13 Best Almond Meal Substitutes to Demonstrate Your Baking Ability

Almond meal, often known as almond flour, is commonly used in cooking and baking as a gluten-free ingredient. They are quite similar to almond flour, with the main variation being the grind.

Almond flour is created from blanched (peeled) almonds, while almond meal is made from raw (unpeeled) almonds.

The following is a list of the top almond meal substitutes that you may use in your future baking and culinary recipes:

1. Make your own!
2. Hazelnut, walnut, and other ground nuts
3. Regular or all-purpose flour
4. Coconut flour
5. Bread crumbs
6. Flaxseeds
7. Sunflower seeds
8. Polenta, rice flour, and quinoa flour
9. Oat flour from rolled oats
10. Wheat flour

Using unblanched almonds may result in a denser product with a somewhat gritty texture in pancakes, scones, cakes, and other baked items.

So, what if you don’t have almond meal on hand, or if you choose to avoid nuts in your diet? Of course, you resort to alternatives!

13 Substitutes For Almond Meal

Make Your Own

To make almond flour, you must use whole almonds and a machine to ground them more readily. Although your homemade almond meal may have a grainier texture than those offered commercially, this is usually not an issue, and they may even come out better.

Just be sure to get unblanched almonds with no processing other than the removal of their shells.

Unblanched almonds have greater taste because of their thin brown skins, which offer texture and more nutrients since they contain more calcium and iron than blanched almonds.[Source]

Hazelnuts, walnuts, and other ground nuts

Similar in texture to almond nuts, hazelnuts, walnuts, and other pulverized nuts such as cashews, pistachios, macadamia nuts, and so on, they may also be used as an alternative to almond meal.

Be aware that they may have different tastes, so choose a substitution with caution.

These solutions may not be suitable for persons who are allergic to nuts; thus, keep an eye out for the necessary components for your dish.

If you are ready to experiment with different almond meal replacements, it is preferable to use a food processor to make the grinding process easier.

Regular Or All-purpose flour

Buying ordinary flour from your local grocery or supermarket may be the cheapest alternative for finding an almond meal replacement, particularly for cakes and baked goods.

Although flour may be a problem to people who are avoiding gluten in their diets, it may also not be a suitable ingredient to recipes such as meatballs or pie crust.

As a result, you should constantly be aware of the essential components for the meal that you are cooking, as well as the appropriate quantity of flour to substitute for almond meals.

with example, you may substitute 1 cup of flour with 1 cup of almond meal. However, lowering the flour by 20% will provide the best and most consistent outcomes. For example, instead of 100 grams of almond meal, use 80 grams of ordinary flour.

Coconut flour

Although coconut flour has a low carbohydrate content and is ideal for a gluten-free diet, using it in place of almond meal may result in an altogether different taste or texture.

This is due to the fact that coconut flour has a sweeter flavor and may absorb more water than almond food. Coconut pancakes, paleo brownies, and other similar dishes are ideal for coconut flour alternatives.

However, you may experiment with additional substances to add moisture to cakes and pastries. Eggs, coconut milk, vegetable oil, and even mashed bananas are examples.

Bread crumbs

Grinding or processing bread crumbs is another inexpensive alternative to almond meal. You may save time and energy by purchasing store-bought bread crumbs; but, the texture may vary significantly from handmade bread crumbs.

Remove the crusts from the bread and grind or process it until it has a fine texture.

Because of the decreased fat level of the bread, this choice may not be suited for producing cakes and other baked items.

As a result, only use bread crumbs as an almond meal replacement if you are already convinced that it is suited for your recipe and have tested with various substitutions.

Flaxseeds

Flaxseeds are well-known for their nutritional properties, which include high levels of protein and fiber, a low carbohydrate content, and a gluten-free product that may also be used as a replacement for almond meals.

They are also lighter in texture and contain more nutrients than almond nuts. However, they should not be used in place of almond meals entirely since flax seeds absorb moisture fast and thicken the mixture.

When replacing flax seeds, use them right away since they are prone to unpleasant odors owing to their high rancidity. To avoid rancidity, store them in the refrigerator before grinding in a normal coffee grinder.

