Your Cool Home is supported by its readers. Please assume all links are affiliate links. If you purchase something from one of our links, we make a small commission from Amazon. Thank you!
How do you make blanched almonds?
You make blanched almonds by briefly boiling raw almonds in water, then slipping off their thin brown skins to reveal the smooth, creamy-white nut underneath.
It sounds fancy, but blanching almonds is one of the simplest kitchen tricks out there.
Once you know how to blanch almonds, you can use them for homemade almond flour, almond milk, marzipan, garnishes, and all sorts of recipes that call for skinless nuts.
In this post, we’ll walk through how to make blanched almonds step by step, share a few tips for getting perfect results, and cover how to store them so they stay fresh.
Let’s get to it.
How Do You Make Blanched Almonds? Here’s the Simple Process
Learning how to make blanched almonds comes down to three basic steps: boil, cool, and peel.
Here’s how the whole blanching almonds process works from start to finish.
1. Boil Water and Add Your Almonds
Fill a saucepan with water and bring it to a rolling boil.
While the water heats up, grab your raw almonds and set out a bowl of ice water nearby.
Once the water is boiling, drop the almonds in and let them cook for about one minute.
Don’t walk away and forget about them because overcooking will make the nuts soft and mushy.
If you’re making blanched almonds in larger batches, work in small batches so the water temperature doesn’t drop too much.
2. Transfer to Ice Water Right Away
After the minute is up, drain the almonds in a colander and immediately plunge them into the bowl of ice water.
This stops the cooking process and cools the nuts down so they’re easy to handle.
Let them sit in the ice bath for a minute or two, then drain again.
You’ll notice the skins have already started to loosen and wrinkle, which is exactly what you want when blanching almonds.
3. Pinch the Skins Off
Now for the satisfying part.
Pick up an almond and pinch the skin between your thumb and forefinger.
The skin should slip right off, leaving a smooth white almond behind.
If the skin doesn’t slide off easily, the almonds probably need a little more time in hot water.
Some people soak the almonds a bit longer instead of boiling, but the boiling and pinching method is the fastest way to make blanched almonds at home.
Tips for Perfect Blanched Almonds Every Time
Blanching almonds is easy, but a few small details make a big difference.
Here’s what to keep in mind when you make blanched almonds.
1. Don’t Overboil the Almonds
One minute is usually all you need, though very fresh almonds may need up to 90 seconds.
The longer the almonds sit in boiling water, the more texture they lose.
Since you’ll likely be grinding them for almond flour or blending them for almond milk anyway, you want them firm enough to handle but loose enough to peel.
2. Pat Them Dry Before Using
After you finish blanching almonds, spread them on a clean kitchen towel and pat them dry.
Excess moisture can make ground almonds clump together, so drying them well matters if you’re planning to grind or chop them.
If a recipe calls for dry blanched almonds, let them air-dry completely or pop them in a low oven for a few minutes.
3. Know When to Skip the Boiling
If you only need to make blanched almonds for snacking, you can sometimes pour boiling water over them and let them sit for a minute instead of boiling on the stove.
The skins will still loosen enough to peel, and you avoid heating up a whole pot.
Either way, buying raw almonds with intact skins gives you the best results when blanching almonds at home.
4. Expect Slightly Less Weight After Peeling
Keep in mind that once you’ve made blanched almonds, you’ll have slightly less than what you started with since the skins are gone.
So if a recipe calls for one cup of blanched almonds, start with a little extra to account for the peeling loss.
How to Store Blanched Almonds
Once you’ve gone through the trouble of blanching almonds, store them properly so they don’t go to waste.
Blanched almonds keep for about one week in an airtight container in the fridge.
For longer storage, freeze them in a sealed bag for up to six months.
Just make sure they’re completely dry before storing, because trapped moisture leads to mold.
Also, almonds without their skins go rancid faster than whole raw almonds, so don’t leave your freshly blanched almonds sitting in the pantry for weeks.
Label the container with the date so you always know how fresh your blanched almonds are.
So, How Do You Make Blanched Almonds?
You make blanched almonds by boiling raw almonds for about a minute, cooling them in ice water, and pinching off the skins.
It takes just a few minutes, and the payoff is smooth, skinless almonds ready for almond flour, almond milk, baked goods, or snacking.
Hope this post has helped you understand how to make blanched almonds at home and the tips that make the process foolproof.