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Abstract. The objective of this study was to develop an efficient drying method for off-ground harvested almonds for improved energy efficiency and product quality. Drying experiments were conducted with a column dryer at different air temperatures (45, 50, 55 and 60^oC) and velocities (1.0 and 2.0 m/s) using three almond varieties (Nonpareil, Monterey and Fritz). The drying time ranged from 2.5 to 6 hours to dry the almonds from their initial moisture content to the kernel moisture around 0.06 kg water/kg wet mass. No cavity, no significant color change, no significant concealed damage and no deterioration of oil quality were observed under the tested conditions (p < 0.05). The specific energy consumption ranged from 7.01 to 19.05 MJ/kg under different drying conditions. The final moisture content of in-hull almonds was significantly higher than that of in-shell almonds. More than 60% of energy was consumed for drying the hulls, and only 20% was used for kernel drying. Therefore, de-hulling and sorting the freshly harvested almonds into different moisture groups and then drying them separately should improve the drying uniformity, product quality and energy efficiency. The findings from this study provide an important guidance for drying off-ground harvested almonds with improved efficiency and ensured product quality.