Nut butters are a delicious new way to get essential fatty acids, vitamin E and protein into your diet. A fantastic vegan alternative to traditional butter, these spreadable pastes can be smeared over toast, dolloped generously on top of a bowl of Greek yoghurt with some chopped fruit, or even indulgently eaten straight out of the jar with a spoon!
If you’re thinking about making your own delicious peanut butter, almond butter, or any other kind of nut butter at home (really, the possibilities are endless), then you’re going to need one essential piece of equipment – a food processor.
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If You’re in a Hurry – My Tops Picks at a Glance
Grinding, chopping and pulsing are all a part of making nut butters, so you’re going to want a food processor that is powerful enough to make light work of it.
Here, I’ll take a look at some of the best food processors available that will easily whip up a tasty batch of nut butter with minimum effort.
Best Food Processor For Nut Butters – Reviews
1. Braun 12 Cup Food Processor
If you’re looking for a food processor that can do it all, then you’ll definitely want to check out this Braun 12 Cup Food Processor brilliant kitchen multitasker from Braun.
Not only will it pulverize a variety of nuts and seeds to give you delicious nut butter, but it can also slice, whisk, knead, blend and even comes with a juicing attachment.
It’s impressive 600W motor powers the stainless steel blades, and the 15 speed settings (plus a pulse function) allow you to set your own speed and leave it to do all the hard work.
This food processor also has ‘Silent Strength Ultra Quiet Technology’, so it will operate at a minimal volume without losing any of its power.
Switching between its many attachments is easy, and its compact size makes it easy to store when not in use. All of the removable parts are dishwasher safe, so cleaning up is quick, simple and hassle-free.
Pros
- 15 speed settings plus a pulse function give you total control over speed and consistency
- Interchangeable attachments perform a variety of kitchen tasks including slicing, kneading and whisking
- Innovative ‘Silent Strength Ultra Quiet Technology’ allows this food processor to operate at minimum volume without losing any power
Cons
- Some customers have found that its powerful motor makes the machine move a bit when in use
2. Hamilton Beach 8 Cup Compact Food Processor
Able to chop, puree and mix a wide range of ingredients, versatility is at the heart of this Hamilton Beach 8 Cup Compact Food Processor from Hamilton Beach.
It’s 8 cup capacity is large enough to handle most kitchen jobs, but is still compact enough to easily store away, making it perfect for smaller kitchens where countertop space is a precious commodity.
Featuring high and low settings and a pulse function, you will have total control over speed and your food’s consistency.
It’s super sharp stainless steel blades make short work of cutting through food, and a reversible disc with slicing blades on one side and a shredder on the other will make food preparation easy.
The large feeding chute also allows you to add extra ingredients into the bowl without needing to pause and remove the lid, which is perfect for recipes that call for gradual pulsing or for grating vegetables.
All of the removable parts are easy to clean and dishwasher safe, and if you’re short on space or like having clear work surfaces, the lid can be flipped over for a space-saving storage solution.
Customers that purchased this food processor have noted that it is lightweight but still very powerful, meaning it can blast through ingredients in a matter of seconds but isn’t cumbersome or awkward operate.
Pros
- Features two settings and a pulse function that give you total control over the chopping speed
- A reversible cutting disc allows you to slice and shred ingredients as well as chop and grind
- Compact, lightweight and easy to store away when not in use
Cons
- Some customers found that this food processor is quite loud when in use
3. Ninja Master Prep
This Ninja Master Prep powerful food processor from Ninja uses ‘Pulse Technology’ to power it’s way through a wide variety of ingredients. Complete with three interchangeable cups, this food processor also acts as a blender and a chopper, giving you a 3-in-1 kitchen appliance.
Featuring a large, chrome pulsing button that gives you ultimate control over texture and consistency without any fear of over-processing, the chopper bowl can grind and chop a variety of nuts into a smooth paste with ease, and it can make up to 16 ounces of nut butter at one time.
It’s additional features also include a wide, non-slip base to help keep the unit steady and safe when in it’s in use, and for added convenience, all of the cups come with storage lids so you can keep your food fresher for longer.
