Butter Pecan Ice Cream | No Churn Ice Cream

ByJacqueline Piper on Updated
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5 from 2 votes
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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.

Butter pecan ice with chopped pecans in it in a bowl.

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.

Butter pecan ice with chopped pecans in it in a loaf pan.
  • whipping cream: Whipping cream to stiff peaks gives no-churn ice cream a super creamy texture. Make sure your cream is at least 35% fat content.
  • sweetened condensed milk: Sweetened condensed milk sweetens the ice cream and helps give it a creamy texture. You can find this in cans in the baking aisle.
  • the butter pecans: pecans, brown sugar, and butter are needed for candy-ing the pecans before you add them to the ice cream base.
  • flavors: vanilla + maple extract are added to the base ice cream for flavor.

Substitutions

  • Pecans: try cashews, walnuts, or hazelnuts instead.

Instructions

Prep Tips

  • The ice cream will need to freeze for at least 6 hours.
  • You need a loaf pan or something similar and plastic wrap for storing the ice cream.

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.

Chopped pecan cooking in butter in a skillet.

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.

Candied pecans on a plate.

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.

Whipped cream at stiff peaks on the end of a whisk.

In the meantime, whip the cream to stiff peaks.

Folding butter pecans into an ice cream base.

Fold in the sweetened condensed milk and the extracts.

Pouring butter pecans into an ice cream base.

Drop the pecans into the ice cream mix, breaking them up if they’ve stuck together during cooling.

Pouring butter pecan ice cream into a loaf pan.

Pour the ice cream into a loaf pan.

Pressing plastic wrap into the surface of ice cream in a loaf pan.

Press plastic wrap into the surface of the ice cream to help prevent ice crystals from forming while it freezes.

Plastic wrap pulled back on ice cream in a loaf pan.

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.

Butter pecan ice with chopped pecans in it in a bowl.

Tips for making Butter Pecan Ice Cream

  • soft ice cream: freeze the ice cream for 6 hours for a soft-serve type of ice cream.
  • hard ice cream: freeze the ice cream overnight for hard ice cream. This is my preference.
  • candied pecans: Be careful not to overcook the pecans or use too high of heat, nuts and sugar burn easily. Be careful when handling candied pecans, hot sugar can burn very badly! Let them cool completely on a plate until ready to use. Don’t try to sneak a piece right after they are done, they will be too hot! Adding the vanilla off the heat helps keep the flavor of the vanilla.
  • stiff peaks: make sure to whip your cream to stiff peaks for the best no-churn ice cream texture.

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. Or try topping this with southern fried apples for a super decadent dessert.

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.

Butter pecan ice with chopped pecans in it in a bowl.

Storage

Store the ice cream, covered in the freezer.

FAQs

What is the flavor of the ice cream in butter pecan ice cream?

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.

Butter pecan ice with chopped pecans in it in a bowl.
5 from 2 votes

No-Churn Butter Pecan Ice Cream

Author : Jacqueline Piper
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Freezing Time: 6 hours
Total Time: 6 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 10
Crunchy sweet candied pecans add a delicious caramelly, nutty flavor to this no-churn ice cream recipe.
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Equipment

Ingredients
 
 

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

Freeze the ice cream for 6 hours for a soft ice cream texture.
Freeze the ice cream overnight for hard ice cream.
Cover the ice cream with plastic wrap when freezing, pressing the wrap into the surface of the ice cream to help prevent ice crystals from forming. You’ll still get a few – brush them off with a pasty brush.
Try walnuts, cashews, or hazelnuts instead of pecans.

Nutrition

Calories: 395kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 31g | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 26g

Nutritional information is an estimate. Values vary based on products used. Read our full Nutrition Disclaimer.

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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.

Butter pecan ice with chopped pecans in it in a bowl with a text title for Pinterest.

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Hi, I'm Jacqueline Piper, the author of PiperCooks. I am a food blogger with a focus on easy, delicious, and (mostly) healthy recipes. I like using fresh ingredients for simple family recipes and I love cooking + sharing recipes to help you put healthy, homemade dinners on your table.

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2 Comments

  1. My dad is about everything butter pecan. Going to make this for him for Father’s Day. I think he’ll love it.

    Reply
5 from 2 votes (2 ratings without comment)

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