This Butterscotch Ice Cream is a rich custard based ice cream that is smooth, creamy, buttery, and sweet with the perfect brown sugar butterscotch flavor. It’s delicious plain, or with butterscotch sauce, toffee bits, pecans or other toppings on top!
This ice cream is loaded with a sweet butterscotch flavor and smooth texture. It’s a custard based ice cream made with tempered egg yolks, heavy cream, brown sugar, and butter giving it the butterscotch flavor from scratch!
The ice cream is super delicious on its own, but I also love it with my homemade Butterscotch Sauce on top, or mixing in some toffee pieces, honeycomb, toasted pecans, or pretzels.
Why You’ll love this Recipe
- The Best Butterscotch Flavor: The ice cream has a sweet butterscotch flavor that starts from cooking down butter and brown sugar together. It’s
- Smooth and Creamy Texture: The tempered egg yolk custard base for this ice cream gives it an extra smooth and creamy texture, never icy. Just like you’d get from an ice cream shop.
- No Preservatives or Artificial Flavors: A real homemade two ingredient butterscotch sauce flavors this ice cream, plus real vanilla extract, and cream. No artificial flavors, butterscotch chips, or added ingredients here.
Ingredients Needed
- Unsalted Butter: To melt the brown sugar and give the butterscotch a buttery flavor
- Brown Sugar: For that classic butterscotch flavor. Use dark brown sugar for a stronger flavor.
- Egg Yolks: The key to a smooth, custard based ice cream
- Heavy Cream and Whole Milk: A mix of both to make the ice cream smooth and super creamy.
- Vanilla Extract: Adds a nice extra flavor.
- Salt: Just enough to balance the sweet flavors
How to make Butterscotch Ice Cream
Step 1: Make the Butterscotch. Add the butter and brown sugar to a medium sauce pan and heat over medium heat until it can be melted smooth.
Step 2: Make the Custard Base. Add the milk, and some cream to the sugar in the pot and heat until the edges start to bubble.
Step 3: Temper the Eggs. Whisk the egg yolks in a medium bowl for a couple minutes until the color starts to lighten. Slowly pour about 1/2 cup of the hot cream mixture into the eggs and stir them together. Then add in another 1/2 cup of the cream mixture. Once combined pour the mixture back into the pan and let it heat for a few minutes until the mixture is thickened.
Step 4: Chill the Mixture. Pour the ice cream mixture through a strainer into another bowl, then stir in the vanilla and salt. Place the bowl over an ice bath to let it chill for about 15 minutes, then cover the bowl and place it in the fridge for 2 hours to chill.
Step 5: Churn the Ice Cream. When you’re ready to churn the ice cream, and pour the custard base into the running ice cream maker and let it run until it’s thick, like a soft serve ice cream.
Step 6: Freeze the Ice Cream. Scoop the ice cream into a 2QT container, and cover the container with a lid. Place in the freezer for at least 6 hours, or overnight is even better for a nice scoopable custard style ice cream.
Tips and Tricks:
- Pre-Freeze the Bowl – Don’t forget to pre-freeze your ice cream machine bowl. Mine takes at least 12 hours to be frozen solid so it will churn my ice cream. Leave it in your freezer to use whenever you’re ready if you have room.
- Mix Ins – If you want to add in mix-ins, cut them to be about 1/2 inch in size, and add them into the ice cream maker while it is churning, the last 5 minutes or mixing. Add up to 1 1/2 cups.
Storage Instructions
Keep the ice cream in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 or 3 weeks. Seal the container tightly, or press plastic wrap right on the surface of the ice cream to help prevent the ice cream from forming ice crystals.
If you love butterscotch as much as I do, this homemade ice cream is a must try! The custard base makes the ice cream so rich and creamy and the flavor is so delicious.
More Ice Cream Flavors
- Muddy Buddy Ice Cream
- How to Make Ice Cream in a Bag
- Gingerbread Ice Cream
- Rocky Road Ice Cream
- Vanilla Ice Cream
- Strawberry Ice Cream
If you make this Butterscotch Ice Cream Recipe please leave a comment and 🌟 rating letting me know what you think! If you post the photo on Instagram, please tag me – I’d love to see what you’re making!
Salted Caramel Pecan Ice Cream
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 up unsalted butter
- 2 cups heavy cream (divided)
- 1 cup whole milk
- 5 egg yolks
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1/2 tsp salt
Equipment
Instructions
- Freeze the bowl of your ice cream maker for at least 12 hours, until frozen solid according to manufactures instructions.
- Add the brown sugar and butter to a medium sauce pot over medium heat and stir constantly until the butter is melted, and the sugar starts to dissolve. 3/4 cup brown sugar, 1/4 up unsalted butter
- Add 1 cup of the cream, milk, to the pot and heat it until the edges start to bubble. 2 cups heavy cream, 1 cup whole milk
- In a large bowl, whisk the egg yolks for a couple of minutes until they start to lighten in color. 5 egg yolks
- 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 mixture and continue to heat for another 5 minutes until the mixture is thickened a bit.
- Pour the custard mixture through a strainer into another large bowl. Add in the remaining cup of heavy cream, vanilla extract, and salt and stir it all together. 1 tsp vanilla, 1/2 tsp salt
- Put the bowl into an ice bath and allow to set for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Cover the bowl and place it in the fridge for about 2 hours, up to overnight.
- Pour the custard mix into a prepared 2QT ice cream maker and run it for about 25 to 30 minutes, according to manufactures directions, until it is like a soft serve consistency.
- Scoop the ice cream into a 2QT container, and cover it with a lid, or plastic wrap and foil.
- Place it in the freezer for at least 6 hours, or until frozen solid enough to scoop.
Notes
- Pre-Freeze the Bowl – Don’t forget to pre-freeze your ice cream machine bowl. Mine takes at least 12 hours to be frozen solid so it will churn my ice cream. Leave it in your freezer to use whenever you’re ready if you have room.
- Mix Ins – If you want to add in mix-ins, cut them to be about 1/2 inch in size, and add them into the ice cream maker while it is churning, the last 5 minutes or mixing. Add up to 1 1/2 cups.
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