Homemade Almond Flour Recipe
Blanching loosens the papery skins so the finished flour is pale and fine instead of speckled and coarse, and grinding in short pulses with rest breaks keeps the almonds' natural oil from breaking down into almond butter.
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 25 min
- Total
- 55 min
- Servings
- 6
Ingredients
- 2 cups raw whole almonds, skin on
- 4 cups water, for blanching
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 276
- Protein
- 10g
- Carbs
- 10g
- Fat
- 24g
Based on the recipe as written, one serving. Recalculates if you swap an ingredient above. An estimate only, exact values depend on the specific ingredients used.
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Instructions
- 1Bring the water to a rolling boil in a medium saucepan.
- 2Add the raw almonds and boil for exactly 60 seconds, then drain immediately and transfer them to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking.
- 3Once cool enough to handle, pinch each almond between your fingers to slip the skin off; discard the skins.
- 4Spread the peeled almonds in a single layer on a clean kitchen towel and pat off as much surface moisture as possible.
- 5Transfer the almonds to a baking sheet and dry in a 200°F (95°C) oven for 20-25 minutes, stirring once halfway through, until they're completely dry but not browned; alternatively, air-dry them uncovered overnight.
- 6Let the dried almonds cool completely to room temperature before grinding.
- 7Working in batches of about 1 cup, pulse the almonds in a food processor in 5-second bursts, scraping down the sides between pulses, for 45-60 seconds per batch, until fine and powdery. Stop as soon as it looks like flour, don't let it run continuously.
- 8Sift the ground almonds through a fine-mesh sieve. Return any coarse bits left in the sieve to the processor and pulse again briefly.
- 9Store the finished almond flour in an airtight container.
Tips & variations
- For the finest, most cake-like flour (the kind used in French macarons), sift twice and weigh the flour rather than measuring by volume.
- Skip the blanching step entirely to make almond meal instead of flour; it grinds the same way but keeps the skins on for a coarser, speckled texture.
- Chilling the almonds and the food processor bowl in the freezer for 15 minutes before grinding helps prevent the oil from breaking down.
- Roasting the blanched almonds lightly before grinding (300°F for 8-10 minutes) adds flavor but darkens the flour and shortens its shelf life slightly.
Storage & reheating
Store almond flour in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 months, or in the freezer for up to 6 months; the fat content makes it prone to going rancid at room temperature. Bring to room temperature before using in baking so it measures accurately.
Tips from the Tulo kitchen
- Adding a spoonful of the sugar or flour called for in the final recipe to the food processor along with the almonds helps absorb excess oil and keeps the grind drier.
- If the flour starts clumping or looks damp partway through grinding, stop immediately, it's already close to turning into almond butter.
FAQ
What's the difference between almond flour and almond meal?
Almond flour is made from blanched, skinless almonds and has a fine, pale texture; almond meal is made from almonds with the skins left on and is coarser and darker. They can often be swapped in recipes, but almond flour gives a smoother crumb.
How much almond flour does 2 cups of almonds make?
About 1.5 to 1.75 cups of ground flour, since the volume decreases slightly and some coarse bits get set aside during sifting.
Why did my almond flour turn into almond butter?
Running the processor continuously instead of pulsing generates enough heat and friction to release the almonds' natural oil. Stick to short bursts and stop as soon as the texture looks like fine flour.
Do I have to blanch the almonds first?
No, but skipping it produces almond meal rather than true almond flour; the skins add flecks of color and a slightly coarser bite, which matters most in delicate baked goods like macarons.
Can I use store-bought slivered or sliced almonds instead of whole?
Yes, and they grind slightly faster since they start smaller, but the skins are usually already removed on sliced almonds, so check the package if you want true blanched flour.