for your comment, it truly means a lot!
Trust me, being Mexican and on a permanent keto diet, getting tortillas right was truly a mission for me…! 😉
And thank you for letting me know about how yours softened up when wrapped in a towel! I’m preparing a FAQ section to help readers out with what I’ve seen to be common issues, and this is such a great fix. I usually keep them wrapped anyways, but had no idea it would make them pliable! Great stuff 🙂
xo and thank YOU for getting back! Paola
Hi Paola!
Just wanted to let you know that I’m making the dough again today with the intention of using them as dumplings. The dough seems so much like REAL dough that I suspect it will work beautifully. I’ll update after supper with the results!
Hi Tiffany! Please do report back!! I would be super duper interested in seeing how it works! I’ve been experimenting quite a bit with it as well and it seems that the possibilities are rather endless (think spring rolls!). Thank so much for your message! xo Paola!
This recipe looks amazing and I am super excited to try it. I can’t believe I’m only just now discovering your website.
I notice that you have vinegar and baking powder in the recipe, but no baking soda (and I’ve seen that in your other recipes as well!). For some reason, I thought that was a no-go, and that that would make things taste bitter? Did I make that up? I remember back in the day when making biscuits, if I used buttermilk or yogurt, as well as baking powder, I’d always have to add a bit of baking soda to neutralize the acid of the yogurt so it didn’t react with the powder. But now I’m wondering if I misremembered or totally got that wrong!
Hi Courtney! Thank you for your lovely comments 😉
Regarding the vinegar, you usually add it (or another acid such as yogurt buttermilk etc, as you mentioned) to react with the baking soda and make it not taste bitter. For some reason (probably due to the double rise in baking powder), baking powder works best in this recipe (solo). And given that baking powder is also primarily baking soda (and a weak acid etc), the vinegar does the same effect here. It actually helps to neutralize that soapy taste and get the reaction going (which emits CO2). This is particularly important here, as cooking time is short of a minute. But vinegar in general also helps to tenderize gluten free baked goods. A teaspoon or so will do, but these guys needed a little extra.
From reading what you used to do of adding baking soda to neutralize the acid in yogurt, I gather was to help amp the baking powder. By adding more baking soda you were indeed neutralizing the acid somewhat, leaving the baking powder abilities in tact. But here we’re actually trying to get the reaction going while the dough is resting.
In other of my baked recipes (muffins etc) you’ll see that I generally call for both baking powder and baking soda for the reason you mentioned.
So you’re not wrong at all, just different uses of the same chemical reaction 😉
xo! Paola
Hi Paola! What is the serving size in your nutritional box? Is it one tortilla?? If so about how many tortillas do you consistently make from one batch.
Thanks!
Hi Vanessa! The serving size is indeed per tortilla (2g net carbs), and I consistently get 8 normal sized tortillas (by Mexican standards, like the ones in the video), or 9 for taquitos (smaller tortillas that we use for tacos al pastor, carnitas etc). You really do want your tortillas to be VERY VERY VERY thin, as these have the tendency to thicken up and puff up when cooked. xo!
Hi again Vanessa! I took the liberty of doing a bit of weighing up with two batches of tortillas I did this weekend. So the total weight of the dough is 208g, so for 8 tortillas each round should be 26g (roughly 1 1/2 inches in diameter). I generally prefer weighing, as its much more precise. xo! Paola
Paola, these are amazing! Can you give me total nutritional facts for the WHOLE batch of dough? I think it is easier to count for my macros depending on how many tortillas I make out of a batch at a time (ie, if I make small tortillas vs large tortillas). Please let me know so I can add it to my spreadsheet!
*yes…im a nerd and have a food spreadsheet for counting my macros*
That’s awesome to hear Kelsey! Also I hope you understand, but I cannot calculate specific nutritional facts per request (I get about 30 per day!) I would have no time left lol 😉 xo!
What if I’m allergic t almonds, can I just use coconut flour? If so how do. Adjust the recipe ?
Hi Bonnie! Unfortunately all almond flour is a no go… they come out crumbly and chalky. Have you tried using sunflower seed flour? We heard a couple readers tried this and it worked well for them.
