Who doesn’t love a classic butter pecan ice cream? This recipe is super easy to follow and will make you the hit of any party. It’s the perfect dessert for any occasion! Your friends and family will be begging you for this recipe after they taste your delicious pecan ice cream.Â
Butter pecan ice cream
The classic flavor of butter pecan ice cream is the perfect sweet treat on a hot summer day. But there’s no reason to head to your favorite ice cream shop to enjoy a bowl of homemade ice cream when you can easily make it yourself at home! And with the help of this no-churn ice cream recipe, you can prepare your favorite dessert at home without the need for an ice cream maker.
The best part is that the total time is about 20 minutes to make from start to finish. Follow my simple recipe below to make your very own homemade butter pecan ice cream today!
How does butter pecan ice cream taste?
Butter pecan ice cream is one of America’s favorite flavors. You can enjoy butter pecan ice cream year-round, but it’s perfect for your summer cookouts and family gatherings. It tastes just like a delicious mix of vanilla ice cream and pecan pie!
Just imagine the delicious buttery taste with a sweet crunchiness of pecans. It’s so smooth and creamy that it melts in your mouth just like butter. This butter pecan ice cream is sure to satisfy your sweet tooth!
More ice cream recipes you will love:
- No churn peach ice cream
- No churn pumpkin ice cream
- Cookies and cream ice cream
- Cookie dough ice cream
- Watermelon sorbet
- Watermelon ice cream
- Latte coffee pops
How Do You Make No Churn Ice Cream?
You won’t believe how easy it is to make your own butter pecan ice cream at home – even if you don’t have an ice cream maker on hand. That’s because you can easily whip up a few ingredients by hand to create ice cream that doesn’t need to be churned. That means all you have to do is blend the ingredients and freeze them to create a delicious ice cream treat without all the time and effort that goes into churning ice cream at home!
The key to getting creamy ice cream without the need for a churn is using heavy whipping cream as the base of your frozen treat. But before you can start whipping the cream for your ice cream, you need to take a few minutes to prepare the filling ingredients. Start by chopping the pecans and cooking them with butter and sugar to create candied pecans.
After the pecans are ready, it’s time to blend together your no churn ice cream. First, pour your heavy whipping cream into a bowl and whisk it until soft peaks begin to form. After the peaks form, add the remaining ice cream ingredients and continue blending until the sugar is dissolved.
Next, fold in the candied pecans, making sure they’re cool to the touch before you pour them in the bowl. Once the nuts are mixed well into the vanilla ice cream, transfer the mixture to a loaf pan and freeze the ice cream overnight.
Tips for Making the best butter pecan ice cream
You’re going to love how easy this recipe is to make. And that means you’ll want to whip up your own homemade ice cream over and over again! With help of these tips and tricks, you can enjoy any flavor of ice cream with just a few minutes of prep work.
Use a mixer for easy whipping.
While you can easily blend your whipping cream by hand, using a hand mixer or stand mixer is a lot less work. Make sure to use a whisk attachment, then blend your heavy whipping cream on low until it begins to thicken. After that, you can turn up the speed to high and whip until peaks begin to form.
Don’t over-mix the cream.
Although you will have to beat your whipping cream for a few minutes until it’s thick and creamy, it’s important not to over-mix the cream. If you blend the whipping cream for too long or at too high of a speed, it will begin to separate and will become unusable. You’ll know your cream has separated because it will start to deflate. If that happens, you should simply discard the cream and start with a new batch.
Use cold ingredients and equipment.
For best results, it’s a good idea to start making your ice cream with both cold ingredients and cold equipment. While you’re preparing the pecans to add to your ice cream, place your bowl and whisk (or whisk attachment) in the freezer to chill. That way, when you’re ready to start mixing, your cream will have a cold spot to blend, ensuring that it thickens properly.
Freeze the ice cream in a metal pan.
While you can freeze your no churn ice cream in any pan, you’ll get the best consistency if you use a metal loaf pan. That’s because metal cools more quickly than other materials, allowing your ice cream to freeze solid faster than it would if the ice cream was placed in a plastic or glass container. After the ice cream is frozen, you can transfer it to a different container for long-term storage, if you want.
