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To remove almond skins quickly, simply blanch the almonds in boiling water for about one minute, then transfer them to an ice bath.
The skins become loose and wrinkly, and with a quick pinch, the almond slips right out of its skin.
If you’ve been wondering how to remove almond skins without spending an hour peeling them one by one, this method is your new best friend.
Learning how to remove almond skins quickly is honestly a game changer, especially if you’re making marzipan, almond flour, or homemade almond milk.
You typically want to remove almond skins after blanching, or even soak the almonds overnight to remove almond skins if you prefer the no-heat route.
In this post, we’ll cover the fastest way to remove almond skins, plus a few alternative methods for how to remove almond skins quickly when you’re short on time.
Let’s get to it.
Why the Blanching Method Is the Fastest Way to Remove Almond Skins
When you want to remove almond skins quickly, blanching beats every other method hands down.
Here’s why this technique for removing almond skins works so well:
1. Boiling Water Loosens the Skin Instantly
The skin on an almond is attached by a thin layer of moisture and a slight waxy bond, and hot water breaks that bond almost immediately.
When you drop almonds into boiling water to remove almond skins, the skin softens and pulls away from the nut.
That’s why removing almond skins with boiling water takes just a minute instead of an hour.
2. The Ice Bath Prevents Overcooking
Right after you blanch almonds to remove the skins, plunge them into ice water.
This stops the cooking process and tightens the nuts, so when you remove almond skins, the flesh stays firm and crisp.
If you skip the ice bath, your almonds can turn mushy while you try to remove the almond skins.
3. The Skins Slide Off With a Simple Pinch
As soon as you pinch an almond, the loosened skin slides right off.
You’ll be able to remove almond skins from a whole cup of almonds in about five minutes, which is why this is the go-to method for how to remove almond skins quickly.
You don’t need any special tools to remove almond skins either, just your fingers.
Step-by-Step: How to Remove Almond Skins Quickly with Blanching
Want to remove almond skins in record time?
Follow these steps to remove almond skins quickly and easily:
1. Boil Water and Prep an Ice Bath
Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil and fill a bowl with ice water on the side.
Having the ice bath ready before you start removing almond skins makes the whole process smooth and fast.
2. Blanch the Almonds for 60 Seconds
Drop raw almonds into the boiling water and let them sit for exactly one minute.
Any longer and you risk softening the nuts too much before you remove almond skins.
Set a timer so you don’t forget to remove almond skins on schedule.
3. Shock Them in the Ice Bath
Scoop the almonds out with a slotted spoon and transfer them straight into the ice bath.
Let them chill for a minute so the skins become even easier to remove.
4. Pinch to Remove Almond Skins
Take each almond and squeeze between your thumb and index finger.
The skin should pop right off, and you can remove almond skins from the whole batch in minutes.
Blot the peeled almonds dry with a paper towel and you’re ready to use them.
Other Ways to Remove Almond Skins Quickly
Blanching is the fastest way to remove almond skins, but here are a couple of solid backups:
1. Soaking Overnight to Remove Almond Skins
If you don’t want to use heat, soak almonds in water overnight to remove almond skins in the morning.
Soaking softens the skins so you can remove almond skins with a gentle squeeze.
The only downside is you have to plan ahead, but the skins really do slip off easily.
2. Roasting to Remove Almond Skins
Roasting almonds at 350°F for about 10 to 12 minutes also loosens the skins, though it’s a bit slower than boiling.
Once cooled, you can rub the almonds in a towel to remove almond skins quickly.
The trade-off is that the heat changes the flavor and texture, so this works best when you plan to roast the nuts anyway.
So, How Do You Remove Almond Skins Quickly?
You remove almond skins quickly by blanching them in boiling water for one minute and then shocking them in an ice bath.
The skins loosen almost instantly, and a simple pinch is all it takes to remove almond skins from every almond in the batch.
Whether you choose blanching, soaking, or roasting to remove almond skins, you’ll never have to peel them by hand again.
Hope this post has helped you learn how to remove almond skins quickly so you can get back to baking.