Almond Oil

Sweet vs. bitter

Two distinct almond oils exist commercially:

• Sweet almond oil — pressed from regular sweet almonds. Pale yellow, mild, edible. Used in cooking and cosmetics.
• Bitter almond oil — pressed from bitter almonds, contains amygdalin and trace cyanide. Heavily diluted in commercial extracts and used only for flavoring (not eaten neat). Sometimes marketed as “natural almond extract.”

When recipes call for “almond oil” without qualifier, they mean the sweet kind.

In the kitchen

Almond oil has a high smoke point (refined: ~215 °C) but its delicate flavor is best preserved by using it cold or just-warm:

• Drizzled on salads, especially with peach, pear, or fennel.
• In dressings with sherry vinegar.
• Finishing sweet baked goods and yogurt.
• Persian and Moroccan sweet rice dishes.

Heating it strongly destroys the nutty aroma — for high-heat cooking, it’s overkill; better to use a neutral oil and add almond oil at the end.

Cosmetic use

Sweet almond oil is one of the most common carrier oils in massage and skincare. It absorbs slowly without leaving a heavy film, contains vitamin E and oleic acid, and rarely causes allergic reactions. Most “almond oil” sold in pharmacies is the cosmetic grade — refined further than culinary versions.