Easy Butter Pecan Ice Cream Recipe - Rich & Smooth
The perfect scoop of nostalgia—sweet, buttery, and packed with toasted pecan crunch.
Print Pin Servings : 10
Calories : 290kcal
Cost : $7
Equipment
- 1 Medium saucepan To heat milk and cream
- 1 Mixing bowls For egg yolks and sugar
- 1 Whisk To temper the egg mixture
- 1 Wooden spoon To stir custard until thickened
- 1 Fine mesh strainer To strain the custard
- 1 Ice cream maker To churn the chilled custard
- 1 Freezer-safe container To freeze the finished ice cream
- 1 Small skillet To toast the pecans in butter
Ingredients
- 2 cups Heavy cream - Cold
- 1 cup Whole milk - Full-fat preferred
- 4 Egg yolks - Large
- ½ cup Granulated sugar - White
- ¼ cup Brown sugar - Light or dark
- 1 ½ teaspoon Vanilla extract - Pure vanilla preferred
- ¼ teaspoon Salt - Fine grain
- 3 tablespoon Unsalted butter - For toasting pecans
- ¾ cup Chopped pecans - Toasted in butter
- ¼ teaspoon Cinnamon - Optional – adds warmth
- 1 tablespoon Bourbon - Optional – for a Southern flavor twist
Instructions
- Gently heat the heavy cream and whole milk in a saucepan over medium heat. Wait until small bubbles form around the edges—don’t let it boil. This should take 5–6 minutes.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks with granulated and brown sugar until light and creamy. Then slowly pour in half of the warm milk mixture while whisking constantly to prevent scrambling.
- Pour the tempered egg mixture back into the saucepan. Stir continuously with a wooden spoon over low heat until it thickens and coats the back of the spoon (about 170°F).
- Strain the thickened mixture through a fine mesh sieve into a clean bowl. Add vanilla and salt, press plastic wrap against the surface, and chill for at least 4 hours.
- Melt the butter in a skillet and add chopped pecans. Toast over medium heat until golden and fragrant, about 3–4 minutes. Cool completely.
- Pour the chilled custard into your ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer’s directions. This takes about 20–25 minutes.
- In the final minutes of churning, add the cooled buttered pecans. Transfer to a freezer-safe container and freeze for at least 4 hours to set.
Notes
Hold onto flavor—because making it with love is Aliana’s secret ingredient. Every bite of this Butter Pecan Ice Cream brings back memories of warm kitchens, family laughter, and the comforting smell of toasted pecans. Trust the process, toast your nuts until fragrant, and never skip the chill time for the creamiest texture.
Nutrition
Serving : 75g | Calories : 290kcal | Carbohydrates : 34g | Protein : 4g | Fat : 20g | Saturated Fat : 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat : 2g | Monounsaturated Fat : 6g | Cholesterol : 110mg | Sodium : 65mg | Potassium : 95mg | Fiber : 1g | Sugar : 24g | Vitamin A : 600IU | Calcium : 110mg | Iron : 0.4mg