Do you need more ways to enjoy almonds on keto?
If you’re tired of the same ol’ boring raw or roasted varieties you’ve been snacking on, it’s time to expand your taste buds and see all these tasty nuts have to offer.
For example, did you know you can use almonds to make low-carb hummus and even sugar-free cookies that taste like an Almond Joy candy bar?
To give you an idea of how many different ways there are to take advantage of this healthy nut, this guide will cover:
Before we get to all you can do with almonds, let’s touch on why almonds should always be added to your keto shopping list first.
Here’s Why Almonds are a Good Choice on a Keto Diet
If you read our guide on the best keto nuts, you’re probably well aware of all the reasons eating nuts on a ketogenic diet is smart.
To recap, nuts and especially almonds are:
#1: Packed with vitamins, minerals, and essential micronutrients
This lowers your chances of:
- Developing type 2 diabetes or heart disease
- Increasing inflammation in your body
- Premature death
Almonds are also a rich source of vitamin E and deliver more fiber and protein than nuts like macadamias despite being similarly low carb.
#2: Full of healthy fatty acids
While high fat nuts like pecans, macadamias, and Brazil nuts make our list of the top 5 best keto nuts, almonds still rank fairly high thanks to their fat content.
Almonds contain both polyunsaturated fats and one of the highest amounts of monounsaturated fats (9g per 23 almonds), next to hazelnuts.
These powerful fats have been studied to reduce blood pressure and your risks for developing cardiovascular disease[*][*].
Not only that, almonds can help with weight loss since they give your body the right satiety signals so it knows when you’re full.
#3: Make the best on-the-go keto snacks
Almonds and other nuts are easy to transport and they won’t melt while you’re en route where you need to go.
Even though they’re one of the best keto snacks on their own, you can also mix them with walnuts and pine nuts, coconut chips, sunflower seeds, and stevia-sweetened chocolate for your own homemade trail mix too.
All those health benefits make it easy to see why people regularly include almonds in their weekly keto meal plans.
Almond butter is also an amazing snacking option, either on its own or on keto-friendly snacks like Perfect Keto Bars.
The problem is most people aren’t sure how else to include almonds beyond just carrying around a baggy in their purse or gym bag.
If this problem sounds all too familiar, you’re ready for this ultimate list of 21 crave-worthy almond options.
To kick things off, let’s start out with the easiest option requiring the least effort: roasting your own almonds.
6 Recipes for Roasted Almonds On Keto
Roasting your own nuts is an easy way to add flavor to something that could feel plain and boring after awhile.
Since most roasted, flavored nut options on the market are not low-carb and even the savory flavors have hidden sugars in them, roasting your own helps you satisfy your crunchy cravings without sabotaging ketosis.
And you can make your own roasted nuts whenever you have 15 minutes to spare.
These 6 keto recipes guarantee you’ll always have a flavor option better than anything on the market:
#1: Classic Roasted Almond Recipe with Pink Himalayan Salt
The basic roasted almond recipe is simple:
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
- Add almonds in a single layer on a baking sheet.
- Drizzle with an oil or fat of your choice (try coconut oil, butter, or olive oil).
- Add a little pink himalayan salt and stir to coat the almonds before popping them into the oven.
- Roast for 5 minutes to start, remove them from the heat and stir.
- Place almonds back in the oven.
- Follow a 3-minute interval pattern that repeats this process to keep checking on the doneness. Nuts can be tricky and burn quickly if you try to set-and-forget it.
- Once they’re a shade darker and start smelling nutty, remove the almonds and place them in an airtight storage container. If you keep them on the baking sheet, they’ll continue to cook and may burn so it’s important to transfer them off the hot sheet to a cooler location.
Once you get this first recipe down, you can begin experimenting with flavor combinations of your own.
Here are three savory options and two sweet versions to get your inspiration juices flowing:
#2: Keto Chile Lime Spiced Almonds
This keto chile lime spiced almond recipe is the perfect combination of spicy and sweet.
Instead of artificial flavors and fake ingredients, you’ll find spices like chile, paprika, garlic, and onion powder as well as fresh lime juice and lime zest to balance out the heat.
You can even reuse those same spices to create this next roasted almond recipe.
