Butter Pecan Ice Cream

This homemade Butter Pecan Ice Cream is rich and lusciously creamy with the nutty taste and delightful crunch of buttery toasted pecans. This butter pecan ice cream recipe is made with a sweet custard churned in an ice cream maker.

We love dessert and the rich buttery taste of butter pecan. Check our Butter Pecan Cake recipe. It is absolutely delicious!

✔️ Classic Butter Pecan Ice Cream

Old-fashioned butter pecan is such a classic ice cream flavor. Similar to the taste of Southern pecan pralines, it’s rich flavor can be described as nutty, buttery caramel with hints of vanilla.

This butter pecan ice cream recipe is made with a cooked custard made with heavy cream, whole milk, egg yolks, vanilla and brown sugar. The combination of flavors is absolutely delicious.

🔎 Why This Recipe Works

• Good Quality Ingredients: Making homemade ice cream means no preservatives, additives or ridiculous amounts of sugar! This recipe is made with simple pantry ingredients that you can pronounce.
• Texture: Egg yolks and sugar give this ice cream recipe a smooth and super creamy texture.
• Buttery Goodness: Brown sugar, toasted pecans and butter add richness and so much flavor. The taste of sweet buttery pecans definitely comes through the vanilla custard ice cream base.

✔️ Classic Butter Pecan Ice Cream Ingredients

Be sure to check the printable recipe card below for the ingredient’s list and their exact quantities.

• Egg yolks
• Brown sugar
• Pecans
• Butter
• Vanilla extract
• Heavy cream (or heavy whipping cream)
• Whole Milk
• Kosher salt or sea salt

🔎 How Do You Make Butter Pecan Ice Cream From Scratch?

This is just a quick review of how to make this recipe. For detailed instructions and times, please read the printable recipe card below.

1. To make the ice cream base or custard, stir together the heavy cream, milk, brown sugar, vanilla extract and salt in a small saucepan, over medium-low heat. Heat until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is hot, but not bubbling or boiling.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks until they lighten in color, about 2 minutes.
3. Temper the eggs by slowly adding a cup of the hot cream mixture into the yolks while whisking vigorously. Whisking constantly prevents the egg yolks from curdling.
4. Next, stir in the yolk mixture into the saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring often, until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 10 minutes.
5. Pour custard through a fine mesh strainer into an airtight container and cool in an ice bath, then cover and refrigerate for about 3-4 hours or overnight.
6. To make the brown butter, in a light-colored skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Once the butter is melted, swirl the pan so the butter browns evenly.
7. When the butter is golden brown, stir in the pecans and cook, stirring often until the pecans are toasted and the mixture becomes aromatic. Remove from the heat and transfer the mixture to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and allow to cool.
8. Pour the custard into an ice cream maker and churn according to manufacturer’s directions During the last 2-3 minutes of churning, add the cooled buttered pecans. Once the nuts are mixed in, transfer to a freezer-safe container and freeze for about 4 hours before serving.

🔎 What Flavor Is The Ice Cream in Butter Pecan?

The flavor in butter pecan ice cream is nutty and buttery vanilla custard flavor ice cream with hints of caramel and butterscotch from brown sugar and buttery pecans toasted in golden brown butter.

🔎 Can I Use Other Nuts Instead of Pecans?

Yes, you can use other nuts like almonds and walnuts although the flavor profile may change a bit.

🔎 How To Store Homemade Ice Cream?

Homemade butter pecan ice cream can be kept in the freezer covered with a few layers of plastic wrapped right over the ice cream, in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. The texture of ice cream starts changing due to the formation and growth of ice crystals after a couple of weeks.

Store-bought ice cream can last a lot longer, (2-4 months) because of the addition of preservatives.

Ice cream stays creamier when it’s temperature has fewer fluctuations, for this reason, it’s best when stored below -0º F in the back of the freezer. Use an airtight wide and flat (or short) container.

Take A Look At These Other Delicious Ice Cream Recipes:

• Lemon Ice Cream
• Raspberry Ice Cream
• Corn Ice Cream (with caramel swirl)
• Red Velvet Ice Cream

Butter Pecan Ice Cream

5 from 3 reviews

Kathy McDaniel

This homemade Butter Pecan Ice Cream is rich and lusciously creamy with the nutty taste and delightful crunch of buttery toasted pecans. This butter pecan ice cream recipe is made with a sweet custard churned in an ice cream maker.

Print Pin

Prep 15 minutes mins

Cook 15 minutes mins

Chilling 6 hours hrs

Total 6 hours hrs 30 minutes mins

Makes 10 servings

Ingredients 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 2 cups heavy cream
• ▢ 1 cup whole milk
• ▢ 3/4 cup brown sugar
• ▢ 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• ▢ 1/8 teaspoon salt
• ▢ 4 egg yolks
• ▢ 1/4 cup butter
• ▢ 1 cup pecans, roughly chopped

Instructions 

Make the ice cream base:

1. In a small saucepan, over medium-low heat, stir together the heavy cream, milk, brown sugar, vanilla extract and salt. Heat the mixture over medium-low heat until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is hot, but not bubbling. Don’t let it boil. As soon as you see small bubbles around the perimeter of the saucepan, the milk is warm enough and ready.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks until they lighten in color, about 2 minutes. While stirring, slowly add a cup of the hot cream mixture into the yolks making sure you keep whisking vigorously to prevent the yolks from curdling.
3. Next, stir in the yolk mixture into the saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring often, until the mixture reaches 170º F when checked with a candy thermometer or when the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 10 minutes.
4. Pour custard through a fine mesh strainer into an airtight container and cool in an ice bath, then cover and refrigerate for about 3-4 hours or overnight.

Make the brown butter and toast the pecans:

1. In a light-colored skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Once melted, the butter will begin to foam and sizzle around the edges. Swirl the pan so the butter browns evenly. When the butter is golden brown (like honey), about 4 minutes, stir in the pecans. Cook, stirring often, until the pecans are toasted and the mixture becomes aromatic, about 1-2 minutes. Remove from the heat and transfer the buttered pecans and any bits of brown butter to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or to a plate to cool.

Churn:

1. Pour the custard into an ice cream maker and churn according to manufacturer’s instructions until it reaches the consistency of soft-serve ice cream. During the last 2-3 minutes of churning, add the cooled buttered pecans and any browned butter bits to the ice cream machine. Transfer the ice cream to a freezer-safe container
2. Once the nuts are mixed in, transfer to a freezer-safe container and freeze for about 4 hours before serving.

Notes

• Don’t forget to freeze your ice cream machine canister or bowl before making your ice cream. Most manufacturers recommend freezing the bowl for 24 hours before churning ice cream.
• Using high fat content dairy is a must and makes ice cream creamy and rich. Stay away from fat free or low fat dairy.
• Chill the ice cream base thoroughly before churning it.
• Make sure you don’t burn the butter or the pecans as they will make the ice cream bitter.

Nutrition

Calories: 373 kcal, Carbohydrates: 20 g, Protein: 4 g, Fat: 32 g, Saturated Fat: 16 g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3 g, Monounsaturated Fat: 11 g, Trans Fat: 1 g, Cholesterol: 147 mg, Sodium: 96 mg, Potassium: 154 mg, Fiber: 1 g, Sugar: 19 g, Vitamin A: 990 IU, Vitamin C: 1 mg, Calcium: 93 mg, Iron: 1 mg

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