Oat Flour vs Almond Flour: The Better Choice

Oat and almond flour are both popular healthy alternatives to wheat flour offering a range of nutritional benefits, but when it comes down to it – which is the better choice? In this article, I’ll compare oat flour vs almond flour in terms of nutrition, taste, baking properties, and more to find out which is the better choice. 

Comparing oat flour vs almond flour

	Oat flour	Almond flour	All-purpose flour
Substitution ratio (vs all-purpose flour)	1.3:1	1:1*	N/A
Gluten-free?	Yes	Yes	No
Keto-friendly?	No	Yes	No
Paleo-friendly?	No	Yes	No
Common Allergens	None	Tree nuts	Wheat, gluten
Liquid absorbency	High	Medium	Medium
Pantry shelf life	2 months	2-4 months	6-8 months
Best for	Pancakes, muffins, cookies, fruit crumbles and crisps	Cookies, pie crusts, cupcakes, muffins, macarons, and sandwich bread	Non-yeast recipes, cookies, biscuits, and some breads

*Technically, almond flour can replace 100% of all-purpose flour but will often yield a greasy bake, so I don’t recommend it. If you have to, just make sure to reduce the amount of fat (butter, oil) called for in the recipe by a third or half and add extra wet ingredients if the batter seems too dry.

As you can see, both almond and oat flour are naturally gluten-free – and in fact, almond has won the distinction of being one of our best gluten-free flours for baking. This is in part because almond flour is really flexible for lots of different diets – it’s one of the best paleo flours, one of the best Keto flours, and just in general does a great job as a replacement for all-purpose flour so long as you can balance out the high oil content.

One area oat flour really shines, though, is that it’s super allergy-friendly. Unlike almond flour, it contains no tree nuts (and unlike all-purpose flour, it has no gluten or wheat), so it’s one of the best flours for allergies. (Especially because, if you have an allergic kiddo like I do, you have to be worried about cross-contamination among tree nuts. Not an issue for oat flour!)

Differences between oat flour and almond flour

The biggest difference between oat flour and almond flour is in their ingredients. Oat flour is made from rolled oats, while almond flour is made from ground-up almonds. This difference in ingredients has significant downstream effects – it changes the taste, the taste and texture, and how each of these flours interacts with other ingredients for baking. Let’s dive in.

When it comes to taste, oat flour has a mild, slightly nutty flavor that pairs well with sweet and savory dishes alike. (Especially fruit crumbles, which are great any time of year.) Almond flour has a more noticeable, slightly sweeter flavor, so it is best for baked goods like almond flour cookies, muffins, and macaroons.

Since oat flour has a lighter taste and texture, it’s more versatile for baking. I love using oat flour for pancakes, pancakes, bread, cookies, and more! Almond flour can also be used in a variety of baked goods but it tends to produce heavier textures and denser cakes.

Baking with oat flour vs almond flour

When baking with oat flour, you may need to use more liquid because it absorbs much more liquid compared to wheat flour. Make sure you add extra moisture in the form of milk, applesauce or oil to make sure your baked goods come out light, fluffy, and moist. (Otherwise they can be a little dry.)

Since gluten-free flours have different properties than all-purpose flour, it’s not always easy to substitute one for another. Because of its higher fat content, almond flour is heavier and produces a denser product with less rise. On the other hand, oat flour is a medium-weight flour that would make a better substitute for all-purpose flour. To substitute, you need 1 ⅓ cup of oat flour for every 1 cup of all-purpose.

Ingredients in oat flour vs almond flour

The ingredients in oat flour and almond flour should be simply oats or almonds.

Oat flour is made from oats that have been ground into a fine powder. It can be found in most major supermarkets and health food stores, but I love making my own homemade oat flour by blending rolled oats until they form a smooth powder.

Almond flour is made from blanched almonds that have been finely ground. I don’t recommend making your own almond flour from almonds at home, as it’s difficult to get the texture fine enough and if blended too long, you could end up with almond butter.

Oat flour and almond flour nutritional facts

Per ¼ cup serving	Oat flour	Almond flour	All-purpose flour
Calories	120	160	120
Carbs (g)	22	6	24
Fiber (g)	3	4	1
Fat (g)	2	12	0.5
Protein (g)	4	6	4
Glycemic index score	44	Almonds = 15	85

Almond flour is higher in calories and healthy fats, and lower in carbs compared to oat flour, making it a good option for those on a low-carb or keto diet. Almond flour also has slightly more protein per serving compared to oat flour.

However, oat flour is packed with soluble fiber (although not as much as oat fiber), B vitamins and essential minerals such as iron and magnesium.

Both flours have a significantly lower glycemic index than all-purpose flour (GI = 85), but oat flour has the potential to raise your blood sugar a bit more than almond flour. The glycemic index score for oat flour is 44 compared to 15 for almonds (and, I assume, a similar number for almond flour since it’s literally just ground-up almonds) is much better.

Almond flour is a low FODMAP flour and oat flour can be considered low FODMAP if eaten in small quantities. Of course, if you’re on a FODMAP diet, always consult with a physician before adding almond flour or oat flour to your diet.

Oat flour vs almond flour storage

When it comes to storage, oat flour and almond flour both have a relatively short shelf life of a couple of months if stored in a cool, dry place. However, almond flour is best kept in the refrigerator or freezer due to its higher fat content. This will help prevent it from going rancid over time.

(You can always tell if flour has gone rancid by smell and texture. If either have changed significantly, it’s probably time to toss it out.)

Oat flour vs almond flour: The better choice

So, which one is the better choice – oat flour or almond flour?

Personally, I prefer baking with oat flavor because it acts more like all-purpose flour compared to almond flour. If you’re new to gluten-free baking, I would definitely start with oat flour. It’s also packed with minerals and fiber, and it’s nut-free.

However, there’s no doubt that almond flour is better for low-carb or keto baked goods! With lots of protein, fat, and fiber, it keeps you full and satisfied. If you choose to use almond flour, I recommend sticking to recipes that call for almond flour instead of substituting, as that can get a bit tricky.

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