How to Make Almond Flour
Save RecipeHi Bold Bakers!
Welcome to the third installment of my Bold Baking Boot Camp. This week we are making our own Gluten Free Flours including Almond Flour, Oat Flour, and Chickpea Flour. Last week, I shared a Sugar Substitutes Chart and the week before I shared my Weight Conversion Chart.
You don’t have to eat gluten free to use nut and oat flours in baking. They are a very common ingredient in today’s world. They give great texture and flavor to your cakes, cookies and recipes in general. I’m going to show you how to make 3 of the most popular gluten free flours with ease and tell you how you can substitute them.
Important Note: All of the flours I’m going to show you can replace regular white flour in recipes like cakes, cookies, crepes, cupcakes, etc. However because of their different texture and density you generally don’t substitute a gluten free flour for the same amount of a nut flour, 1:1. Gluten free flours aren’t generally as fine as regular white flours so they will absorb liquids differently and that’s why you will use less flour to counter that.
How to Substitute Almond Flour:
You can substitute 1 cup of regular white flour for roughly 1/3 -1/2 cup Almond Flour (aka Almond Meal). I say roughly because it really depends on the recipe you are making.
Learn how to make more gluten free flours including Oat Flour and Chickpea Flour. And stay tuned for next week when I’ll show you how to make Dairy Free Milks. In case you missed previous episodes, you can get a Sugar Substitute Chart and a Weight Conversion Chart.
- Whole raw almonds , unsalted and not roasted
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Using a high powered blender blend the almonds for roughly 1-2 minutes until fine and powdery. Take care not to overblend or the nuts will start to release their oils and you will end up with nut butter.
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Sieve the almonds to remove any lumps of nuts. You can save the bigger pieces to snack on or add to smoothies.
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Store in a labeled airtight container for 8 weeks or even in the fridge to keep them fresher for longer.
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Could I use a food processor for this?
Hi Amanda,
Yes you could but just be really carefully not to blend for too long or you end up with almond butter. Watch the video for more tips.
Best,
Gemma.
Would I be able to use a hand blender by any chance
Unfortunately no, not for this recipe. I feel like that will end up making almond butter.
Hope this helps,
Gemma.
Hi I just want to say that I actually soak the almonds overnight and when I then blend it I pour the mixture through a cheese cloth – so then I have almond milk and the “powder ” that stays behind I then smooth out on a baking tray and leave it to dry – so then I use that “flour” to mix with other goodies. I havent tried baking ONLY with that but I might as well
WOW, that’ a great trick, ill have to try that!
Would I be able to use a ninja blender to make the almond flour??
Hi Nancy,
Sure you can, just do not over load it,
Gemma 🙂
Hello, Gemma! I actually like your recipes a lot and I tried some of them. I just wanted to ask: why do we have to use almond flour for macarons? And if I used normal all-purpose flour instead of almond flour for macarons, what is going to change? And will it have an effect on the taste?
Thank you for these recipes! ;D
Hi Angeline,
Some recipes require specific ingredients, and this is one of them. Macaron are a traditional French treat, if you swap out the almond flour/meal, tit will be a totally different thing. A good experiment though!
Gemma 🙂
Hi Gemma,
so I have an older style blender, not flat bottomed. I tried to grind up some almonds but they got cakey before they were ground fine enough to be used in recipes. I tried, for the heck of it, to use my food processor too, just pulsing a few times. The mixer still got caked on.
Is there some way to dry out almonds or is there just regular oils released causing the nuts to not grind up more? Maybe I need a better blender, like a Vita-Mix.
AH yes, that can happen, i suggest just pulsing not blending and yes you might need a higher powered machine.
I have question. Is there a specific reason you specify the nuts not be roasted, or that simply because theyre more often found raw rather then roasted? Do you know if the end product would differ if nuts are roasted, aside from flavor?
Roasted nuts would have a far less neutral flavor so i like to use raw.
Ok. Thank you!
Salam Gemma,can I substitute almond Flour in French macaroons,thanks.
Hi Maryam,
You can sub it for another nut flour like hazelnut but apart form that I don’t think you will get the same result with another ingredient.
Best,
Gemma.
