Almond flour is one of the staples used when creating a lot of raw food recipes, and gluten free recipes, especially desserts! But, how do you make it, which one do you use and is there a less expensive alternative to the the packaged type. If you want it to be a lighter color, is that possible?
Since I use a lot of almond flour in my recipes, and there are always questions about it, I thought I would do a comprehensive post on it today. Let’s start with a few basics.
First of all, you want to try to find truly raw almonds. In 2007, a law was passed in the US requiring all almonds to be pasteurized. Unfortunately, this is often done with the use of proplyene oxide which is a toxic substance that was originally used as racing fuel. Other almonds are pasteurized with steam. If you are interested in truly raw almonds, you can find them. We have them in our local coops…imported from Spain. But a quick search on google will provide you with many mail order resources.
That said, almonds are one of the nuts that have enzyme inhibitors to protect them from sprouting before it is time. A 12-24 hour soak in the fridge will release that enzyme and also start the germination process, which activates even more nutrients! I always soak my almonds when I first get them. Out of the grocery bag, into the water then a trip to the dehydrator. Once that is done, I put them in a glass container and store them in the fridge. It is a great habit to get into so you always have almonds ready.
Nutritionally almonds are little power houses! Actually the seed of the almond tree, almonds are full of manganese, vitamin E and magnesium. They are high in monounsaturated fat, the good fat that is associated with a lower risk of heart disease and also decreasing your LDL (the bad) cholesterol. It has even been shown that the healthy fat in almonds may help you lose weight! For a more in-depth nutritional analysis of almonds, click here: Almonds.
Almond Flour
There are a few different ways that you can obtain almond flour. The first is to just put your almonds in the food processor and process until just before they start to hold together. You don’t want to go to far or you will start getting almond butter! If you use almonds that have been soaked and dried, you can actually get a pretty fine flour.
Almond Flour from Soaked, Dehydrated Almonds
Another great way to make almond flour and use up the pulp from your almond milk is to dehydrate the strained pulp and take it for a spin in the food processor or high speed blender.
You start with the pulp from the almond milk and dehydrate it.
Dehydrated pulp from almond milk
Almond Flour!
If you want a light flour, you can slip the skins off of the almonds after you have soaked them. Dehydrate and process in the food processor or high speed blender to get your flour.
You may also like:
Raw Food: Soaking Nuts and Seeds
{ 30 comments… read them below or add one }
Wow, I never thought of using the pulp from almond milk for almond flour. Great idea! BTW, I’m plugging your site tomorrow in a blog post about including nuts in your diet. Mentioning your desert book too!
I just love the idea of using up the almond pulp for flour! Otherwise, it just gets wasted, the main reason I don’t make homemade almond milk. Thanks so much for this!
It would be great if you had a separate section specifically for recipes that use almond flour. I have tons in the freezer and need to start using it up before it gets freezer burnt. =\ Loving your recipes! Even my “SAD” step-son is enjoying them. He REALLY loves the Spinach Cashew Cheese Spread. =)
Susan, You are destined to be one of the greatest Raw Food Chefs, right up there with the best of them! Thank you for all you do to show us the way.
I dehydrated the pulp as you suggested. How long do you recommend it dehydrates? (I was dehydrating something else so I left it in a long time, but it seems like I’m using a lot of precious energy if all I’m doing is dehydrating one day’s pulp; hence, I’d like to minimize the dehydration time.)
Also, does it store well in a container, or do you have to freeze it?
You could freeze the pulp until you have enough to fill the dehydrator. It does not keep long in the fridge.
Makes sense that I should freeze the pulp.
Once it has been dehydrated, what’s the best way to store it? Room temperature bin? Fridge? Freezer?
How long should you dehydrate the almond pulp for?
Dehydrate it until it is very dry. I then store it in the refrigerator.
Thank you Susan. What I was taught was “waste not, want not”, and here is a perfect example of using the otherwise useless pulp when you make almond milk. Beeeautiful!!!
Cat
I love the idea of using the almond pulp left over from making almond milk.
Susan,
Is the pulp devoid of any nutrition?
Sarah
At a minimum it would be full of fiber. I can’t imagine that it loses all of the nutrients. That just wouldn’t make sense.
I have some of this almond flour from the pulp. It doesn’t have much flavor. I suspect there’s a lot of fat “missing” as well. Maybe carbs too? (gone into the milk). Doesn’t this affect the way this “pulp flour” works in a typical “almond flour” recipe? Do you have to add fat or anything else into the recipe for it to work properly? If so, can you give us a sort of formula for converting almond flour recipes for use with “pulp flour?” Thanks so much!
You don’t need to convert it. It works just fine as it is. In some applications, it is even better because you can get a finer texture.
Hi Susan! Thank you so much for this post. I’m linking to it in tomorrow’s recipe post!
xoxo, S
Hi you are first person I met how to make almond flour its so expensive at the farmers market here in ga.
I am getting my almonds from publix grocery store they are raw will that be ok. my first time making almond flour I am making mediterranean flat bread.
Thanks, Barb
I know this is an old post, but it is just what I was looking for.
I am doing some experiments making Almond Flour, and I also make a lot of Almond Milk. I’ve used my Almond pulp wet in muffins or dehydrated in other recipes. Last week, I used slivered blanched Almonds for a batch of flour and it worked great, but when I tried to make my own with raw almonds, and then blanched almonds, it just wasn’t working. I will dehydrate them and see how that works. 
I am also soaking some almonds right now to try, and I will dehydrate them as well. Thank you so much!
Hi,
I recently started making almond milk and have been putting all the pulp in the freezer. I now have a dehydrator… Can I defrost the pulp in the freezer and then dehydrate? Or is it best to dehydrate first, then freeze?
Thanks!
I usually freeze it until I have enough to dehydrate. Cheers!
i wonder about making the almond flour with coffee grinder or blender if one is better.i saw one coffee grinder at amazon krump brand…do u think it is good for grinding almonds to flour????should i chop almonds first ?thanks
hi, thanks for the tip about making four out of the pulp! i have several containers of the pulp in my freezer and have been wondering what to do with it
two questions: can you make almond butter out of the pulp if you grind it long enough or is there not enough fat left in it to make butter? and can you use the almond flour to feed sourdough starter? or does it have to be a grain flour? thank you!
i have seen recipes that use the pulp for hummus. has anyone tried this with their leftover pulp?
Thank you! Just the information I was looking for!
You can also add to your almond butter so it’s not so thin.
Help!! Leftover almond pulp taking up space in my freezer! what can i make raw with it?
You can dehydrate it and turn it into a wonderful almond flour. Cheers!
Hello! I have a question about almond butter. If I presoak the almonds, is it necessary for me to dehydrate/roast them before grinding them into almond butter, or can I just blend them? Thanks!
April, the almonds must be dry. See post above. Cheers!
Thank you.
I do not have a dehydrator. Is that ok to roast it? To dry in low heat in the oven?