Almond Flour Vs. Ground Almonds: What's The Difference?

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Almond flour is such a versatile ingredient and a popular choice in gluten-free baking. However it can be confusing as there are different types and these variations are not labelled the same universally.

If you love using almond flour then this guide will prove invaluable in helping you sort through its different names so you can pick up the right bag for your recipe. Plus we’ll discuss the best way to use it in different recipes and how to easily make a version of it at home.

This article is specifically written from the perspective of a British baker and is useful clarification if you use recipes from both the US and the UK.

Jump to:

• Is Almond Flour The Same As Ground Almonds?
• What Is Almond Flour?
• 1. Almond Meal
• 2. Almond Flour
• 3. Ground Almonds
• 4. Defatted Almond Flour
• Is Almond Flour Gluten-Free?
• Baking With Almond Flour
• Can You Substitute Regular Flour For Almond Flour?
• Almond Flour Recipes
• Cooking With Almond Flour
• Flavour Profile
• How To Make Almond Flour
• Where Can I Buy Almond Flour?
• Cost
• Storage and Shelf Life

Before we break it all down I want to clarify the most important question if you are a baker who uses both US and UK based recipes.

Is Almond Flour The Same As Ground Almonds?

In the UK small bags of almond flour are sold in most supermarkets labelled ‘ground almonds’ in the baking aisle. This is the same product as the ‘almond flour’ which is most commonly called for in US based recipes. UK recipes will often list ‘ground almonds’ in the ingredients list as that’s how most people in the UK recognise almond flour.

If your recipe is asking for almond flour then more often than not you need to buy ground almonds that are processed from whole blanched (skinless) almonds. The flour is creamy in colour without any brown flecks.

Do, note the terms I am caveating ‘most,’ ‘ usually,’ ‘often.’ And that is because there is not a universally aligned labelling for almond flour so do check the look of the product (luckily all the different types of almond flour look significantly different) and double check with the recipe developer if you are unsure which almond flour they require you to use in their recipe.

What Is Almond Flour?

Almond flour is processed from whole almonds and the way in which it is processed can differ to produce the different types of almond flour you can purchase (or even make yourself at home).

There are 3 main types of almond flour and 4 ways of labelling almond flour. Confused? Understandably so, and when I first began using almond flour in my gluten-free recipes it took me ages to figure out the main differences and a few of my early recipes on the website certainly got the terms mixed up.

The confusion happens because of the inconsistent labelling of the different types of almond flour which also differs depending on which country you are in.

Unfortunately it can make a difference if you use a different kind of almond flour than the recipe developer intended – both in the texture and the structure.

So Let’s break them all down so it’s nice and simple and you know which bag of almond flour to reach for.

1. Almond Meal

This is the most basic kind of almond flour. It is made from whole raw almonds with skin on. These almonds are ground to produce a very rustic kind of flour. It has a course texture, can be quite nubbly and retains a lot of strong almond flavour. The final almond meal is flecked with brown as well because of the presence of the skin.

Almond Meal is more like very finely chopped almonds, with a coarser texture than regular almond flour  and is commonly used in recipes where a more rustic texture is desired, like certain breads, muffins, and coatings for meats or fish.

See below for How To Make Almond Flour At Home

2. Almond Flour

This is the most common type of almond flour which you can purchase and is often used in gluten-free baking. It is made from whole blanched almonds so the skin is removed. These almonds are ground to produce a softer flour which blends better into recipes. I often find the almond flavour is a little less pronounced than almond meal due to the heavier processing involved, but this can differ between brands too. This flour has a much lighter and creamier colour than almond meal as the skin has been removed.

Almond flour gives a much fluffier result than almond meal and is often used in recipes that require a fine and less noticeable texture, such as cakes, cookies and pancakes.

3. Ground Almonds

This is how almond flour is sold in most UK supermarkets and can be found in the baking aisle. It is made the same way as ground processed blanched almonds with the skin removed and is the same creamy white colour without brown flecks.

However, the general term 'ground almonds' can be used to describe any almonds that are ground - and in the US may typically refer to almond meal.

✨If you are ever unsure what kind of almond flour you are buying then always go by appearance. The blanched almond flour will be creamy white and almond meal will have brown flecks from the skin.✨

4. Defatted Almond Flour

This is a more unusual type of almond flour with a different texture again. It is made the same way as almond flour, with ground blanched whole almonds. However, the process is taken one step further by extracting some of the natural oils in the grinding process. The end result is a fine flour which has a much lighter texture, is paler in colour and looks a lot more powdery than regular almond flour. It can have 20% less fat than regular almond flour (this differs across brands) and a much higher protein content per 100g. On average 45-50g protein per 100g compared to 20-25g. Because of this defatted almond flour can lend an excellent structure to baked goods, more elasticity to bread and pastry and a great crisp to cookies.

I used to use this flour frequently as it provides such good results in gluten-free baking. However, it can be tricky to find for a lot of bakers and the high cost can be prohibitive. These days I will either use chickpea flour which is much more economical and a great 1:1 substitute. Or I will adapt the recipe to use regular almond flour (ground almonds).

