What is Almond Flour?

Almond flour is made from pure almonds that are blanched (boiled in water) to remove their skins and then ground into a fine flour. Almond flour is a popular substitute for wheat flour in baking. It's gluten-free, low in carbs, packed with fiber, protein and nutrients, and has a mild sweet flavor.

Is Almond Meal the same as Almond Flour?

While almond meal and almond flour are both made from ground almonds, they differ in texture. Almond flour is made from blanched almonds with skins removed, ground into a fine, light texture. Almond meal uses whole almonds, skins included, ground to a coarser textured flour with visible brown flecks.

Can I substitute Almond Meal for Almond flour in a recipe?

You can technically substitute almond meal for almond flour in a 1:1 ratio, however the texture of your baked goods will differ depending on which you use. Almond flour, made from blanched almonds (skins removed), gives baked goods a smooth, delicate texture. Almond meal, made from whole almonds (skins included), imparts a coarser, more rustic texture, similar to whole-grain flour.

Spanish Almond Cookies (Almendrados)

Name: Spanish Almond Cookies (Almendrados)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 16 min
Total time: 26 min
Cuisine: Spanish
Ingredients: 2 cups blanched slivered almonds (note 1); 2/3 cup sugar; 1 large egg; Zest from 1 lemon; 1/8 teaspoon salt; 24 roasted salted almonds to top cookies (note 2)

Description

These melt-in-your-mouth Spanish Almond cookies are almost too good to be true. They have just 4 ingredients, they're ready in under 30 minutes, they're naturally gluten free and dairy free, and their toasted almond flavor with a hint of lemon is irresistible!

Ingredients

Units Scale

2 cups blanched slivered almonds (note 1)
2/3 cup sugar
1 large egg
Zest from 1 lemon
1/8 teaspoon salt
24 roasted salted almonds to top cookies (note 2)

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Instructions

Set an oven rack in the center position. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Put almonds in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the chopping blade. Process for 15-20 seconds or until they are finely ground. Add the sugar, egg, lemon and salt to the bowl of the food processor and pulse 20-25 times, until the mixture becomes sticky and holds together.
To form the cookies, pull out about a tablespoon of dough at a time. Squeeze it in your hand and then roll it into a ball and place it on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the rest of the dough. You should get about 24 balls. Gently press a whole roasted almond down into the center of each ball.
Bake for 14 minutes or until cookies have a hint of color on the underside. Don't worry if they're soft to the touch. They will harden as they cool and you actually want them to be a little chewy. Cool cookies on pan for 5 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely and store in an airtight container.

Notes

If you want to make these cookies with almond flour, substitute 2½ cups of almond flour for the 2 cups blanched slivered almonds.
For extra special flavor and crunch, make these homemade roasted almonds and use them to decorate your almond cookies.
Nutrition Disclaimer: We do our best to provide accurate nutrition values using an online nutrition calculator; however our nutrition information should be used only as an approximation.

Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 16 mins
Category: Dessert
Method: Bake
Cuisine: Spanish