This homemade butter pecan ice cream tastes even better than you’ll get from the store or your favorite ice cream shop. With dozens of 5 star reviews, it’s an amazing homemade ice cream that everyone will love!
The Best Butter Pecan Ice Cream
This butter pecan ice cream is a classic ice cream shop flavor made at home. It’s creamy, buttery, and nutty and so delicious. It’s one of my favorite flavors and with our easy guide to making this homemade recipe you’ll have your never buy it from the store again.
My fellow pecan lovers will also love this sock it to me cake, with its amazing pecan filling.
What is butter pecan ice cream?
Butter pecan ice cream is a creamy vanilla based custard full of buttered pecans. It’s a pretty simple ice cream flavor, but the buttery toasted pecans mix into the ice cream making it a little buttery, and so delicious too, and so perfect with the crunchy nuts.
This homemade butter pecan ice cream has a few steps to the process, because its a custard based ice cream, so it takes a while to make it from start to finish, but I promise the results are well worth it.
Butter Pecan Ice Cream Recipe Ingredients
This is a quick overview of the ingredients you’ll need for this Butter Pecan Ice Cream Recipe . Specific measurements and full recipe instructions are in the printable recipe card below.
- heavy cream
- whole milk
- egg yolks
- granulated sugar
- brown sugar
- vanilla extract
- salt
- unsalted butter
- chopped pecans
How to make Butter Pecan Ice Cream
- Heat the milk and cream. In a medium or large sauce pan, heavy cream, and milk, and heat over medium high heat until the mixture just starts to bubble.
- Temper the eggs. In a large bowl, whisk the egg yolks, and sugar. Slowly pour about 1/2 cup of the cream mixture into the egg yolks, whisking it all together quickly. Then add in another 1/2 cup of the cream mixture, whisking it into the eggs, then a final half cup, and whisk it totally in.
- Thicken the ice cream base. Pour the creamy egg mixture back into the sauce pan with the remaining cream mixture, and continue to heat it for another 5 minutes, until the mixture is thickened enough to stick to the back of a metal spoon. Stir in the vanilla extract, and a dash of salt.
- Chill the ice cream base. Pour the custard into a large bowl (pour it through a strainer if your mixture is chunky at all) then put that bowl over an ice bath and let it set for about 10 minutes, stirring it occasionally. Cover the bowl and put it in the fridge for at least 2 hours.
- Churn the ice cream. When you’re ready to make the ice cream, turn the ice cream maker on and pour the mixture into the ice cream bucket, and allow to run according to the manufactures instructions (mine says about 30 minutes).
- Make the buttered pecans. While the ice cream is churning brown the pecans in butter. In a large sauté pan, add the butter and pecans, and a sprinkle of salt. Stir together and allow them to cook until the pecans start to brown, about 3 to 5 minutes. Watch them closely so the pecans don’t burn. Remove from the pan and pour over some paper towels on a plate (to soak up the excess butter)
- Add the pecans to the ice cream. Pour the buttered pecans into the ice cream maker, and let it run for another couple of minutes until the nuts are spread throughout the ice cream.
- Freeze the ice cream. Scoop the mixture into a 2 Quart pan, cover the pan and place it in the freezer for at least 6 hours. I like to freeze mine overnight to make it really hard like you’d get from the store.
Butter Pecan Ice Cream Recipe tips
- Don’t forget to freeze the ice cream bowl at least 12 hours before you want to make the ice cream.
- This ice cream recipe takes several hours to make from start to finish, with cooking the custard, chilling the custard, making the ice cream in the machine, then freezing the ice cream to get it scoo-able. Probably about 24 hours from start to finish, so be prepared.
- Instead of pecans you could substitute walnuts.
- I recommend using high fat ingredients for the richest, creamiest ice cream – you want heavy cream and whole milk. But you can substitute half and half and a lower fat milk if desired.
- Make sure to thoroughly chill the custard base before putting it into your ice cream maker.
Recipe for Butter Pecan Ice Cream FAQs
Butterscotch is a sauce made by mixing brown sugar and melted butter, and cooked to give it a caramel like consistency. It doesn’t have any nuts in it. Butter pecan is a flavor that is made with buttery toasted pecans, with a rich taste of butter and a slight flavor of vanilla with nutty flavors and pieces of pecans.
Butter pecan ice cream is a popular flavor that tastes like nutty pecans, rich butter, and vanilla ice cream. It has crunchy pecan pieces throughout.
Butter pecan ice cream is loaded with actual pecan chunks throughout the ice cream, where pralines and cream is usually a sweeter ice cream, with a vanilla ice cream base swirled with caramel and with candied praline pieces throughout the ice cream.
This butter pecan ice cream is a delicious buttery ice cream, with lots of crunchy pecans in every bite. It’s delicious, and almost tastes caramelly. It’s so good you’ll want to eat it all summer long, and now you’ll never need to go to the ice cream shop again.