#3: Keto BBQ Roasted Almonds
On top of the spices used in the keto chile lime spiced almonds, you’ll also find cumin, black pepper, and an optional sweet hit of stevia or monk fruit to create this keto BBQ roasted almonds recipe.
With only 4.3g of net carbs per serving, you can safely enjoy the same flavors of barbecue without the sugar-laced sauces ruining your nutritional ketosis goals.
The next roasted almond recipe boosts the nutrients found in almonds even further.
#4: Activated Almonds with Rosemary & Paprika Salt
When you soak your nuts and roast them at a lower temperature (300 degrees), you help break down the natural phytic acid contained in them.
Phytic acid is considered an anti-nutrient because it prevents your body from soaking up all the nutrients contained in nuts. So by going through this process you can unlock all their nutritional powers and make them easier for your body to digest.
For a sweeter yet still sugar-free roasted almond recipe, check out these next two flavors.
#5: Cinnamon Almonds Keto Recipe
Never miss out on candied nuts with this sweet sugar-free cinnamon almond recipe.
It only requires 4 ingredients — almonds, cinnamon, salt, and oil (or ghee), which means you can probably whip up a batch before you finish reading this guide.
And if you dig cinnamon spice and vanilla, this next sweet almond recipe is all for you.
#6: Keto Vanilla Chai Roasted Almonds
While this roasted chai almond recipe does require a few more ingredients, it’s certainly worth the extra effort.
Combining vanilla extract with chai spices gives you the feeling of indulging on a chai latte without all the sugar or guilt.
That means you can enjoy the flavors you’re craving on your ketogenic diet and never feel deprived.
Plus, it’s way more satisfying to crunch on vanilla chai almonds than sip your calories down anyway.
On top of keeping a huge bag of raw almonds on hand to roast, you can also use them to create these next keto must-haves.
5 Ways to Use Almonds to Make Classic Keto Staples
You may be surprised to learn just how easy it is to make your own low-carb, keto-friendly version of these common foods:
#1: Homemade Almond Milk
There’s probably nothing that can stop the almond milk craze: it’s an affordable plant-based milk that works well for vegans and anyone with dairy sensitivities.
But, unfortunately, as its popularity grew, so did the amount of options on the market and that created milks with hidden sugars and artificial ingredients.
This makes it time-consuming to find an almond milk that has a safe-on-keto carb content that won’t tip you overboard.
Instead of spending your time sifting through nutrition facts and having to read labels like a maniac, you can opt to make your own sugar-free version at home.
All it takes is soaking raw, organic almonds in four cups of purified water for as long as you can. The longer it sits, the creamier your milk will be.
Remove the almonds from the water they soaked in and toss the soak water down the drain. Then to a blender, add the soaked almonds, fresh water, and (optional) vanilla extract or sugar-free sweeteners. Blend to create your own homemade almond milk.
In just a few seconds you’ll have a tastier version that’s free of artificial ingredients and hidden carbs and you’ll wonder why you waited so long to tackle this easy recipe before.
The same can be said about making this next keto staple.
#2: Homemade Almond Flour
Almond flour is one of the best flour substitutes when you’re on a ketogenic diet.
It’s lower in carbs and gluten-free, but it’s also nutrient dense and rich in healthy fats.
You can’t say the same about processed white flour.
As with other nut flours, you can buy almond flour at most grocery stores, but fair warning, it’s probably triple or quadruple what you’d pay for normal all-purpose baking flour.
Since it’s such a no-brainer swap when it comes to your health, you should save a few bucks and make your almond flour at home.
Then you can substitute almond flour for white flour to create low-carb versions of your favorite carb-heavy treats, including savory foods like homemade pasta and crepes.
You can even use it to make low-carb keto bread, almond ricotta cookies, and the list goes on as you can see in our top 15 ways to use almond flour guide.
So how do you make almond flour?
Easy peasy.
Pulse raw almonds in a food processor until small crumbles start to form. Keep pulsing until you get a fine flour and you’ll be ready to go. It’s really that simple.
Now, if you have extra time to roast your raw almonds, you can use these to create your very own low-carb, sugar-free almond butter for way less than what you’d pay for a store-bought version.
