5 Best Food Processors for Nut Butter

In our opinion, homemade nut butter is simply better and healthier than store-bought varieties. And it’s not hard to make (really!) if you are using the best food processor for nut butter in your kitchen.  

Besides, all nut butter connoisseurs would agree that store-bought nut butter can represent a significant chunk of change. Making nut butter at home is a more cost-effective option and a great way to fine-tune the process.

Word of caution: not all food processors are up to the task when it comes to making nut butter. Nut butter does take quite a toll on most food processors and certain brands might advise against going anywhere near recipes that involve nut butter. The machine should have the capacity to run non-stop without overheating.

Finally, it also helps to pick a food processor that can crush through nut butter and also tackle other common food processing tasks.

In this article, we’ve shortlisted 5 food processors that get the job done.

Looking for a quick roundup? Go through our quick summary to know more!

The Best Food Processors for Nut Butter

Now that you know what features to look for when buying a food processor, you may be interested in taking a deep dive into our list of the best food processors. They combine all of the above features (and more).

Cuisinart DFP-14BCNY 14 Cup Food Processor

This powerful food processor blows the competition out of the water at a price that would shock you. It is equipped with a beefy motor capable of drawing 720 watts to chug through anything you throw at it – nuts, veggies, meats, you name it. The massive feeding tube makes it possible to toss whole fruits and veggies without any chopping time needed.

We were also surprised to find the DFP-14BCNY’s 14-cup bowl not just spacious but also durable. It was engineered to make large batches of recipes in a short period of time. The only thing that grinds our gears (no pun intended) is the size of this food processor. At 11 x 7.9 x 14.8 inches, this food processor is massive and you will struggle to keep it in a smaller kitchen where space is at a premium.

The good news is that it is short and you can tuck the massive food processor under most kitchen cabinets. It’s also quite a bit heavy at nearly 17 lbs. and you could use it for resistance training – that’s how beefy it is. You will need to place the food processor on a stable countertop, lest you want your investment crashing into a million pieces.

In any case, this Cuisinart food processor for nut butter is a work of art and we wouldn’t mind placing it on our kitchen counter.

You can also tell that the engineers didn’t leave any stone unturned to make the food processor as durable as can be. The Cuisinart Custom was made using a stainless steel body with stainless steel blades. it is leakproof and resistant to heat, chipping, water, and staining. The best part is that it is BPA-free, so you won’t have to worry about unhealthy toxins leaching into your recipes.

Cleanup is also relatively easy because the entire food processor is dishwasher safe. You could even wash it by hand using a soapy sponge in the span few a few minutes. We honestly believe this is the best food processor for nut butter at this price range.

The Pros

·         BPA free

·         750-watt motor power with a stainless steel dough blade that cuts through anything

·         Durable construction and ergonomic design

·         Dishwasher safe and easy to clean

·         Sleek design that looks good in any kitchen

·         Easy to use buttons

·         14 cup food processor

The Cons

·         This massive, bulky food processor will compete for space with other kitchen appliances

Hamilton Beach 70725 12-Cup Stack & Snap

The Hamilton Beach 12-Cup food processor is aimed at the budget-conscious customer and is a solid option for making nut butters. At a glance, its ‘pulse’ button can cut through most ingredients, including nuts, veggies, meats, and others. It does particularly well with nuts by creating a uniform paste, but you will have to use the pulse button more than 10 times.

It doesn’t do particularly well at larger ingredients like carrots, so you might have to use the pulse button several times to break them apart. The food processor comes with a decent 450W motor that works efficiently and can slice and dice all kinds of nuts into a smooth nut butter in a few minutes. The blades are made of stainless steel so you won’t have to worry about wear and tear.

The Hamilton Beach food processor boasts a sleek and ergonomic design with a stainless steel body and easy-to-use buttons that are very responsive to the touch, making crushing more efficient. If you’re not a big fan of thick user manuals, you’ll like this food processor’s intuitive design. The guidebook provides simple instructions in a pictorial format that you can learn in less than one hour.

Their patent-pending stack and snap design ensure that you don’t have to face any difficulty in twisting and locking the lid in place, making your life easier. Moreover, the leakproof bowl prevents the contents from spilling out. You can use the small locking clips to bolt everything into place.