More like this Homemade Butter Pecan Ice Cream
- Peanut Butter Ice Cream
- Cookies and Cream Ice Cream
- Strawberry Ice Cream
- Coconut Ice Cream
- Pistachio Ice Cream
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Homemade Butter Pecan Ice Cream
Ingredients
For the Custard:
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup whole milk
- 4 egg yolks
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/8 tsp salt
For the Buttered Pecans:
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup roughly chopped pecans
- 1/4 tsp salt
Equipment
- Large Mixing Bowl
Instructions
For the Custard:
- In a large sauce pan, combine the heavy cream and milk. Heat over medium until the mixture just starts to bubble.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and sugars.
- Slowly pour 1/2 cup of your cream mixture into your egg yolks while whisking vigorously. Pour another 1 cup of your cream mixture, 1/2 cup at a time while whisking the whole time.
- Pour the egg mixture back into the sauce pan with the remaining cream, and continue to cook for about 5 minutes, or until the mixture thickens a bit. (You want it to be able to coat the back of a spoon)
- Pour the custard mixture through a strainer into a large bowl, and stir in the vanilla extract, and salt.
- Place the bowl over an ice bath in another bowl, and allow to set for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Cover the bowl and place it in the fridge for at least 2 hours.
For the Buttered Pecans:
- Add the butter, pecans, and salt to a saute pan and heat over medium heat until the butter is melted, and the pecans are toasted. Stir the whole time.
- Strain out the butter. And set the pecans aside until they are cooled to room temperature.
For the Ice Cream:
- Pour the custard mixture into your ice cream maker and run it according to the manufactures directions. Mine is about 30 minutes.
- Add in the buttered pecans, and run the ice cream maker for another 5 minutes, until they are mixed into the custard.
- Scoop the custard into a 1.5 to 2 quart pan and cover with plastic wrap or foil and place it in the freezer to harden for at least 6 hours, or overnight.
Nutrition
Bay says
Hi! Do you think using maple syrup and/or honey could work? Or coconut sugar? I dont use cane sugar. Thanks!
Aimee says
I haven’t tested it with any of those, so I don’t know how much you’d add, or if the liquid would affect the texture sorry.
BJ says
Is it a necessity to do the ice bath??….
Aimee says
It helps it cool down quicker to make sure the mixture doesn’t continue cooking. It keeps the bowl from warming up the temperature of the your fridge. I’ve also read it prevents ice crystals from forming on your custard to keep it creamier, but haven’t tested this.
Tommy says
Just made this. I should’ve read other recipes first. It definitely needs more flavor and would recommend adding more brown sugar. All the other recipes out there has one full cup of brown sugar and this has only 1/3 brown sugar and 1/3 regular sugar.
Aimee says
You are welcome to try it with more sugar next time, most custard ice creams only need 2/3 cup sugar and are plenty sweet (not just my recipes, I’ve looked at hundreds of them). This has dozens of reviews of people loving it as well <3
Betsy says
The butter pecan recipe is simply outstanding! Making it for the second time today! I made a slight alteration when doing pecans, first roasted them in 350 oven for 7minutes, took extra time to brown my butter then added pecans to the sauté pan with 1 tablespoon or so of brown sugar! The pecans in the ice cream were delicious , glazed and crisp and the browned butter added additional flavor! Chefs Kiss! You have great recipes!
Lory says
I made this ice cream tonight and before putting it in to the freezer, my husband and I each took a spoonful of it at the soft-serve stage, and then my husband stood there at the counter and cleaned out the churning bowl until not a speck could be found all the while making sounds of gluttonous culinary joy!! The ice cream itself was the creamiest most delicious ice cream either my husband or I have ever had and the buttery, crunchy nuts put this recipe over the top and exceeded all of our expectations of home churned ice cream. It is not likely that we will ever buy store-bought butter pecan ice cream again. Thank you so much for sharing this wonderful recipe! God bless you both!
Aimee says
You just made my day, I’m so glad you enjoyed it so much you licked the bowl clean! It’s so much better, right?!
Wendy says
Followed recipe to a tee and was delicious! Thank you both for sharing.
Aimee says
<3 Love hearing that! So glad you liked it!
Delores Barnes says
Is it possible to make this without an ice cream maker?
Aimee says
This is one I wouldn’t recommend it with, because its a custard ice cream, and you really need it to be creamed up and churned. If you try it with the freezing and stirring method, or shaking in bag with rock salt, let me know.
PATRICIA SHARP says
How much does this recipe make? I have a four qt freezer
Aimee says
I have a 2QT ice cream maker, so you might want to double the recipe for your ice cream maker.
Melissa Olivares says
This was probably the easiest I’ve cream I’ve ever made and definitely the best I’ve ever made! Thank you!
Aimee says
Yay! I’m so glad you loved it!
Cindy says
Can you multiply this to make in a 6 quart ice cream machine?
Aimee says
I’d double or triple the recipe for that size. I haven’t tried it though.
chelsea fitts says
This ice cream was crazy good!! I let the base freeze for a day & half before completing. Made sugar cone bowls to scoop in. Yes.. will make again!
Carolyn says
First time making, this was delicious!!! Will definitely make again!!!
Sharron says
Love the Butter Pecan
Nakoma says
This recipe was Delicious! I did change the ratio of cream to milk. I used 1 1/2 cups of cream and 1 1/2 cups of whole milk.
The crunchy pecans were a treat. I will be making this again.
Denise Porter says
This was amazing! Made it for Memorial Day, and received rave reviews! Definitely a keeper!!