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Butter Pecan Ice Cream

Butter pecan ice cream made with a custard base and butter-salted pecans, churned for a creamy, rich texture. Golden, caramel-toned ice cream is packed with toasty pecan halves for a nutty crunch in every bite.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
chilling + freezing 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 40 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Pecan halves
  • 1.5 cup pecan halves Use halved pecans for the best toasted crunch.
Butter and salt base for pecans
  • 3 tbsp unsalted butter Use to toast the pecans and add buttery flavor.
  • 0.5 tsp salt For toasting and seasoning the pecans.
Custard base
  • 2 cup heavy cream Provides richness and smooth mouthfeel.
  • 1 cup whole milk Helps balance the richness of the custard.
  • 0.75 cup brown sugar, packed Heat until fully dissolved for a caramel tone.
  • 5 egg yolks Cook until thickened at 175F for a custard ice cream base.
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract Stirs in after straining for clean flavor.
  • 0.25 tsp salt Adds a final touch of balance to the custard.

Equipment

  • 1 ice cream maker
  • 1 saucepan

Method
 

Toast the pecans
  1. Melt the unsalted butter with the salt in a skillet over medium heat, then add pecan halves. Toast for 4-5 minutes until deeply golden and fragrant, then cool completely on a parchment-lined sheet.
Make the custard
  1. Combine the heavy cream, whole milk, and packed brown sugar in a saucepan over heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves and the mixture steams.
  2. Whisk the egg yolks until smooth in a bowl. Slowly whisk in the hot cream to temper, then pour back into the saucepan.
  3. Cook the custard over medium heat to 175F, stirring constantly to prevent curdling. Keep it at 175F until slightly thickened.
  4. Strain the custard into a clean container, then stir in vanilla extract and the remaining salt. Cool completely, then refrigerate at least 4 hours.
Churn and freeze
  1. Churn the chilled custard in an ice cream maker. Add the butter-toasted pecans in the last 5 minutes.
  2. Transfer the churned ice cream to a container and freeze until firm. Serve once scoopable and re-freeze any leftovers.

Notes

For the smoothest custard, keep stirring and stop cooking at 175F—going hotter can make the base grainy. Refrigerate churned ice cream in an airtight container up to 2-3 days; for best texture, freeze up to 2 months (thaw in the fridge 10-15 minutes before scooping). For a dairy-light swap, use a high-fat lactose-free heavy cream and lactose-free whole milk, and expect a slightly less caramel-toned result.