How to Blanch Almonds

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
Cook Time: 1 Minute
Total Time: 5 Minutes
Servings: Varies
Kosher Key: Pareve
  • 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!



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Comments (8)Post a Comment

  1. 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.

  2. nancy says:

    i must do this just to launch them, practical and a giggle. thanks.

  3. Esse says:

    Thanks for sharing! What is the recommended storage for these or should they be used right away?

    • The Shiksa says:

      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.

  4. Siri says:

    Perfect post for Wat am breaking my head right now:) thanks a ton going to try french macaroons

  5. This is such an easy ad simple way to skin almonds, it worked just the way you described! I mentioned it in my post today about making pignoli cookies.
    link to 100miles100foods.org

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