The taste of old-fashioned butter pecan ice cream is unmistakable, with sweet, toasty, and nutty flavor notes and creamy, dreamy texture. My butter pecan ice cream recipe captures all of that with without an ice cream machine! You will definitely want a double scoop. 😊
And if you enjoy this recipe, you'll love my butter pecan sticky rolls, too!
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❤️ Why You'll Love this Recipe
Simple to Make - You won't need any specialty ingredients or fancy machines for this easy butter pecan praline ice cream recipe, just everyday pantry staples and common kitchen tools. There is no churning involved, no ice cream maker, and the hardest part is waiting for it to freeze so you can dig in!
Spot-On Butter Pecan Flavor - You'll taste the classic old-fashioned flavors of the butter pecan ice cream base recipe plus buttery candied pecans for lots of crunch to balance out the rich creaminess. It's a sweet, rich, warm mix that tastes something like caramel, praline, and butterscotch.
👉🏾 I take crafting southern-inspired ice cream recipes seriously. Check out my sweet potato pie ice cream, banana pudding ice cream, key lime pie ice cream with graham cracker crust, and Georgia peach cobbler ice cream next!
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What You'll Need for this Recipe
Whole Pecans work best here. We will chop some of them, but using chopped or crushed pecans alone won't provide the best texture.
Brown Sugar adds a caramel-like flavor via molasses, so I recommend using it instead of plain white granulated sugar.
Butter does double duty in candying the pecans and adding toasty brown butter flavor to the ice cream base! I prefer using unsalted butter to control the amount of salt in the ice cream.
Heavy Cream and Condensed Milk are the dynamic duo of no-churn ice cream and will make up our base!
Check out the recipe card below for full ingredients list, measurements, nutrition facts, and step-by-step instructions!
Substitutions & Variations
Vanilla - You can use vanilla paste or even vanilla powder instead of vanilla extract here. Equal amounts of bourbon whiskey or cognac (like Hennessy) will create similar flavor with a lil' more dimension.
Vegan - Use plant-based, dairy-free cream, condensed milk, and butter to make vegan butter pecan ice cream. Just note that these dairy-free products typically introduce other flavors like coconut or oat, which will change the flavor profile.
How to Make Southern Butter Pecan Ice Cream at Home
- Step One: Melt some of the butter, then combine with brown sugar, and cook some of the pecans in this mixture. (Photos 1 and 2)
- Step Two: Brown the remaining butter, then stir it into the sweetened condensed milk, along with the vanilla and salt. (Photos 3 and 4)
Pro Tip #1
I recommend using a light-colored skillet to brown the butter so that you can easily observe the color change. Butter is browned once all the water has evaporated from it, and it stops crackling, which happens quickly since we're using a small amount of butter here. You'll notice a nutty, toasted aroma during this process!
- Step Three: Chop the remaining pecans and set aside. (Photo 5)
- Step Four: Whip the cream into stiff peaks, then fold in the candied and chopped pecans and the condensed milk mixture. (Photos 6 and 7)
- Step Five: Transfer the mix to a freezer-safe container, then freeze until solid. (Photo 8)
Frequently Asked Questions
Store leftover ice cream in an airtight, freezer-safe container for up to six months. The texture tends to get icy after the first month.
How to Serve
Temperature: Whether you prefer a cup, cone, or waffle bowl, you have to enjoy this treat cold. No matter what Tyra Banks says, hot ice cream is not a thing--sorry!
Garnishes: If you want to get extra decadent, drizzle a lil praline sauce over top. Or make a sundae with scoops of other ice cream flavors, whipped cream, a maraschino cherry, and hot fudge or strawberry syrup.
Occasions: Butter pecan ice cream was invented as an alternative to plain vanilla ice cream, which Black Americans weren't allowed to eat publicly during the United States' Jim Crow era. So the history of this butter cream ice cream dessert recipe makes it perfect for cultural events like a Black cookout and Juneteenth celebration!
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Now that you know how to make the best butter pecan ice cream, I hope you'll enjoy it soon and very soon. And sharing is caring, so be sure to pin this recipe for later and follow me over on Pinterest. Thanks for reading!
📖 Recipe
No-Churn Southern Butter Pecan Ice Cream
Equipment
- 1 stand mixer or hand mixer
- 1 knife
- 1 freezer safe container
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter divided
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 ½ cup pecans divided
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
- 2 cups heavy cream
Instructions
- Toast the Pecans: Melt two tablespoons of the butter in a small saucepan or skillet over medium heat, then stir in the brown sugar until dissolved.3 tablespoons unsalted butter, 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- Carefully stir one cup of the pecans into the pan to until coated with the butter mixture. Cook until the pecans are fragrant, toasty, and glossy (about four minutes). Remove pecans from heat, transfer them to a heat-safe container, and place in the refrigerator to cool.1 ½ cup pecans
- Make the Ice Cream Base: Add the remaining tablespoon of butter to the same pan and cook it over medium heat until it is golden brown with a toasted, nutty aroma (about two minutes)*, gently stirring every minute or so. Remove from heat and stir the browned butter, vanilla extract, and salt into the sweetened condensed milk until uniform, and set aside at room temperature to cool.*See recipe notes¾ teaspoon fine sea salt, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
- Use a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or a hand mixer to beat the heavy cream until fluffy with stiff peaks (about six minutes). Meanwhile, finely chop the remaining pecans.2 cups heavy cream
- Assemble and Freeze: Gently fold the sweetened condensed milk mixture into the whipped cream, followed by the chopped pecans and candied pecans. Spread the mixture into a freezer-safe container, then transfer to the freezer for at least six hours or until solid.
- Once frozen, let the ice cream sit at room temperature for a few minutes before scooping, then serve.
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