Baking with almond flour

If a baking recipe says you should use almond flour, can’t you simply choose cheaper wheat flour instead? The answer is no. In some baked goods, almond flour is an absolute must. But why exactly?

It changes the flavor
You make almond flour by finely grinding (blanched or natural) almonds. You can do this yourself, but you can also simply buy it ready-made. This also prevents lumps from forming. While wheat flour generally has a neutral flavor, flour made from almonds has a soft and sweet taste. That flavor clearly comes through in everything you make with it. Your baked goods may develop a slightly marzipan-like flavor. 

It gives a different texture
Almonds contain oil, and when you turn them into flour, that means it becomes somewhat moister rather than dry. As a result, when you use almond flour, your baked goods also become somewhat moister and often more tender. Not always desirable, but definitely a must when making macarons, for example. If you replaced the almond flour with wheat flour, they would become dry and hard. 

It is gluten-free
Almond flour contains no gluten, so whatever you whip up with it is also edible for people with a gluten allergy. Great! Although that does not mean that if you cannot tolerate gluten, you can simply replace all wheat flour with almond flour. It is not an alternative! If you want your baked good to contain no gluten, choose a recipe that already calls for almond flour, such as these French financiers or this chocolate cake.