Here’s a secret that can make gluten-free baking feel less intimidating to newbies: When you need a treat without a ton of fuss, almond flour recipes are your go-to.
Don’t get us wrong. The different flours and starches you find in recipes for gluten-free baked goods can all play important roles. And sometimes you do genuinely need four or five types combined to get just the texture and flavor you’re looking for. But sometimes…you don’t.
Almond flour’s rich, buttery goodness alone can often deliver perfect pancakes, chewy cookies, fluffy cupcakes, and crispy, crunchy crackers. Which is so (so!) great if you don’t make gluten-free goodies very often, or don’t feel like splurging on a ton of specialty ingredients. And the simplicity of almond flour prevents this dreaded scenario: nearly a dozen opened bags of partially used flours and starches, taking up precious space in your cabinet for eons and expiring any day now. (Are you ever really going to find a cake recipe that uses exactly 1/2 cup rice flour, 1/3 cup tapioca starch, and 2 tablespoons of cassava flour?! No.)
That’s the beauty of these scrumptious almond flour recipes. Yes, almond flour is the star in all of these baked goods. (In a few instances here, you will find a recipe that does call for a helper flour because it’s actually necessary. We’re not hardcore almond purists here.) And if you do want to go all almond flour, all day? Well, here’s your permission.