At 9.55 x 8.76 x 16.25 inches, this 12-cup food processor takes up a lot of space in any counter space.

The Pros

·         Easy assembly

·         Hamilton Beach patent-pending design that is durable and functional

·         Buttons are easy to use

·         Large feed chute that reduces the time spent chopping up ingredients

·         Sealed bowl that prevents leaks

·         Powerful stainless-steel slicing disc

·         Dishwasher safes

·         BPA-free

The Cons

·         It is bulky

·         Very noisy

Breville BFP800XL Sous Chef Food Processor

If you want a no-nonsense food processor that cuts down on the time you spend in the kitchen while producing delicious meals – including nut butters – then the BFP800XL is right up your alley. It does everything, from blending and mixing to chopping and pureeing – and that is to be expected given the gargantuan motor capable of drawing 1200 watts from the grid.

Breville is no stranger to the market of kitchen appliances and has been around for over 80 years. The Sous Chef could be described as the culmination of years of experience and innovation. It truly stands out among most food processors because of its capacity, power, and durability.

The 16-cup food processor gives you the capacity to make massive batches of food on a commercial level. Most families won’t be needing this much capacity, but it definitely reduces the time you spend in-between batches because you can make a month’s worth of nut butter in a single session.

The 16-cup capacity is also ideal for making large batches of dough (whether it is for pizza or pie crusts). There is a large capacity for all kinds of spreads and dips. You would think that all this volume also translates into massive size – and while the Sous Chef food processor isn’t your average petite kitchen appliance – it is smaller than most high-end mixers in this range.

You will need to plan how to store the food processor because it is quite heavy at a whopping 26 lbs. Carrying it around the kitchen would make for a nice workout. The dimensions are 12.2 x 12.9 x 6.5 inches, so you’ll need to make room in your counter space.

Breville’s Sous Chef was designed for rough usage and everything is military grade – with a stainless steel blade, die-cast metal base, and a durable plastic bowl. This machine will handle everyday abuse. Breville is so confident their motors will last a lifetime that they offer a 25-year warranty, although the same courtesy isn’t extended to plastic which comes with only a 1-year warranty. As long as you don’t drop the containers, you should be good to go.

We would have given this beast of a food processor our rating for the ‘best food processor for nut butter’ if it wasn’t for the price. That’s the only caveat.

The Pros

·         Variable slicing discs and blades

·         24 different settings

·         Micro-serrated S blade

·         Powerful motor at 2400 watts

·         16-cup capacity that doesn’t hold anything back

·         BPA-free processing bowls (16 cup and 2.5 cup)

·         Best food processor for nut butter

·         Can be used to make cashew butter

The Cons

·         It is massive

·         Not an affordable food processor for nut butter

Ninja BN601

The Ninja BN601 offers decent all-around performance in its price range and is ideal for anyone who is looking for a nut butter grinder on a budget. It definitely holds its own against high-end models and performs exceptionally well in essential operations such as shredding and slicing. It’s not really easy to clean, but it doesn’t break the bank or take a ton of space.

Our review of the Ninja BN601 won’t be complete without mentioning the blades: they are made out of stainless steel and can cut through nuts, veggies, meats, and everything in between. You will need to press the “pulse” button a few times depending on the type of ingredients.

What really stood out about this food processor is the powerful motor at 1000 watts. That’s more than the Stack and Snap by Hamilton Beach. The food processor comes in four settings that are easy to control: chop, puree, dough, and slicing. All four settings can shred through most ingredients and deliver restaurant-grade results.

The food processor has BPA-friendly parts and is dishwasher safe. Deep cleaning the Ninja BN601 can be a chore though and you will have to take time out from your day to get rid of leftover ingredients from every nook and cranny.

You would be surprised to learn that the food processor is really lightweight at just 7.65 pounds – you could effortlessly carry it around the kitchen without tiring out. It should be noted that the dimensions, at 9.88 x 7.76 x 16.02 inches, will take up quite a bit of space in any kitchen counter. The food processor is very tall so you might struggle to find a tall enough cabinet in the kitchen to store it when not in use.

