Not all gluten-free flours are created equal, especially when it comes to the keto diet. Many of them, even the grain-free ones like tapioca flour, are very high in net carbs. But what about the carbs in almond flour?
While most paleo dieters are only looking for grain-free flour alternatives, keto dieters are looking for low-carb options. Almonds not only make for a nutritious keto snack, but when you grind them up into almond flour, and they also make a grain-free flour for low-carb dieters.
But almonds aren’t a carb-free food that you can eat without limit. You need to track the carbs in almond flour to stay in ketosis and maintain your weight loss goals. The recipes below will help you maintain your keto diet while taking into account the carbs in almond flour.
Almond Flour Is Versatile
Most people don’t like buying unfamiliar and expensive ingredients for a single recipe. Often, they sit in the pantry and go unused until they expire. Not so with almond flour.
Thanks to its versatility, you can use almond flour to replace regular flour in numerous keto recipes. Make low-carb bread, keto pizza crust, waffles, tortillas, muffins, and more with this handy guide.
Almond flour has more fat content than regular flour, so it’s not always a one-to-one switch between white flour and almond flour. Conversion charts are available online to help you make the switch. All of the recipes below were formulated with almond flour in mind. But first, an explanation of why almond flour is superior to white flour.
3 Reasons Why Almond Flour Is Better Than White Flour
Most baked goods recipes call for all-purpose white flour. White flour is made from wheat and processed until there’s virtually no nutrition left. On the other hand, almond flour is only mechanically ground, leaving all its fatty acids and other nutritional properties in place. Here are three reasons why almond flour is better for you than white or even whole wheat flour.
#1: White Flour Is Full of Carbs and Gluten
Flour is generally off-limits on keto because it’s high in both gluten and carbs, two roadblocks to reaching ketosis. You’ll find roughly 96 grams of carbohydrates per cup of white flour and approximately 6 grams of carbs per tablespoon[*].
This mega high-carb count is why consuming any foods made with white flour becomes an almost guaranteed ticket to an insulin spike (and obviously, a boot out of ketosis.)
This means you’ll experience an instant jolt of energy — thanks to all the excess sugar floating around in your bloodstream — that is quickly followed by a crash.
As for the gluten in white flour, some people are highly sensitive or gluten-intolerant. They’ll experience digestive upsets such as diarrhea, gas, and bloating after eating foods that contain white flour or gluten.
Almond flour, however, is naturally gluten-free and grain-free. It’s also a low-glycemic food, which means it won’t raise your insulin to unhealthy levels. One cup of almond flour contains 32 grams of net carbs, 32 grams of protein, and 40 grams of fat. Spread out from a recipe into 8 to 10 servings, and your carb count drops down to 3-4 grams per serving[*].
Almond flour shouldn’t upset your digestive system if gluten bothers you either. Most brands are careful to process their almond flour in facilities that don’t process wheat or other glutinous grains. You can also process it yourself in a food processor.
#2: White Flour Is Ultra Processed
White flour, as opposed to almond flour or coconut flour, is stripped of all its nutrients during processing. To make white flour, the wheat germ is removed (that’s where the vitamin E is), as is the bran (that’s the fiber). What’s left is the endosperm, which is high in protein and carbs. It’s also bleached and heated, killing off any remaining enzymes that might have helped you digest it[*].
The end result of this process is an ingredient that doesn’t bring anything to the table as far as nutrition goes. You’re basically just getting a highly processed form of wheat in the form of empty calories.
#3: White Flour Is Devoid of the Nutrients Almond Flour Delivers
When almonds are used for flour instead of wheat or grains, you’re getting a dose of healthy fats, vitamins, and minerals such as magnesium, potassium, and calcium[*]. Almonds are particularly rich in vitamin E, an antioxidant that helps protect you from free radicals that damage your heart and can lead to cancer[*].
You will also find more calories in almond flour because it’s made of fat-rich nuts, which means you’ll need to adjust for this in your macros. This might feel like a downside, but fat is filling, so there’s a good chance that you’ll be eating fewer almond flour treats than you would if they were made the old-fashioned way with white flour.
These almond flour health perks aren’t even the best part about making the switch.
How to Use Almond Flour on Keto
When you’re craving traditionally carb-rich foods such as bagels, waffles, and birthday cake, almond flour can be a lifesaver.
Not only will it help you create keto-friendly versions of your favorites, almond flour is also closer to the texture and flavor of regular flour when compared to alternatives like coconut flour or flax meal.
That’s why it’s one of the best low-carb flour substitutes.
Now that you’re aware of the health benefits of almond flour, you’re probably wondering how and when to use it.
