Hassle-Free Smoked Almond Recipe: Liquid Smoke Makes it Easy

Use this smoked almond recipe to make a savory and crunchy snack. It’s quick, easy, and hassle free, as it’s made in the kitchen with only a handful of ingredients, the secret being liquid smoke.

I used to eat smoked almonds all the time. They are one of my favorite snacking treats. However, I have a hard time finding them in the stores where I live now. The few times I did see them, they were expensive and often too salty or oily.

I wanted to duplicate the flavor in the kitchen, without the mess or the hassle of setting up a smoker somewhere outdoors. Then I discovered a product called liquid smoke. This gave me the flavor I wanted easily, but it took some experimentation to get the proportions right.

My goal was to achieve a smoky flavor, a crunchy texture, and something easy to create. Liquid smoke, in the right quantity (and with some water and salt) gave me the flavor I want from a smoker but without the equipment, the mess, or the long process.

I also believe it has health benefits over traditional smoking methods.

Liquid smoke vs traditional smoking methods

Disclaimer: Statements regarding health benefits are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or health condition.

Liquid smoke is produced by condensing wood smoke and removing many of the harmful chemicals typically left behind during traditional smoking. Some research has mentioned that properly filtered liquid smoke largely excludes fat-soluble carcinogenic compounds, reducing exposure compared to foods smoked with direct wood smoke.

Other advantages of using liquid smoke include convenience, shorter time to get the flavor, consistency of the result, and no need for specialized smoking equipment.

On the other hand, direct wood smoke imparts a deeper flavor, allowing for the use of woods and materials not available in liquid smoke form, as well as the ability to smoke large items and quantities (if your smoker is large enough).

I have built and used my own smoking cabinet, predominantly for salmon and cheeses. If you are looking for a real wood smoker, I would consider this model (if you haven’t made my own).

What you need for my smoked almond recipe

• Almonds – raw and unroasted
• Liquid smoke – I use hickory flavor, but mesquite, apple, or pecan versions are also available.
• Water – this is needed to dilute and spread the flavors
• Salt – as it dissolves in water, a fine grind is best.

Tips for making these smoked almonds

• The longer the almonds sit in the marinating liquid, the deeper the smoke flavor. Increase the time for a stronger flavor or decrease the time for a lighter flavor (or alter the amount of liquid smoke used – see recipe below for details).
• Bake the almonds in a single layer. Baking on an open grid tray allows air to circulate more effectively than baking in a pan, resulting in more uniform results.

Serving suggestions

I like them just as they are; a satisfying, crunchy snack. They go well with cheeses, on a mezze platter, or crushed as a topping on a salad. I add this to my list of go-to crispy snacks like seeded crackers or quinoa crackers.

My smoked almond recipe

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