Hi Paola,
Bonnie asked about using ALL coconut flour INSTEAD of almond flour. I too have NUT ALLERGIES in my house and keep away from them. Has anyone tried JUST coconut flour and if so, what are the changes in amounts when eliminating the almond flour.
Hi Lauren!
Oh man, thank you that was a typo.. I def meant to say all coconut flour would come out all crumbly!! ALL coconut flour will def not work! As I suggested to Bonnie, have you tried sunflower seed flour? I did hear it came out alright? I suppose it might taste a little different, but it’s the closes thing to almonds out there (as its also relatively fatty).
Hi,I made these with the same amount coconut flour, then did 48 g of sunflower seeds and 48g of pumkin seeds., This truly was the best keto tortilla! And I’ve made a few!
Hi Karen! THANK YOU so much for reporting back with your almond flour subs (SO VERY HELPFUL!)!. And I’m so glad you’re enjoying them too! xo! Paola
Is there any way to freeze and reheat the tortillas. Is there a way to save left over tortillas if so how long?
Thanks!
Hi Christina, tbh we haven’t tried to freeze the tortillas cooked. We have, however, popped them in the fridge. Once cooled, we just popped them in a ziplock bag and put them in the fridge. They were alright reheated (even good, depending on how picky you are about your tortillas!), but they were not excellent as when just made. Hope this helps! xo
I made these yesterday for fish tacos and they were amazing. Today I used them as mini pizza crusts and OH MY GOODNESS absolutely perfect!! Thank you so much! This makes keto even better now!
Hi Angie!! Glad you love them!! Ahhh fish tacos… don’t even start!
It seems that we’re on the same track regarding the pizza, as we’re working on a recipe using this dough (though adding in a bit of active yeast ;)!). XO and THANKS for reporting back!
Ohhhh mmmm geeee my active yeast and I will be anxiously awaiting!! :)) thanks again for this, it really makes the transition to eating healthy so much easier when you can remake your favorites!
Is it possible to make these with only coconut flour? I’m allergic to all nuts so the almond flour is a no go 🙁
Hi Caitlin! Unfortunately all coconut flour is a no-go. Are there any other flours you can use? Sun-flour (sunflower seed flour) would be a better nut-free sub to try (we have not tested it though!). X
I have the opposite problem – I have a coconut allergy and can’t risk the coconut flour. What would be a good substitute?
I made them with just almond flour as I didn’t have any coconut flour and since it was mostly almond flour I just watched my heat made sure I cooked my quickly and it also seem to only need one teaspoon of water as it was already very sticky without the coconut flour I’m not sure maybe my egg was too large. But they turned out beautiful and pliable and delicious
BEST keto tortilla recipe BY FAR! I still cannot understand how the taste is neutral?! None of that weird chalky or coconut weirdness… not to mention eggy!
It took me a few tries to figure out the heat, but by the 4th tortilla they were puffing!
-Em
I subbed the water for yogurt, added cilantro, crushed garlic, a little extra salt to the batter and coated them in ghee very close subsitute to naan and delicious with korma
Oh Marisa those sound like some GREAT subs! Thanks for getting back to us on your naan take 🙂 xo!
UNREAL!! These tortillas are PURE SORCERY! How is it that they taste just like the real thing?!!!
Hahaha! We find them pretty magical ourselves Jar! Glad you loved them ✨
Omg! I’m trying them this weekend…
But, could I use the dough to fill out a pizza too?
Yeah definitely! Check out our recipe for deep-dish pizza, it uses a version of this dough 😉 xo!
Can you just add more water to replace the apple cider vinegar? I have an allergy to vinegar (sulfites) so I can’t cook with it…
Hi Melissa! You can, but note that your tortillas will not be as pliable. You do need to decrease the baking powder to 1/2 teaspoon, as you won’t have the vinegar to react with it (otherwise your tortillas may taste slightly of baking powder!). Hope this helps! xo
I hadn’t been this happy with a recipe in so long! Happy to be using my tortilla press again thank you!!!
I got 9 tortillas? I made them about 4 inches wide
Thank you Diana! Glad you liked them :)!!
I made these today for National Taco Day and can’t wait to have a few for dinner! My only issue was that there was NO WAY I was getting 8 tacos out of this recipe! I ended up with three and that was with using a typical tortilla press (which I think is 5 inches?). Are they supposed to be super-thin?
