Almond flour is growing in popularity as a gluten-free alternative to regular wheat flour. Made from ground almonds, almond flour contains no gluten and is often used in place of wheat flour in recipes for gluten-free baked goods. But can you use almond flour as a direct substitute for bread flour when baking yeast breads and rolls? Let’s take a closer look at the properties of almond flour versus bread flour to find out.
What is Bread Flour?
Bread flour is a high protein wheat flour that provides structure and elasticity to yeast breads. Here are the key characteristics of bread flour:
- Higher protein content – The protein content of bread flour ranges from 12-14%. This high protein content comes from hard wheat varieties that are higher in gluten.
- Greater gluten strength – The gluten in bread flour is very elastic and stretchy. This gives yeasted breads a nice rise and chewy texture.
- Fine texture – Bread flour has a finer grain than all-purpose flour. This finer texture creates a smoother dough that rises well.
The high protein and gluten content allow the dough to stretch and capture gas bubbles produced by yeast fermentation. This gives bread flour dough excellent rising capability. The strong gluten strands also provide structure and chewiness to the final baked bread.
Properties of Almond Flour
Almond flour has a distinctly different makeup from bread flour:
- Lower protein – Almond flour contains very little protein, around 5-10% protein on average.
- No gluten – Since almonds are not a grain, almond flour contains no gluten.
- Higher fat – Almond flour provides 20-28% fat from the almond’s natural oils. Bread flour has minimal fat content.
- Coarser texture – Almond flour typically has a coarse, gritty texture unless finely ground.
- Lower rising ability – The lack of gluten and protein limits the ability of almond flour to trap rising gases.
With its low protein content and no gluten, almond flour lacks the elasticity and rising power of bread flour. The higher fat content also creates a heavier dough.
Using Almond Flour for Bread
While 100% almond flour isn’t well suited for bread, you can use it in combination with regular flour:
In place of up to 25% of the bread flour
Substituting up to a quarter of the bread flour with almond flour will provide a pleasant nutty flavor and tender crumb to bread. Since a large majority of the flour is still bread flour, the protein and gluten levels will remain sufficient for rising.
With small amounts of vital wheat gluten
You can add approximately 1 teaspoon of vital wheat gluten per 1 cup of almond flour to provide elasticity. Vital wheat gluten is a powdered gluten product made from wheat.
With dough enhancers
Dough enhancers and stabilizers like guar gum, xanthan gum, or psyllium husk can mimic some of the gluten properties. Use about 1 tsp per cup of almond flour.
In flatbreads or quick breads
Almond flour works well as the main flour for flatbreads like naan or tortillas that don’t require significant rising. The nutty flavor pairs nicely with many flatbread recipes. Almond flour also works in quick breads like pancakes, muffins, and some pastries.
In combination with other flours
Using almond flour along with lighter flours like oat flour, coconut flour, or potato starch can improve the texture in yeast breads. The other flours offset the heaviness of the almond flour. You’ll still need to use some vital wheat gluten most likely. Start with a 1:3 ratio of almond flour to lighter flours.
Adjusting Recipes for Almond Flour
Here are some tips for adapting bread recipes to use almond flour:
- Substitute up to 25% of the bread flour with almond flour as a starting point.
- Reduce the total amount of liquid slightly. Almond flour absorbs more moisture than wheat flour.
- You may need to add a bit more yeast to account for the lower protein content.
- Allow for a longer first rise, as the dough may be heavier and slower to rise initially.
- Don’t expect the same oven spring, or rise, once the bread goes in the oven. The lack of gluten limits this second rise.
- Keep an eye on baking time, as items made with almond flour often bake faster than wheat-based breads.
Expect a pleasantly dense texture with a softer crumb for items made with almond flour. The resulting bread should slice well but won’t have the same chewy, elastic crumb as gluten-based bread. Adding ingredients like seeds, nuts, and dried fruit can provide nice texture and mask any imperfections in the crumb.
Benefits of Adding Almond Flour to Bread
Using a portion of almond flour in your bread dough provides both health and taste benefits:
- Nutty, sweet flavor from the almonds
- Higher protein – Almond flour contains more protein than all-purpose flour
- More healthy fats from the almond oil
- May reduce the glycemic impact compared to wheat-based bread, since almonds have a low glycemic index
- Gluten-free option when avoiding gluten
- Denser texture with different mouthfeel
Downsides to Keep in Mind
Some potential downsides of using almond flour for bread:
- Less rise – The lack of gluten limits oven spring.
- Drier texture – Almond flour can absorb more moisture, causing dryness.
- Crumbly texture – Bread may not hold together and slice well.
- Quick staling – Items made with almond flour often stale faster.
- Strong almond taste – The flavor may be overpowering depending on the recipe.
- More expensive – Almond flour typically costs significantly more than wheat flour.
Best Breads to Make with Almond Flour
Certain types of breads lend themselves well to almond flour:
Quick breads
Pancakes, muffins, scones, and pastries have a looser crumb so they work nicely with almond flour. Reduce any other liquids to account for the higher moisture absorption.
