You Should Consider Mixing Cookie Dough In A Food Processor

There are plenty of ways to make cookie dough, from using the trusty stand mixer to an easy stir-together that requires little more than a bowl and spoon. But have you ever thought about letting the blades of your food processor do the work? 

While we may consider the food processor as simply a tool for creating smooth sauces and soups, it can also be a handy machine for pulling together a batch of chocolate chip cookies. In fact, the food processor is often used by bakers to make tender pie dough, as the quick, powerful pulses help incorporate the butter into the flour without overworking it and making it tough. In a similar way, the food processor can help your cream your butter and sugar in no time, and it'll help you evenly distribute ingredients without toughening up your cookie dough. Plus, you can use your food processor for cookie prep, like chopping nuts or chocolate that will go into the dough. So, how should you go about using your food processor to make cookie dough? 

Before we begin with the dough building, let's talk about what prep the food processor can take care of for you. Do you need to sift your sugar? Try blitzing it in the food processor to break up any lumps. Need to chop some nuts or fruit? Use the food processor. Heck, you can even make your own almond meal or oat flour with the food processor, if your recipe calls for those ingredients. 

Once the prep is out of the way, use your food processor for the creaming method for the dough. For this, you don't even need to soften your butter for better whipping. Instead, you'll slice the butter into tablespoon-size squares, add it in with the sugar, and blitz until you form a creamy paste. Because the blades are more forceful than a stand mixer's paddle, you can work your butter into a creamy paste much faster. From there, you can add eggs and other liquids, like extracts, into the food processor until everything is evenly combined. The only step you need to be careful with is adding in the flour and other dry ingredients. You'll want to add the flour in pulses, mixing just until combined. Then, use a spatula to fold in the ix-ins, like the nuts or chocolate, by hand. With very little mess or fuss, you'll have cookie dough ready to bake, courtesy of the food processor.