Homemade Butter Pecan Ice Cream
This homemade butter pecan brown sugar ice cream is easily one of my favorite ice cream recipes! And if you’re a fan of my carrot cake with pecan butterscotch, you’ll absolutely love this since the flavor base is the same buttery pecan butterscotch. We’re talking an ultra-velvety ice cream with warm brown sugar flavor, buttery toasted pecans in every bite, and to top it all off, ribbons of more salted pecan butterscotch! This dessert is gonna be hard to resist!
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It’s giving all the cozy, nutty, sweet vibes of a classic butter pecan treat but with a homemade twist that makes it even better. Plus, if you’ve already fallen in love with my salted maple custard ice cream, then trust me—this one’s going to be right up your alley. Whether you serve it in a cone, on top of a warm slice of chocolate cake, or straight from the freezer with a spoon this is one is gonna disappear fast.
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What makes this butter pecan ice cream so good?
- High ratio of butterfat. Flavor follows fat so the fat content in this ice cream helps to intensify flavors like the subtle pecans that would otherwise be lost. Butterfat also slows melting while maintaining a soft-textured ice cream even fresh out the freezer!
- Custard base. A custard-based ice cream uses egg yolks as an emulsifier which helps to blend the liquid with fat into a smooth textured custard which then turns in to ice cream.
- Butterscotch. Using butterscotch as the flavoring base of this ice cream helps incorporate butter flavor while also taking away the greasy feel common in many other butter pecan ice creams. This, in addition to the use of egg yolks, makes the perfect emulsion for optimal creaminess!
- No artificial flavors are used in this recipe – not even vanilla extract! I developed this recipe so the natural flavors of all the ingredients could shine through and complement each other to give you the best butter pecan ice cream recipe you’ll ever try! A big plus is also no junk in your ice cream!
What ice cream maker should I use for homemade ice cream?
My go to is this one with a built in compressor. There’s no prep work needed beforehand and the machine works to keep the ice cream at the correct temperature for churning despite ambient temperature.
However, if you’re looking for a more economical option, I’ve also used this canister-style Cuisinart ice cream maker. Canister-style ice cream machines do require some planning in advance though. Make sure that you’ve properly chilled the bowl before using. The bowl is how your ice cream will freeze. If you have the freezer space, I recommend leaving it your freezer indefinitely so that it’s always at it’s coldest. If this isn’t feasible, keep it in the back of your freezer for at least 8 hours before using so that it’s cold enough to churn the ice cream.
Key Ingredients
Chopped pecans. A must for the perfect butter pecan brown sugar ice cream.
Whole milk. Helps to balance the high butterfat content of this recipe – giving the ice cream a creamy texture instead of an overpoweringly greasy one.
Heavy cream. Contributes butterfat that gives this ice cream richness and helps to bring forward the nutty flavor of the pecans
Egg yolks. Helps to emulsify the fats for a creamy dessert.
Dark brown sugar. Adds warmth to complement the flavors of this butter pecan ice cream
Unsalted butter. Used in the butterscotch sauce. Opt for unsalted to control the salt level in the ice cream.
Flaked sea salt. Adds a contrast to balance the sweetness and richness of the ice cream. Flaked sea salt is also less likely to dissolve completely in your butterscotch resulting in tiny bursts of sea salt flavor when enjoying the ice cream!
Tips for the Best Butter Pecan Brown Sugar Ice Cream
Don’t crush the pecan pieces too finely. Finely crushed pecans can leave a texture that’s perceived as grit instead of nutty chunks. To avoid this, after crushing pecans pass them through a sift to get rid of the “pecan dust.”
Use a thermometer after tempering the egg yolks. Custard based ice creams are deliciously rich but they can also be easily ruined if it heats beyond a certain point. If it’s your first time making a custard I do recommend using a thermometer. Cook the custard til it gets to 160°F then remove from the heat. I use this infrared thermometer – its easy and mess free but a probe thermometer will also get the job done.