The answer is simple: practically everywhere.
Even though you’ll be allowed to have your cake and eat it too, moderation and portion control is everything because there are still carbs in almond flour.
15 Keto Almond Flour Recipes That You’ll Swear By
Almond flour is the perfect substitute for regular flour on a keto diet. But it can also replace other carby ingredients like cornstarch and traditional bread crumbs too. Try using almond flour to make both savory and sweet low-carb recipes like these.
6 Low-Carb Alternatives to Carb-Heavy Favorites
These almond flour keto recipes will have you covered from breakfast through dinner.
#1: Fluffy Keto Waffles
Before you sell your waffle maker at your next garage sale, you may want to check out this keto-friendly waffle batter recipe you won’t feel guilty making every weekend.
With a mix of almond flour and a sprinkle of coconut flour, you’ll have fluffy waffles that won’t kick you out of ketosis.
#2: Cheesy Keto Bagels
Most bagels are anything but keto-friendly. But this cheesy keto bagel recipe is the one exception to that rule thanks to the low carbs in almond flour.
Instead of 40+ grams of carbs per serving, this one clocks in at 5.9 grams of net carbs. It also delivers 27.9 grams of total fat and 22.8 grams of protein, which most bagels can’t compete with.
Schmear those bagels with grass-fed butter or low-carb cream cheese and say hello to your morning.
#3: Low-Carb Keto Biscuits
Go ahead and apologize to your grandma, aunt, or mom in advance.
While they probably mean well with their famous biscuit recipe, the amount of carbs in them isn’t showing your body any love.
Fortunately, you can create a low-carb copycat even they would approve of.
Using heavy whipping cream, mozzarella cheese, and almond flour, you’ll have a cheesy biscuit taste explosion without losing the comforting texture of the original (or eating too many carbs).
At least your grandma will be happy to know these are also nutritionally better for you than her recipe. There are only 2.2 grams of net carbs — plus 13.6 grams of fat and 7.1 grams of protein — in each one.
#4: Zesty Low-Carb Tacos
Romaine lettuce and other low-carb tortilla alternatives make for great keto taco shells, but sometimes you just want something that’s a lot closer to a regular flour or corn tortilla.
That’s where this low-carb almond flour taco shell recipe comes in. It’s just as tasty as a flour- or corn-based tortilla without all the empty carbs.
#5: Keto Bread
This keto bread recipe uses simple ingredients you actually have in your pantry. You’ll have a gluten-free and keto-friendly alternative you can enjoy for breakfast, lunch, dinner or any other time those bread cravings strike.
Slices of keto bread go great with eggs and make the perfect sturdy base for grilled cheese and open-face sandwiches like this smoked salmon on avocado toast.
#6: Easy Low-Carb Cauliflower Fritters
Fritters may not be something you crave as often as the other foods on this list, but you may feel otherwise after making this easy recipe.
Using cauliflower, almond flour, eggs, cheddar, parmesan cheese, and sea salt, you’ll have a tasty substitute for regular potato hashbrowns. These treats also work great topped with a poached egg or two for breakfast.
Yo can also whip up these fritters as a side dish or snack and top with a dollop of sour cream to replace a traditional latke.
3 Low-Carb Almond Crust Recipes
Whether you need a crust for a cheesecake or pizza, these almond flour recipes have your answer to low-carb and keto-approved foundations. They maintain their shape without falling apart on you and lend the deliciously rich flavor of almonds into each bite.
#1: Decadent Keto Cheesecake Crust
This low-carb cheesecake crust recipe is a tasty gift your whole family will love. It only requires three ingredients that you probably already have in your kitchen: almond flour, butter, and monk fruit sweetener.
If you don’t have monk fruit sweetener or another keto-friendly sweetener in your pantry, it’s probably time to invest. Having an occasional keto treat will help you stay on track for the long haul.
#2: Keto Fathead Pizza
Cauliflower crust for pizza is the most common way to enjoy keto pizza. It’s super delicious, but it’s also a bit labor-intensive if you’re not buying your crust pre-made. It also dirties up a lot of dishes in your kitchen.
This keto fathead pizza recipe uses almond flour in the base and is a lot easier to make. This crust crisps up and makes the perfect crunchy canvas for all your favorite keto pizza toppings — minus the guilt and bloat of normally high-carb slices.
#3: Dairy-Free Keto Quiche Crust
Most keto dieters simply make their quiches crustless to save carbs, but that can get boring after a while.
The good news is you can create a low-carb quiche crust that tastes just as flavorful as one made with regular flour and will likely keep you satisfied for longer.
