Homemade Buttered Pecan Ice Cream Recipe
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I’m excited to share this unbelievably delicious Homemade Buttered Pecan Ice Cream Recipe with you today!
The Best Buttered Pecan Ice Cream is Homemade!
To me, no dessert screams summer more than a big bowl of homemade Buttered Pecan Ice Cream!
There’s just something about that sweet, rich vanilla caramel-y flavor with crunchy sweet buttered pecans that can’t be beaten.
Especially when I’m enjoying that bowl out on the porch, watching the sunset on a warm summer evening.
What is Buttered Pecan Ice Cream
Buttered Pecan Ice Cream is a custard-based vanilla ice cream (at least this recipe is) full of deliciously crunchy and sweet buttered and Candied Pecans.
You’ll definitely want to try the candied pecan recipe on their own. They make an amazing sweet treat for snacking. I figured what better way to enjoy these pecans than to add them to my favorite Vanilla Ice Cream recipe.
That was definitely a good call because this Homemade Buttered Pecan Ice Cream is one of the best ice creams I’ve had in a while!
Ingredient + Notes:
See the recipe card below for full ingredient amounts recipe instructions.
- Butter | I prefer salted butter in the recipe. Unsalted will work in a pinch, just add a sprinkle of salt to your pecans while cooking them.
- Pecans | Raw pecans work best as you will be toasting/candy-ing them yourself in a pan
- Sugar | White granulated sugar.
- Milk | I generally use whole milk in my ice cream recipes. Sometimes I get fancy and want richer ice cream and will use 1 to 1 mixture of half n half and whole. Other times I will use just 2% milk. The taste will be similar, but the consistency of the buttered pecan ice cream will vary based on the fat of the milk. More fat will give you a richer, more decadent mouthfeel and lower-fat milk will produce a more icy result.
- Sweetened condensed milk: I use sweetened condensed milk in all my custard-based ice cream recipes, gives it that extra rich homemade taste.
- Vanilla extract: Use the best quality extract you can find.
- Optional: Caramel Ice Cream Topping | I like to swirl in a bit of caramel ice cream topping at the end for an extra layer of sweet caramel flavor.
FAQ’s + Tips
Does This Ice Cream Have Raw Eggs In It?
Well, that depends, on you…
My favorite homemade ice cream recipe is custard-based, made with lots of vanilla and eggs.
In the past, I would make our ice cream with a pasteurized in the shell egg, (which made it perfectly safe to consume raw eggs) but since I can’t find them anymore, I do now cook my custard-based ice cream recipes prior to adding to my ice cream maker.
After the ice cream base has cooked, I put the custard in an ice bath and stir it continuously for a few minutes to help chill it and then put it in the fridge for about 20 minutes
So for this recipe, you have 2 choices for the eggs:
- Use the eggs raw. (My mom always did it this way, but I just can’t do it.)
- 2nd choice is to cook the ice cream base and then let it cool completely before adding it to the machine.
I’ve updated the directions in the recipe card to include instructions for cooking your ice cream base, so here they are in case you choose to go this route:
How To Cook This Buttered Pecan Ice Cream Base:
- Combine the vanilla and 2 milks in a saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally.
- In a separate bowl, beat the eggs together for a minute or two, add sugar and continue mixing for another minute until eggs and sugar are completely combined.
- Gradually whisk half of the milk mixture into eggs. Pour the egg-milk mixture back into the saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon, 6 to 8 minutes.
- You may wish to pour the cooked egg mixture through a sieve to remove any cooked egg chunks.
- To quickly cool the ice cream base, set the bowl of custard in an ice bath and stir til chilled.
- Cover and refrigerate until cold, at least 1 hour; ice cream base can be refrigerated up to 2 days ahead.
- Add ice cream base to the ice cream maker and process according to your machine’s instructions.
Can I Use Egg Beaters In This Buttered Pecan Ice Cream Recipe?
I do not recommend the “egg beaters” type pasteurized egg product as all the fat from the yolks have been removed. Eggs have a lot of fat and fat, which freezes differently and less hard than water, makes ice cream soft and creamy.
