A question we are commonly asked: Is there a difference between almond meal and almond flour?
The answer: YES!
What is 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.
However, for recipes where a more cake-like consistency and less prominent almond flavor is desired, almond flour is definitely the way to go because of its lighter texture, color, and more 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 Meal
Making homemade almond meal is so easy! It requires just 1 ingredient, 1 blender, and 5 minutes.
Simply add raw almonds (with skin on) to a blender and blitz until a fine, powdery flour is achieved. I like to turn the blender on the highest setting for 5-10 seconds, then stop, shake, and hit the sides to see if any clumps have formed. Then blend again until fine and powdery. You’ll know you’ve gone too far if it starts turning to almond butter or clumping up on the sides.
Not only is it simple to make, but homemade almond meal tastes fresher and is usually more cost-effective than buying it at the store.
Almond Meal Recipes
Now that you’ve made almond meal, it’s time to put it to use!
This nutrient-rich flour lends itself well to muffins, cookies, crackers, 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 — our favorite being almond meal, oats or oat flour, and our Gluten-Free Flour Blend.
Here are some of our favorite recipes using almond meal as an ingredient:
Banana Almond Meal Muffins (Gluten-Free + Vegan)1-Bowl Pumpkin Muffins (Vegan + GF)1-Bowl Berry Coconut Muffins (Vegan + GF)The Best Almond Meal Chocolate Chip Cookies (Vegan + GF)Almond Meal Cookies with Chocolate Chips and CoconutThe Best Vegan Gluten-Free Chocolate Cupcakes1-Bowl Vegan Gluten-Free Crackers
If you try any of these recipes, 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 Meal
Simple tutorial on how to make almond meal. Great for gluten-free and grain-free baking with just 1 blender, 1 ingredient, and 5 minutes required.
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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 raw almonds (sliced 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, and hit the sides to shake loose any clumps that have formed. 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 nuts 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 meal as an ingredient:Banana Almond Meal Muffins (Gluten-Free + Vegan)1-Bowl Pumpkin Muffins (Vegan + GF)1-Bowl Berry Coconut Muffins (Vegan + GF)The Best Almond Meal Chocolate Chip Cookies (Vegan + GF)Almond Meal Cookies with Chocolate Chips and CoconutThe Best Vegan Gluten-Free Chocolate Cupcakes1-Bowl Vegan Gluten-Free Crackers
Nutrition (1 of 6 servings)
Serving: 1 quarter-cup servings Calories: 207 Carbohydrates: 7.7 g Protein: 7.56 g Fat: 17.9 g Saturated Fat: 1.4 g Sodium: 0 mg Potassium: 262 mg Fiber: 4.5 g Sugar: 1.6 g