Don’t let the custard bubble. Like explained before, overheating the custard will cause the egg yolk to coagulate too quickly resulting in a “scrambled eggs” texture that does not work for churning and is unpalatable. For this reason, avoid anything over medium heat and opt to slowly bring the custard to the needed temperature.
Churn the ice cream in the coolest spot in your kitchen. This is especially important if using a canister-style ice cream maker so that a warm environment doesn’t work against your ice cream churning. As an extra precaution you can also use an appliance cover or a clean towel as an extra layer of insulation.
Storage Tips
It’s important to freeze and store your ice cream properly to extend the shelf-life of your ice cream as much as possible. Mainly, you will want to minimize how often the ice cream softens and re-freezes. As the ice cream softens, the small ice crystals melt and re-freeze into larger ones which causes an unappetizing taste and mouthfeel.
Here are some tips on how to avoid this:
- Store the ice cream in the main part of the freezer, against the sides. Storing it in the freezer door can cause it to melt slowly and microscopically whenever the freezer door opens. On the other hand storing it against the sides decreases the chance of having to move it around, exposing it to warmer air or body heat from your hands.
- Use a freezer container that has a snug fitting lid and place an additional seal with a layer of plastic wrap pressed to the surface. This inhibits the formation of ice crystals on top of the ice cream. This also helps to protect the ice cream from absorbing the aroma of other foods in the freezer and the freezer itself.
- Try storing your ice cream in multiple smaller containers. This reduces the amount of times you remove one container of ice cream from the freezer to serve. Ultimately this will depend on how many servings you typically eat/share when you reach for the ice cream. I use the 16 or 8-ounce containers in this set.
- Finally, try not to store the ice cream next to uncovered foods or directly next to savory foods. Odors can penetrate easily due to the air circulation in the freezer.
How to Make this Homemade Butter Pecan Brown Sugar Ice Cream
Step 1. Whisk egg yolks in a small bowl until the yellow pales (this should only take 1-2 minutes). Set aside.
This will spread the proteins further apart and reduce the chance of the egg yolks curdling during the tempering stage later.
Making the Pecan Butterscotch
Step 2. Start making the butterscotch. Add the chopped pecans along with the unsalted butter to a large saucepan and allow the butter to melt over medium-high heat until frothy. You will end up with brown butter during this part of the cooking process which will help potentiate the pecan flavor. The sauce pan should have at least a liter capacity leaving enough room for stirring.
Step 3. Once the butter starts to get frothy add the brown sugar and the heavy cream and stir til completely smooth & incorporated. Turn the heat down to medium and allow the butterscotch to reduce for 2 minutes.
Step 4. Add 1 teaspoon of the sea salt to the butterscotch and stir to incorporate.
Step 5. Reserve 1 cup of the butterscotch in an airtight container. Once the butterscotch has cooled add the remaining ½ teaspoon to the reserved butterscotch. Set aside to use later in layering the ice cream
Step 6. Add the whole milk to the butterscotch in the saucepan and stir until completely incorporated. Strain the mixture, saving the strained pecans to reincorporate later.
Making the Butter Pecan Brown Sugar Custard base
Step 7. While the butterscotch/ milk mixture is still hot, temper the egg yolks. Slowly pour in a third of the hot milk mixture while simultaneously whisking the egg yolks. Add the rest of the milk mixture slowly to the tempered mixture. Be sure to incorporate any egg yolks up against the sides of the bowl.
Step 8. Return the tempered custard mixture to the saucepan and stir over medium to medium-high heat just until the hot mixture coats the back of a spoon. Draw a finger across the spoon or spatula and the custard should be thick enough to leave a clean trail. The temperature of the custard mixture should be 160°F. It shouldn’t exceed 165°F – past that and you run the risk of curdling the rich custard base.
Step 9. Transfer the custard to a heat-resistant bowl and reincorporate the strained pecans from earlier. Cover with plastic wrap or a lid and allow to chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours. If using a canister-style ice cream maker, I recommend chilling for at least 6 hours or preferably overnight.
