From-scratch Baked Tortilla Chips

You can make your own crunchy from-scratch tortilla chips that are crispy like the deep-fried version, but make them completely in the oven. It’s straightforward to cook crispy tortilla chips like the ones at your favorite Mexican restaurants.

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Baked Tortilla Chips Recipe

From-scratch Tortilla Chips are the ultimate upgrade for taco night, appetizer spreads, and afternoon snacks. Once you know how to cook your own tortilla chips, you’ll be obsessed with these crunchy snackers.

Whenever we plan a party, we are not afraid to pick up some store-bought appetizers. Anything to make the night go a little easier is fine with us.

But we have a rule for myself we always want to make One thing From-scratch. If we can do more? Great. But one is a great start!

We brought out our from-scratch tortilla chips for a recent get-together with some Avocado corn salsa And it reminded us that we've been wanting to share it for years.

These crispy, evenly-seasoned, from-scratch baked tortilla chips are a great DIY dish to bring to taco night, serve at parties or enjoy for a little afternoon snack.

Why you will come back to this from-scratch tortilla chips recipe

Bet you didn’t know tortilla chips would be so satisfying and straightforward! Here’s why you will come back to them:

• Quick and straightforward, these from-scratch baked tortilla chips require no frying at all — they’re baked in the oven!
• Made with only three ingredients, they are a budget-friendly treat.
• They’re a great way to use up leftover corn tortillas!
• They are satisfying dipped in from-scratch salsa or your favorite dips

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Ingredients to make your own from-scratch tortilla chips

Here’s what to grab at the grocery store for these from-scratch chips:

• Corn tortillas – You can use any size, but they need to be corn. Yellow and white both work. The thinner the better.
• Avocado oil spray – This is what helps to make evenly crisped chips.
• Coarse kosher or sea salt – Salt is key to a great tortilla chip!

Flour tortillas do not work as well, so we don’t recommend them.

Seasoning for tortilla chips

Sea salt and kosher salt both make great salty seasonings for tortilla chips, but you can have fun with other seasonings as well.

Here are some tortilla chip seasoning ideas:

• Taco seasoning
• Garlic salt or garlic powder
• Tajín chili lime seasoning
• Chili powder
• Fajita seasoning
• Cayenne pepper
• Squeeze of fresh lime juice
• Cajun seasoning

Keep in mind that if you use a seasoning that contains salt, you will want to pare back on the regular salt and add it to taste.

We suggest using a seasoning shaker to help you distribute the seasonings evenly over the chips.

Best oil for from-scratch baked tortilla chips

Using a spray oil is great for evenly coating tortillas with oil before baking. If you don’t have a spray oil, you can brush the oil on with a pastry brush, but it’s a little more time consuming.

As for types of oil, avocado oil gets our vote for its light, neutral flavor, but you can use olive oil cooking spray too for similar results.

Canola and vegetable oil would also work, but stay away from flavorful oils like coconut oil unless you don’t mind the taste.

Invest in your own oil spray bottle that you can fill with your favorite cooking oil.

How to make tortilla chips

Ready to learn how to cook chips out of tortillas? Let’s take it step by step.

1. Before you get started, go ahead and preheat the oven to 450°F.
2. Then cut each corn tortilla into 8 triangles. You can use a sharp knife, kitchen shears, or even a pizza cutter for this. We usually cut them in half, then into quarters. Then we cut the quarters in half to make eighths.
3. Feel free to cut them into squares, strips (our favorite to add to Taco salads) or circles with a cookie cutter.
4. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spray the parchment paper with avocado oil. This will make sure the bottom sides of the tortillas have oil without having to spray and flip.
5. Arrange the corn tortilla triangles on the parchment paper in one layer making sure they do not overlap. Work in batches if needed.
6. Spray the top of the cut tortillas with avocado oil spray, then sprinkle the tortillas with coarse salt and any seasonings you wish to add.
7. Bake them in the oven for 4 minutes. Remove them from the oven, flip them, and then bake for an additional 2-3 minutes, keeping a close eye on them. They can burn quickly!
8. Remove them from the oven when they’re starting to be golden brown and allow them to cool completely before eating. They will get even crunchier as they cool down.
9. Enjoy your own satisfying crunchy chips!

