Butter Pecan Ice Cream

Yield: About 1½ quarts (6 cups)
Prep: 25 minutes | Chill: 4–6 hours | Churn: 20–30 minutes | Freeze: 4–6 hours

Ingredients

Ice Cream Base

2 cups (480 ml) heavy cream
1 cup (240 ml) whole milk
¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
4 large egg yolks
2 tbsp (28 g) unsalted butter
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
¼ tsp fine salt

Butter Pecans

1½ cups (165 g) pecan halves or pieces
2 tbsp (28 g) unsalted butter
2 tbsp (25 g) brown sugar
⅛ tsp salt

Instructions

Toast the pecans: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Spread pecans on a baking sheet and toast for 7–10 minutes, stirring once, until fragrant.
Butter the pecans: Melt 2 tbsp butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add toasted pecans, brown sugar, and salt. Cook for 2–3 minutes, stirring constantly.
Transfer pecans to a plate and let them cool completely. Roughly chop them for the ice cream.
Make the base: Heat heavy cream, milk, sugar, and salt in a saucepan over medium heat until hot and steaming. Do not boil.
Whisk the egg yolks in a separate bowl. Slowly pour about 1 cup of the hot cream mixture into the yolks while whisking constantly.
Pour the egg mixture back into the saucepan.
Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until the custard reaches about 170–175°F (77–80°C) and lightly coats the back of a spoon. Do not boil.
Remove from heat and stir in 2 tbsp butter and vanilla.
Strain the custard into a clean bowl. Cover the surface and refrigerate until completely cold, at least 4 hours.
Churn: Pour the cold mixture into an ice-cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions, usually 20–30 minutes.
During the last few minutes of churning, add about ¾ of the cooled butter pecans.
Transfer to a freezer-safe container and fold the remaining pecans over and through the ice cream.
Freeze for 4–6 hours, or until firm.
Let sit at room temperature for 5–10 minutes before scooping.

Complete Nut Information

Primary nut: Pecan

Pecans: 1½ cups / 165 g
The pecans are used both inside the ice cream and as a topping.
This recipe does not require peanuts, almonds, walnuts, cashews, pistachios, hazelnuts, or other tree nuts.
Pecan allergy: Avoid this recipe if allergic to pecans.
Because pecans are a tree nut, check all packaged ingredients for tree-nut cross-contact warnings.
For a completely nut-free version, omit the pecans—but it will no longer be butter pecan ice cream.

Quick Q&A

Q: Can I use chopped pecans instead of halves?
Yes. Use approximately 165 g (1½ cups) chopped pecans.

Q: Can I use walnuts?
Yes, but the flavor will change. Pecans give the classic buttery, caramel-like flavor.

Q: Why toast the pecans?
Toasting makes them more aromatic, crunchy, and flavorful.

Q: Why cool the pecans first?
Hot pecans can melt the ice cream and create an uneven texture.

Q: Can I make it without an ice-cream machine?
Yes. Pour the chilled custard into a shallow freezer container and freeze, stirring vigorously every 30–45 minutes for about 3 hours, then freeze until firm.

Q: How do I get the soft, creamy scoops shown in the photo?
Allow the frozen ice cream to sit at room temperature for 5–10 minutes before scooping.

Q: How long does it keep?
Best quality is within about 2 weeks, tightly covered to minimize ice crystals.

Tip: For the appearance in the photo, reserve a handful of large caramelized pecan pieces and press them onto the top immediately after transferring the churned ice cream to the container.

Author
Recent Posts

Sara Mitchell

Sara Mitchell is an expert restaurant content creator who writes easy-to-read guides about CAVA and other Mediterranean fast-casual chains in the United States. She covers locations, menus, prices, and hours, making it simple for visitors to find nearby restaurants and what to order quickly.

With years of experience in restaurant research and local SEO, Sara creates accurate, user-friendly guides that work for both people and search engines. Her goal is to help users go from search results to their nearest restaurant or menu choice with as few clicks as possible.