• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

The Toasty Kitchen

  • Home
  • Recipe Index
  • Subscribe
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Navigation Menu: Social Icons

menu icon
go to homepage
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • Subscribe
  • About
  • FAQ

subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • Subscribe
  • About
  • FAQ

×
Home » Recipes » Frozen Desserts

Butter Pecan Ice Cream

Modified: Feb 28, 2025 · Published: Dec 3, 2020 by Heather · As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. · 814 words. · About 5 minutes to read this article.

Jump to Recipe Jump to Video
No Churn Butter Pecan Ice Cream by The Toasty Kitchen
No Churn Butter Pecan Ice Cream by The Toasty Kitchen
No Churn Butter Pecan Ice Cream by The Toasty Kitchen

Butter pecan ice cream is easy to make at home without an ice cream machine. Rich and creamy vanilla ice cream is filled with homemade candied pecans.

Bowl filled with scoops of ice cream.

Butter pecan is a classic ice cream flavor. Want to make your own at home? It's easier than you think!

This recipe is a no churn ice cream, which means there's no need for a fancy ice cream maker. All you'll need is a hand mixer and a few bowls to get started.

Have a scoop of butter pecan ice cream as an after-dinner treat. It's great any time of year and keeps for up to three months in the freezer.

Ingredients and substitutions

Ingredients on a counter top.
  • Sweetened condensed milk - The base of your ice cream. Sweetened condensed milk adds sweetness and creaminess. Homemade or store bought sweetened condensed milk will work in this recipe.
  • Heavy cream - Necessary to make no churn ice cream. Heavy cream, or heavy whipping cream, is whipped and folded with the other ice cream ingredients to make a fluffy, aerated base.
  • Butter - Adds buttery flavor and melts with the brown sugar to coat the pecans.
  • Brown sugar - Adds sweetness, caramel flavor, and creates a candy coating for the pecans.
  • Cinnamon - Just a hint of cinnamon adds warmth to the candied pecans. Cinnamon can be omitted if desired, but I like the extra flavor it adds.
  • Vanilla extract - Adds flavor to the ice cream base.
  • Pecans - Pecan halves or pieces work just fine for this recipe. You could also use other nuts like walnuts, cashews, or peanuts if desired.

Tips and tricks

Mixing the ingredients to make homemade ice cream.

Making candied pecans - Butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and chopped pecans are added to a saucepan and cooked until the mixture thickens and pecans look sticky. This usually only takes about 2 to 3 minutes.

Making whipped cream - Use a hand mixer with a whisk attachment and mix your heavy cream on medium speed until stiff peaks are achieved. Once your cream begins to hold its shape in the bowl, turn the mixer off and lift the whisk out. If the tip of the whipped cream holds it shape without drooping, your whipped cream is ready.

Add pecans to sweetened condensed milk - Stir your pecans into the sweetened condensed milk mixture, then fold in the whipped cream.

Storage

In ideal conditions, your homemade ice cream will keep for up to three months in a tightly sealed, freezer safe container.

Frequently asked questions

Scoops of butter pecan ice cream in a tan bowl with a handle.
What is no churn ice cream?

No churn ice cream is ice cream that's made without the use of an ice cream maker or other specialized equipment. All you need is a hand mixer and a few simple ingredients. For this recipe, we're blending sweetened condensed milk together with homemade whipped cream. Whipped cream gives this homemade ice cream it's light and airy texture without the need for an ice cream maker.

What size pan do I need?

A 9x5 loaf pan is the ideal size for this no churn ice cream recipe. However, any freezer safe container will work. Try using a large tupperware container with a tightly sealing container.

How long does it take to freeze no churn ice cream?

This depends on the temperature of your freezer. It takes my freezer about 4 to 5 hours to freeze ice cream, but it could take as long as 8 hours or overnight.

Recommended

  • A metal pan of vanilla ice cream with an ice cream scooper.
    No Churn Vanilla Ice Cream
  • Scoops of strawberry ice cream melting in a bowl.
    Strawberry Jam Ice Cream
  • A white serving bowl filled with scoops of peanut butter ice cream.
    Peanut Butter Ice Cream
  • A white bowl filled with everything bagel ice cream.
    Everything Bagel Ice Cream

📖 Recipe

Bowl filled with scoops of ice cream.
Print Recipe
4.75 from 35 reviews

Butter Pecan Ice Cream

Butter pecan ice cream is easy to make at home without an ice cream machine. Rich and creamy vanilla ice cream is filled with homemade candied pecans.
Prep Time15 minutes minutes
Freezing Time4 hours hours
Total Time4 hours hours 15 minutes minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Calories: 341kcal
Author: Heather

