How to Make Almond Flour (2024)

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A question we are commonly asked: Is there a difference between almond meal and almond flour?

The answer: YES!

The Difference Between Almond Meal and Almond Flour

While almond meal is typically made from raw (unpeeled) almonds, almond flour is made from blanched (peeled) almonds.

Compared to almond meal, almond flour has a finer texture and lighter color. These differences are even more pronounced when comparing almond flour to almond meal made from leftover almond pulp (all three versions pictured below — top: almond meal from pulp, middle: almond meal from raw almonds, bottom: almond flour).

When to Use Almond Meal vs Almond Flour?

Almond meal and almond flour can typically be used interchangeably in quick breads and cookies and they are great gluten-free alternatives to traditional flours.

But for recipes where a more cake-like consistency and less pronounced almond flavor is desired, almond flour is definitely the way to go because of its lighter texture, color, and neutral flavor.

You can see an example of where we used almond meal in these 5-Ingredient Vegan Gluten Free Cookiesand an example of where we used almond flour in this1-Bowl Vegan Gluten Free Vanilla Cake.

How to Make Almond Flour

Making homemade almond flour is very simple! It requires only 1 ingredient, 1 blender, and 5 minutes.

Simply add blanched almonds to a blender and blitz until a fine, powdery flour is achieved. You know you’ve gone too far if it starts turning to almond butter instead.

Not only is it simple to make, but homemade almond flour tastes fresher and is usually more cost-effective than storebought.

Almond Flour Recipes

Now that you’ve made almond flour, it’s time to put it to use!

This nutrient-rich flour lends itself well to cookies, cakes, and so much more! We typically like to use a mix of flours in a recipe in order to achieve the ideal texture and flavor.

Here are some of our favorite recipes using almond flour as an ingredient:

Vegan Gluten-Free Vanilla Wafers
Fluffy 1-Bowl Sugar Cookies (Vegan + GF)
The Perfect Vegan Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies
Fudgy Vegan Brownie Cookies
Almond Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
Peanut Butter Cup Cookies (V/GF)
5-Ingredient No-Bake Peanut Butter Thumbprints
1-Bowl Vegan Gluten-Free Carrot Cake
1-Bowl Vegan Gluten-Free Vanilla Cake
Creamy Pumpkin Pie Bars (V + GF)

If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo#minimalistbakeron Instagram. Cheers, friends!

How to Make Almond Flour

Simple tutorial showing how to make almond flour. Great for gluten-free and grain-free baking with just 1 blender, 1 ingredient, and 5 minutes required.

Author Minimalist Baker

Print SAVE

5 from 3 votes

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 5 minutes minutes

Servings 6 (1/4-cup servings)

Course Helpful How-to

Cuisine Baking, Gluten-Free, Grain-Free, Vegan

Freezer Friendly 3 months

Does it keep? 1 Month

Ingredients

US Customary – Metric

1 ½ cups blanched almonds (slivered or whole)

Instructions

Add almonds to a high-speed blender and blend on high until a fine, powdery flour is achieved. We recommend turning the blender on the highest setting for 5-10 seconds. Then stop, shake the blender container, and hit the sides to shake loose any clumps that have formed on the sides. Blend again until fine and powdery— all in all about 10-15 seconds of blending. You’ll know you’ve gone too far if it starts turning to almond butter or clumping up on the sides.
Check your blender for bits of nuts and continue blending, occasionally removing your blender from the base and shaking to ensure all almonds are well blended.
Transfer to a jar or container and store up to 1 month unrefrigerated, often longer. See notes for recipe suggestions.

