Description
Butter pecan ice cream is a creamy, buttery, nutty dessert with the perfect sweet-salty balance. Made with a rich browned butter custard base and toasted pecans, it's a timeless treat you'll want to make year-round.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 6 large egg yolks
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup pecans
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Whisk egg yolks in a medium bowl until smooth. Set aside.
- Pour heavy cream into a metal bowl and place it over a larger bowl filled with ice. Set a sieve on top.
- Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat until browned. Add brown sugar and salt, stirring until sugar melts.
- Gradually pour in the milk, stirring until fully combined and sugar is dissolved. Do not let it boil.
- Whisk half of the hot milk mixture into the yolks, then pour the yolk mixture back into the saucepan.
- Stir constantly over medium heat until the custard thickens and coats the back of a spoon, about 5–7 minutes.
- Strain the custard into the bowl of cream. Stir in vanilla and continue stirring over the ice bath until cooled. Chill thoroughly.
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Toss pecans with melted butter and salt, spread on a baking sheet, and bake for 10 minutes. Let cool, then chop.
- Churn the chilled custard in your ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions.
- Fold chopped pecans into the churned ice cream. Transfer to an airtight container and freeze for at least 1 hour before serving.
Notes
Use a heavy-bottomed pan to prevent burning. Chill the custard overnight for best texture. Toasting the pecans enhances their flavor—don’t skip it. If too firm after freezing, let sit at room temp for 5 minutes before scooping.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/2 cup
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 20g
- Sodium: 55mg
- Fat: 25g
- Saturated Fat: 13g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 24g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 140mg