While the lightweight design may lead to some stability problems, especially when you are processing heavier items such as nuts, it comes with four suction cup feet that can latch onto your kitchen counter. In fact, you would have to put some effort into removing the food processor from the counter. Here’s a tip: put your arm around it and put your back into it!

For the most part, Ninja’s BN601 is large and relatively easy to use and is compatible with most ingredients. It is the second best food processor for nut butter behind the Cuisinart food processor DFP-14BCNY (due to the low volume capacity and durability).

The Pros

·         A powerful motor at 1000 watts

·         BPA free parts

·         Dishwasher safe

·         Easy to assemble and use with four preset options

·         The processing bowl has a large capacity but it may not be enough for commercial operations

·         Extra large feed tube to grind nuts

The Cons

·         Low volume capacity

·         May not be very durable for some users

·         Only 1 year warranty

Cuisinart DLC-8S BCY

The DLC-8S BCY is the second Cuisinart food processor to make it to our list and it’s easy to see why. This is a massive food processor with a capacity for 11 cups and a wide feed tube that minimizes on the time spent cutting ingredients. The designers at Cuisinart really put some thought into it because they even included a flat lid that can be used for chopping or mixing, so you won’t have to clean the large lid assembly and feed tube.

Although this food processor isn’t the most powerful food processor out there, most users would find it more than capable of handling their day to day needs, including processing nut butter.

It is also worth noting that the food processor comes with a powerful motor at just under 700 watts. It might appear underpowered compared to other food processors on this list, but it really isn’t.

The large feed chute means that you will be spending less time in the kitchen chopping up whole fruits and vegetables. Its blades are made of powerful stainless steel that can slice through just about anything – including almond nuts. This model comes with a mixing blade, a shredding disc, two slicing discs, and a chopping blade.

The parts are BPA free so you won’t have to worry about dangerous toxins leaching into your ingredients. Moreover, the machine is relatively easy to use with a simple user guide. There are rubber feet on the base to keep the unit stable on the countertop.

It is also dishwasher friendly, which makes cleaning less of a chore after usage. Manual cleaning is also simple enough.

All in all, this robust food processor can really handle just about anything you throw at it – including grinding, chopping, pureeing, and mixing. It is the ideal nut butter machine and is aimed at users on a budget.

The Pros

·         Stainless steel discs

·         Dishwasher safe

·         BPA free plastic

·         Rubber feet to increase stability and prevent vibrations

·         Powerful motor

·         Cheap food processor

·         Large feed chute reduces the need for food preparation

The Cons

·         Plastic body

·         The lid plastic may be fragile for some inexperienced users

·         The safety lock has a bit of a learning curve

Why Do You Need Food Processors for Making Nut Butter?

Making nut butter takes quite a bit of patience too (up to 20 minutes depending on the type of nut). You may also have preferences for a certain type of texture (crunchy or creamy) – and that also requires access to the best food processor for nut butter.

A good food processor will help you make nut butter right at home with the least amount of effort. Your limiting factor would be the power of the motor because it can take forever to crush nuts into butter. Something like the Hamilton Beach 12-cup stack and snap food processor will give you all the oomph you need to make everything from nut butter to coconut butter and everything in between.

A good food processor should be able to handle all aspects of nut butter making, including grinding, chopping, and pulsing.

Things You Should Consider When Looking for a Food Processor

Consider the following features to help you find the best food processor for nut butter.

Power in Wattage

The wattage isn’t always an indication of a food processor’s performance, despite what most manufacturers would have you believe. Rather, what you should be looking for is how much power that food processor needs to do its job. More power translates to less strain on the motor, resulting in a longer shelf-life.

With that said, certain functions like grinding nuts takes a lot more power than basic cutting or chopping. Try to be on the safe side and choose a food processor with a motor power of at least 700 watts or more to make light work of grinding nuts.

The Pulse Button

Pay attention to the pulse button on the food processor because it is a key feature when making nut butter. As the name suggests, the button provides short, powerful pulsations that let you have precision control over the texture of the nut butter (and other recipes) as you make it so that your nut butter comes out exactly as you intended.

Most experts agree that the standard S-blade that comes with most food processors is sufficient, although you can try experimenting with a chopping blade or a shredding disc if you have access to them.