Video

Notes

*Nutrition information is a rough estimate.
*Here are some of our favorite recipes using almond flour as an ingredient:

Vegan Gluten-Free Vanilla Wafers
Fluffy 1-Bowl Sugar Cookies (Vegan + GF)
The Perfect Vegan Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies
Fudgy Vegan Brownie Cookies
Almond Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
Peanut Butter Cup Cookies (V/GF)
5-Ingredient No-Bake Peanut Butter Thumbprints
1-Bowl Vegan Gluten-Free Carrot Cake
1-Bowl Vegan Gluten-Free Vanilla Cake
Creamy Pumpkin Pie Bars (V + GF)

Nutrition (1 of 6 servings)

Serving: 1 quarter-cup servings Calories: 214 Carbohydrates: 6.8 g Protein: 7.8 g Fat: 19 g Saturated Fat: 1.4 g Trans Fat: 0 g Cholesterol: 0 mg Sodium: 7 mg Potassium: 239 mg Fiber: 3.6 g Sugar: 1.7 g

Reader Interactions

Leave a Comment & Rating!

All commentsI made thisQuestions

Henri says
March 28, 2024 at 7:52 am
Hey the Team,
Hope you are doing well !
For Blondies or Brownies you recommend Almond Flour not meal?
Because Meal has more flavor but more dense than Almond flour…
And can we use Cashews to make Cashew flour and replace Almond flour with it in recipes?
Moisture will be same?
Please let me know…
Henri 🙂
Reply
- Support @ Minimalist Baker says
  March 28, 2024 at 8:42 am
  Hi Henri, Thank you! We hope you’re doing well also! Yes, we do recommend almond flour because it’s more cake-like vs. wholesome. Cashew flour can work well in place of almond flour, but the higher fat content means it can turn out more oily. We would suggest using slightly less oil to compensate. Hope that helps!
  Reply
Teresa says
December 8, 2023 at 9:52 pm
I have blanched almond slivers but I have roasted them will they still work. Thanks for your input.
Reply
- Support @ Minimalist Baker says
  December 11, 2023 at 11:01 am
  Hi Teresa, we would not recommended making almond flour from dry roasted almonds, the flavor and texture will not be right. However you could make some delicious almond butter! Hope this helps!
  Reply
linda f collins says
May 25, 2023 at 1:33 pm
I have bag of whole almonds that have been invaded by bugs. Trying to salvage them by washing them under running water and have cleaned them up. Do I now put them in oven to dry? If so, what temp. and how long?
Reply
- Cindy says
  See Also
  Substituting Coconut Flour for Almond Flour - dummies How to Make Almond Flour Almond Meal vs. Almond Flour: What's the Difference?Why Almond Flour Is Better Than Most Other Flours
  July 28, 2023 at 11:33 pm
  Ma’am, I’m not being rude or disrespectful. But more concerned about cleanliness, and bacteria from said bugs. I know almonds can be higher priced, but I would NEVER suggest to anyone to try salvaging ANYTHING that one thinks has been invaded by bugs!! I am sorry but I would never want to try someone’s recipe with an ingredient that had previously been invaded by bugs. How do you know what bacteria might have made it in there, and now is contagious?
  Reply
Michael says
May 19, 2023 at 4:54 am
Misleading title! 5 mins?!
Unfortunately the video only shows the final step!
Reply
Karen says
April 19, 2023 at 9:49 am
I was given several big bags of roasted almonds can I still use these to make almond flour,meal and butter?
Reply
- Support @ Minimalist Baker says
  April 19, 2023 at 10:03 am
  Hi Karen, we would not recommended making almond flour from dry roasted almonds, the flavor and texture will not be right. However you could make some delicious almond butter! Hope this helps!
  Reply
Antonia says
December 29, 2022 at 10:42 am
Hey MB, cool post you got there, got me interested in buying a blendtec blender. So I found 1 refurbished at 300Euros( i don’t live in US). Which Container should I use? Foursides or Wildside? Can I use both to make almond flour?
Thank you
Regards
Antonia
Reply
- Support @ Minimalist Baker says
  December 29, 2022 at 5:54 pm
  Either should work!
  Reply
Susan says
October 23, 2022 at 12:37 pm
Hi, I don’t have a question but a comment. I’m new to your site, however I am so happy to have found it and will definitely be baking recipes. I have a comment regarding the dialog about the blender/food processors. I own 2 Vitamix, a large one for wet etc. and a smaller one that is typically for dry ingredients. I make oat flour in this one and would use it for making almond flour as well. It is a smaller version of the large processor, 4 cups, the base fits on the larger ones base perfectly. Like my big one, it does a great job. Hope this helps. Thanks.
Reply
- Support @ Minimalist Baker says
