No-Churn Butter Pecan Ice Cream
This Butter Pecan Ice Cream is so easy – you only need six ingredients and you don’t need an ice cream machine to make it. It’s a no-churn ice cream recipe with buttery sweet pecans mixed into a vanilla ice cream base. Homemade ice cream never tasted so good!
If I had to choose a favorite ice cream flavor, I’m not sure I could – I love them all! But, butter pecan ice cream is definitely near the top of the list. It’s one I’ll order at an ice cream shop, but even better it’s one of my favorite ice cream flavors to make at home.
If you’ve never made homemade ice cream because it seems too complicated, I can’t wait for you to try this recipe. This no-churn butter pecan ice cream is rich, creamy, buttery, and nutty just like traditional butter pecan, but easier because you don’t need to make a custard base or use an ice cream maker.
Table of Contents
Easy Butter Pecan Ice Cream
- For this recipe, you whip cream until it’s stiff and then fold in sweetened condensed milk. This is the ice cream base and it’s so easy to do.
- A melted butter, brown sugar, and pecan mixture is folded into the whipped cream.
- From there you freeze and the next day you can treat yourself to a bowl of rich and creamy ice cream!
Once you know how to make no-churn ice cream the flavor possibilities are endless! After you try this butter pecan ice cream recipe, you have to try my strawberry ice cream recipe!
Ingredients
- Butter – best to use salted butter
- Brown sugar
- Chopped pecans –
- Sweetened condensed milk
- Cream – heavy, whole or whipping cream, at least 30% fat.
- Vanilla extract
Recipe Steps
Melt butter and sugar in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir in the pecan and cook the mixture for two to three minutes while stirring. Remove the pan from the heat to cool.
Whisk the sweetened condensed milk and vanilla in a mixing bowl.
In a separate large bowl, whip the heavy cream with a hand mixer until stiff peaks form. Fold in the milk mixture.
Once it’s combined fold in the butter pecan mixture.
Spoon the ice cream mixture into a loaf pan and cover it with plastic wrap. Place it in the freezer for 10 to 12 hours or until the ice cream is firm.
Tips for the Best Results
Be sure to let the butter pecan mixture fully cool before you add it to the whipped cream.
When you fold in the sweetened condensed milk and pecans do it slowly so you don’t deflate the whipped cream. This will keep your ice cream light and creamy.
No-churn ice cream has a different texture than regular ice cream – it’s softer and melts faster. So, be sure to store the ice cream container in the coldest part of the freezer away from the door. This will prevent ice crystals from forming which can make your ice cream grainy.
If you don’t plan to serve the ice cream all at once, scoop out the amount you want and then place the container back in the freezer as soon as possible.
This ice cream will keep for up to two weeks in the freezer as long as it’s in an airtight container.
There’s nothing better than a scoop (or two!) of this homemade butter pecan ice cream for dessert or a sweet snack. Share it with your family and friends and no one will guess how easy it was to make – Enjoy!
More Easy Dessert Recipes
No-Churn Butter Pecan Ice Cream
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1½ tablespoons brown sugar
- 1½ cups coarsely chopped pecans
- 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk (1 can)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 cups cream (whole/heavy or whipping cream) at least 30% fat
Instructions
- In a medium/large pan on medium/low heat add the butter and sugar, when the the butter has melted add the chopped pecans and cook stirring often for 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.
- In a medium bowl whisk together the sweetened condensed milk and vanilla.
- In a large bowl beat the cream until stiff. Fold in the sweetened condensed milk mixture, when combined well fold in the pecans*. Spoon into a loaf pan or freezer safe container, cover and freeze for 10-12 hours or until firm. Enjoy!
Made this for our Sunday family dinner dessert this weekend; my 95 year old mother went back for seconds, then thirds, then cleaned the pan I made it in! I did double the vanilla. Next time I think I will add more whip cream, as it was very sweet. They want me to try maple walnut flavor next week- how much maple syrup do you think I should add? I was thinking using the syrup in place of the brown sugar and butter, and using walnuts in place of pecans. Any advice?
Hi Sheila, I’m so happy to hear your mother enjoyed this ice cream so much! It really is a good one! I would say add 3 tablespoons of maple syrup instead of the butter and brown sugar and the yes, just substitute the walnuts for the pecans. Let me know how it goes! Enjoy! 😀
Tastes delicious. I would make following changes for me. Cut heavy cream back to 1 3/4 cup. Add more vanilla extract. I like the eagle brand flavor and not so much cream taste. Fun to make. Thank you.
Hi Ranell, thanks so much glad you enjoyed it. Take care.
Recipe says be sure to roast the pecans before adding them- do you do this in the oven at 350 or in a dry pan on the stove?
Hi Laura, they get roasted in the pan with the sugar and butter. Sorry I will correct. Take care.