Ice cream made with real eggs has a deliciously rich custard flavor.
Which Ice Cream Maker Is Best:
I recently upgraded my Ice Cream Maker to the kind that uses a bowl you keep in the freezer. (This one ==>>Cuisinart ice cream maker)
I can’t tell you how wonderful and easy to use this new machine is! The machine makes slightly less ice cream than my old one that required ice and rock salt, but I’m ok with that since it is just so ridiculously easy to use. Ice cream in 25ish minutes from start to finish? That can’t be beaten!
It’s on my wishlist to purchase a second bowl for the machine, so I can make two different flavors right in a row!
Products used and recommended in this post:
- Ice cream machine
- extra freezer bowl
- best ice cream scoop ever
- Easy Scoop Ice cream tub for freezer.
- waffle cones
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a big double scoop ice cream cone calling my name!
More Ice Cream Recipes to Enjoy:
- Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream Recipe (No Cook Recipe)
- Frozen Key Lime Pie Ice Cream
- Homemade Banana Ice Cream Recipe
- Homemade Orange Sherbet
- Strawberry Ice Cream
- Chocolate Ice Cream Recipe (No Cook)
- 2 Ingredient Peach Sherbet Recipe
- Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream
Let Me Know What You Think Of This Butter Pecan Ice Cream Recipe
Print
Homemade Buttered Pecan Ice Cream Recipe
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Cook Time: 10 min
- Total Time: 25 min plus freezing time
- Yield: 1.75 to 2 quarts 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Ice cream maker
Description
This unbelievably delicious Homemade Buttered Pecan Ice Cream Recipe is super easy to make in your ice cream maker.
Ingredients
Ice Cream
- 4 eggs
- 1.5 cups sugar
- 1/2 can (about 7 oz) sweetened condensed milk
- 1.5 tablespoons good quality vanilla
- 4 cups milk (Your choice of whole or 2% milk, half n half, heavy cream- the higher the fat content of the milk, the creamier the ice cream will be.)
- optional (but so good!) Caramel ice cream topping
Buttered Pecans:
- 3/4 cup chopped pecans
- 3 tbs butter
- 1 tbs sugar
Instructions
Ice cream:
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs together for a minute or two, add sugar and continue mixing for another minute until eggs and sugar are completely combined.
- Add vanilla, milk and condensed milk. Blend until all ingredients are combined. (*see recipe notes below about cooking your ice cream base.)
- Add mixture to ice cream machine and follow manufacturer’s directions to process.
Buttered Pecans:
- Melt butter in a large pan over med-high heat.
- Add sugar and stir with a spatula until sugar is dissolved.
- Add pecans, reduce heat to medium and gently stir/toss pecans until toasted. (about 5 minutes.) Watch pecans closely they go from being done to burned, very fast.
- Transfer pecans to a plate and let cool.
- a few minutes before the ice cream is complete, add pecans to the ice cream and let the machine mix the pecans into the ice cream.
- Eat right away as soft serve or transfer to a freezer-safe container and freeze 2 to 4 hours or until desired consistency is reached.
- Optional step using caramel: Transfer 1/2 of ice cream to a freezer-safe container. Spread/squeeze a generous amount of caramel over ice cream layer. Add remaining ice cream to the container and top with more caramel. Use a butter knife to gently stir the caramel around. Place in freezer for 2 -4 hours.
Enjoy!
Notes
How To Cook This Buttered Pecan Ice Cream Base:
- Combine the vanilla and 2 milks in a saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally.
- In a separate bowl, beat the eggs together for a minute or two, add sugar and continue mixing for another minute until eggs and sugar are completely combined.
- Gradually whisk half of milk mixture into eggs. Pour egg-milk mixture back into saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon, 6 to 8 minutes.
- You may wish to pour the cooked egg mixture through a sieve to remove any cooked egg chunks.
- To quickly cool the ice cream base, set the bowl of custard in an ice bath and stir til chilled.