The cups, blades and attachments are all easy to remove and clean, and are dishwasher safe so will save you time when it comes to tidying away. It’s compact size also makes it suitable for storing away in a cupboard when it’s not in use.
Pros
- Powerful enough to make nut butter with minimal effort
- Accessories include 3 interchangeable cups and storage lids
- Easy to clean and dishwasher safe
Cons
- It’s ‘Pulse Technology’ requires you to hold down the button to operate, meaning you can’t walk away and leave it to run by itself
4. Cuisinart 11 Cup Food Processor
Large enough to use when preparing food for the whole family, this Cuisinart 11 Cup Food Processor from Cuisinart has an 11 cup capacity that will make quick work of preparing any recipe without breaking a sweat.
Featuring a stainless steel chopping blade, three slicing and shredding discs and a spatula to help you get every last piece of food out of the processing cup, it will make creating nut butters a quick and hassle free experience.
It’s extra large feed tube allows you to gradually add more ingredients into the mix, and it comes equipped with two differently sized pushers so you can safely feed more food into the processing bowl.
Not only is this food processor fantastic for creating an array of recipes, but it also includes a 5 year warranty so, in the unlikely event of something going wrong, you’ll know that you’re covered.
Pros
- Accessories include three slicing and shredding discs, two pushers and a spatula
- Large enough to handle chopping food and preparing recipes for a whole family
- Covered by a 5 year guarantee, giving you extra piece of mind
Cons
- This food processor only has one setting and a pulse function, so you’ll have less control of the chopping speed
5. KitchenAid 14 Cup Food Processor with Exact Slice System
Whatever nut butter you’re looking to make, this KitchenAid 14 Cup Food Processor from KitchenAid will make it for you with ease thanks to it’s high, low and pulse speed options that allow you to precisely slice through hard and soft ingredients at just the touch of a button.
A great kitchen multitasker, this food processor features an ‘Exact Slice System’ that optimizes the cutting speed and allows you to adjust the width of the slice from thick to thin.
It also comes equipped with a hands-free dicing kit, taking the effort out preparing and dicing fruits and vegetables.
A specially designed locking system with a leak-resistant ring also allows you to fill the processing bowl to capacity without any fear of ingredients getting caught in the lid, making a mess or it’s power being compromised.
Past purchasers found that this food processor is able to take all of the hard work and hassle out of meal prep, and was able to give them professional results in their very own kitchens.
Pros
- Features an ‘Exact Slice System’ allowing you to choose the thickness of sliced fruits and vegetables
- Has a leak-resistant ring on the lid so you can fill the bowl to capacity without fear of making a mess
- Can carry out a wide variety of kitchen jobs
Cons
- Is at the more expensive end of the price scale, but is from a reputable brand and comes with a lot of great features
Best Food Processor For Nut Butters – Buyers Guide
Chopping and pulverizing nuts into a smooth paste takes a lot of effort. You’re basically trying to turn something that is naturally quite hard into an almost liquid-like consistency. Whilst this is achievable, it’s much easier to do with a powerful food processor.
The strength, sharpness and speed of the blades are important factors to think about when choosing a blender for making nut butter. Getting the correct consistency is going to take a strong blade so look for something that is made from stainless steel.
The base unit will need to have a bit of power behind it as well if you’re going to get the results you want.
Comparison Table
| Product | Color | Recommended Uses |
| Braun 12 Cup | White | Chop |
| Hamilton Beach 8 Cup | Black | Mince |
| Ninja Master Prep | Black | Puree, Blend, Chop, Mince |
| Cuisinart 11 Cup | Brushed Chrome | Chop |
| KitchenAid 14 | Black, Grey, White | Chop, Shredding |
Your chosen food processor is going to have to be able to reach a high speed as well to whip strong walnuts, almonds and peanuts into a smooth paste.
A food processor with variable speed settings would be a good option to achieve this, and look for one with a pulse function as well so you can gradually blend everything together once you’ve almost reached your desired texture, without fear of overmixing.
If you’re only planning to make a small amount of nut butter at a time, then a food processor with a smaller capacity will suit you just fine. If you’re wanting to make larger batches, or are cooking for a family, then look for one with a larger capacity.