Food Processor Bowl Capacity

Although it may be tempting to make nut butter in small batches, most smaller food processors lack the power needed to efficiently make nut butter. An 8-cup food processor is a good size for most tasks and should fit in most kitchen spaces. Larger bowl sizes holding 12 to 14 cups are better suited to those making nut butter for a larger family, or for commercial purposes.

A 3 to 5 cup mini food processor takes up little storage space but its motor may lack the power needed to make nut butter. With that said, bigger food processors require more extensive cleaning and tend to be a bit pricier than the smaller ones.

Warranty

The standard warranty for most food processors is one year. Most expensive food processors have extended warranties for several years, especially when it comes to the motor. Some manufacturers also offer extended warranties for other parts, such as the blade and the bowl. For example, the Cuisinart DFP-14BCNY (on our list!) comes with a whopping 5 year warranty.

This secures your investment for a good five years and gives you peace of mind that your money is safe.

Juicing (optional)

Although juicing is an entirely different process compared to processing nut butter, a food processor should have the ability to make them on occasion. The quality of the juice is simply not going to be up to par, but it should get the job done.

Dishwasher Safe

You want the food processor to be easy to clean. And if it is dishwasher friendly, then that would make your life so much easier. In most cases, the bowl, lid, and blade are dishwasher safe, but you should check in with the food processor’s user manual to verify this. You will still need to manually clean the food processor every now and then for good hygiene.

Stability

Crushing and grinding nuts is no easy task – even for a heavy-duty food processor. Grinding nuts can cause heavy vibrations that can take a toll on the food processor. The body should a wide base with durable construction for support unless you like watching your food processor dart around the kitchen counter.

Engine Durability

A high-quality food processor should have (besides high-quality blades), a powerful engine that can withstand all the heat generated during extended use. Grinding nuts will generate a lot of heat, and a lesser appliance will give away in no time.

Why Should You Make Your Own Nut Butter?

Nut butters are delicious and, provided that you have a good food processor, you can make them in the span of a few minutes. Most recipes are quick and simple enough to make, not to mention the fact that the process is cheaper than buying store-bought nut butter. For the most part, all you need is nuts to make nut butter.

Homemade Nut Butters are Healthier

Nut butter really is a superfood – they are nutritious, delicious, and creamy. You can also create homemade nut butters that are crunchy by making subtle changes to the process. The problem with store-bought nut butters is that they are filled with preservatives, sugar, and unhealthy oils. These ‘extras’ may account for 10% of the nut butter.

By making homemade nut butter, you can take control of the ingredients you enter into the recipe.

You Can Make Roasted Nuts

Pro tip: Buy raw, unsalted nuts. If they aren’t labeled ‘raw’ or ‘dry roasted’, they are most likely covered in processed salt. This isn’t what most health-conscious individuals are looking for in their nut butters.

You can roast the nuts in an oven at temperatures of put to 300 degrees if you have a preference for roasted nuts. Another reason why you should always go for unsalted nuts is because it gives you more leeway to add salt depending on your preferences.

Homemade Nut Butter is Cheaper

Storebought nut butters can be expensive and the amount will add up to several thousands of dollars over time. Making nut butters yourself will save you a ton of money.

More Control Over the Recipe

The real fun with homemade nut butters is that you can control the recipe and add different flavors. For example, if you have a preference for a nut butter blend, you can toss in different kinds of nut in the food processor at the same time. Or you can stick with just one type of nut. This is entirely up to you.

5 Types of Food Processors

Let’s quickly go over the five main types of food processors that you will encounter in the market. These are as follows: blender, grinders, manual food chopper, mini food processors, all-in-one food processors.

Blender: Blenders are highly versatile at blending liquid ingredients but they mostly work with softer ingredients. Some have special functions that allow them to work with chunkier ingredients (such as nuts), but we don’t recommend using them. Most blenders require liquid to blend more efficiently. Other food processors can get the job done without adding any liquids.

Grinder: A grinder is a food processor that works well with chunkier ingredients (exactly what we need for making nut butters). They are often larger and bulkier, so you will need to find more space in your kitchen.

Manual Food Chopper: A manual food chopper is an appliance that requires manual input and can only work with a small number of ingredients. They don’t need electricity to operate and are ideal for use by campers and travelers. You cannot use them to handle more rigid ingredients like most types of nuts.