  October 24, 2022 at 12:52 pm
  Thanks for sharing, Susan!
  Reply
Paul says
February 11, 2022 at 5:00 pm
Hi , can I still use if I have gone too far with blending as gone a bit clumpy?
Reply
- Support @ Minimalist Baker says
  February 14, 2022 at 9:20 am
  Hi Paul! That should be fine, as long as the flour doesn’t feel too oily or moist. Hope this helps!
  Reply
Robin says
January 5, 2022 at 12:08 pm
Hey thanks! Also, I wonder if the grind matters?
Reply
- Support @ Minimalist Baker says
  January 6, 2022 at 9:52 am
  Hi Robin, if it’s more finely ground, it will be more absorbent. Hope that helps!
  Reply
- Judy Gaff says
  January 16, 2022 at 9:27 am
  Can almond flour be nade from dry roasted almonds? Thank you.
  Reply
  - Support @ Minimalist Baker says
    January 17, 2022 at 10:42 am
    Hi Judy! We would not recommended making almond flour from dry roasted almonds, the flavor and texture will not be right. Hope this helps!
    Reply
Jennifer says
August 26, 2021 at 11:37 am
Hi, do you have a bread recipe with almond flour please.
Thank you in advance .
Regards
Jennifer
Reply
- Support @ Minimalist Baker says
  August 26, 2021 at 11:48 am
  Hi Jennifer, we have quick breads (zucchini, lemon loaf) that have almond flour, but not a sandwich-style bread. Hope that helps!
  Reply
Gamma says
July 21, 2021 at 9:23 am
Hi there! Thank you for this (and all!) recipe! Do you have a technique for making defatted almond flour? We’ve found it is a PERFECT sub for crispy breading (especially when combined with nutritional yeast) and for making excellent pizza dough. It’s just so expensive and in short supply, so I’d love to find a good way to make it at home. Thanks again!
Reply
- Support @ Minimalist Baker says
  July 21, 2021 at 11:34 am
  Hi Gamma, we aren’t familiar with defatted almond flour so we aren’t certain of the consistency. But one idea would be to use our recipe for making almond meal from almond pulp (you could use blanched almonds from if you don’t want the skins). It has less fat because some of the fat goes toward making the almond milk. Hope that helps!
  Reply
  - Gamma says
    July 21, 2021 at 3:21 pm
    Thank you!
    Reply
Karen Kook says
February 4, 2021 at 4:54 am
I want to make macaroons (which requires almond FLOUR) but I gave tonnes (a slight exaggeration…) of almond MEAL. Can I whizz the almond meal in the thermomix dowm a a finer powder like almond flour and use that do you think/know/suggest?
Cheers, KK
See Also
How to use almond flour in cooking and baking
Reply
- Support @ Minimalist Baker says
  February 4, 2021 at 10:07 am
  Hi Karen, almond meal will be more fibrous than almond flour because it has the skin. It usually works OK as a sub in baking, but almond flour is best.
  Reply
  - KAREN says
    February 4, 2021 at 3:07 pm
    Thanks! :)
    Reply
S B says
October 25, 2020 at 2:01 am
It turned out perfect! I added a tsp full of white sugar while grinding (less than 10 seconds) and it helped to keep the flour dry and not turn into butter.
The blanched almonds have to be peeled and then dried. Making sure there is no moisture is the key.
Reply
- Support @ Minimalist Baker says
  October 26, 2020 at 4:41 pm
  Thanks for sharing!
  Reply
Leslie says
September 4, 2020 at 1:19 pm
Lightly boil for a minute if want it more pasty. I also found that adding skim milk to it makes it creamier and easier to apply. Some suggest adding a bit of red pepper juice, watercress, blueberry or spinach. Green Tea is good too.
Eating colorful foods, pistachios (wards off type 2 diabetes), sweet potatoes, Pomegranate seeds, walnuts, almonds and brazil nuts will help with oxygenation, circulation, muscle health. Reduces inflammation and protects us from pollution and uv rays.
Enjoy!
Reply
Annette says
July 5, 2020 at 9:17 pm
1 pound of almonds makes how many cups of almond flour?
Reply
- Support @ Minimalist Baker says
  July 6, 2020 at 3:15 pm
  ~4 1/2 cups
  Reply
Jasica says
June 15, 2020 at 9:57 am
hi,
After i blanched the almond, do i need to remove the almond skin before blending it?
Reply
- Support @ Minimalist Baker says
  June 15, 2020 at 10:37 am
  Hi Jasica, hmm, we’re not sure we are following your question correctly. We buy almonds that have already been blanched and do not have skin on them. See photos above recipe.
  Reply
  - Jasica says
    June 17, 2020 at 4:56 am
    what if i were to use raw almonds, soak them and blanch them myself instead? Do i still need to remove the skin ? And also do i need to wait for it to dry before blending it to make flour?
    Reply
