A Classic Ice Cream Worth Making at Home
Butter pecan has always been one of those ice cream flavors that sounds simple but needs the right balance. It should taste rich and buttery, with plenty of toasted pecans, but it should not be greasy, overly sweet, or so strongly flavored with maple that it becomes maple pecan ice cream.
This homemade butter pecan ice cream begins with a rich brown sugar custard made with heavy cream, whole milk, egg yolks, and just enough pure maple syrup to deepen the flavor. The pecans are toasted in butter with a little brown sugar and salt before being added during the final minutes of churning.
The result is a smooth, creamy ice cream filled with buttery toasted pecans and that familiar, classic butter pecan flavor.
What Makes This Butter Pecan Ice Cream Different?
Many butter pecan recipes simply stir toasted pecans into a vanilla ice cream base. That makes good pecan ice cream, but it does not necessarily deliver the rich butter pecan flavor we are looking for.
In this recipe, the pecans are toasted in a generous amount of butter. As they cook, the butter becomes lightly golden and nutty, giving both the pecans and the finished ice cream a deeper flavor. A little brown sugar creates a delicate caramelized coating, while a pinch of salt keeps all that richness balanced.
The butter stays with the pecans as they cool, so every bit of that toasted, buttery flavor is eventually incorporated into the ice cream.
Why Use a Custard Base?
Butter pecan needs a base that is rich enough to stand up to the toasted nuts and butter. A cooked custard made with cream, milk, and egg yolks gives the ice cream a smoother texture and fuller flavor than a basic cream-and-sugar mixture.
Four egg yolks are enough to create that creamy texture without making the ice cream overly heavy or eggy. The custard also helps hold everything together so the buttery pecans feel like part of the ice cream rather than nuts that were simply stirred into vanilla ice cream.
Homemade Butter Pecan Ice Cream
Equipment
Ingredients
Buttered Pecans
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- 4 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- Small pinch kosher salt
Ice Cream Base
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 cups whole milk
- 4 large egg yolks
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 2 tbsp pure maple syrup
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a skillet over medium-low heat. Add the chopped pecans, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, and a small pinch of kosher salt. Cook for 4–6 minutes, stirring frequently, until the pecans are fragrant and toasted and the butter is lightly golden. Watch carefully so neither the butter nor the pecans burns.Spread the pecans and all the butter from the skillet onto a parchment-lined plate or small baking sheet. Separate any large clumps, allow the pecans to cool completely, and then refrigerate until cold.Add the heavy cream, whole milk, and ¼ teaspoon kosher salt to a medium saucepan. Heat over medium-low heat until hot and steaming, but do not allow it to boil.Whisk the egg yolks, ½ cup brown sugar, and maple syrup in a separate bowl until smooth and slightly lighter in color.While whisking constantly, slowly pour approximately 1 cup of the hot cream mixture into the egg mixture. Pour the tempered egg mixture back into the saucepan.Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until the custard thickens enough to lightly coat the back of a spoon or spatula. The custard should reach 170–175°F. Do not allow it to boil.Remove the custard from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract. Pour it through a fine-mesh strainer into a clean bowl.Cover and refrigerate until completely cold, at least 4–6 hours or preferably overnight.Churn the cold custard according to your ice-cream maker’s instructions. Add the chilled buttered pecans and their firmed buttery coating during the final 2–3 minutes of churning.Transfer the ice cream to a freezer-safe container. Cover and freeze for at least 4 hours, or until firm enough to scoop.