When a recipe calls for “blanched almonds,” do you run to the store to buy a bag? No need! You can easily skin a batch of almonds using the simple method outlined below. Certain dishes require the use of skinless almonds. Removing the skin gives the almonds a smooth texture, which is helpful in making dishes like almond flour, almond butter, or marzipan.
Blanching your own almonds is more cost-effective than buying the skinless kind at the grocery store, and it only takes a minute… literally, just one minute! You’ll never spend the extra money on pre-blanched almonds again.
How to Blanch Almonds
You will need
- Pot of water
- Raw unsalted almonds, skin on
- Paper towels
- Colander or strainer
- Bring a small pot of water to a boil.
Place your raw almonds into the boiling water. Let them boil for exactly one minute. Don't boil for any longer than 60 seconds, or your almonds will start to soften.
Drain the almonds immediately in a colander or strainer and rinse them with cold water to cool them.
Blot the almonds dry with a paper towel. You'll notice that the skins will be slightly shriveled.
Use your fingers to gently squeeze the almonds and loosen the skin from them. Careful, if you squeeze too hard they'll shoot across the room-- which is fun, but not super practical! You can squeeze them from one hand into another to keep them from "launching" too far.
Once you remove the skins, let the almonds dry off completely. Discard the skins.
Now the almonds are blanched and ready to use in your recipe!






















So funny to see this here! My grandma taught me this procedure many years ago, and I showed my daughter a few weeks ago when all we had was a big fat bag of regular almonds from Costco. All I do, BTW, is soak them in the hot water, I don’t even boil them. Squishing them out of their skins is rather fun, and yes, a little dangerous as they can shoot across the kitchen.
Great to know hot water works just as well! We had great fun “launching” almonds when I photographed this blog…
i must do this just to launch them, practical and a giggle. thanks.
Simple pleasures! Haha
Thanks for sharing! What is the recommended storage for these or should they be used right away?
Hi Esse, make sure you dry them out completely. They should store fine at room temperature in a sealed plastic bag for a few weeks. If you want to keep them fresher longer, store them in the fridge.
Perfect post for Wat am breaking my head right now:) thanks a ton going to try french macaroons