Tips & Tricks

Thin corn tortillas are key to a crispy baked chip. Don’t use flour tortillas, however — they’re not the same.

Make sure they’re in a single layer on the baking sheet. If they overlap, they won’t cook as evenly.

You can also spray or brush them with oil before cutting them. It’s a bit messier because you’ll have to handle the oiled cut pieces, though!

Pay attention to the chips nearing the end of the bake time because they will burn easily.

They will get crunchier as they cool. Fresh out of baking, they will be a little bit chewy. Be patient and let them cool down! The hot oil needs to cool completely.

If you want to absorb any extra oil from the chips, you can place them on some paper towels once they’re cooled.

Products used to make from-scratch tortilla chips

Knife set

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Baking sheet

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Parchment paper

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How to warm tortilla chips

Tortilla chips can be warmed on a baking sheet in a 350°F oven until warmed through, about 5 minutes. This will help to recrisp them.

How to store from-scratch tortilla chips

Let the chips cool completely before storing them. Not doing this can result in heat escaping in the container and making your chips soggy. No bueno!

Then you can store them in a gallon-sized ziptop bag or large airtight container. Squeeze as much air out of the bag as possible to keep them from going stale. They can last for about a week.

What to do with leftover corn tortillas

Making from-scratch tortilla chips in the oven is a great way to use up leftover corn tortillas. You can use yellow corn tortillas or white corn tortillas.

Dips for tortilla chips

Tortilla chips and dips go hand in hand. (Does talking about dips make anyone else sing, “When we dip, you dip, we dip?”)

Salsa, Guacamole And Queso Are the ultimate trio, but these crunchy dippers work for so many other kinds of dips, such as:

• Bacon Ranch Dip
• Cranberry Jalapeño Dip
• Smoked Queso
• Jalapeño Artichoke Dip
• Green Chile Queso Dip
• Pizza Dip

What to eat with tortilla chips

If you have leftover tortilla chips and you’re out of things to dip them in, never fear! Here are some of our favorite ways to eat tortilla chips:

• Make a house favorite nachos. These Sheet pan nachos Are always a hit, especially when served all the way.
• Turn them into a crunchy topping. Crumble the chips over a soup like Taco soup Or a casserole like Walking taco casserole.
• Serve them on the side. Try them alongside a Burrito bowl Or a big plate of Fajitas.

What to do with leftover tortilla chips

If stored properly, from-scratch tortilla chips can be enjoyed later on!

While they do taste great all on their own, here are 10 things you can do with leftover tortilla chips:

1. Dip into your favorite salsa, guac, or queso for a snack.
2. Cover them with toppings for nachos.
3. Bake them into taco casseroles.
4. Add some crunch to a Burrito.
5. Crumble them over salads.
6. Enjoy on the side of main dishes like Tacos.
7. Serve them with soup or Chili.
8. Use them rather than pita chips for hummus.
9. Layer crumbles onto a Southwest burger.
10. Or try Breakfast nachos.

FAQ

Why are our from-scratch tortilla chips chewy?

If tortilla chips have not cooled down all the way, they might be a little chewy. They will get crunchier as they cool down.

Also, tortilla chips can be chewy if they have not been fully baked. Cook them a little longer, keeping a watchful eye so they don’t burn.

Prep 10 minutesCook 6 minutesMakes 128 chips

Ingredients

• 16 thin corn tortillas
• avocado oil spray
• coarse kosher or sea salt

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 450°F.
2. Cut each corn tortilla into 8 triangles.
3. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spray the parchment paper with avocado oil. This will make sure the bottom sides of the tortillas have oil without having to spray and flip.
4. Lay the corn tortillas on the parchment paper in one layer making sure they do not overlap.
5. Spray the top of the tortillas with avocado oil spray.
6. Sprinkle the tortillas with coarse salt.
7. Bake them in the oven for 4 minutes.
8. Remove them from the oven, flip them, and then bake for an additional 2-3 minutes.
9. Remove them from the oven and allow them to cool completely before eating. They will get crunchy as they cool.

Notes

• Make sure they’re in a single layer on the baking sheet
• You can also spray them with oil before cutting them. It’s a bit messier but works well.
• They will get crunchier as they cool. Fresh out of baking, they will be a little bit chewy.
• Pay attention to the chips nearing the end because they will burn easily