Aisha Zakari
If you are a lover of cooking and baking, then you should know almonds make the best macarons and many other recipes. If you’ve recently purchased them in large quantities, you may be tempted to ask if can you freeze almonds. The short answer is yes, you can.
In this article, we will walk you through how to freeze almonds, the best ways and tips to freeze them, and how to defrost them. Let’s get right into it.
What Are Almonds?
Almonds are nuts or seeds that have nutrients like vitamins, proteins, and magnesium in them and are high in antioxidants. These seeds, sometimes called nuts, are packed with health benefits like lowering cholesterol and blood pressure and maintaining a healthy weight.
They are rich in oil content and are used in cooking and baking a variety of recipes in every part of the world. Some even use the oil in hair care and skin care, I know I do!
What Are the Types of Almonds?
Almonds are grouped into three categories based on the following:
- Shell: Almonds are known to have semi-hard, hard or thin shells which makes them crunchy and nutty.
- Taste: The two tastes of almonds are either sweet or bitter.
- Color: Almonds are versatile in color. They come in brown, either light or dark, green, and bright milk.
There are 15 varieties of almonds, they are Neplus, Ferraduel, Molar, Marcona, Sonora, Monterey, Chinese, Fritz, Green, Peerless, Sweet, Carmel, Non pareil, Bitter almonds, and Butte. All varieties are either sweet or bitter and are nutty, and crunchy, and come in different colors.
With so many varieties of almonds, there is one for one and it is assuring to know you can freeze almonds for about 12 months with the taste, flavor, and aroma staying intact.
How to Freeze Almonds
Freezing almonds is just like learning ABC, easy. Due to the oil content in them, freezing almonds is the best storage method but they must be preserved in air-tight containers and closed tightly to keep them away from air and moisture.
To answer the question of whether can you freeze almonds, here are the following ways to freeze them:
1. Pack It Up
To freeze almonds, firstly pack them up in an air-tight container and close the lid of the container. Alternatively, you can simply stack almonds in a freezer bag.
2. Seal
You may want to place the container in a freezer bag to ensure you keep it away from air and moisture. Both airtight containers and freezer bags are the best and safe options for storing almonds either whole or ground. Ensure you push excess air out of the freezer bag before sealing it.
3. Record and Freeze
When you have properly packaged the almonds in air-tight containers or freezer bags, using a marker pen, record the storage date on containers and freezer bags and place them in the freezer for about 12 months.
How Long Can You Freeze Almonds?
You can freeze almonds for about 12 months in your freezer
We recommend freezing almonds in freezer bags as they are most likely not to come in contact with air, ice, or water. Properly seal containers and freezer bags before placing them in the freezer.
4 Tips for Freezing Almonds
Now the question of whether can you freeze almonds is yes. Here are a few tips you can follow to preserve them in the best ways.
TIP 1: Ensure you push excess air out of the freezer bag and even out of air-tight containers before sealing the freezer bag and closing the lids of containers.
TIP 2: You may consider wrapping almonds with plastic wrap or cling film before transferring them to a container or freezer bag. This helps protect almonds from coming into contact with water and prevents freezer burn.
TIP 3: Consider double-wrapping almonds before transferring them to a freezer bag and air-tight containers.
TIP 4: Ensure Your frozen almonds are kept away from air, moisture, and ice as this will make almonds go bad quickly.
TIP 5: You may choose to boil almonds for a minute and cool them with ice water before storing them in containers or freezer bags to freeze. This is called blanching, although, it affects the taste, flavor, and color of almonds while in the freezer for 12 months. The choice is entirely up to you if you want your almonds to reach 12 months.
How Do You Defrost Almonds
There are 4 proven ways to properly defrost frozen almonds. All ways are effective and are all up to your choice, but be sure to pick the number of almonds you will be needing only.
WAY 1: In a bowl, put the frozen almonds and place this bowl in another bowl containing warm water. Let it sit for 15-20 minutes to defrost the almonds.
WAY 2: Put frozen almonds in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave for 45 seconds at low temperature. Allow it to cool down before using them to cook or bake.
WAY 3: Take frozen almonds out of the freezer and transfer them to the fridge overnight. By morning, your frozen almonds are well-defrosted.
WAY 4: Alternatively, you can set frozen almonds out on the kitchen counter to defrost completely. It takes 2 hours to defrost completely. This should be done only when you plan on using almonds immediately.
How to Tell If Frozen Almonds Is Bad
To feel if your frozen almond is bad, here are signs it gives to let you know:
- Rancid or sour
- Bitter taste
- The appearance of dark molds and spots.
Once You begin to see and taste this with your frozen almonds, you should throw
them out and purchase another one.
Can You Refreeze Almonds?
Yes, your almonds can be refrozen because they contain little moisture. But it is not advised to refreeze almonds as it affects the taste, flavor, and aroma of almonds.
If you must refreeze almonds, follow the step-by-step guide on how to freeze them again.
Do Almonds Freeze Well?
Yes, almonds freeze extremely well. It may interest you to know that almonds have little moisture and are high in fats and oil. This is the reason why they freeze well and can stay in the freeze for about 12 months
Conclusion
The answer to “Can you freeze almonds?” is yes. Almonds are a great source of nutrients and antioxidants and should be stored in air-tight containers or freezer bags to keep away from air, moisture, and going bad quickly. Remember they keep in the freezer for about 12 months.
It may interest you to check out: can you freeze nuts
FAQs
What happens if you freeze almonds?
When you freeze almonds, they don’t go entirely go bad but may change slightly while still maintaining their nourishing values.
How long can you freeze almonds?
You can freeze almonds for about 12 months in the freezer.
Should you keep almonds in the freezer?
It would be best if you kept almonds either shelled or unshelled in the freezer. This keeps it from going bad.
What is the best way to store almonds?
Store almonds in both freezer bags and air-tight containers. They should either be kept in the freezer or a dark place away from air and moisture.
How many almonds to eat per day?
If you want to be enriched and fortified with the benefits of almonds, eat 23 almonds a day.
What can I do with lots of almonds?
With lots of almonds, you can make granola bars, eat them raw, or add them to yogurt. If you’re not a fan of yogurt, you can add them to Nutella or use them as toppings in brownies and fudge. Imagine having brownies with almonds on the top, sweet and nutty yet crunchy too. Serve and enjoy.
