18 Easy & Unexpected Things to Make in a Blender

Your blender can make so much more than smoothies, though they certainly have their place on the list of things to make in a blender. We've found all the best blender recipes to put a spin on your meal times. From savory sauces to sweet blender desserts, these ideas will keep your appliance from gathering dust. 

A steamy bowl of soup is comforting on a chilly day, but cold soups are the way to go in the hotter months of the year. We've dreamed up three refreshingly cold soups you can make in your blender. 

Did you know you can make pancakes in the blender? It's actually pretty perfect, because you have measurement markers, plenty of room, and a handy pour spout. You can make any of our favorite pancake recipes in your blender for an easy breakfast. 

Homemade butter is surprisingly easy to make and requires a very short list of ingredients. If you make it in the blender, it's an even easier recipe to master.

Ingredients

• Heavy cream
• Coarse salt
• Ice water

Directions

1. Add your heavy cream to the blender and blend on a low to medium speed.
2.  Keep your eye on the blender as your heavy cream starts to separate — that's the butter and the buttermilk starting to separate.
3. Once you see an abundance of buttery clumps in the milk, drain the liquid from your blender. Leave your butter clumps in there.
4. Add the ice water and blend some more.
5. After blending for a couple of minutes, drain the water and repeat.
6. Add your salt or any flavorings you like and pulse your blender to incorporate.
7. Remove your butter and store in the refrigerator. 

Do you call it blended cream if it's made in your blender? We aren't sure, but what we do know is that a blender is the perfect substitute for a stand mixer if you're making homemade whipped cream. When making whipped cream at home is this easy, we might consider giving up the irresistible canned version. 

Why spend time searching ingredient lists in the grocery aisle when you can make a simple homemade peanut butter yourself? If you have a heavy-duty blender, you can whip up your own peanut butter easily. We love the tips and simple blender recipe Joy Food Sunshine gives us in this homemade peanut butter. 

Satisfy your snack craving or serve dinner party guests a scrumptious appetizer with homemade hummus. Paired with pita chips or crisp veggies, this blender idea is light but satisfying. Make the prep easy and whip up this simple recipe in your blender. 

Sneak some vegetables into your child's favorite homemade pizza. Your blender will do all the work in crushing the veggies so your kid never knows they're in the sauce.

Ingredients

• ½ onion, roughly chopped
• 2 celery stalks, roughly chopped
• 3 carrot sticks, roughly chopped
• 3 cloves garlic
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 15 ounces canned tomato sauce
• 6 ounces canned tomato paste
• 2 teaspoons brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper

Directions

1. Place the chopped onion, celery, carrots, and garlic cloves on a baking sheet and coat in olive oil.
2. Bake at 400°F for 18-20 minutes or until vegetables are tender. 
3. Allow the roasted vegetables to cool completely before adding them to the blender.
4. Blend the vegetables along with the remaining ingredients until the sauce is smooth.
5. Spread on homemade pizza crust, bake, and enjoy!

If you have kids, you're probably spending a large sum on bottled ketchup every year. But making it in your blender is more cost effective, and it means you get to decide exactly what goes in the ketchup. Detoxanista has this five-minute recipe, and we love the simple ingredients. 

Spending all day slowly preparing a savory spaghetti sauce is well worth the effort, but if you can make it in 15 minutes, you have an easy dinner. Mama Loves Food has an easy blender spaghetti sauce recipe that pairs with your favorite pasta for a quick homemade meal. 

If you have an abundance of frozen bananas from all the weeks your kids decided they were no longer a fan of the fruit, this is a fun way to use them up. Frozen bananas make the easiest ice cream ever. 

Ingredients

• 3-5 frozen bananas
• Any additional ingredients to add flavor to your banana ice cream

Directions

1. Make sure your bananas are frozen to get the right consistency when blending. Ripe bananas are also important for getting the right amount of sweetness.
2. Toss your bananas into the blender and blend until smooth.
3. Add any additional ingredients to add flavor or a little milk or cream to alter the consistency.
4. Pour into a plastic or glass container and freeze for 2-3 hours.

Fun Ingredients to Add to Your Banana Ice Cream

• Cocoa powder
• Peanut butter
• Strawberries
• Coconut and pineapple
• Vanilla extract
• Dates
• Caramel
• Blueberries

Your homemade enchiladas and chicken tortilla soup will taste miles better with a homemade sauce. It's way easier than you might think to make your own enchilada sauce, and your blender can do most of the work. This recipe from Pinch of Yum only takes five minutes, and you'll never have to buy canned enchilada sauce again. 

Protein shakes aren't the only yummy breakfast recipe you can make in a blender. Gluten-free waffles come together quickly in your blender for an easy breakfast the whole family will love. Kitchen at Hoskins gives us this simple oatmeal waffle recipe made extra easy using your blender.

Blenders open up a new world of homemade food and drinks. With a powerful blender, you can even make your own almond milk.

Ingredients

• 1 cup raw almonds
• 5 cups cold filtered water
• ⅛ teaspoon salt

Directions

1. Soak your almonds in cold water overnight.
2. Drain the almonds before adding them to your blender.
3. Add the water and salt.
4. Blend on high speed for two minutes. 
5. Strain the milk into a large jar or pitcher. Use a nut milk bag (a thick dish towel also works) to strain out the almond pulp. 
6. Keep in your refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Almond Milk Add-Ins

• Vanilla extract
• Cocoa powder
• Fresh berries
• Maple syrup
• Dates
• Extra salt

Pesto is just one of the countless sauces you can whip up in a blender, but it's possibly the most flavorful. Fresh pesto makes all the difference in your Italian dishes. Make your own using our easy pesto recipe in our Italian recipe lineup. 

Your next salad is begging for this creamy, flavorful dressing. You can make tons ahead of time with your blender and have the perfect topping for your salads all week long. Carlsbad Cravings has an addicting avocado ranch dressing recipe with a spicy twist. 

If you bake often with oat flour, stop paying for the pre-made kind. You can make your own with just one ingredient and a few spins in your blender. All you have to do is add rolled oats to your blender, pulse for 10-15 seconds at a time, and stop when you have a thin and fluffy flour.

One of the hardest parts of baking or making dessert is the dreaded time it takes to whip up the treat. With this lemon pie recipe from Pinch of Yum, you can make an easy lemon pie with just a few ingredients and your blender. It's a custard pie that uses a whole lemon and a few other ingredients for simple dessert to curb your sweet tooth in a pinch.

Don't rent a cotton candy machine just to satisfy the sweet tooth. Make your own cotton candy right in your blender! If your blender has a high-speed setting, you can spin sweet and colorful cotton candy in your own kitchen. Kitchen Foremost has all the tips and best ingredients for making your own cotton candy with this blender recipe.

Dust off the old blender, give the parts a thorough clean, and try out a few new recipes. With so many ways to use your blender, it might just become your favorite kitchen appliance. It might even replace your stand mixer as the spotlight appliance on your counter.