Gemma,
Love your site, has a lot of great info. I was wondering about LCHF(Low Carb High Fat) diet and baking. With all the “new” substitute flours/ glutens for structure and elasticity. Have you tested out these new alternatives? There has got to be a blend of items like Almond flour and Arrowroot, Xanthum gum, Gelatin, Ground Flax seed, Unflavored Isopure Whey protein powder to make our baked items as close to the unsubstituted items.
Hi Desiree,
Here are just a few of my LCHF recipes https://www.biggerbolderbaking.com/?s=keto . Have a look around my site for even more. 🙂
Best,
Gemma.
what machine do you use to powder nuts?
Hi Karen,
I used a kitchenaid blender but any high powdered blender will work.
Best,
Gemma.
hi iam fatima from pakistan…iam yours great fan…my nephew is celieic and in pakistan gluten free flour is very much expensive.we have to some times buy it online from others countries….so we never try to use gluten free flour for cakes as we just use flour for making our bread..i just want to request you to post gluten free cake recipies using almond or chickpea flour,,so that i can bake cake for my nephew upcoming birthday
Hi Fatima,
Yes, and this is an issue for lots of people, and very difficult to deal with in some places.
(https://www.biggerbolderbaking.com/flourless-chocolate-cake/) this recipe will work well for you, and it is delicious too.
I will get to the GF cake idea, I have put this on my list. Thank oyu for being in touch,
Gemma 🙂
How do I use almonds? The nuts and or flour. Eat the nuts or take the flour as tea? Anxiously expecting details on almonds use. Thanks.
Hi there,
Almonds are a highly nutritious food. Ground almonds are knows as almond flour/almond meal or just ground almonds. They are a great addition to many bakes, and a large part of a sponge type recipe frangiapane, in macaron too. This is also used in rich fruit cakes/Christmas cakes and puddings too.
Almond flour is now commonly added to other flours to make a gluten free flour for celiacs and people who prefer to be without wheat in their diet.
Eat the nuts, a handful of raw, or lightly roasted nuts will benefit your health.
Not tea! no no no! that would not be good. add them to cookie bakes, and sponge cake recipes, to add richness and moisture, experiment. Make almond milk! (https://www.biggerbolderbaking.com/almond-milk/). I hope this is of help to you, use this nut, it is a great fruit.
Gemma 🙂
Do the almonds have to be skinned to make almond flour?
They don’t have to be skinned. Mine were not.
Gemma 🙂
My husband has heard that coconut flour is very good for diabetes patients. I have made, and use oat flour after seeing your videos. I appreciate your site very much, it is helping us by giving a wider range of recipes for our attempt at choosing to eat healthier, due to the need to control sugar levels. Do you use or make coconut flour, and if so would you please share it?
Thank you,
Edie
Hi Edie,
I’m thrilled to hear that!!! Thanks so much for trying out my recipes. I don’t have a recipe for coconut flour but leave it with me and I’ll see what I can do. I’m not 100% sure it can be made at home.
Best,
Gemma.
It can be made at home. Nigerians use coconuts a lot…for cooking and other purposes. Once the coconut milk has been extracted from the blended pulp…the chaff is dried and then blended into flour. Same with almonds
How many almonds do I need to make 1/2 cup almond flour?
Hi Maria,
I think you will need a cup of whole, skinned almonds to make 1/2 cup of flour. Cup measurements are a measure of volume, when you blitz the almonds the volume will reduce, so 1/2 cup should really be about right,
Gemma 🙂
Hi Jemma, is it possible to use an immersion blender to make the almond flour?
Hi Nadia,
I do not think this will work with a stick blender, I think it will bind in it. Perhaps if the almonds were already crushed, but somehow I cannot imagine it working, I am sorry.
A pestle and mortar may work better for you, if you have a large solid one.
Thank you for this question,
Gemma 🙂
Could you please tell us what brand of blender you are using in your nut flour video? Thanks
It is a kitchenAid Torrent blender Debbie. It is a high powdered blender that is really helpful for these flours. There are loads of good ones on the market. I also like cuisinart a lot.
🙂
Thank you
Can I milk almonds and dehydrate the leftover pulp to make flour?
Hi Rob,
Actually yes, this is perfectly possible. By then the pulp will have lost some of its’ nutrients, but it is a great way to use it up.