Ingredients

  • 16 ounces (454 g) heavy cream
  • 14 ounces (397 g) sweetened condensed milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • ¼ cup (53) brown sugar
  • 1 cup (114 g) chopped pecans
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

  • In a large bowl, add heavy cream. Using a hand mixer or stand mixer, whip until stiff peaks are achieved, about 3 minutes.
  • In a separate bowl, add sweetened condensed milk and vanilla extract. Stir to combine. Set aside.
  • In a saucepan over medium heat, add butter and brown sugar. Once melted, add chopped pecans and cinnamon, stirring to coat. Cook for about 2-3 minutes, or until pecans begin to look sticky and mixture thickens slightly. Remove from heat and pour pecans into sweetened condensed milk mixture. Stir to combine.
  • Gently fold whipped cream into sweetened condensed milk mixture until fully incorporated. The mixture should look fluffy.
  • Pour mixture into a 9x5 loaf pan (or any container that will hold 6 cups). Cover and freeze immediately for about 4-5 hours or until firm.

Equipment Recommendations

  • SS 3-Quart Saucepan
  • 9x5 Loaf Pan
  • Kitchenaid Hand Mixer
  • Pyrex Liquid Measuring Cups

Notes

  • Depending on the temperature of your freezer, ice cream may need to be frozen overnight to freeze solid. 
  • Pecans can be substituted with any chopped nuts, like walnuts or hazelnuts.
  • No churn ice cream will keep for up to 3 months in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator.

Nutrition Estimate

Serving: 0.5cup | Calories: 341kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Cholesterol: 71mg | Sodium: 75mg | Potassium: 196mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 23g | Vitamin A: 735IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 130mg | Iron: 1mg
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American

More Frozen Dessert Recipes

  • A white serving bowl filled with scoops of boysenberry ice cream.
    Boysenberry Ice Cream
  • Bowl of rainbow ice cream with sprinkles on top.
    Unicorn Ice Cream
  • Scooping ice cream from a loaf pan.
    Cherry Cheesecake Ice Cream
  • A bowl of ice cream topped with chocolate shell and candy cane crumbles.
    Chocolate Peppermint Magic Shell

Share this post:

Reader Interactions

Comments

    4.75 from 35 votes (34 ratings without comment)

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

  1. Bridget

    August 11, 2023 at 8:09 pm

    This ice cream is delicious! I believe there can never be too much mixed into my ice cream, so I doubled the pecan mixture. Pure heaven! Thank you!

    Reply
    • Heather

      August 11, 2023 at 8:17 pm

      Hi Bridget, I agree - I love extra mix-ins too!

      Reply
  2. Wendy

    August 04, 2023 at 9:00 pm

    Just curious… Have you ever tried using butter extract instead of vanilla for this particular ice cream flavor?

    Reply
    • Heather

      August 05, 2023 at 1:27 pm

      Hi Wendy, I haven't tested this recipe with butter extract. If you give it a try, let us know how it goes!

      Reply

Primary Sidebar

Heather of The Toasty Kitchen

Hi, I'm Heather!

I love cooking with simple, everyday ingredients and want to help you make homemade meals with ease.

Read more

Reader favorites

  • A metal fork in a bowl of cheesy rice.
    Cheesy Rice

  • Whipped buttercream frosting recipe.
    Whipped Buttercream Frosting

  • Beef roast in a large slow cooker.
    Slow Cooker Beef Roast with Potatoes and Carrots

  • Pouring gravy over a bowl of mashed potatoes.
    How To Make Gravy Without Drippings

Parties & Potlucks

  • Two glasses of punch.
    Spring Party Punch

  • A mint chocolate chip mini cheesecake unwrapped on a cutting board.
    Mint Chocolate Chip Mini Cheesecakes

  • A stack of birthday cake rice krispies treats.
    Birthday Cake Rice Krispies Treats

  • A stack of birthday cookie bars.
    Birthday Cookie Bars

Footer

featured on:

decorative image of website logos.

Explore

  • Recipe Index
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Subscribe

About

  • Privacy Policy
  • Disclaimer
  • Image Copyright
  • Contact

Copyright © 2025 The Toasty Kitchen®

Rate This Recipe

Your vote:




Let us know what you thought of this recipe:

This worked exactly as written, thanks!
My family loved this!
Thank you for sharing this recipe

Or write in your own words:

A rating is required
A name is required
An email is required

Recipe Ratings without Comment

Something went wrong. Please try again.