Hi Nicole! WOW that’s a big difference! I just measured our tortilla press and it’s 6 inches (though for 8 tortillas we generally make them about 5-51/2 inches in diameter). We start with about 1 1/2 inch rounds and then press them between parchment or plastic paper until SUPER thin! Even if you think they are too thin before cooking, the dough actually puffs up when cooked! Let us know and happy National Taco Day! 😉 xo!
Well that clearly was my mistake then! I pushed my press as hard as I could but they were still probably thicker then you’re saying they should be. I’m going to make more tomorrow so I’ll make them super thin 🙂
Metric conversion please.
Hi Beverly! Just click on US CUSTOMARY at the bottom of the ingredient list and it’ll change it from grams to cups 😉 xo!
Hi again! So I made these for dinner last night and I’M IN LOVE!! In all honesty, it took me a while to get the temp of my skillet right. The first two browned so quickly!! But then I turned down the heat and did the 3 second, 30second and 30 second flips actually counting and they began to puff up!
Is there a way to upload a pic?!
THANK YOU! They taste great and are so easy to make!
Hi Jennifer! We’re SO glad you loved them! We’re fairly in love with them as well ;). Unfortunately you cannot upload a pic here yet, but can you tag us in social media?! Would love to see how they turned out! xo!!
Can this be made without a food processor?
Hi Desiree! You technically can, but you’ll be exercising your arms quite a bit to mix in the egg with the flour. But you should refrain from adding more than 1 tablespoon water (preferably just 3 teaspoons). Once you get the dough covered with cling film, be sure to ‘knead’ it against the counter for a bit longer (say 3 minutes). You will be activating the xanthan gum and helping to distribute the moisture. Hope this helps and let us know if you’ve got any other questions. xo!
I made them without a food processor, 3 t. of water but the dough was not sticky and I may not have kneaded it “longer” enough. They tatted fine but were not pliable at all. What would help that?
Hi Lisa! Did you use the xanthan gum? And if so which brand? Xanthan gum is incredibly sticky and slimy once wet, so that’s what makes it sticky to touch (and why you need to knead it through seran wrap to activate it). Otherwise another reason why they weren’t pliable could be that your pan wasn’t hot enough? Hope this helps? xo Paola
Can I use a kitchen aid mixer?
Yes!
Yes I measured all my ingredients into a medium sized plastic bag and just kept gently kneading until it all came together and was even . It only took a couple of minutes then I let the dough rest in the same bag and no cleaning up.
Thank you for such beautiful recipes, after the success with your pie crust I’ll be sure to try this one asap as well! -Emily
Thank you Emily! We’re so happy to hear your enjoying our recipes 😉 xo!
Hi there! I tried this recipe and it was so good!i just want to ask, how long can it be kept for if the tortillas have already been cooked?is it better kept chilled or frozen?also if i chill or freeze them, how should I reheat them to keep it pliable.thanks!
Hi Jamie! Happy you like these! Regarding the storing, I would keep them in an airtight container for a couple days and just give them a quick reheat in a hot skillet again. Otherwise these do freeze well (just make sure to place a divider between each tortilla). The dough also keeps well for roughly 5 days in the fridge. xo!
Sounds wonderful! I’m not keen on coconut flour, can I sub it with a bit more almond flour?
Unfortunately no, they’ll be more like crackers otherwise. xo
I did exactly that with just the almond flour make sure I cooked in the quickly and they were pliable. But I will try it with the coconut flour next time I just didn’t have any. And love these by the way thank you so much. I also only need one teaspoon of water rather than 3 maybe my egg was large
Hi Beth! Coconut flour absorbs much more water, so if you skipped it that would explain the water. xo and happy you loved the taste!
Susan – I don’t care for coconut flour either, neither the texture or the flavor – but you really can’t tell there is coconut flour in them
Beth – We couldn’t taste the coconut flour when we made them, especially with the strong flavors of the other taco ingredients. They were fabulous and my teens loved them even before they found out they were keto!
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Hi! I’m new to the keto diet, on the serving is it 4g of carbs per tortilla?
I will be trying this recipe for dinner. 🙂