Nuts & seeds · Tree nuts
Almond flour
Finely ground blanched almonds; the base of macarons, gluten-free cakes and frangipane.
Also called: ground almonds, almond meal, blanched almond flour
A kind of almonds
What it is
Almond flour is blanched almonds ground to a fine, pale powder; almond meal is usually coarser and may include skins, and 'ground almonds' sits in between. It is not a flour in the wheat sense: it has no gluten and lots of fat, so it gives moist, tender, dense bakes and browns quickly.
How it’s used
- Macarons and financiers
- Frangipane and almond cakes
- Gluten-free and grain-free baking
- Thickening sauces such as Spanish almond sauce
Characteristics
- Taste
- Mild, sweet and buttery.
- Texture
- Fine and slightly moist.
- When cooked
- Cannot replace wheat flour 1:1; bakes brown fast, so lower the oven slightly or cover.
- Sold as
- ground
- Cooking uses
- Suitable for baking, Used for thickening, Used for binding
Storage
Refrigerated. High in oil: keep sealed in the fridge or freezer once opened. A bitter smell means it is rancid.
Diet, allergens and safety
Contains Tree nuts.
- Vegetarian
- Vegan
- Dairy-free
- Egg-free
- Gluten-free
- Nut-free
- Soy-free
- Caffeine-free
- Tree nuts are a major allergen; an allergy to one nut does not rule out others, and nuts are often packed on shared lines, so check 'may contain' warnings.
Nutrition per 100 g
- Energy
- 590 kcal
- Protein
- 21.4 g
- Carbohydrate
- 18.67 g
- Fat
- 52.52 g
- Fibre
- 9.9 g
- Sugars
- 4.63 g
USDA FoodData Central: Nuts, almonds, blanched (a close stand-in).
Substitutes
Optional — what works if you don’t have it, and how it changes the dish.
- Hazelnuts — Grind finely; stronger flavour and darker crumb.
Related ingredients
Recipes with almond flour
Bakewell tart
British · 2 h 25 min · 423 kcal · Contains eggFinanciers (brown-butter almond cakes)
French · 1 h · 171 kcal · Contains eggGalette des rois
French · 1 h 35 min · 672 kcal · Contains eggTarta de Santiago
Spanish · 1 h 20 min · 282 kcal · Contains egg
Tarte au citron (French lemon tart)
French · 3 h 55 min · 426 kcal · Contains eggTorta caprese (chocolate almond cake)
Italian · 2 h 5 min · 489 kcal · Contains egg
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