4 Low-Carb Desserts Made With Almond Flour
These next four recipes are practically guilt-free and can easily be worked into your macros every so often. While keto treats are amazing, they’re really meant for an occasional splurge to help keep you satisfied without going out of ketosis. The recipes below offer almond flour alternatives to the standard sweet confections.
#1: Keto-Approved Cinnamon Rolls
Who doesn’t love the smell of fresh cinnamon rolls baking in the oven?
It doesn’t matter if it’s a Sunday morning or a rainy, cozy weekday, there’s nothing better than the scent of warm cinnamon and sweet icing in the air.
Those crave-worthy rolls are usually off-limits on keto since they’re nothing more than flour and sugar — until now.
This keto-approved cinnamon roll recipe means you don’t have to settle for a life without these spirals of joy.
The best part: This recipe even includes a keto-safe frosting for authentic taste without carbs and sugar. If you don’t have it handy, you can replace the stevia in the frosting with other keto-approved sweeteners like monk fruit sweetener.
You’ll only need to budget for 10 grams of fat, 10 grams of protein and 4 grams of net carbs per roll.
#2: Ooey Gooey Keto Almond Flour Brownies
Did you know almond flour and collagen protein make an awesome team when their powers combine in the name of dessert?
There’s no better evidence of this magical duo than this chocolate collagen brownie recipe.
Aside from all the nutritional benefits of almond flour, these brownies are loaded with 10 grams of collagen peptides to help you:
- Recover after grueling workouts
- Strengthen your bones, joints, and ligaments
- Improve connective tissue
- Boost your skin’s health
- Improve your gut lining
And that same collagen protein powder also contains medium chain triglycerides, or MCTs as they’re commonly known.
MCTs quickly become usable energy in the form of ketones when ingested. That means this recipe is equal parts decadent brownie and natural energy boost.
#3: Ultra-Moist Vanilla Keto Pound Cake
Want those same collagen benefits, but not a huge fan of chocolate?
This vanilla keto pound cake recipe proves you can enjoy the same 10 grams of collagen in a vanilla flavor instead of chocolate.
The recipe is super easy to make. It requires 10 ingredients, which sounds like a lot at first, but you probably already have them in your house right now:
- Almond flour
- Coconut flour
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Eggs
- Vanilla extract
- Sour cream
- Milk
- Butter
#4: Chocolate Keto Birthday Cake With Vanilla Buttercream
You really don’t need a formal celebration to enjoy this keto-friendly chocolate cake with vanilla buttercream icing.
While a treat like this doesn’t belong in your daily meal plan, it’s a wonderful recipe to save for special occasions or any other time you want to treat yourself.
With only 5 grams of net carbs, 61 grams of fat, and 10 grams of protein, it’s definitely a sweet treat you’ll want to share.
2 Low-Carb Cookie Recipes Using Almond Flour
If you were a cookie monster in your previous non-keto life, you’ll be pleasantly surprised to know how well almond flour works for recreating these as keto cookies too.
#1: Soft and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
Instead of forking over 5 grams of net carbs for a piece of cake, your macros may be better able to accommodate 1.7 grams of carbs per serving using this low-carb chocolate chip cookie recipe.
These keto chocolate chip cookies are soft and chewy on the outside and loaded with powerful nutrients on the inside, such as:
- Coconut oil
- Cacao
- Almond meal
- Magnesium
- Copper
- Manganese
If you’re jonesing for a flavorful spiced cookie with just as many health benefits, this last recipe fits the bill.
#2: Low-Carb Gingersnap Cookies
Thanks to the almond flour and stevia in these low-carb gingersnap cookies, you’ll be able to snack on this unique flavor without spiking your insulin levels.
Almonds are also a great source of energy thanks to the micronutrients found in them, which means these cookies could be a nice afternoon pick-me-up with a cup of tea or keto coffee.
If you’re looking for already-made keto cookies with cleaner ingredients, opt for Perfect Keto Cookies, which also contain a serving of grass-fed collagen and only 4 net carbs per serving.
Carbs in Almond Flour: Which Recipe Will You Make First?
Are you team savory or team sweet? No reason to choose when you can have both.
Since the carbs in almond flour make it a versatile and keto-friendly option, you can buy a bag this afternoon and rest assured it won’t ever go to waste now that you’re armed with these recipes.
You’ll find almond flour, which is also known as almond meal, available in most supermarkets, health food stores, and online retailers like Amazon.
After your first almond flour swap, you’ll have no trouble satisfying your cravings while still maintaining ketosis for the long haul.