Butter Pecan Ice Cream | Crunchy sweet candied pecans add a delicious caramelly, nutty flavor to this no-churn ice cream recipe. This ice cream is easy to prepare - it takes only a short time to candy the pecans and make the ice cream base. No ice cream maker needed! Serve it as is or try it topped with my Salted Caramel Sauce.
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I have an ice cream maker but honestly, most of the time I can't be bothered taking it out. Especially when no-churn ice cream is so simple.
If you also want to leave your ice cream machine in the cupboard or don't want to buy an extra kitchen appliance, try my no-churn ice cream recipes, I have so many flavors! All of my no-churn ice cream recipes take about 10 minutes to make and usually around 3-8 ingredients.
Try my classic Mint Chocolate Chip, Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream, or Oreo Ice Cream.
I love that this recipe has a short hands-on time and then you just let the freezer do the rest of the work. But best of all, you can make my butter pecan ice cream recipe without an ice cream maker.
Why is this called butter pecan?
Butter pecan ice cream gets its flavor from a vanilla ice cream base and pecans which are candied in butter and brown sugar. I also add maple extract to my ice cream base for added flavor.
Ingredients
See the recipe card for exact amounts.
Substitutions
Instructions
Prep Tips
No-churn ice cream takes only a few minutes to whip up the base and the rest of the time is hands-off time while the ice cream freezes. For this recipe, there is some additional prep time to candy the pecans but it only takes about 15 minutes.
Melt the butter and sugar together in a skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped pecans and cook for 4-5 minutes until the butter and sugar thicken and coat the pecans.
Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the vanilla. Be careful because the sugar gets really hot and can burn. Place the pecans on a plate to cool.
In the meantime, whip the cream to stiff peaks.
Fold in the sweetened condensed milk and the extracts.
Drop the pecans into the ice cream mix, breaking them up if they've stuck together during cooling.
Pour the ice cream into a loaf pan.
Press plastic wrap into the surface of the ice cream to help prevent ice crystals from forming while it freezes.
Freeze for 6 hours (for soft ice cream) or overnight (for hard ice cream).
Let the ice cream sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving to make it easier to scoop.
Tips for making Butter Pecan Ice Cream
What to serve with Butter Pecan Ice Cream
Try topping this ice cream with my Salted Caramel Sauce or serving it alongside my Fudgy Brownies or Bakery Style Chocolate Chip Cookies.
For more no-churn ice cream recipes, try my Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream, Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream, or Oreo Ice Cream. For something more decadent try my Chocolate Peanut Butter Ice Cream or my Cinnamon Roll Ice Cream with edible dough chunks.
Storage
Store the ice cream, covered in the freezer.
FAQs
Butter pecan ice cream usually has a base flavor of vanilla ice cream. For my no-churn butter pecan ice cream recipe, I add maple extract to the base ice cream for more flavor.
Recipe
No-Churn Butter Pecan Ice Cream
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- 2 cups whipping cream
- 14 oz sweetened condensed milk (1 can)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon maple extract
Instructions
- Pecans: Candy the pecans first by melting the butter and the sugar together. Add the pecans and cook over medium heat until thickened, about 4-5 minutes. Be careful, it'll be super hot. Take off the heat and add the vanilla extract. Set aside to cool.
- Make the base: Whip the cream. Add the extracts and the condensed milk. Fold in.
- Pecans: Add the pecans and fold them in.
- Freeze: Pour the ice cream into a loaf pan. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and freeze for at least 6 hours.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate. Values vary based on products used.
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I get a commission if you decide to purchase through my link, at no extra cost to you.
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