Cover the ice cream as it’s freezing.
If you’re using a loaf pan to freeze your ice cream, it’s a good idea to wrap the pan with plastic wrap to prevent freezer burn. Since the ice cream will need to freeze for at least six hours, you run the risk of ice crystals forming on top of the ice cream if it isn’t covered. Before placing your pan in the freezer, tightly wrap the entire pan with plastic wrap to protect the ice cream inside.
What is in Butter Pecan Ice Cream?
If you enjoy the sweet and salty ingredient combination found in butter pecan ice cream, you’re probably wondering what you’ll need to make your own frozen dessert at home. Luckily, you can whip up this popular ice cream flavor in your own kitchen with just a few ingredients.
To make no churn butter pecan ice cream, you’ll need:
- Unsalted butter
- Pecans
- Sugar – you can replace with brown sugar for a more intense color
- Heavy cream
- Salt
- Vanilla extract
The best thing is, there’s no eggs in this recipe so you can eat this ice cream even if you have to or want to avoid eggs. Some people have egg intolerance, particularly to egg yolks and this butter pecan ice cream recipe is great for them.
How is butter pecan ice cream made?
- Add pecan halves to food processor to chop the nuts. Pulse a few times to get a variety of sizes.
- Add chopped nuts to a saucepan or a small skillet with 4 tablespoons of butter and a quarter cup of sugar. Place over medium-high heat and stir continuously until butter and sugar form a crust around the nuts. Set aside to cool.
- Add sugar and salt to a mixing bowl and whisk to combine.
- Make the ice cream base: in a mixing bowl whisk the heavy cream and sugar mix, using a hand mixer, until soft peaks form. Do not over whisk the cream as it will turn into butter. Add a tsp pf vanilla extract. Optional you can replace with a teaspoon of rum extract which always pairs perfectly with pecans.
- Once soft peaks are formed, add the buttered pecans gradually. Fold ingredients together with a spatula or a wooden spoon.
- Place cream mixture into a loaf pan or a freezer-safe container and freeze for 6-8 or overnight.
Since this such a rich ice cream, the serving size I recommend would be one scoop per serving. But this is so delicious you’ll have a hard time sticking to my recommendations!
What goes with butter pecan ice cream?
Butter pecan ice cream goes well with pie, cake, cookies, and more! If you’re serving butter pecan ice cream at a party or family get-together, be sure to pair it with some of our other favorite summer dishes.
What should I add to butter pecan ice cream? What toppings?
Butter pecan ice cream is a classic all on its own, but you can add any toppings or mix-ins that you’d like! Some recipes call for chopped pecans in the batter before it’s frozen, so feel free to add some more nuts if they’re your preference.
If you’re looking for a butter pecan ice cream that’s extra special, add some praline topping or whipped cream!
Other toppings that are perfectly matched with this ice cream include fresh fruit, sprinkles, caramel sauce and chocolate chips. You can also sprinkle a little bit of kosher salt.
For pecan lovers everywhere, this no churn ice cream is the perfect treat to cool off in the summer heat. It makes for the perfect homemade dessert or snack that everyone will love!
What did you think of this butter pecan ice cream? Let me know in the comments below!
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Butter pecan ice cream
Equipment
- 1 quart dish
Ingredients
- 4 Tbsp salted butter
- 1 cup pecans chopped
- 1 cup granulated sugar divided
- 3 cups heavy cream
- 1 tsp of salt
- 2 tsp vanilla extract or rum extract
Instructions
- Add pecan halves to food processor to chop the nuts. Pulse a few times to get a variety of sizes.
- Add chopped nuts to a saucepan with 4 tablespoons of butter and a quarter cup of sugar. Place over medium heat and stir continuously until butter and sugar form a crust around the nuts. Set aside the nuts to cool.
- Add sugar and salt to a mixing bowl and whisk to combine. In a large mixing bowl mix the heavy cream with the sugar and salt mix and beat on high using a hand mixer until soft peaks form. Do not over whisk cream.
- Add the vanilla extract (or rum extract). Add the buttered pecans. Fold ingredients together.
- Place cream mixture into a loaf pan and freeze for 6-8 or overnight. Sprinkle some chopped nuts to decorate.
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