Bear in mind also, that if you have a smaller kitchen, you may want to save your invaluable countertop space. If this is the case, then a compact food processor that can easily be stored away in a kitchen cupboard would be a good choice.
For making nut butter, you’re definitely going to require a food processor that has a chopping or grinding attachment and, ideally, a separate cup for chopping. Some models come with storage lids as part of their accessory pack as well.
These will help to keep your food fresher for longer, which is perfect if you’re not looking to feast on it all in one go, or if you’re meal prepping in advance.
Think about what else you’re looking to gain from your food processor as well. They can be an expensive investment, so look into getting one that comes with an assortment of accessories that will provide useful multifunctional help in the kitchen.
A slicing attachment is a great, time saving tool and will also give you equally sized slices of food – perfect if you’re throwing a dinner party and would like to put out a platter of crudites. Some even let you adjust the width of the slice, so you can achieve the perfect cut.
Grating attachments take the hard work out of what is arguably one of the most boring kitchen tasks there is, and some are powerful enough to quickly grate carrots, onions and even entire blocks of cheese with minimum effort.
Making nut butter, as well as other recipes, in a food processor can be a messy experience. To make your life easier, look for a model that has dishwasher safe removable parts so you don’t have to spend a lot of time cleaning up. This would be particularly useful if you’re using a grating attachment that can get stringy bits of vegetable caught in the blades.
Food processors can range in price, so depending on your budget, see what you can get for your money. If a certain mode is sitting at the higher end of the price spectrum it doesn’t necessarily mean it comes with more attachments or a higher capacity than a more budget one.
A good food processor should also include a warranty that will cover you should anything go wrong with the machine or the parts, so keep an eye out for a model that offers you a guarantee.
Not only are nut butters super tasty but, when made at home, they can have a positive impact on both your pocket. Next time you’re in your grocery store, weigh up the price difference between a packet of nuts and a jar of nut butter. Gram for gram, you’re almost guaranteed to save money by making your own.
Not only is it budget friendly to start making your own nut butter, but you’ll also be helping the environment. Some nut butters can contain palm oil, which is a highly controversial ingredient. By whizzing up a batch in your own kitchen, you’ll be certain about exactly what’s gone into it.
So shop wisely, find the right food processor for your needs, and have fun creating lots of different, delicious nut butters!
Frequently Asked Questions
What Attachment Is Best for Making Nut Butter?
As nut butter is made 100% from nuts, you’ll need a grinding or chopping attachment that can easily pulverize them and turn them into a smooth paste. If you’re planning to make a batch that will last you for a few days as well, look for one with a large capacity and see if you can get a food processor that offers storage lids to help keep it fresher for longer.
How Do I Keep My Food Processor Clean?
The easiest way to clean your food processor’s removable attachments is to run them through the dishwasher. This won’t only clean them easily, but will also sterilize the equipment keeping it ready to use next time you need it. If you don’t have a dishwasher, simply washing the attachments in hot, soapy water will also get them nice and clean. Just make sure you take great care when washing any sharp blades.
Do I Really Need All the Attachments?
To make nut butter, you’re definitely going to need the chopping or grinding attachment. The other attachments, although not necessarily important for making nut butter, can be used for a wide range of tasks including slicing, chopping, dicing, mixing and even juicing in some cases. So they’re worth hanging onto as they make useful cooking aids.
Plastic or Glass?
This one mostly comes down to personal preference. If you decide to purchase a food processor that has a glass mixing bowl, see if the guarantee covers breakages as a glass bowl is easier to damage than a plastic one. Plastic bowls are a bit sturdier in general, but may be prone to staining.If you choose to go with plastic, make sure also that the bowl is made from BPA-free plastic so that there isn’t any risk of toxins seeping into your food.
What Is Nut Butter?
Nut butter is a delicious, spreadable paste that can be made from most types of nuts and even from seeds in some cases. It also makes a great, vegan alternative to traditional butter and margarine.
Richmond Howard started Meal Prepify in 2019 and has helped over a million people learn how to meal prep, get better at meal planning, and create a kitchen they love to use. He’s an avid home chef and loves to bbq, grill out, and make awesome food for family and friends. He’s been featured on MSN, Renaissance Periodization, and Good Financial Cents.
