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Butter pecan ice cream in an off white bowl with melty ice cream on a wooden spoon.

Butter Pecan Ice Cream - No Churn!

Beth Lee
Butter pecan ice cream (no churn) filled with glazed pecans is almost like pecan pie in ice cream form! Add a touch of brown butter in the ice cream base for another beguiling layer of nutty flavor your ice cream fans will devour.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
freezing time 6 hours
Total Time 6 hours 35 minutes
Course Baking and Desserts
Cuisine American
Servings 8 servings
Calories 373 kcal

Ingredients
  

Butter Pecans

  • 1 cup pecans
  • 2 tablespoons date syrup or maple
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
  • 2 tablespoons bourbon
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt

Ice Cream Base

  • 2 cups heavy whipping cream
  • 1 can sweetened condensed milk MINUS 4 tablespoons
  • 2 tablespoons brown butter in liquid state optional but recommended
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt

Instructions
 

Butter Pecans

  • Preheat the oven to 325°F.
  • Combine the date syrup, brown sugar, melted (and slightly cooled) butter, bourbon and salt in a bowl big enough to fit the pecans. Whisk the ingredients until well combined. Add the pecans and stir to coat the nuts.
  • On a parchment or silpat-lined baking sheet, add the pecans and spread out into one layer. Place the baking sheet into the preheated oven for about 15 minutes. Check at 13 minutes - the glaze should be bubbling vigorously. I found the pecans were great whether cooked for 13, 15, or 17 minutes - the key is not to burn them (of course). Every oven is different so start looking at 13 minutes and stay close by if you leave them in longer. Remove from the oven and let them cool while you make the ice cream.

Ice Cream Base

  • Place the heavy cream, sweetened condensed milk, brown butter, vanilla, and salt in the bowl of your stand mixer (or in a large bowl if using a hand mixer).
  • Use your whisk attachment and whip on about medium speed for 2 - 3 minutes until the mixture is nice and thick but nowhere near soft peaks. The whisk should leave tracks in your cream, and the cream should mound just a little in the bowl before sinking back in somewhat. The visual cues are tracks and mounding.
  • Add the cooled pecans into the mixture and gently combine.
  • A couple notes about the pecans - you can briefly refrigerate or freeze the pecans to accelerate cooling. If they stick together - just pull them apart. Also, I added them to the ice cream batter as whole pieces but you could absolutely cut them into smaller pieces if you prefer.
  • Pour the ice cream batter into a loaf pan or another ice cream-ready container. If it’s a loaf pan, cover with plastic wrap and freeze until firm – at least 6 hours or overnight.

Notes

    1. When you make the pecans with date syrup, they don’t get super crispy BUT they are plenty crispy in the ice cream. And the flavor is so dang good, I’m willing to give up the super crunchy texture for the super delicious taste profile.
    2. Believe in the process! When the ice cream base is just starting to mound and reveal tracks in the mixing bowl, it's ready to go. Don't be tempted to whip it into soft or firm peaks!
    3. The pecans can be made ahead of time. Store them on the counter (covered), in the refrigerator or in the freezer. I froze several iterations of these pecans when I was testing them and forgot about them for a few months. They were every bit as good when I took them out! They also are crispier frozen which makes them just perfect in the ice cream!
How to make brown butter: Cut 1 stick of unsalted butter it into cubes and place in a small light colored frying pan or pot. (like stainless so you can see the color and be sure it’s “brown”). On medium heat, watch the butter melt. Don’t walk away - this is a quick process and it’s fun and necessary to watch it happen. It will foam up and then the foam will dissipate and it will just be bubbly and then some foam reappears. As this happens, you’ll see the color become golden and then brown. Pull the pan/pot off the heat immediately and if you want, you can strain it to remove the brown bits and remaining foam (but you don't have to). Store unused portion in a small container in the refrigerator.
Brown butter in a pot with foam and a wooden mixer.

Nutrition

Calories: 373kcalCarbohydrates: 10gProtein: 3gFat: 36gSaturated Fat: 18gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 82mgSodium: 186mgPotassium: 125mgFiber: 1gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 1057IUVitamin C: 0.5mgCalcium: 58mgIron: 0.4mg
Keyword ice cream, pecans
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