Sianah Nalika DeShield
October 27, 2026
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Best Food Processors for Pie Crust and Pastry

best food processor for pie crust

The best food processor for pie crust cuts cold butter into flour in seconds, before the warmth of your hands can melt it.

That speed is the whole secret to tender, flaky pastry. When butter stays in small, cold pieces, it creates steam pockets in the oven, and those pockets make the layers.

Here are highly rated food processors that make great pie crust, biscuits, and scones, and the habits that keep your pastry flaky.

Short Answer

For pie crust and pastry, choose a full-size food processor with a sharp S-blade, a pulse button, and enough bowl space for a double crust. Keep the butter and water cold, pulse in short bursts, and stop when the butter is pea-sized.

My top pick is the Cuisinart Custom 14-Cup Food Processor. The KitchenAid 13-Cup Food Processor, Ninja Professional Plus Food Processor, 9-Cup, Breville BFP610 Sous Chef 9 Cup Food Processor, and Hamilton Beach Professional 12-Cup Stack & Snap Food Processor are also great choices.

How We Chose These Food Processors

Pastry needs control more than raw power, so we looked for:

    • Customer ratings of 4 stars and up.
    • Responsive pulse control.
    • Bowl space for double crusts.
    • Dough blades where included.

These are research-based picks drawn from manufacturer specifications, published product details, and customer ratings. Check the exact model before you buy.

Quick Comparison Table

Why It Works So Well

KitchenAid’s dough guide explains that breads, pastries, pasta, and pie crusts can all be made in a food processor. It recommends pulsing in intervals and watching closely, because overworking dough is an easy mistake.

That’s why pulse control matters so much for pastry. You want short bursts, not a long run.

Cuisinart Custom 14-Cup Food Processor

Best for: Best overall

Evidence: Research-Based Pick

This is my top pick, because it has the bowl space for a double crust and a responsive pulse button.

The Cuisinart Custom 14-Cup Food Processor cuts butter into flour quickly with its sharp S-blade, and its 720-watt motor handles stiffer doughs too. It’s one of the most popular food processors on Amazon.

If you bake pies for holidays and family gatherings, this is the one I’d tell my sister to buy.

Benefits

    • 14-cup bowl.
    • Responsive pulse button.
    • Sharp S-blade.
    • 720-watt motor.

Drawbacks

    • Takes up real space.
    • Heavy to move.
    • Simple on and pulse controls only.

Choose This If: You bake pies and pastry often.

Skip This If: Your kitchen is small.

Click the link now to buy the Cuisinart Custom 14-Cup Food Processor from Amazon.

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How to Make It

Making pie dough in a food processor takes about a minute:

    • Pulse the flour, salt, and sugar together.
    • Add very cold butter cubes and pulse until they’re pea-sized.
    • Drizzle in ice water while pulsing, a tablespoon at a time.
    • Stop as soon as the dough starts to clump. Press it together by hand.

If you’re new to dough in a processor, our guide on making bread dough in a food processor explains the basics.

KitchenAid 13-Cup Food Processor

Best for: Holiday baking

Evidence: Research-Based Pick

The KitchenAid 13-Cup Food Processor has a 13-cup bowl and a dough blade, so you can make crust for several pies in a row. Its adjustable slicing disc is handy for apple filling, too.

Benefits

    • 13-cup bowl.
    • Dough blade.
    • Adjustable slicing for fillings.
    • Storage caddy.

Drawbacks

    • Takes up space.
    • More parts to clean.
    • Lower wattage than some rivals.

Choose This If: You bake several pies at once.

Skip This If: You bake only now and then.

Click the link now to buy the KitchenAid 13-Cup Food Processor from Amazon.

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Pastry Beyond Pie

A food processor for pastry also handles tart shells, galettes, and hand pies. The same rule applies: cold fat, short pulses, and a light touch.

Breville BFP610 Sous Chef 9 Cup Food Processor

Best for: Premium compact pick

Evidence: Research-Based Pick

The Breville BFP610 Sous Chef 9 Cup Food Processor has a solid base and a 9-cup bowl that suits single crusts and tart shells. It’s a good premium option for smaller kitchens.

Benefits

    • Solid, stable base.
    • 9-cup bowl.
    • Chops, slices, shreds, and dices.
    • Compact size.

Drawbacks

    • A premium price.
    • Smaller for double batches.
    • Heavier to move.

