Almond Flour Vs. All Purpose Flour (Substitute Included)

Flour

Flour is the main ingredient when you are baking. Whether you are making pastry, cookies, cakes, or other types of desserts, there are many types of flour to use to make the perfect dish.

There are many types of flour and people tend to use flour-based mostly on their diet. All-purpose flour is most frequently used, then white flour combined with many other ingredients to make a good pastry.

Actually flour is not just made from wheat, but it can also be made from grounded varieties of nuts and seeds, like the almond flour, which is very healthy.

However, you probably wonder what is the main difference between almond flour and all-purpose flour. Can they be a substitute for each other?

Can I use almond flour instead of all-purpose flour? Actually, no. Even though you can try, there is a difference in the structure and the way these flours are made. Read down below in the article to find out more about these two types of flour, the differences between them. Also, find out some other substitutes and recipes that will help you with your next meal.  

Almond flour

Almond flour is actually a gluten-free nut flour. It’s made from ground blanched almonds. This type of flour is actually used as a substitute for wheat flour in bread and other baking pastries. It’s a common ingredient among people who make low-carb meals.

Almond Flour

When you use it in cooking, the dough won’t act the same way as if it was made with white flour. When you are baking with this type of flour you’ll need something to help and absorb the liquid like protein powder, eggs.

Also, Check Almond Flour Substitutes.

You can also add spices, and you can use it to make chicken, fish, or vegetables to give them a crunchy crust.

Almond flour has very low carbs and combined with all the nutrients it has a very little sweet taste.

It contains 4.3 grams of carbohydrates, 54 grams of fat, 19 grams of protein, 11 grams of fiber, and 610 kcal.

This type of flour also contains vitamin E and magnesium that are very healthy and can improve your health.

Home-made almond flour and recipes:

If you don’t want to buy this type of flour from the market, don’t worry I will help you to make it at home and use it when you are cooking. All you need is one ingredient, blender and 5 minutes of your time:

  • Just add blanched almonds into the blender and blitz it until it turns into a powder flour. But be careful not to go too far, because it’ll turn into butter instead of flour.
  • I would recommend to blend it on high for 5-10 seconds, shake it and do it for another 5-10 seconds.
  • It’s very simple and easy to make and what is more important it does not take much of your time.

When to use?

Use this type of flour to make cakes, cookies, or simply use it as a replacement for bread crumbs with fish, chicken, and beef. Here are some recipes that might come handy and an idea of what to make:

  • Vegan gluten-free waffles
  • Gluten-free chocolate chip cookies
  • Gluten-free carrot cake

All Purpose Flour

This flour is also known as refined flour and is made from wheat grains after removing the brow covering. It is combined from hard and soft wheat.

All-purpose flour

All-purpose flour is availably bleached which creates a softer texture and when unbleached it’s recommendable because it provides more texture to what is baked. Use this type of flour to bake almost anything from bread, pizza dough to cookies and cakes.

This type of flour contains 12 to 14 % protein in its structure which strengthens and brings structure to the dough. Also, it contains a high level of gluten combined with yeast. It’s very debatable whether this type of flour is healthy or not.

Since it’s made from white starchy parts of the wheat grain, there is a loss of nutrients. Make sure to store it in cool and dark places so the flour can breathe, because moisture can cause insects to show up or the flour could go bad.

When to use it?

Use all-purpose flour for all the traditional baking goods. It’s a type of flour that is good for baking and cooking. :

  • Bread
  • Pizza and pie crusts
  • Cookies
  • Noodles
  • Pancakes and pastries

If you are making a cake with all-purpose flour you should know that the dough might not be as light or tender as the cakes made from cake flour. Also, the bread made from all-purpose flour is softer.

Almond flour vs. All-Purpose flour

After we’ve gone through the specifics between the two types of flow, now I’ll discuss what is the main difference between the two. Also, if you can substitute one for the other.

baking flour

Actually the main difference is the gluten part. As previously stated aloud flour is gluten-free whereas the all type flour contains gluten. Also, almond flour is not a substitute for all-purpose flour. There are other alternatives to using as a substitute for these flours.

All type flour: Almond flour:
Calories: 455 Calories: 610
Fat: 1.2g Fat: 54g
Carbohydrates: 95.4g Carbohydrates: 4.3g
Fiber: 3.4g. Fiber: 11g
Protein: 12.9g. Protein: 19g.

Substitutes for almond flour and all-purpose flour:

Because these two types of flour can’t be a substitute for each other, I’ll provide you a list of alternatives for both types:

Almond flour substitutes:

  1. Coconut flour is the most common substitute and you can replace it but not in equal amounts. 1 cup of almond flour can be replaced for ⅓ coconut flour and you might need eggs. Coconut flour can be baked at the same temperature.
  2. Wheat flour is the other alternative. Even though this type of flour has higher fat than almonds, it can be used as a substitute. When you are baking, replace the 1:1 ratio, because baked products made with it are flatter and they lack gluten. You don’t need additional eggs for this substitution.

All-purpose flour substitutes:

White whole wheat flour

This is one way to replace the all-purpose flour. They have similar nutrition and it’s characteristic for baking. 1:2 ratio of white wheat and all-purpose flour when baking.

Buckwheat Flour

This is a nutty-flavored that is rich with vitamins and fiber. Try to ratio 1:1 of buckwheat and another flour when you are baking. This type of flour is very nutritious and healthy, so it’s a good substitute.

Rye Flour

This flour can be white, light, medium, dark, or whole, and thus are based on the amount of the bran. The darker it is the more whole-rye flavors get the heavier and slightly fruity flavor. This calls for a mixture with wheat or white flour when baking.

Oat Flour

Gluten-free flour that is made from ground oat groats. It has high fiber and sweet flavor that will be a good substitute for the all-purpose flour in bread, pancakes, and other pastries.

Related Question:

Can you use almond flour in place of regular flour?

Yes, it can be as a replacement in cookies, cakes, bread, or pancakes. However, there is no standard conversion if you are using them as substitutes.

Why is almond flour bad for you?

Actually this type of flour is very nutritious and is good for your blood sugar. Almond flour contains low carbs and healthy fats and fiber.

Is all-purpose flour bad for you?

Well, the regular consumption of white flour can lead to fatty liver and it will raise your cholesterol in your blood system. This may cause high blood pressure, weight gain, and mood swings. So try not to eat that many pastries that contain all-purpose flour.

1 comment
Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

You May Also Like