- Cover and refrigerate until cold, at least 1 hour; ice cream base can be refrigerated up to 2 days ahead.
- Add ice cream base to the ice cream maker and process according to your machine’s instructions.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/8 of recipe
- Calories: 437
- Fat: 18
- Carbohydrates: 59
- Protein: 10
Keywords: ice cream, butter pecan ice cream, ice cream recipes
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Best recipe EVER. No kidding and you needn’t chill the base! Creamy, creamy creamy. Thanks for the recipe
Hi, is it 4 whole eggs or just the yolks?
Whole eggs.
My husband loves butter pecan ice cream so I was delighted to find your posted recipe. I made this and let the base chill a bit longer before churning. The result was a very delicious and so creamy buttered pecan ice cream. Thank you for sharing it is an award winning recipe.
★★★★★
Amazing recipe! My girls and I loved making it! We’re old school so we love buttered pecans. Thanks again for the recipe!
★★★★★
I loved this and my husband did too. I think next time I will add a little rum.
★★★★★
This is the best ice cream I’ve ever eaten. It took a little time to make, but it was worth it! My family loved it! Thanks for a great recipe!
★★★★★
I still make my ice cream with eggs! However, I warm part of the cream (milk) in the microwave, it will make a film over it..just remove and throw that part away! After I have beaten my eggs, sugar and vanilla together in a separate bowl, I gradually add the warmed milk to egg mixture and that will cook or temper them if you will to a cooked state…add remaining cold milk and any other ingredients and boom! eggs have been cooked and the cooler milk skips the need to refrigerate!
★★★★★
Great tip!
This was soooooo good. My husband loved it. So rich and buttery. Will definitely make again.
★★★★★
My custard base curdled .. I used 1 cup heavy whipping cream and 3 cups of milk .. any possibilities why ?
Overcooked/too high heat or not stirred constantly, most likely. From the web: ” All egg-based custards can curdle if they are cooked for too long, or at a high temperature. A low temperature and constant stirring are important to prevent the custard from curdling. ”
You could try straining it through a fine-mesh sieve to save it.
This was by far the best ice cream I have ever made!
★★★★★
I would like to know how much this makes, I would like to make a gallon. Would you please tell me how to make a gallon
This recipe makes about 2 quarts.
this was the best ice cream recipe ever!
★★★★★
This is an amazing recipe. I made it for a church ice cream social and it was a hit. I used the full-fat everything! go big or go home. 🙂 It was rich and creamy and I loved the sugared pecans. I will say, I have the same countertop churn you do and it didn’t solidify but was a very watery soft serve consistency. I was ready for that and knew to make it enough in advance to put it in a container and place in the freezer for several hours so it would get a thicker consistency. I’ve never gotten my churn to make thick ice cream even if I refrigerate my mix for hours before and I leave my churn bowl in my freezer all the time. Anyway, I can’t wait to use this recipe again and again. Thanks for sharing it!
★★★★★
So glad you liked it, it’s my favorite too! I get pretty firm soft serve consistency with my machine. I keep the bowl permanently in the freezer and i always make sure my ingredients ar super chilled when I start. We are able to eat it straight out of the machine, but to photograph the ice cream, I always put it in the freezer for a couple of hours.
How do I cook the mixture since I cannot find the pasteurized eggs?
I have not been able to find the pasteurized eggs recently either, and I am soo Sad! I used them all the time!
You have 2 choices. Use them raw. (my mom always did it this way, but I just can’t do it.) 2nd choice is to cook the ice cream base and then let it cool completely before adding it to the machine. I have been meaning to update the directions on this post, so here is the cooking instructions in case you choose to go this route:
To cook the ice cream mixture:
1. Combine the vanilla and 2 milks in a saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally.
2. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs together for a minute or two, add sugar and continue mixing for another minute until eggs and sugar are completely combined.
3. Gradually whisk half of milk mixture into eggs. Pour egg-milk mixture back into saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon, 6 to 8 minutes.