Choose This If: You want premium quality in a smaller size.

Skip This If: You bake big batches.

Click the link now to buy the Breville BFP610 Sous Chef 9 Cup Food Processor from Amazon.

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Keeping It Flaky

A flaky pie crust depends on cold butter staying in small pieces. Freeze the butter cubes for 15 minutes, use ice water, and chill the bowl and blade on hot days. If the dough looks smooth in the processor, it’s been worked too much.

Ninja Professional Plus Food Processor, 9-Cup

Best for: Dough preset

Evidence: Research-Based Pick

The Ninja Professional Plus Food Processor, 9-Cup has a dough blade and an Auto-iQ dough setting, plus a manual pulse for pastry. It has thousands of strong reviews.

Benefits

    • Dough blade and preset.
    • Manual pulse.
    • 1000 peak watts.
    • 9-cup bowl.

Drawbacks

    • Loud at full power.
    • Presets can overwork pastry, so pulse manually.
    • Tall bowl.

Choose This If: You make bread and pastry.

Skip This If: You want a quiet machine.

Click the link now to buy the Ninja Professional Plus Food Processor, 9-Cup from Amazon.

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Biscuits and Scones

A food processor for biscuits and scones works the same way as for pie crust. Pulse cold butter into the dry ingredients, add the liquid, and stop as soon as the dough comes together.

KitchenAid’s comparison of food processors and mixers notes that select food processors come with a dough blade designed for a range of recipes. That’s a nice bonus for biscuit and scone doughs.

Hamilton Beach Professional 12-Cup Stack & Snap Food Processor

Best for: Budget baking

Evidence: Research-Based Pick

The Hamilton Beach Professional 12-Cup Stack & Snap Food Processor slices, shreds, and kneads, with a 12-cup bowl and no-twist assembly. It’s a friendly-priced choice for regular baking.

Benefits

    • 12-cup bowl.
    • Kneads dough.
    • No-twist assembly.
    • 3-inch feed chute.

Drawbacks

    • Lighter build.
    • Louder at full speed.
    • Less refined than premium models.

Choose This If: You want a budget machine for baking.

Skip This If: You want a premium build.

Click the link now to buy the Hamilton Beach Professional 12-Cup Stack & Snap Food Processor from Amazon.

Buy Now
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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best food processor for pie crust?

The Cuisinart Custom 14-Cup Food Processor, for its bowl space and pulse control.

How do I keep pie crust flaky in a food processor?

Use very cold butter and ice water, pulse in short bursts, and stop when the butter is pea-sized.

Can a food processor make biscuits and scones?

Yes. Use the same method as pie crust.

Should I use the dough blade or the S-blade?

The S-blade cuts butter in best. A dough blade is good for kneading bread.

Why is my pie crust tough?

Usually it was overprocessed or the butter got too warm.

Conclusion

Flaky pastry comes from cold butter and a light touch, and a food processor makes both easy.

For most bakers, get the Cuisinart Custom 14-Cup Food Processor. For holiday baking, the KitchenAid 13-Cup Food Processor. For a dough preset, the Ninja Professional Plus Food Processor, 9-Cup. For a premium compact pick, the Breville BFP610 Sous Chef 9 Cup Food Processor. And on a budget, the Hamilton Beach Professional 12-Cup Stack & Snap Food Processor.

If you bake bread too, our roundup of the best food processors for dough has more picks.

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You don’t have to decide today, and you don’t have to remember any of this. Pin the images from this post to my Pinterest, @sianahskitchenguide, so they’re waiting when you’re ready, and follow me there too. If you’d rather browse everything I’ve picked in one place, my Amazon storefront, Sianah’s Lifestyle Finds, is open anytime. It has the recommendations from both my Lifestyle Blog and this blog.

I’m glad you were here.

Sianah ❤️

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Product

Best for

Key features

Cuisinart Custom 14-Cup Food Processor

Best overall

14-cup bowl, dough blade

KitchenAid 13-Cup Food Processor

Holiday baking

13-cup bowl, dough blade

Ninja Professional Plus Food Processor, 9-Cup

Dough preset

1000 peak watts, dough setting

Breville BFP610 Sous Chef 9 Cup Food Processor

Premium compact pick

Solid base, 9-cup bowl

Hamilton Beach Professional 12-Cup Stack & Snap Food Processor

Budget baking

12-cup bowl, kneads dough