Butter Pecan Ice Cream (Creamy & Old-Fashioned)

So amazing you’ll want it year-round—just like you remember.

✅ Ingredients (Serves 6–8)

For the buttered pecans

1 cup pecan halves, roughly chopped
3 tbsp unsalted butter
Pinch of salt

For the ice cream base

2 cups heavy cream
1 cup whole milk
¾ cup brown sugar (packed)
¼ cup white sugar
4 large egg yolks
1 tbsp vanilla extract
Pinch of salt

👩‍🍳 Instructions (Step by Step)

1️⃣ Butter the Pecans

Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat.
Add pecans and salt.
Toast, stirring, for 5–7 minutes until fragrant and golden.
Set aside to cool.

2️⃣ Make the Ice Cream Base

Heat milk, cream, brown sugar, white sugar, and salt in a saucepan (do not boil).
In a bowl, whisk egg yolks.
Slowly pour some hot milk into yolks (to temper), whisking constantly.
Return mixture to the pan.
Cook on low heat, stirring, until slightly thick (coats the spoon).
Remove from heat, stir in vanilla.
Cool completely (refrigerate 3–4 hours or overnight).

3️⃣ Churn & Freeze

Churn the chilled custard in an ice cream maker.
Add buttered pecans in the last 2 minutes.
Freeze 2–4 hours until scoopable.

🌟 Why This Ice Cream Is SO Good

Brown sugar = deep caramel flavor
Butter-toasted pecans = irresistible crunch
Custard base = ultra-creamy texture
Perfect balance of sweet, nutty, and buttery

❓ Q & A

Q: Can I make it without an ice cream maker?
Yes! Freeze in a container and stir every 30 minutes for 3 hours.

Q: Can I use store-bought vanilla ice cream?
Absolutely—just fold in buttered pecans for a quick version.

Q: How long does it keep?
Up to 2 weeks in an airtight container (if it lasts that long!).

Q: Can I make it lighter?
Use half-and-half instead of cream (still delicious, slightly less rich).

🍨 Serving Ideas

With warm apple pie or pecan pie
Drizzled with caramel sauce
Between two cookies for an ice-cream sandwich

Author
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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.