Is Almond Flour Gluten-Free?

Yes almond flour is naturally gluten-free. It is ground from whole almonds and should not contain any added ingredients. Always check the packaging though to ensure the manufacturer has processed in a factory without any cross contamination.

Baking With Almond Flour

Almond flour is such a useful flour to use in gluten-free baking recipes because it has a very high protein content. Protein gives baked goods a stronger structure so cakes, cookies and breads made with almond flour are less likely to crumble. Almonds also have a high fat content so lend more moisture to baked goods meaning your cakes also won’t be as dry.

You can see why almond flour is so popular in gluten-free baking as it answers two of the most common complaints about allergy baking – crumbliness and dryness.

And let’s not count out almond meal which is great in baking recipes if you are looking for a more nubbly texture in your cakes, cookies or breads. It’s especially delicious in tart or no-bake pie crusts.

✨It's worth noting here that almond flour is not the only nut that you can bake with. Nut flours are excellent at providing moisture, different flavours and a great structure to so many different bakes. Read more at The Ultimate Guide To Nut Flours.✨

Can You Substitute Regular Flour For Almond Flour?

When adapting recipes made with traditional wheat flour to create gluten-free versions I don’t recommend using almond flour in a 1:1 swap. Almond flour can be a lot denser so it produces a heavier result. The best thing to do is use 50% almond flour and 50% all-purpose gluten-free flour blend. This ratio will work for a lot of recipes, in particular giving cakes a light moist and fluffy texture with great structure.

Cooking With Almond Flour

Almond flour isn’t great at producing silky smooth sauces like regular wheat flour. However, almond flour can be used for thickening sauces, in place of breadcrumbs in meatballs, meatloaf and is especially useful at breading.

See this recipe for Gluten-Free Chicken Schnitzel for a great example.

Almond meal specifically is also often used to add texture and flavour to recipes. It can be used as a topping for salads, yogurt, or porridge.

Flavour Profile

It should come as no surprise that almond flour has a distinct almond flavour. However, the different versions of almond flour can be more pronounced than others. Almond Meal has the most robust flavour and if you are making a recipe where the flavour will be a great background note and you like the rustic texture then almond meal is a great choice.

Different brands of almond flour can produce varying strength of almond taste but more often that not if you are making a deeply flavourful recipe then the almond flavour can go undetected. This is why it’s such a versatile flour. And defatted almond flour has a very weak flavour.

How To Make Almond Flour

If you are making your own almond flour at home then you have a choice whether to make:

• Homemade Almond Meal. You will process whole raw skin on unblanched almonds.
• Homemade Almond Flour. You need to buy whole blanched almonds, which are recognisable as they won’t have any skin.

The method is the same for making both versions of this flour. However, it is unlikely you will achieve the same kind of ultra fine grind in homemade almond flour that you can buy. This is due to the fact that the more you process the almonds in a home food processor, high-speed blender or grinder then the more likely they will start to turn to almond butter. More expensive flour mills will produce a finer flour.

The Method

It’s an easy method though, just weigh out the amount of almonds you need for your recipe and place in a food processor and pulse until you achieve the right consistency for your flour. Ensure you don’t take it too far so the oils start to release and you are producing almond butter instead.

How Many Almonds To Use

The same amount of whole almonds will produce the same amount of almond flour. For example if your recipe requires 100g almond flour then you will need to process 100g whole almonds.

Where Can I Buy Almond Flour?

Supermarkets: You can find almond flour in most supermarkets in the UK, such as Tesco, Sainsbury's, Asda, Morrisons, Waitrose, and Lidl all carry almond flour. Mostly it can be found in the baking aisle labelled ‘ground almonds.’ However, you can find some in the gluten-free section where it can be labelled ‘almond flour’.

High Street Health Food Stores: Health food stores like Holland & Barrett, Planet Organic or smaller independents often stock almond flour. The labelling will vary according to the brand. My independent health food store in London also stocks defatted almond flour which is just labelled as ‘almond flour’ so always check the packaging and labelling if it’s a brand you don’t recognise.

Online Retailers: Online retailers like Amazon, Ocado, and various independent health food websites have an excellent range of almond flour options. I recommend:

• Healthysupplies.co.uk
• Realfoodsource.com
• Shipton-mill.com
• Buywholefoodsonline.co.uk
• Souschef.co.uk

Cost

All the different types of almond flour can be an expensive choice and some types can be more easily accessible than others.

It can be more economical to make your own almond meal at home (see above) than almond flour as raw almonds tend to be cheaper than blanched almonds.

The price of almond flour will also vary between brands, depending on whether it has been imported a great distance or not.

Defatted almond flour is the most expensive option and can be difficult to find anyway so it may not be an avenue that is worth you exploring.

Storage and Shelf Life

Every type of almond flour should be stored in an airtight container in a cool, dry place. The larder (or pantry) is fine if you use almond flour frequently. However, a better solution is the refrigerator, to maintain freshness. Due to their higher fat content, almond products can become rancid if not stored properly.

It's recommended to use them within a few months but they also freeze very well and this will prolong their shelf life if you only use this flour every so often.