12 Best Recipes Featuring Almond Flour

If you do a lot of gluten-free baking, there is a high likelihood that you may have worked with almond flour before. Almond flour is made from blanched, ground almonds that have had their skins removed. It is not the same as an almond meal, which has a coarser texture because the skins are left on the nut before it is ground. Grinding gives the almond flour a coarser texture and heartier flavor than traditional wheat flour. The flour also has added nutritional benefits, like extra fat, protein, and vitamin E.

One of the most important things to know about this ingredient is that because of its fat content, it goes rancid faster than conventional flour. If you store the flour in your pantry, expect to throw it out within two to four months. But, if you store an opened bag in the fridge, you may get upwards of a year out of it.

The sublime nutty flavor of this ingredient, as well as its consistency, make it a great addition to baked goods and crackers. Here are some of our favorite recipes to put almond flour to use in your kitchen.

You can never have too much vanilla, as is the case with this pancake recipe, which uses not only vanilla extract but also vanilla beans and paste. This floral flavor complements the almond flour in the batter and the sliced almonds added as a garnish.

Top with a generous drizzle of maple syrup. Now you'll have a sweet way to start any day of the week.

Recipe: Triple Vanilla Almond Flour Pancakes

No holiday cookie swap is complete without at least one plate of almond crinkle cookies. This gluten-free version is also made without animal products, like eggs or butter, so it accommodates a range of dietary preferences.

The cookie gets its sweetness from maple syrup rather than conventional white sugar and is complemented with a hint of cocoa powder. These cookies are light and easy to eat, especially when dipped into a glass of almond milk.

Recipe: Vegan Gluten-Free Almond Crinkle Cookies

We go nuts for coffee cake, especially when it has the perfect ratio of crumbled, buttery topping to soft and decadent cake. Although some coffee cake recipes use walnuts or pecans for the flavor, this one takes a little more of a backseat with the help of almond flour.

The ingredient is mixed with all-purpose flour to make a soft cake without the notoriously mealy texture that almond flour is often known for. Although this recipe is not made with a glaze, you can whip up a simple one by mixing powdered sugar and milk together and drizzling it on top.

Recipe: Nutty Coffee Cake

You better believe that the first cookie we're grabbing at the swap is one of these Tuscan almond cookies. The recipe is rather simple for cookie novices to follow but still features punchy, mature ingredients like orange zest and almond flavoring.

Although the recipe is made with a wheat-based flour blend, it can easily be made gluten-free by swapping in a measure-for-measure flour. The cookies are best served with dessert wine, but you can also eat them for breakfast alongside a warm cup of coffee or tea.

Recipe: Ricciarelli (Tuscan Almond Cookies)

There's no sweeter way to start the morning than with a plate of donuts. But rather than preparing a yeasted dough and frying it in hot oil, make a baked recipe, instead.

These chocolate almond donuts come together in less than an hour and channel the perfect pairing of chocolate and almonds. You can make these donuts ahead of time and store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days.

Recipe: Baked Chocolate Almond Donuts

What else would you eat with a cup of tea? These scones are mildly sweet, so you can enjoy them as a snack with your afternoon tea or for breakfast.

Like all scones, you should avoid eating these on day two unless you like things that are dry and stale. Luckily, you can easily cut this recipe in half (or more) to make a smaller batch. You can also freeze the unbaked scone dough to bake later on when the craving strikes.

Recipe: Bite-Sized Cinnamon Almond Scones

You don't have to settle for dry, boring Wheat Thins when you have this recipe for garlic and herb crackers. The base of the cracker is made with almond flour and a bit of ground flaxseed meal to give it a good crunch and snappy texture.

The crackers can be eaten solo or enjoyed as a pairing with hummus, olive tapenade, or even guacamole. You can also add fresh herbs from your garden and tweak the recipe to match whatever you're serving it with.

Recipe: Gluten-Free Garlic and Herb Crackers

We love desserts from different cultures, including these Spanish lemon polvorones. The lemon zest and lemon juice give these shortbread cookies a delightful lemony bite, perfectly complementing the nuttiness of the almond flour.

You'll want to ensure your cookies are perfectly cool before adding a sprinkle of powdered sugar on top. Serve them with hot coffee, tea, or milk. You can also store these cookies in an airtight container for up to a month — which is perfect for when you're feeling like a sweet treat.

Recipe: Spanish Lemon Polvorones

Hazelnuts and coffee cake are a match made in heaven. But the only thing that can make this combination even better is when almond flour is added to the mix to bolster the nutty flavor.

This cake is extra rich because it contains not only Greek yogurt but also a few tablespoons of Nutella. Top it with toasted hazelnuts and a thick crumble, and you'll have the perfect dessert to serve for a special occasion or cozy Sunday morning treat.

Recipe: Crumbly Hazelnut Coffee Cake

Although it might be easy to go to the grocery store's refrigerator section and grab a container of hummus, there are much better ways to bring an appetizer to your next function. Take this pumpkin seed cracker and pumpkin hummus, for example, which highlight an abundant fall ingredient and take it to the next level.

The crackers are crunchy, thanks to the several different types of seeds that make an appearance. It's the perfect pairing for a creamy hummus that has a hint of cinnamon and cloves from the pumpkin pie spice.

Recipe: Gluten-Free Pumpkin Seed Crackers and Pumpkin Hummus

Every proper dinner party needs a showstopping dessert like this chocolate tart. The crust is made with almond flour, coconut flour, cocoa powder, and a hint of cardamom. Its crunchy, rustic texture perfectly balances the dark chocolate and pomegranate filling.

You'll need to allocate about two hours for your tart to harden up before you serve it, and be sure to store the leftovers in the fridge to prevent it from getting too soggy. But after your guests taste the delicate contrast between the fruit, chocolate, and nutty crust, we don't think you'll have many leftovers.

Recipe: Vegan, Gluten-Free Chocolate Pomegranate Tart

There's nothing better than diving into a warm bowl of peach crisp on a hot summer day, especially when there's a scoop of vanilla ice cream to go along with it. This seasonal treat is made gluten-free with almond flour and honey-sweetened topping.

You're best off using fresh peaches for this recipe since the frozen ones won't have nearly the same consistency. It's a perfect dish to make for a summer barbecue or when you want to savor the feeling of summer for just a little bit longer.

Recipe: Gluten-Free Peach Crisp