The Guide to Corn Tortillas (Part 2): Preventing Corn Tortillas from Cracking

We continue with the second part of our guide to corn tortillas. In the first part of this guide, we explore how to heat or re-heat tortillas without running them, and in the second part, we explore how ensure your tortillas don’t crack.

In the same way we did for the first part, we want to offer our consumers a few tips to help them understand why corn tortillas behave the way they do, and why things like temperature and moisture can really affect their texture.

So, let’s jump on this second stage of this journey and let’s help you prevent corn tortillas from cracking.

Cracked tortillas frustrate most taco lovers, but it happens from time to time, and if the tortilla is good, you’ll deal with it. If you are new to tacos and tortillas, you’ll still probably find this frustrating. The tortilla looks fine until you try to fold it, at which point a jagged split runs straight down the middle and makes your experience a bit different.

Let’s start understanding the causes of this issue.

The Root Cause: Dryness and Temperature

Cracking happens when the exterior of the tortilla loses moisture faster than the interior, creating a brittle shell around a still-pliable core. Cold tortillas crack because cold starch is stiff. Dry tortillas crack because there isn’t enough water in the system to keep the starch pliable.

Now, what can we do about that? The solution below focuses on the two situations mentioned above.

For Store-Bought Corn Tortillas

If you buy Tortillas from the store, try to avoid refrigerated or frozen ones. People who buy these types of tortillas use them straight from the refrigerator. The cold starch simply cannot bend without breaking. We recommend considering our tortillas, which are not refrigerated, to avoid having issues when heating them.

Heat them properly before folding. As explained in the first part of this guide, the quick 10 to 20 second pass through a hot skillet softens the starch enough to prevent most cracking. For tortillas that still feel stiff after heating, the damp towel trick helps: wrap the stack in a lightly moistened kitchen towel for a few minutes before using.

Restaurant cooks sometimes dip corn tortillas briefly in warm water mixed with a small amount of oil before heating them on the griddle. The oil creates a thin barrier that slows moisture loss, while the water rehydrates the surface starch. The result is a noticeably sturdier tortilla that survives folding, and even dipping in consommé (for dishes like Birria).

For Homemade Corn Tortillas

If you are willing to work more for your tortillas, and you are not making your life easier by ordering corn tortillas online at our online store, or getting them from your local retailer, we applaud you. Assuming you have a good recipe to make the tortillas, but if your homemade tortillas still crack, that is probably because the masa itself needs attention.

Most cracking traces back to insufficient hydration. The masa should have a smooth and pliable consistency. It should be wet enough to hold its shape without sticking to your hands, and dry enough to press cleanly.

Try to find the balance necessary to ensure your masa has the right balance of hydration. We wish you the best trying to figure out the right method. In the meantime, if you are interested in learning more about tortillas and specifically corn, check our post exploring Mexico’s corn diversity.