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 Cookies and an example of where we used almond flour in this 1-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 WafersFluffy 1-Bowl Sugar Cookies (Vegan + GF)The Perfect Vegan Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip CookiesFudgy Vegan Brownie CookiesAlmond Butter Chocolate Chip CookiesPeanut Butter Cup Cookies (V/GF)5-Ingredient No-Bake Peanut Butter Thumbprints1-Bowl Vegan Gluten-Free Carrot Cake1-Bowl Vegan Gluten-Free Vanilla CakeCreamy 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 #minimalistbaker on 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. Print SAVE SAVED
from votes Prep Time 5 minutes Total Time 5 minutes Servings 6 (1/4-cup servings)Course Helpful How-toCuisine Baking, Gluten-Free, Grain-Free, VeganFreezer Friendly 3 monthsDoes it keep? 1 Month
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Ingredients
US Customary – Metric1 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 WafersFluffy 1-Bowl Sugar Cookies (Vegan + GF)The Perfect Vegan Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip CookiesFudgy Vegan Brownie CookiesAlmond Butter Chocolate Chip CookiesPeanut Butter Cup Cookies (V/GF)5-Ingredient No-Bake Peanut Butter Thumbprints1-Bowl Vegan Gluten-Free Carrot Cake1-Bowl Vegan Gluten-Free Vanilla CakeCreamy 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