Sunflower Seeds

Sunflower seeds are gluten-free and low in carbs, making them comparable to almonds. Sunflower seeds vary in that they are nut-free, making them an excellent option for persons who are allergic to nuts.

Sunflower seeds are also less costly and may be easily inserted into school lunchboxes. They have a seedier texture and a greater nutritious content than almonds, but they taste the same. However, because to the high moisture content of sunflower seeds, cooking time will be much longer. To make grinding the roots easier, use a normal coffee grinder or food processor.

Polenta, rice flour, and quinoa flour

Polenta, along with ground rice and cornmeal, is another gluten-free alternative for substituting almond flour in cooking.

If you wish to avoid using nuts in your dish, polenta may be used as a casserole topping. When making cakes, however, you may need to use a mix of polenta and almond flour to create a softer and denser cake in terms of texture.

Rice flour and quinoa flour, on the other hand, may be good almond meal alternatives for those with celiac disease. Muffins may also be made using rice flour or quinoa flour, which have a similar texture and taste.

Oat flour from rolled oats

Grinding rolled oats in a food processor to produce oat flour may also be used to replace almond meals. Oat flour made from rolled oats has a texture comparable to almond meal, but it has an oaty taste rather than a nutty one.

Although it is a soluble fiber and nut-free, it is still a fantastic alternative to almond meal for persons who suffer from indigestion or are allergic to nuts.

It is also lower in fat than almonds. That is why, depending on your baking recipe, it is recommended to use butter or oil. Just keep in mind that oat flour is not always gluten-free. As a result, if you are gluten-free, do not attempt this procedure.

Wheat flour

Wheat flour is a versatile ingredient that may be used in both sweet and savory meals. Wheat flour, on the other hand, can only be used in certain recipes to replace almond meal. It contains lesser nutritional value as it contains gluten, which may not be suitable for people suffering from celiac diseases or other dietary conditions.

When there is no almond meal available or if you choose to bake without nuts, you might mix wheat flour and all-purpose flour to produce a denser cake. Simply substitute 1 cup of almond meal with 1 cup of wheat flour and 1 cup of all-purpose flour.

Almond Meal Substitute FAQs 

What’s the difference between an almond meal and almond flour?

Despite the fact that the two components are interchangeable, there is a little distinction between almond meals and almond flour.

Almond meals are created by crushing raw and unblanched almonds into a coarser, crumblier texture. (as well as dark brown and yellow flecks). [Source]

Almond flour, on the other hand, is prepared from blanched and peeled almonds that have been ground to a fine consistency and has a lighter color than almond meal.

Both are excellent for making loaves of bread and cookies if you wish to use gluten-free flour instead of conventional flour. Furthermore, due of its texture, color, and taste neutrality, almond meal is ideal for generating a thicker, cake-like consistency.

What are the rules in substituting almond meal for other ingredients?

There are various regulations for substituting almond meals for other foods. Because almonds are not wheat (until ground to more fine particles, of course), it is mostly dependent on the components of your recipe.

Here are some guidelines for calculating substitutions:

• The normal guideline for utilizing all-purpose flour is a 2:1 ratio. As an example, if your recipe calls for 1 cup of almond flour, you should substitute 1 cup of all-purpose flour. However, if you are not necessarily avoiding all-purpose flour for gluten-allergy, it is best to combine and experiment with all-purpose flour with almond flour instead. As a result, if you want your cakes to be denser, mix a cup of all-purpose flour with a cup of almond flour.
• When using wheat flour, the ratio is just 1:1. As a result, if your recipe asks for 1 cup almond flour, use the same quantity of wheat flour. If you wish to substitute wheat flour with almond flour, the same procedure applies. However, since almonds need a binding agent to hold your components together, you should include eggs in your recipe.

How can I make my almond meal?

Make careful to use whole, natural almonds while creating your almond meal. Using a food processor may also make the grinding of almond foods much simpler.

Just make sure to stop soon before the almonds get nutty and buttery. On the other hand, if you want to make almond flour at home, you’ll need skinless almonds and a high-quality food processor.

Do you have no idea what to do with your prepared almond meal? You may just search the internet for any inventive recipes that interest you, or you can write them down and return to them whenever you feel like baking or cooking.