No churn 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.
Butter pecan is a classic, always-popular ice cream flavor. Want to make your own ice cream at home? It's easier than you think!
This no churn butter pecan ice cream is rich, creamy, and filled with crunchy candied pecans. Have a scoop after dinner for a quick dessert treat.
Homemade candied pecans make this ice cream truly special. Butter and brown sugar are cooked into a rich candy coating for the chopped pecans. Paired with vanilla ice cream, it's a match made in heaven.
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, you'll be 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.
If you're worried about the texture or quality - don't be! This ice cream turns out just as rich, melty, and creamy as a store bought ice cream. Personally, I think it's even better.
Plus, making ice cream from scratch means that you know exactly what's in it - no long list of ingredients here!
Ingredients and substitutions
To make no churn ice cream, you'll absolutely need the two base ingredients - sweetened condensed milk and heavy cream.
Heavy cream may also be labeled as heavy whipping cream at your local grocery store. You're making whipped cream, so you need to use a dairy with enough fat to hold its shape when whipped. That means milk or half & half will not work.
For more information on making whipped cream, check out my post: Homemade Whipped Cream
Pecans (the star of the recipe) can be substituted with another nut if you prefer. Walnuts or hazelnuts are a great choice.
Brown sugar can be substituted with granulated sugar, but I prefer the caramelized flavor from using brown sugar and highly recommend it.
What size pan do I need?
To make one batch of no churn ice cream, you'll need a 9x5 loaf pan, or any freezer safe pan that will hold six cups.
Use a freezer safe tupperware container with a lid for easy storage. Just make sure it will hold 6 cups total.
Or, separate your ice cream mixture between several smaller tupperware containers before freezing.
Making candied pecans
To make the candied pecans for your ice cream, you'll use a similar technique to as post for candied pecans - except with butter!
You'll add butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and chopped pecans to a saucepan and cook for a few minutes, then remove from the heat and add to your ice cream mixture.
The entire process will take less than 5 minutes - it's surprisingly easy! Any nuts can be substituted for the pecans. Walnuts or hazelnuts are a great choice.
📖 Recipe
No Churn Butter Pecan Ice Cream
Ingredients
- 2 cups (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
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whip heavy cream until stiff peaks are achieved, up to 3 minutes. Set aside.
- 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 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 4-5 hours or until firm. Enjoy!
Equipment Recommendations
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.
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!
Hi Bridget, I agree - I love extra mix-ins too!
Just curious… Have you ever tried using butter extract instead of vanilla for this particular ice cream flavor?
Hi Wendy, I haven't tested this recipe with butter extract. If you give it a try, let us know how it goes!