Every baker needs a food processor
A must-have applicance (that makes a great gift).
Date
December 8, 2025
For years, I made do with a mini food processor to make dressing, pesto, or blitz up whole nuts. I came to depend on the small-but-mighty machine; it became such a regular part of my kitchen rotation that, swayed by a good Black Friday deal four years ago, I decided to add a larger 14 cup food processor to my arsenal. It's since become an indispensable tool that I couldn’t live without.
It's become a nearly everyday appliance and the key to some of my favorite baking recipes. I’d argue it’s as essential as a stand mixer for bakers. (And if you have someone in your life who, like me, spends a lot of time in the kitchen cooking, baking, and hosting, this would make a great splurge-worthy gift this holiday season.)
I use it mix up batches of hearty Super Protein Pancakes for breakfast or Chili Crisp Cottage Cheese Flatbreads as a side for dinner (can you tell I’m on a protein kick?), both of which only require dumping the ingredients into the food processor and blending. You can also use it to make pasta dough, or even mix up dough for loaves of Food Processor French Bread. And when I want a fancy dessert without much effort, I use my food processor to whiz together the five ingredients in this recipe for Basque Cheesecake, then pour it into the prepared pan and bake; it couldn't be easier.
In addition to recipes like those that are entirely prepared in the processor, it's also a handy appliance to make little tasks less onerous. Every December, I make a sheet tray of Italian Rainbow Cookies for the holidays. Almond paste is an essential ingredient, and once I realized how easy, fast, and affordable it is to make it yourself in a food processor, I never bought store-bought paste again. Use a food processor to chop a heap of berries for scones, turn cookies into crumbs for pie crusts, reduce bits of stale bread into breadcrumbs, or make whipped cream, too.
If you’ve been debating whether a full-size food processor is worth the kitchen real estate and the money, let me save you the mental gymnastics: It is. This is an appliance that earns its keep, I can’t imagine cooking or baking without it.
Cover photo and food styling by Liz Neily.
Tagged:
Filed Under:
Tips and Techniques