#3. Homemade Almond Butter
As shown in this guide, making almond butter at home isn’t so hard after all.
Simply add warm, roasted almonds to a food processor or high-powered blender and pulse. You’ll get almond flour at first, but keep going.
After a few times of scraping down the sides and processing further, the natural fatty oils in the almonds will eventually break down and you’ll churn out a creamy almond butter like you’re used to seeing in jars on the shelves.
You can then flavor your almond butter anyway you like, including trying this version that mimics the flavors of carrot cake.
If you’re feeling lazy, try our Perfect Keto Nut Butter instead and you won’t have to spend any time making your own.
But if you want to get even more creative with your almonds, try turning them into a hummus instead of flour or nut butter.
Yes, it’s possible.
#4: Almond Hummus
Sure, it sounds a little crazy at first.
But almonds can become a delicious low-carb hummus given the right recipe.
This low-carb almond hummus recipe is just that and delivers the same authentic spices of traditional hummus without all the carbs standard in one made from chickpeas.
And it’s just as easy to whip together as almond butter since you throw everything together in a blender or food processor and mix until it’s nice, smooth, and creamy.
The last almond-packed keto staple also makes good use of your blender.
#5: Almond Drinks
Smoothies can be an excellent way to sneak a ton of nutrition into an easy-to-transport shake.
But it’s hard to find low-carb smoothies that won’t send your carb count or blood sugar through the roof.
Fortunately, we shared 17 keto smoothie options in this keto guide to give you low-carb choices in a pinch.
So if you want one that happens to use almonds, this low-carb almond butter acai smoothie — which has a net carb count of 6g — gives you the best of both worlds with the sweetness of acai and savory nut butter.
Or you could try this chocolate almond ketone breakfast drink instead that blends together like a smoothie but sips more like a regular hot drink.
With almond butter, our Perfect Keto Chocolate Exogenous Ketone Base, gelatin, and cocoa powder, you’ll have a filling and nutritious drink to keep you energized and focused for hours.
Plus, this makes a great substitute for times when it’s too cold out for a smoothie.
Up next, I’ll show you another way to enjoy almonds on keto: decadent sugar-free desserts.
10 Low-Carb Keto Desserts Using Almonds
If you’re looking for one more way to enjoy almonds on keto, consider these drool-worthy treats:
#1: Perfect Keto Bars
Perfect Keto Bars taste like dessert, but they’re more than that. Packed with organic almond butter, grass-fed collagen, and cacao butter, these bars:
- Support ketosis
- Minimize the impact in your blood sugar
- Satisfy you
- Give you all the benefits of almonds in a convenient, portable, delicious way
Because the main ingredient is almond butter, these bars are rich and satisfying. And the best part? You don’t have to spend any time in the kitchen to enjoy these treats.
#2: Almond Butter Cups
While most of us grew up eating peanut butter, you know better than to do that now.
As mentioned in this guide, peanut butter can be tough to digest, often comes with a side of pesticides, and most brands are packed with added sugars, harmful chemical additives, and unhealthy oils.
So not only is peanut butter a bad idea on keto, so are things like Reese’s peanut butter cups.
With these, you’re not just battling the carbs and sugars, but also fake preservatives and inflammatory peanuts.
That’s why this almond butter cup fat bomb recipe steps in as a healthier alternative that will actually satisfy your craving and keep you in ketosis.
You can also use your almond butter to make the next three treats on the list.
#3: Creamy Keto Almond Fudge
Fudge is another dessert that’s usually out when it comes to a ketogenic diet.
But, thankfully, there are plenty of low-carb alternatives like this almond fudge recipe which tweak this classic dessert for your keto macros.
Just one serving of this keto fudge made with a healthy mix of almond butter and coconut oil delivers:
- 28g of fat — 18g of saturated, 3g of polyunsaturated, and 7g of monounsaturated
- Just 2g of net carbs
And if you want to take your chocolate and almond butter love affair to the next level, this next recipe is impossible to resist.
#4: Keto Almond Truffle Cups
In the same way you can make your own Reese’s peanut butter cups using almond butter and coconut oil, you can whip up a batch of these low carb chocolate almond truffles using sugar-free pudding in place of oil.