Flatbreads
The dense texture and nutty flavor of almond flour pair well with flatbreads. Especially good options are naan, pizza crust, focaccia, and tortillas. You don’t need to worry about rise for these breads.
Gluten-free breads
Almond flour is one of the most common gluten-free flours. For gluten-free sandwich bread, combine almond flour with tapioca starch, brown rice flour, psyllium husk, and xanthan gum. The other light flours improve the texture.
Flavored and sweet breads
The pronounced almond flavor goes well with additions like chocolate chips, dried fruit, cinnamon, and nuts. These additions also help improve the texture.
Meal breads
Whole grain breads or breads using alternative flours tend to have a denser crumb that works with almond flour. Try substituting 10-25% of the total flours.
Top Tips for Using Almond Flour in Bread
If you want to optimize results when using almond flour for bread baking, keep these tips in mind:
- Use blanched almond flour for a lighter texture and color.
- Grind your own flour from whole almonds for freshest flavor.
- Sift the almond flour to remove any large pieces and improve texture.
- Reduce liquid slightly – start with 5-10% less total liquid.
- Add an extra teaspoon of yeast to aid rising.
- Include dough enhancers like xanthan gum, guar gum, or psyllium husk.
- Knead the dough well to develop glutens in the wheat flour present.
- Do a long first rise of 1-2 hours to allow it time to rise fully.
- Don’t expect much oven spring – the bread won’t rise much more once baked.
- Bake in a loaf pan for better shaping.
- Add extra flavorings like cinnamon and fruit to enhance flavor.
- Allow bread to cool fully before slicing for clean slices.
Sample Recipes
Here are a couple sample bread recipes using almond flour:
Gluten-Free Almond Flour Bread
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Almond flour | 2 1/2 cups |
| Tapioca flour | 1/2 cup |
| Psyllium husk | 1 Tbsp |
| Xanthan gum | 1 tsp |
| Sea salt | 1 1/2 tsp |
| Baking powder | 1 tsp |
| Sugar | 1 Tbsp |
| Yeast | 2 1/4 tsp |
| Canola oil | 1/4 cup |
| Water | 1 1/3 cups |
| Egg whites | 2 |
- In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: almond flour through yeast.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients: oil, water, egg whites.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix to combine into a sticky dough.
- Turn out onto a floured surface and knead for 5 minutes.
- Place in a greased loaf pan and do a first rise for 60-90 minutes until puffy.
- Bake at 350°F for 60-70 minutes until deeply golden brown.
- Cool on a rack before slicing.
Honey Oat Bread with Almond Flour
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Bread flour | 3 cups |
| Almond flour | 1/2 cup |
| Rolled oats | 1/2 cup |
| Wheat bran | 1/4 cup |
| Honey | 3 Tbsp |
| Salt | 1 1/2 tsp |
| Instant yeast | 1 Tbsp |
| Milk, warmed | 1 cup |
| Butter, melted | 2 Tbsp |
- In a large bowl, stir together flours, oats, bran, honey, salt, and yeast.
- Make a well and add the milk and melted butter. Mix to form a shaggy dough.
- Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth, about 8 minutes.
- Place in a greased bowl, cover and let rise 1 hour.
- Punch down, shape into a loaf, and place in a loaf pan. Do a second rise of 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Brush top of loaf with extra milk.
- Bake 35-40 minutes until deep golden brown. Remove bread from pan and cool on a rack.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does almond flour contain gluten?
No, almond flour does not contain any gluten since it is made from almonds and not wheat or grains containing gluten. Almond flour is naturally gluten-free.
What’s the difference between almond flour and almond meal?
Almond flour is made from blanched, skinned almonds ground very finely into a powdery flour. Almond meal is made from whole, unskinned almonds and has a coarser, grittier texture. Almond flour works best for breads.
Can you substitute almond flour for all the flour in bread recipes?
It’s best to only substitute a portion of the regular bread flour with almond flour – no more than 25%. Replacing all the usual flour with almond flour would result in a very dense and crumbly bread with poor rising.
How much vital wheat gluten do you add to almond flour?
A good starting point is 1 teaspoon of vital wheat gluten per 1 cup of almond flour. You can adjust up or down from there depending on the results. Too much gluten can make the bread rubbery.
Does bread with almond flour rise as well as regular bread?
No, bread made with all or mostly almond flour will not rise nearly as well as regular gluten-containing bread. Some rise can be achieved through proper dough hydration and working in vital wheat gluten. But the rise will be much more modest compared to wheat bread.
Conclusion
While almond flour lacks the gluten content and elasticity required to make traditional sandwich bread, it can be used successfully in modest amounts in bread recipes. Replacing up to 25% of the bread flour with almond flour adds rich nutty flavor and can produce a pleasant, tender crumb. Quick breads, flatbreads, and gluten-free breads are particularly well suited to almond flour. With proper adjustments like added binders and kneading, almond flour can be a tasty alternative to wheat flour in many breads. Just don’t expect the same rise!