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Butter Pecan Ice Cream

Butter pecan ice cream with a custard base and butter-toasted, salt-kissed pecans. Rich, caramel-toned and churned into a creamy texture with butter-glazed nut crunch in every bite.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
chilling + freezing 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 40 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Pecan topping
  • 1.5 cup pecan halves Toasted until deeply golden and fragrant.
  • 3 tbsp unsalted butter Used to toast and lightly glaze the pecans.
  • 0.5 tsp salt Season the pecans; keep salt-kissed flavor balanced.
Custard base
  • 2 cup heavy cream Heats with milk and brown sugar for a caramel-toned base.
  • 1 cup whole milk Combined with cream to build a smooth custard.
  • 0.75 cup brown sugar, packed Dissolve completely for even sweetness and color.
  • 5 egg yolks Whisked smooth, then tempered for a thick custard texture.
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract Stir in after straining for rounded flavor.
  • 0.25 tsp salt Added to balance richness in the final custard.

Equipment

  • 1 ice cream maker
  • 1 saucepan

Method
 

Toast the pecans
  1. Heat unsalted butter and salt over medium heat, then add pecan halves and toast 4-5 minutes until deeply golden and fragrant, stirring so they brown evenly.
  2. Spread toasted pecans on a parchment-lined sheet to cool completely before churning.
Make the custard
  1. Combine heavy cream, whole milk, and brown sugar, packed in a saucepan and heat until the mixture steams and the sugar dissolves.
  2. Whisk egg yolks until smooth, then slowly whisk in the hot cream mixture to temper.
  3. Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook to 175F, stirring constantly until it thickens slightly and coats the back of a spoon.
  4. Strain the custard, stir in vanilla extract and salt, then cool completely and refrigerate at least 4 hours.
Churn and freeze
  1. Churn the chilled custard in an ice cream maker, then add butter-toasted pecans in the last 5 minutes for even nut distribution.
  2. Freeze the churned ice cream until firm, with a final texture that slices cleanly.

Notes

Pro tip: To avoid curdling, temper the egg yolks slowly with the steaming dairy while whisking, then keep the heat at a steady simmer while stirring to reach 175F. Refrigerate custard base up to 24 hours before churning; the finished ice cream keeps in the freezer for 2-3 weeks (best texture within 1 week). Freezing yes—freeze churned ice cream until firm. For a dairy-light swap, use half-and-half in place of whole milk and reduce heavy cream by the same amount, though texture will be slightly softer.