How to Toast Almonds

Toasting nuts is a good way to bring out a robust, intense flavor. Lightly toasting nuts before adding them to bread and muffin batters also makes them less likely to sink to the bottom. Almonds are among the more popular nuts used in cooking. Toasted almonds can be purchased, but cost a little more than raw almonds. Toasting them yourself is easy and can save you money. It is also a great way to add a lot of flavor to your cooking.

Things You'll Need

• Wooden spoon
• Oven
• Baking pan

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Using temperatures lower than this will take longer than it needs to, and using higher temperatures may cause the almonds to brown too much.

2. Place the almonds in a single layer on an ungreased baking sheet. Using oil is not necessary because the high temperatures bring out some of the almond oil. Toasting without oil is known as dry roasting, and it results in a lower-fat nut. Make sure to use almonds that are nearly the same size. If you have almonds of mixed sizes, you can risk burning some while others remain under done.

3. Place the baking sheet in the oven.

4. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, opening the oven to shake the cookie sheet to turn the almonds over every few minutes. Make sure the almonds are in a single layer when you return them to the oven.

5. Remove from oven when the almonds are lightly brown.

Tips & Warnings

• Almonds can also be toasted in a skillet on the stove top. Use an ungreased skillet over medium heat, and place a single layer of almonds in the skillet. Stir them every so often for five to seven minutes, until they are lightly browned.

• To save time, toast a lot of almonds at once, and store the remaining nuts in the freezer for up to three months.

• Once the almonds begin to turn brown, they can quickly turn too brown so watch them carefully during the last few minutes of cooking. Their flavor diminishes dramatically once they become overcooked.

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish