Butter Pecan Ice Cream
Ingredients
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- 1 1/2 cups pecans – roughly chopped
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 cups whole milk
- 3/4 cups granulated sugar
- 1/4 cups light brown sugar
- 6 large egg yolks – lightly beaten
- 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
1. Melt the unsalted butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the pecans and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant and a shade darker, 4–6 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel–lined plate to cool completely.
2. In a medium saucepan, combine the heavy cream, whole milk, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, and fine sea salt. Heat over medium, stirring, until the sugars dissolve and the mixture is steaming, 3–5 minutes; do not boil.
3. Place the egg yolks in a medium bowl. While whisking constantly, slowly ladle about half of the hot cream mixture into the yolks to temper.
4. Return the tempered yolk mixture to the saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a heatproof spatula, until the custard thickens enough to coat the back of the spatula and reaches 170–175°F, 5–8 minutes. Do not let it boil.
5. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract. Strain the custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl.
6. Cool the custard over an ice bath, stirring occasionally, until lukewarm, 15–20 minutes. Cover and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, at least 4 hours or up to overnight.
7. Stir the chilled custard, then churn in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions until it reaches soft-serve consistency, 20–25 minutes.
8. Add the cooled pecans during the last 1–2 minutes of churning to distribute evenly.
9. Transfer the ice cream to a lidded container, press parchment or plastic wrap directly onto the surface, and cover. Freeze until firm enough to scoop, 4–6 hours.
10. Scoop and serve once set.
Butter Pecan Ice Cream is a rich, custard-based ice cream studded with buttery, toasted pecans. The flavor marries deep dairy sweetness with the nutty perfume of pecans and a gentle caramel note from sugar and butter. Its texture is creamy and smooth, punctuated by crisp, aromatic bits of nut for contrast. This combination makes it a nostalgic parlor favorite and a comforting scoop for pie-topping or bowls alike.
The dish has roots in the United States, where pecans are native and widely used in Southern baking and confections. Butter pecan emerged as a classic American ice cream parlor flavor in the early to mid-20th century, paralleling the popularity of buttered, toasted nuts in desserts. Over time it became a staple alongside vanilla and chocolate, cherished for its balance of simplicity and indulgence. Today it remains an iconic flavor that highlights regional pecans and the craft of custard ice cream.