Mini Food Processor: A mini food processor (or chopper), as the name suggests, has a limited range of functions. Their volume is capped at 1 to 4 cups and can work for chopping onions or spices. They can be used to make nut butter too, but you’ll have to be more patient due to their low capacity. Mini food processors are good for preparing small batches of various kinds of puree.

All-in-one Food Processor: An all-in-one food processor is larger than ‘standard’ food processors and is mostly designed for commercial use. They can hold many ingredients to make larger dishes in a short period of time. All-in-one food processors handle a wide range of capacities, from 3 cups to 15 cups or even more. They are the most expensive food processor you can buy, and the price generally depends on the motor power and number of accessories.

Frequently Asked Questions

How to Make Nut Butter with a Food Processor at Home

The processing time takes anywhere from 5 to 10 minutes depending on the type of nut. Walnuts and peanuts are easier to blend into a paste but almond butter can take longer to make.

Simply pour the nuts in and turn the food processor on. Your nuts will go from whole nuts to chopped nuts to nut butter in no time. Stop the processor once the mixture looks creamy.

At this point, you can add in some salt, based on your preferences. If you want a crunchier nut butter, you can toss in a handful of nuts and pulse the food processor a couple of times. Some people are die-hard lovers of nut butters that are slightly chunky, others can’t get enough of creamy nut butter. Regardless of your preferences, you can control the texture of nut butters at home.

Recommended add-ins:

·         Vanilla extract

·         Spices such as ginger, cinnamon, and cloves

·         Cocoa powder

·         Herbs and spices such as chili powder, cumin, rosemary, oregano, and others

How to Use Homemade Nut Butters

Nut butters can be used with a wide range of sauces and as food toppings. For example, you can use nut butters to top pasta, vegetables, or alongside curry. Nut butters are also a favorite among children because they are naturally delicious. You can serve them with apples, bananas, or even crackers to add more texture.

Or you eat a spoonful of nut butter on its own (that never gets old).

How to Store Homemade Nut Butters?

The only disadvantage with homemade nut butters is that they have a much lower shelf life – and that is to be expected due to the lack of preservatives. This means you will have to find a better way of consuming homemade nut butters more quickly than store-bought variety. For the most part, most homemade nut butters can be stored in an airtight glass jar in the fridge with a shelf life of several weeks.

Anything more than one month will require freezing. You can freeze nut butters to preserve their shelf life – for a period of four months.

Is It Necessary to Store Nut Butter in the Fridge?

You don’t have to refrigerate nut butter, but doing so will preserve its freshness for longer. Homemade nut butter will keep for several weeks in an airtight jar. Note that storing nut butter in the fridge won’t give you that oil separation that occurs inside a jar at room temperature.

In any case, just make sure the lid is on tight.

Should I Remove the Oil in Nut Butter?

Although removing the oil can cut down on your calorie intake from the nut butter, we don’t recommend pouring it out because it’s a sign of how organic and natural your nut butter is.

Moreover, if you get rid of the oil, you will end up with nut butter that is more dry and difficult to spread. The oils are nutritious but they should be consumed in moderation to prevent any unexpected weight gains.

Can a Mini Food Processors Make Nut Butter?

A mini-processor may not be an efficient nut butter machine. You may have to press the pulse button dozens of times to achieve the creamy consistency of nut butter. We recommend sticking to a larger, more versatile food processor.

Conclusion

So there you have it, our list of the best food processors for making peanut butter. The appliance that you end up selecting will depend only your needs, preferences, and goals for nut butter.

Here is a quick recap of this article:

·         If you want the absolute best food processor, go with the BFP800XL Sous Chef Food Processor

·         If you need something that strikes the ideal balance between affordability and results, go with Cuisinart DFP-14BCNY 14-Cup Food Processor

·         If you are in the market for an affordable yet strong food processor, go with Hamilton Beach 70725 12-Cup Stack & Snap

·         And if you need the best cheap food processor, go with Ninja BN601 because it offers good value for money.

Finally, we would like to know your thoughts about our list, whether you agree or disagree with our compilation. If you know about a great food processor that didn’t make it to our list and needs more discussion, please send your comments to us and we might update this list.