    - Support @ Minimalist Baker says
      June 17, 2020 at 9:19 am
      Hi Jasica, we’re not familiar with the blanching process, but we do think you would need to dry completely. If you don’t remove the skins, you’ll end up with almond meal instead of almond flour =)
      Reply
    - Sandra says
      May 11, 2021 at 7:10 am
      A very late response. Blanching means to whiten, you need to peel off the brown skin from the soaked almond.
      Reply
    - Robin says
      January 5, 2022 at 12:05 pm
      Definitely.
      Reply
V says
May 8, 2020 at 2:34 am
may i use roasted almond instead raw almond?
Reply
- Support @ Minimalist Baker says
  May 8, 2020 at 10:09 am
  We wouldn’t recommend that as it may impact the flavor of what you are making. But it will depend on the recipe! Hope that helps!
  Reply
- Armin Smit says
  June 1, 2020 at 4:36 pm
  Hi, will this work in making macrons and would you use slivered ir blanched almonds (any difference)?
  Reply
  - Support @ Minimalist Baker says
    June 2, 2020 at 10:13 am
    Hi Armin, we’re not sure if it would work as we’ve never tried it. We use slivered, blanched almonds to make almond flour.
    Reply
Tom says
April 30, 2020 at 11:50 am
What is a “blanched” almond?
Reply
- Dana @ Minimalist Baker says
  April 30, 2020 at 11:56 am
  It’s been quick boiled which causes them to soften slightly and the skins to peel off.
  Reply
  - Robin says
    January 5, 2022 at 12:03 pm
    Freshly skinned almonds are best so I Recommend blanching 1/2 c. at one time, Raw almonds to small amount of **boiling** water for one minute. Drain. Put half of them on sml. plate and go at them fast by *popping* 1-3 of them unto your other, closed hand bc they are slippery!
    Then dry on towel and in very low (<200F) warm T/oven.
    Reply
DeAnne says
February 23, 2020 at 5:58 pm
When making almond flour, does 1 lb of raw almonds make 1 lb of almond flour, or will it weigh less?
Reply
- Support @ Minimalist Baker says
  February 24, 2020 at 11:14 am
  It should be the same.
  Reply
Lee says
December 29, 2019 at 1:20 pm
Maybe this is a stupid question but do you dry the blanched almonds first before putting them into the blender? I assume you do but maybe not??? unless I’m missing it, it doesn’t say in the recipe. Help, please.
Reply
- Support @ Minimalist Baker says
  December 30, 2019 at 12:32 pm
  Hi Lee, it isn’t needed! We buy pre-blanched almonds.
  Reply
  - Robin says
    January 5, 2022 at 11:49 am
    Yes. Low, warm heat <200F
    Reply
Leslie says
December 15, 2019 at 11:35 am
best cream for face is: 1 cup raw almond flour
2 T honey (from your area is best)
2 drops peppermint oil
First soak face with Schizandra Tea to open pores and get the benefit of a rosy complexion
Mix into a paste the ingredients listed above. Rub lightly onto face and neck. Leave on for 15 minutes,
rinse with warm water and pat dry.
Must store in refrigerator. Best used within 2 weeks, and make fresh batch to use again.
Super for oily problem skin.
Reply
Rennie says
November 12, 2019 at 6:00 pm
I would like to see these recipes without them being vegan or gluten free, please.
Reply
- Leslie says
  December 15, 2019 at 11:51 am
  One thing I learned: A coffee grinder works for nuts and spices. Easier and cheaper too.
  Reply
Red says
October 28, 2019 at 4:27 pm
What speed do you have your vitamix at for this?
Will it work with a dry container as well or are you using the wet one?
Thanks!!!
Reply
- Support @ Minimalist Baker says
  October 29, 2019 at 9:59 am
  Hi Red, a low setting should do the trick. We recommend drying the container before use.
  Reply
- dee says
  June 6, 2020 at 5:20 pm
  There are two different containers for the Vitamix; one for using dry ingredients such as grinding wheat. And there is the other container which is normally used. which is for wet ingredients, such as making almond butter. I feel that you are asking the question; which of these two containers are more likely to produce a good almond flour. I would like to know myself. Thanks for any further answer.
  Reply
  - Support @ Minimalist Baker says
    June 8, 2020 at 10:37 am
    Hmm! We’ve only ever seen/used the container it came with.
    Reply
MS says
August 6, 2019 at 8:15 am
Hi!
Can we use a food processor instead of a blender?
Thanks in advance!
Reply
- Dana @ Minimalist Baker says
  August 6, 2019 at 12:50 pm
  Yes! It likely will not get quite as fine, but yes it will work!
  Reply
Sandra Vera says
July 5, 2019 at 12:49 pm
Great post, I always question myself about almon meal and flour.
Thank you!
Reply

