You Should Be Using This Kitchen Appliance To Make Homemade Milkshakes — And It's Not The Blender

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A blender is certainly a useful tool to have in your kitchen if you love smoothies, shakes, and more. But can you make frozen drinks with a food processor? You may be surprised to learn that a food processor may be the better option for making a really good milkshake. 

It's annoying when you can't get your milkshake consistency quite right, and it ends up either too runny or too thick. A food processor may solve this issue because the bowl is wider and flatter than the taller, more enclosed shape of a blender. This exposes your milkshake mixture to more air, which will make the texture lighter and fluffier than a blender will. Additionally, the blade of a food processor generates a lot of heat, which can melt ice crystals and leave you with a smooth milkshake that's chunk-free. Finally, one big benefit of using a food processor over a blender is that it works better at blending a larger array of milkshake mix-ins. The pulser setting can easily break down cookie chunks, pretzels, nuts, or large pieces of fruit.

If you decide to give the food processor a shot for your next milkshake, there are a few things you should keep in mind. You should avoid adding ice to your milkshake recipe, one trick people sometimes recommend for a thicker shake. The ice might just water it down, and besides that, it's not great for the blade and motor. It may make the processor jump around on the counter. Any mix-ins you want to use should go in first; just pulse them to the desired consistency and then add the ice cream. And always start by blending on the lowest speed. However, there is a right time to use a food processor versus a blender, and typically, a smoothie will work better in the blender with its more liquid texture.

When shopping for a new food processor, don't overlook this underestimated spec: a strong motor. It's hard to go wrong with a Cuisinart, such as the Cuisinart 7-Cup Pro Classic Food Processor. It has a tube that will hold whole fruits, perfect for making a fruity milkshake. Another option is the KitchenAid 7-Cup Food Processor. It has different speeds, so you can play around with what works best for blending that perfect milkshake.