If you are one of the many lucky people to receive a stand mixer this holiday season, welcome. You’re in the right place. A stand mixer—and its several attachments—is a transformative kitchen tool that can make cooking and baking a whole lot easier and faster. While commonly used for mixing batters, doughs, and frostings, a stand mixer isn’t just for baking.
Below, we’re sharing 20 recipes that are made easier with the use of a stand mixer and its attachments. From chicken salads to hamburger buns, and so many treats in between—stand mixer inspiration awaits!
Mashed Potatoes
Photographer: Jason Donnelly / Food Styling: Shannon Goforth / Prop Styling: Gabe Greco
Skip the ricer, masher, or food mill—you can make creamy, light mashed potatoes (or mashed sweet potatoes) with a stand mixer. Take advice from chef and recipe developer Sara Tane. Fit the whisk attachment on your mixer and let “Benjamin Franklin’s great electricity take the wheel.”
“Because I had taken this stand mixer shortcut, I was expecting mashed potatoes that were dense and unpleasantly chunky—nothing close to my delicate, airy, lump-free, food-milled Thanksgiving potatoes,” stated Tane. “I was delightfully surprised to learn that my assumption was utterly incorrect. My stand mixer mashed potatoes were rich and creamy, fluffy, and mashed to homestyle perfection.”
Dill Chicken Salad
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Did you know you can easily shred chicken, pork, fish and other cooked meats with your stand mixer? As long as it’s boneless, you can use a paddle attachment to make quick work of shredding your favorite proteins. Start with this herbaceous chicken salad, and go from there. But keep your eye on it as it shreds—your chicken can easily become pâté if left long enough.
Basic Homemade Pasta
Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
If your new stand mixer came with a pasta attachment, you’ve got a lot of delicious dinners in your future. From delicious shrimp pesto to meaty lasagnas and everything in between, the world’s your oyster—or noodle, that is. Here is a basic homemade pasta recipe to get you started. Once the sheets are made, then comes the fun part of cutting, shaping, stuffing, then eating! Enjoy.
“This was my very first time making pasta and it turned out perfectly,” shared one reviewer.
Cranberry Orange Cookies
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With your new mixer, your kitchen is sure to turn into a confectionary heaven! Cookies are a great place to start, especially these Cranberry Orange cookies that have over 1,000 5-star ratings.
“So good and so pretty,” said one Allrecipes user. “I did use dried cranberries because that’s what I had on hand. I took them to a Christmas event and they were one of the few cookies that were all gone before people started taking leftovers home, so I’d say they were a hit!”
Honey-Lime Vinaigrette
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Why buy store bought when you can make your own in a breeze? A paddle attachment will quickly emulsify the fats and acids in your dressing, making for a homogeneous (and delicious) dressing for salads, wraps, marinades and more. This Honey-Lime Vinaigrette is a great entry into the world of DIY dressings—one reviewer even calls it “my favorite dressing I’ve made!”
“Easy peasey ‘limon’ squeezy,” shared an Allrecipes community member. “Ingredients pair well to make this a not-overly sweet, tangy vinaigrette dressing with a hint of spice. It’s light and tasty. Will be making this for some years to come.”
Grandma’s Lemon Meringue Pie
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The world of meringue opens up with a stand mixer. No longer will you have sore arms from hand-whipping egg whites, or whipping with a hand mixer. The stand mixer will whip the fluffiest stiff peaks perfect for any meringue dish. This Lemon Meringue Pie is an absolute winner with over 2,500 5-star reviews.
“This recipe was very easy to follow and turned out great,” said one reviewer. “I used a bit more zest than the recipe called for. Definitely a keeper!”
Egg Salad
Allrecipes
After a quick rough chop, add your boiled eggs and any egg salad add-ins to the bowl of your stand mixture. A quick zip with the wire whisk attachment, and you’ll have a delicious lunch in a breeze. This Magical Egg Salad recipe is a reliable place to start, but feel free to make it your own.
“This is the BEST version I’ve tried,” raved one reviewer. “Love it!”
Homemade Pizza Dough
Allrecipes / Abbey Littlejohn
Over 3,000 home cooks love this pizza dough recipe, and it comes together in a breeze with a stand mixer. Move over, Domino’s, we’ve got pizza at home!
“My family loves making our own pizza dough,” shared one reviewer. “We use this recipe every week on pizza day.”
Cheese Ball
Photographer: Brie Goldman / Food Styling: Annie Probst / Prop Styling: Kristin Schooley
Make the most delicious (and well-incorporated) cheese ball with the whisk or paddle attachment on your new stand mixer. This classic version has cream cheese, Cheddar cheese, Worcestershire sauce, minced garlic, and hot sauce.
“People love it when I bring this cheese ball,” said one Allrecipes reviewer. “I usually add extra hot sauce and Worcestershire sauce and a little more garlic. I just go by taste after I add the amounts listed. It is absolutely delicious!!!”
Ham Salad
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if your stand mixer came with a food grinder, give this vintage luncheon classic a go! Three pounds of cooked ham get ground up (can also use a food processor here) and mixed with hard-boiled eggs, celery, sweet pickle relish, onion, mayo, and mustard for a delicious spread that’s great in sandwiches, wraps, or atop crackers.