FAQs

What if I don't have enough almond flour? ›

People also can replace almond flour with other nut flours, such as cashew, macadamia, or walnut flours. If they can't find versions of these flours in grocery stores, they can make their own by grinding unflavored and unsalted nuts in a food processor.

Get More Info ›

How to make 1 cup of almond flour? ›

Making your own almond flour at home is as simple as adding blanched almonds to your food processor or blender, and processing them until they are finely ground. However, there are a few tips & best practices to keep in mind: One cup of slivered almonds = about one cup of almond flour.

Read On ›

How to make almond flour all purpose? ›

You can make your own almond flour by grinding blanched almonds in a food processor until you have a fine powder. If you were to leave the skins on the almonds and not grind the almonds as much, you will have a coarse, denser consistency known as almond meal.

View Details ›

How many almonds to make almond flour? ›

Almonds to Almond Flour conversion

1.5 cups almonds yield 2 cups plus one tablespoon of almond flour. To make 1 cup of flour , use 3/4 cup almonds.

Discover More ›

What is the equivalent of 1 cup of flour to almond flour? ›

When converting almond flour, you can use a 1:1 ratio from traditional flour, however this can vary depending on the recipe. Most recipes will require a little extra flour, though, due to their different properties and composition.

What happens if I use regular flour for almond flour? ›

Almond flour is a little more moist than wheat flour, and doesn't have quite the same binding qualities. You'll do best to substitute 1:1 to begin with, as many recipes respond well to this direct replacement. But be prepared to add more almond flour as you go to compensate for the wetter batter.

View Details ›

Is almond flour just ground almonds? ›

Almond flour isn't a type of milled flour, rather it is simply finely ground almonds. It's typically made with blanched almonds and lacks the dark flecks of skin, though this isn't always the case. It's the main ingredient in French macarons, and commonly used for airy cakes, as well as cookies and quick breads.