This gives you an easy way to satisfy your chocolate craving without kicking yourself out of ketosis (or preventing you from getting there), which is exactly what happens with these next three recipes since they all have chocolate and almonds in common.
#5: Low Carb Almond Joy Bonbons
Be honest. When you hear almonds and chocolate, do you think of Almond Joy candy bars?
Just like giving up Reese’s cups, Almond Joys can be a challenge for some to abandon, especially when a craving strikes at the movie theater.
Fortunately, you can settle your taste buds in a better way by reaching for these low-carb Almond Joy bonbons.
With just five simple, real ingredients you may already have on hand, you can savor the same chocolate almond flavors you love without dumping all that sugar into your system.
The next two keto bark recipes are just as easy to create and super tasty.
#6: Dark Chocolate Strawberry & Almond Bark
There’s nothing fancy about throwing raw almonds, dark chocolate, and sliced strawberries together, but the flavor combination makes it feel otherwise.
With this keto bark recipe, you’ll melt heavy whipping cream with dark chocolate, spread this onto parchment paper, and top with sliced strawberries and raw almonds.
Now if you prefer your chocolate bark sans fruit, this next recipe has you in mind.
#7:4-Ingredient Salted Keto Almond Bark Recipe
Similar to the first bark, this sugar-free low-carb salted almond bark requires less than five ingredients you probably already have in your pantry.
This time you’ll need stevia-sweetened chocolate chips, coconut oil, slivered almonds, and pink Himalayan or sea salt.
Once again, melt the chocolate and coconut oil together, mix the almonds in, pour into a container to harden, and sprinkle with salt before freezing for a few minutes.
In less than 20 minutes of your time — 15 of which is freezer time — you’ll have a delightful chocolate treat that won’t bust your carb bank.
The next almond treats are also low-carb and virtually guilt-free.
#8: Almond Joy Cookies
What if you’re cravings fresh-baked cookies and an Almond Joy?
Which one would you choose?
What if you didn’t have to pick one over the other and you could have both while still staying within your nutritional ketosis limits?
This stevia-sweetened Almond Joy cookie settles two cravings at once using just four ingredients and not too much of your time.
The next almond dessert recipe is perfect for anyone who misses dunking cookies in their morning cup of coffee.
#9: Low Carb Keto Almond Biscotti
If biscottis are something you’ve had to give up since switching to a ketogenic lifestyle, there’s good news in sight: you can make a low carb version that holds up just as well when dunked and tastes better than the old version you’re used to.
It even comes with the cute little almond slivers you’d find in traditional recipes.
And thanks to swapping almond flour for processed white flour, each cookie only clocks in at 1.6g of net carbs so you can even have two if you’re really jonesin’ for them.
You’ll also find a whole cup of almonds in this recipe which means you’ll score all the health benefits mentioned earlier in every bite.
Now, if you want to enjoy a real almond dessert, as opposed to just cookies and chocolate, these final two keto recipes have your name on them.
#10: Almond Butter Brownies
Just when you think you’ve seen every way to use almond butter, there’s probably one you haven’t considered: using it to make keto brownies.
Rather than using almond flour, this recipe calls for coconut flour mixed with eggs, almond butter, cocoa powder, and stevia to create a fudgy brownie that only clocks in at 4g of net carbs.
And, depending on the baking pan you use and how big or small you cut them, each brownie is only 141 calories, which means you should be able to squeeze them into your weekly meal plans even if weight loss is your goal on a keto diet.
Almonds may not be the star in this last recipe but they are still a big contributing factor to the flavor.
Time to Explore All the Ways You Can Use Almonds on Keto
Just because pecans, macadamia nuts, and Brazil nuts were voted our top 3 nuts on keto doesn’t mean you should exclude others like almonds, walnuts, and hazelnuts.
Each nut delivers a different combination of macro- and micronutrients.
And now that you have 21 different ways to use almonds, including a convenient keto bar, you can stop carrying around a container of raw almonds and finally branch out to expand your taste buds.
Don’t forget to practice portion control with every nut you enjoy on keto. While one serving may keep you within your keto carb limits, two or three could push you out of ketosis.
So which almond recipe are you trying first?