“I love this recipe; only change I made was to put dill pickle relish in half the recipe and sweet relish in the other half,” said Allrecipes member Debbie P. “We loved it both ways! My mom made this often when we were kids and we love it in sandwiches.”
Fresh Butter
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With a stand mixer, you’re only minutes away from delicious homemade butter. Because you get the leftover buttermilk to use for pancakes, waffles, crème fraîche and all sorts of other dishes—you’re really getting a two-for-one. Take that, grocery store inflation!
“Who knew making homemade butter is so easy,” said Allrecipes member Sarah. “I made this and homemade bread with my 5 year old granddaughter and it was a fun, delicious and interesting learning experience. We took half the butter and added honey and cinnamon, which was also delicious. I will be making this again and again. Thanks!”
Pulled Pork
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As mentioned above, a stand mixer with a paddle attachment can quickly shred several cooked meats. Another benefit (besides preventing a wrist cramp) is that you can take the meat from the oven, slow cooker, or smoker and shred it right away, no more waiting for it to be cool enough to touch. This Slow Cooker Texas Pulled Pork is sure to be a winner (serve it with homemade buns, below)—the recipe has over 2,000 5-star ratings!
“This was the best BBQ pulled pork I have ever had,” raved one Allrecipes reveiwer. “Super easy. Followed recipe, increasing ingredients to accommodate my 7 lb pork butt. After removing pork from crock pot to pull, I skimmed off the surface fat. Everyone was raving about it.”
Burger or Hot Dog Buns
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Now that you have a stand mixer to do the kneading for you, a whole world of cooking and baking has opened up! Take these delicious hamburger or hot dog buns—its not something you may think of making at home, but now you can. And I’d bet you a few dollars that it’ll taste better than store-bought!
“This turned out so good,” shared Allrecipes member Laurie Blas. “This recipe makes excellent bread too! I wanted to see if it works and it does. The best recipe yet! The buns turn out well, better than store bought! The egg wash really makes them beautiful too.”
Homemade Whipped Cream
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Great for coffees, cakes, crumbles, pies, and so many more delicious treats—homemade whipped cream will knock store bought “whipped topping” out of the water. Reviewers suggest popping your stand mixer bowl, whisk, and heavy cream in the freezer for a few minutes before whipping.
“So easy and so delicious,” raved one reviewer. “I’ll never buy any of the canned or frozen ones again.”
Potato Latkes
Allrecipes/Qi Ai
Your stand mixer’s grater attachment is going to be your kitchen’s new MVP, especially when it comes to recipes like these homemade potato latkes. Hand grating takes a lot of time and effort, and with your new stand mixer and its grater attachment, a 10-minute task is over in seconds. Plus, you’ll save money buying blocks of cheese over pre-shredded bags.
“Outstanding,” said one Allrecipes member. “My first time making them, and I couldn’t be more pleased. I topped them with a little butter, sour cream, and a light sprinkle of Everything Bagel seasoning.”
Homemade Bagels
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Bagel dough is notoriously tough to work with—hand kneading takes forever, and will definitely result in a cramp. But thanks to your stand mixer’s dough hook you can make bakery-worthy bagels at home whenever you want!
“I have tried a lot of bagel recipes and they have all failed,” shared one reviewer. “These came out beautiful. Delicious!”
Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting
Morgan Hunt Glaze / Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall /Prop Stylist: Phoebe Hausser
Frosting comes together in no time at all in your new stand mixer. Plus, the tall bowl keeps any confectioners’ sugar from pluming over the rim and on to your table. That’s a win-win in our book!
“Followed the recipe to the letter and it was fabulous, thank you,” shared one reviewer.
Dinner Rolls
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Kneading is a task of the past—just grab your dough hook instead! These tasty potato rolls would make an incredible side to just about any main dish, the options are endless.
“This is my all time favorite recipe,” raved one Allrecipes reviewer. “Before I throw them in the oven though I brush them with an egg wash and sprinkle sea salt on top. One of my friends and family’s most requested recipes!”
Scrambled Eggs
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Try this egg-scrambling tip from executive chef Kyle St. John of The Ranch at Laguna Beach for speedy breakfast prep that can satisfy a whole household.
“When cooking scrambled eggs, omelets, or even making a quiche for a group of friends or family members, make a large batch of whipped eggs using the whisk attachment on the mixer set on low to medium speed,” says St. John. “This will save you time and ensure the eggs are evenly mixed. Add a little cream to your eggs while mixing to make them extra light and fluffy.”
Southern Pimento Cheese
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This classic Southern spread is a delight to eat, and with a stand mixer, a delight to make. It can be used to spice up grilled cheese sandwiches, as a spread for crackers, or served alongside your favorite fried green tomatoes.
“As a New Englander, I didn’t know much about pimento cheese until I married a Texan,” shared Allrecipes member Marie George. “This is just as delicious as what my father-in-law made. Not too spicy and lots of flavor!”
Dining and Cooking