4. You may wish to pour the cooked egg mixture through a sieve to remove any cooked egg chunks.
5. To quickly cool the ice cream base, set the bowl of custard in an ice bath and stir til chilled.
6. Cover and refrigerate until cold, at least 1 hour; ice cream base can be refrigerated up to 2 days ahead.
7. Add ice cream base to the ice cream maker and process according to your machine’s instructions.
I do not recommend the “egg beaters” Type pasteurized egg product as all the fat from the yolks have been removed.
1. Combine milk and cream in a medium saucepan. Add vanilla seeds and pod. Bring mixture to a simmer over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally; remove from heat.
2. Whisk together egg yolks, sugar, and salt in a large bowl.
3. Pour custard through a fine sieve into a bowl set in a larger bowl of ice water; discard vanilla pod. Let cool, stirring occasionally. Cover and refrigerate until cold, at least 1 hour; custard base can be refrigerated up to 2 days ahead.
This recipe did not thicken in my kitchen aid ice cream attachment like most other recipes. I’m hoping it’ll still taste okay after putting it in the freezer. :/ I used heavy whipping cream and 2% milk. Have you had this issue? It was still runny after an hour of mixing. Usually it takes other recipes only 20-30 min. Have you had this issue and how did it turn out?
This is my standard ice cream recipe that I use for most bases (and it is the base recipe my mom has used since I was a child.) I have always used the kind of ice maker that uses ice and rock salt and most recently my Cuisinart one with the bowl that goes in the freezer. (the one w/ rock salt always seems to take longer.) The ice cream always freezes up to a certain point I’ve never actually set a timer to it, I just let it run until I hear that typical sound of the machine struggling because it is so thick. If you let it keep going the machine will eventually stop, but I am always afraid to let it go that far because I am afraid it will burn out the motor.) Any ice cream I have ever made generally only gets to the soft serve stage. We usually eat it as is, but to get it to look like the photos, you have to put it in the freezer for 2 to 4 hours. Which the directions state. I am going to guess it still tasted delicious!
What brand ice cream maker do you use?
Thank you!
Cuisinart ICE-30BC Pure Indulgence 2-Quart Automatic Frozen Yogurt, Sorbet, and Ice Cream Maker http://amzn.to/1Tw8WM4
Can I use almond milk in this recipe instead of whole milk? Thanks,
you could, but the results will not be the same.
I just discovered your site. YUMMO!!! I love, LOVE butter pecan ice cream, but am now allergic to tree nuts. How can I get that yummy salty buttery (my mouth is watering) flavored ice cream without putting in the pecans? Thanks for all your recipes. I have an ice cream maker and we are moving from our home to an RV and traveling the country for a few years and plan to make ice cream often. Can’t wait!! Thanks!!
I would use butter flavored extract along with the vanilla extract
Looking forward to trying this tomorrow for National Ice Cream day. Just a question…how much does this recipe make? Thanks, can’t wait to make.
I don’t like homemade icecream but I decided to make this for my husband for father’s day. I have now changed my mind. I LOVE this homemade icecream. It was absolutely delicious! Thanks for the recipe!
I agree, this one is really good and I’m thrilled you like it too!
Do you cook this recipe? I’m a little confused?
That is up to you. Some people don’t have an issue consuming raw eggs. (I do and that is why I now cook this recipe.)
From the post:
So for this recipe, you have 2 choices for the eggs:
Use the eggs raw. (My mom always did it this way, but I just can’t do it.)
2nd choice is to cook the ice cream base and then let it cool completely before adding it to the machine.
I’ve updated the directions in the recipe card to include instructions for cooking your ice cream base.
Eggs can’t be found in my area. How can I make this with regular eggs?
Any pasteurized egg product will work,like the kind you find in the carton. You could also use regular eggs and just cook the mixture. You will need to completely cool the next ice cream mixture before adding it to the ice cream maker.
Good luck
Jamie
Where can I find these eggs in Calgary Alberta???
use the store locator to find out if they are sold near you.
I made this but mixture too much for my machine it was runny but I put in freezer.. It was icy but yummy. Next time I’ll half mixture see if it thickens thanks for recipe
Yum! That ice cream is a must!