Learn More Now ›

How to make fine almond flour? ›

Place almonds, about 1/4 cup at a time, in the food processor. Pulse until you reach a flour-like consistency; sift into a container. Place any remaining almonds chunks back into food processor and pulse. Repeat until all almonds are transformed into flour.

Discover More Details ›

Can you grind up almonds to make almond flour? ›

Simply add blanched almonds to a blender and blitz until a fine, powdery flour is achieved. You know you've gone too far if it starts turning to almond butter instead. Not only is it simple to make, but homemade almond flour tastes fresher and is usually more cost-effective than storebought.

Keep Reading ›

Why didn't my almond flour bread rise? ›

So, if you've ever made an almond flour recipe and had issues with the final product holding together, leaching out the oils or butter, or not rising properly and holding its shape, a likely culprit is that you are using the coarser almond meal, instead of almond flour.

Learn More ›

Do you need more eggs when using almond flour? ›

Almond flour can be substituted for regular flour at a 1:1 ratio. It is important to note that almond flour may require more egg to bind the flour. Check out our almond flour recipe book here for more information on a specific recipe!

Discover More Details ›

Why did my almond flour cake not rise? ›

Leavening and rising to the occasion

Since almond flour can't trap air like gluten-containing flours, you'll often need a little extra help from leavening agents to ensure your baked goods are light and fluffy. Baking powder, baking soda, and whipped egg whites can all provide lift, but they must be used thoughtfully.

What are the pros and cons of almond flour? ›

The Pros & Cons

Pros	Cons
It's a widely accessible grain-free flour – available in many major grocery stores	It's expensive
Nutrient dense – rich in Vitamin E, magnesium, prebiotic dietary fibre (necessary for gut health)	High in Omega-6 fatty acids which can lead to increased inflammation

2 more rows

Jun 21, 2021

Show Me More ›

Does almond flour expire? ›

If you use alternative types of flour, like oat or almond flour, make sure they're also stored in a similar airtight container, because they will spoil much faster than all-purpose white flour. If stored properly, almond flour has a shelf life of about one year.

Get More Info ›

Does almond flour rise with baking soda? ›

Yeast doesn't really work well with low-carb flours like almond flour, so it's pointless to add. Egg, baking powder, and baking soda make almond flour rise, though.

Should you roast almonds before making almond flour? ›

In an ideal situation, you should use raw, whole, blanched almonds. After that, any type of blanched almonds you have will work. You can use raw or roasted whole almonds that have the skins on, but you will need to blanch them to remove the skins.

Get More Info Here ›

Why is almond flour so expensive? ›

Why is almond flour so expensive? There are two main reasons buying flour from almonds at the store is so expensive: 1) Because it's made entirely from almonds, it tracks closely to the price of almonds, and 2) Because of lower demand than wheat flour, almond nut flour is more expensive than other flour.

Find Out More ›

How does almond flour affect baking? ›

Almond flour adds flavor in the form of very mild sweetness (not enough to negatively affect savory recipes), and a certain richness. Baking with almond flour extends the shelf life of baked goods by adding fat, which helps retain moisture.

Get More Info Here ›

Can you use ground almonds instead of almond flour? ›

In general, you can substitute almond meal (ground almonds) for almond flour, provided that the almond meal is very finely ground. In that case, the substitution shouldn't in any way affect the texture of the final bake.

Learn More Now ›

What is the downside of almond flour? ›

Very High In Calories

On this note, almond flour is also very energy-dense. Per 100 grams, it contains 590 calories and more than 50 grams of fat (1). This energy content is very high compared to regular wheat flour, which has 360 calories per 100 grams (3).

Learn More ›

What if I don't have enough all-purpose flour? ›

Since all-purpose flour is a combination of soft and hard flours, a good substitution is a mixture of a soft flour, like cake flour, with a hard flour such as bread flour.

Read On ›