I like to chill the bowl that I’ll use for the custard base beforehand so that the custard cools more quickly. It also reduces the time that the custard stays in the “danger zone” temperatures (41°F-149°F) where bacteria loves multiply. You can also use an ice bath for this.
Churning & Assembling your Homemade Butter Pecan Ice Cream
Step 10. After chilling the custard base, give it a stir then pour it in your ice cream machine and churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions. This butter pecan ice cream takes 35 minutes in my Whynter ice cream maker.
Step 11. Assemble the ice cream in a freezer -safe airtight container. Start by layering some of the ice cream and then drizzle or dollop some of the reserved salted pecan butterscotch on top. Repeat these layers until all of the ice cream and butterscotch have been used. You may use a toothpick or skewer to further distribute the butterscotch throughout all the ice cream!
You can also layer the ice cream in a bread/loaf pan but I only recommend this if you will be serving all of the ice cream within 3-4 days.
Step 12. Allow the finished ice cream to set in the freezer for at least an hour before serving.
This homemade butter pecan ice cream can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months.
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Equipment
- 1 large saucepan
- ice cream maker with quart capacity
- 1 quart-sized ice cream container
Ingredients
- 16 ounces whole milk 2 cups or 473ml
- 12 ounces heavy cream, room temperature 1½ cups or 355ml
- 4 ounces unsalted chopped pecans ¾ cup or 95g
- 8 ounces unsalted butter 1 cup or 226g
- 12 ounces dark brown sugar 1¼ cups or 376g
- 5 large egg yolks
- 1½ tsp flaked sea salt in 1tsp and ½tsp portions
Instructions
- Whisk egg yolks in a small bowl until the yellow pales (this should only take 1-2 minutes). Set aside.
Make the Pecan Butterscotch
- Add the chopped pecans along with the unsalted butter to a large saucepan and allow the butter to melt over medium-high heat until frothy. The sauce pan should have at least a liter capacity leaving enough room for stirring.
- Once the butter starts to get frothy add the brown sugar and the heavy cream and stir til completely smooth & incorporated. Turn the heat down to medium or low-medium and allow the butterscotch to reduce for 2 minutes.
- Add 1 teaspoon of the sea salt to the butterscotch and stir to incorporate.
- Reserve 1 cup of the butterscotch in an airtight container. Once this has cooled add the remaining ½ teaspoon of sea salt & set aside to use later in layering the ice cream
Make the Custard Base
- Add the whole milk to the butterscotch in the saucepan and stir until completely incorporated.
- Strain the milk mixture, saving the strained pecans to reincorporate later.
- While the butterscotch/milk mixture is still hot, temper the egg yolks. Slowly pour in a third of the hot milk mixture while simultaneously whisking the egg yolks. Whisk until completely incorporated.
- Add the rest of the milk mixture slowly to the tempered mixture. Be sure to incorporate any egg yolks up against the sides of the bowl.
- Return the tempered custard mixture to the saucepan and stir over medium to medium-high heat just until the hot mixture coats the back of a spoon. Once the custard mixture reaches a temperature of 160°F it is ready. Do not let the custard boil or bubble!
- Transfer the custard to a heat-resistant bowl and reincorporate the strained pecans from earlier. Cover with plastic wrap or a lid and allow to chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours.
- After custard base has been chilled, give it a stir then pour it in your ice cream machine and churn according to the manufacturer's instructions. This butter pecan ice cream takes 35 minutes in my Whynter ice cream maker.
Assembling the Ice Cream
- In a freezer-safe & airtight container layer some of the ice cream and then drizzle or dollop some of the reserved salted pecan butterscotch from earlier.You can also layer the ice cream in a bread/loaf pan, sealing with plastic wrap but I only recommend this if you will be serving all of the ice cream within 3-4 days.
- Repeat these layers until all of the ice cream and butterscotch have been used then use a toothpick or skewer to further distribute the butterscotch throughout all the ice cream!
- Allow the finished ice cream to set in the freezer for at least an hour before serving.