Spread it thinly on a tray, pop into a preheated oven (100C/200F) for about 1 1/2 hours – 2 hrs, keep an eye on it, it should feel dry to the touch. Allow it to go cold before processing it. There you go! no waste,
Gemma 🙂
Can I use almond flour instead of white flour in your receipts . If so what are the ratio almond flour to white flour
Hi Mary,
Yes you can use almond flour instead of flour. Just note it might give your treats a different texture or end result.
Hope this helps,
Gemma.
Hi gemma,
I have to make cookies and they require almond meal. Can I substitute this almond flour with almond meal.
Thankyou
Mareeha,
Hi Mareena,
Almond meal is really the same thing, it is ground almonds, usually the meal is a little coarser than the flour, and will have no added ingredients.
It really will depend on the recipe, macarons are good with the finer flour,
Gemma 🙂
I am from India and almond flour is quite expensive here .. can I substitute it with rice flour for macaroons??
Hi Anita,
NO! Macaron are made with almond meal, end of story! Almond meal is finely ground almonds, nothing else will do for this particular thing.
Macaroons are made with coconut, desiccated/dried coconut strands to be precise. (https://www.biggerbolderbaking.com/3-ingredient-coconut-macaroons/) these are very nice too, but not macaron!
I am sorry, I cannot give you any comfort here,
Gemma 🙂
Can we make macaroons with this almond flour
Hi there,
Macarons are made with almond flour, Macaroons are made with coconut.
You can try Aqua Faba for macaron, though I do not have this recipe. Do a little research into this ,it is worth it,
Gemma 🙂
Hi Gemma!
this is Lance from the Philippines and i loved and would usually use some of your recipes as i practice baking although i am a fine arts graduate, i have loved cooking because of my mom and now im into baking and i mwould say that all your recipes are very accessible and the ingredients you incorporate are relatively the same ones that are sold here in our country! More Power Madam!
Hi there Lance,
Thank you for being with us. It is great that you are in the kitchen, it is light relief after all of the study, and we all need to eat!
I am happy that you can find the ingredients where you live, this can be a challenge for some people. Fresh dairy cream can be a particular issue for some people in some places.
Keep us informed of your progress in baking, we are getting our forum up and running shortly!
Gemma 🙂
While pulsing the almonds in a blender if you end up with almond butter can you get it back to almond meal ?
great question. Unfortunately there is no going back when you make butter. Ik now there is a fine line from flour and butter. Next time do it in shorter spirts.
Hope this helps.
Hello Gemma,
I love baking but in my country Ghana which is in Africa its hard to come across some of the things you use in in your videos.Butter and fresh milk are the most expensive baking ingredient in my country and margarine is very cheap.Is margarine good for baking as compared to butter? Please do a video on how to make all purpose flour and cornstarch.
Hi there Demetria,
It is good to have you with us in Ghana, so many lovely followers, from all over the world.
Margarine is ok for baking, some people choose to use this. I am lucky that I can get butter at a reasonable price here in the USA, so this is what I prefer to use.
All purpose flour is white, plain wheat flour, without any raising agent added. It is sometimes called cream flour too! just a different name.
I do not think I can make cornstarch! Tapioca flour or arrowroot will be good instead 🙂
Hi gemma,
I am so much in love with all your recipes.
Can I substitute these gluten free flours in any of your cake recipes??
Take a look at the chart. I tell you how to use these flours.
When you change an ingredient you change the results, and this will change a recipe.
It is however worth trying these. I would use almond flour for the chocolate cake. Cut down the recipe in order to experiment.
You will also find recipes online which are designed for these flours, use google!
Gemma 🙂
can i use this Almond flour to make Macarons
Hi Madu,
In a word yes!
To add a few words, sieve it well before using, that is important for this recipe,
Gemma 🙂
please make fruit infused water
Hi there Nabeel,
Would this be too basic? I will see what I can come up with,
Gemma 🙂
Thank you very much ,it’s useful, greetings from HK.Maria.
Hi Maria,
Good to have you with us in HK. I am happy that this recipe suits you, lots more to come,
Gemma 🙂
Hi,
Can I use this almond flour to make French macaroons…? ☺.. Love your videos.. Extraordinary Gemma
Thanks
Francea
Hi there,
Yes! you certainly may. You can use blanched almonds too for this (skinned), grind them really finely and double sieve. That will do it,
Gemma 🙂