You don’t need an ice cream maker for this no-cook butter pecan ice cream. It starts with a brown sugar vanilla ice cream base, but candied pecans take it to a whole new level of deliciousness!

Growing up, my dad would always buy butter pecan ice cream, and truthfully, it was never one of my favorite flavors. But after just one bite of this churn butter pecan ice cream recipe, I’m hooked!

The ice cream is smooth, rich, and creamy with a slight caramel flavor thanks to the brown sugar.

And don’t even get me started on the pecans. They are sinfully delicious! In fact, it might be a good idea to double the batch so you can eat them by the handful. 🙂

Why you’ll love this easy butter pecan ice cream:

You don’t need an ice cream machine, just an electric mixer to beat the whipped cream.
It doesn’t contain egg yolks, so there’s no cooking required, and you don’t have to worry about raw eggs!
It calls for simple ingredients, but rivals ice cream found at your favorite ice cream shop – at a fraction of the cost.
Most no-churn ice cream recipes use sweetened condensed milk, but this one relies on brown sugar, which gives it a deeper, rich caramel flavor.
A little bit of maple flavoring enhances the flavor of the pecans.
Taking the time to candy the pecans instead of just toasting them takes the nutty flavor off the charts!

How to make no cook butter pecan ice cream

PREP – Place a large bowl and the beaters you will use to whip the cream in the freezer. Coarsely chop the pecans.
PECANS – Combine the 2 tablespoons of butter, pecans, sugar, and pinch of salt in a saucepan. Cook and stir over medium heat for 3-4 minutes, or until the pecans start to brown.
Transfer to a plate and cool to room temperature, stirring often so they don’t stick together.
ICE CREAM BASE – Dissolve the brown sugar in the milk.
Pour the 2 3/4 cups of heavy cream into the chilled bowl and beat until soft peaks form. Add the sugar mixture, vanilla, maple flavoring, and salt. Beat until stiff. Fold in the cooled pecans.
FREEZE – Spread the ice cream mixture into a large loaf pan, 2 quart dish or other freezer safe container.
Cover ice cream with plastic wrap or aluminum foil. Freeze for 5-6 hours.

overhead shot of bowl of no cook butter pecan ice cream

No Cook Butter Pecan Ice Cream Recipe Pro Tips:

For best results, don’t skip the maple flavoring. It’s only a small amount, but it adds so much extra flavor!
If you forget to stir the pecans as they cool and they clump together, simply chop the mixture up with a sharp knife.
Make sure you beat the cream until stiff peaks form for the most creamy, scoopable ice cream. If you under beat it, your ice cream will be dense.
To prevent ice crystals from forming on top of leftover ice cream, press plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the ice cream before adding the lid.

More basic ice cream recipes:

No Churn Butter Pecan Ice Cream

Kara

Loaded with toasted candied pecans, this homemade ice cream recipe is easy and sinfully delicious. No ice cream maker needed!

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Prep Time 25

Additional Time 5

Total Time 5 25

Course Dessert: Frozen

Cuisine American

Servings cups (approximately)

Calories 399 kcal

Ingredients

Candied Pecans:

1 cup chopped pecans
2 Tbsp salted butter
2 Tbsp granulated sugar
pinch of salt

Ice Cream (not sure ingredients)

1 cup brown sugar
¼ cup 2% milk
2 ¾ cups heavy whipping cream
2 tsp vanilla extract
¼ tsp maple flavoring
pinch of salt

Instructions

Prep- Chop the pecans. Place a glass or metal bowl and your beaters in the freezer. (This will help your cream beat up faster and fluffier.)
For pecans – Combine pecans, butter, sugar, and salt in a large non-stick skillet. Cook and stir over medium heat for 3-4 minutes, or until the pecans start to brown.
Immediately pour onto a plate. Break them apart as they cool, or you will end up with a big clump.
For ice cream – In a small bowl, stir together the brown sugar and milk. Chill while you whip the cream.
In the chilled bowl, beat the cream at high speed with a hand mixer until soft peaks form. Fold in the brown sugar mixture, vanilla, maple flavoring, and salt.
Beat again until stiff peaks form, then fold in the chopped candied pecans.
Pour the mixture into a 2 quart casserole dish or large loaf pan. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze for 5-6 hours, or until firm enough to scoop.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 399kcalCarbohydrates: 24gProtein: 3gFat: 34gSaturated Fat: 17gPolyunsaturated Fat: 14gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 81mgSodium: 57mgFiber: 1gSugar: 23g

Keyword butter pecan ice cream

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If butter pecan is your favorite ice cream flavor, you must try this easy ice cream recipe – it’s going to change your life!

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