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Butter Pecan Ice Cream has to be one of my very favorites. So rich, buttery, with bites of perfectly toasty pecans mixed throughout each bite. Yum!

My butter pecan ice cream recipe is so simple to make and even more delicious to eat! It is the perfect ice cream recipe if you are concerned about using eggs in your ice cream and it doesn’t require you to heat the ingredients and cool prior to freezing.
In my book, that makes it about as perfect of an ice cream recipe as you can get!

Butter pecan ice cream is a favorite for so many people, including my husband, that I knew it had to be one of the first homemade ice cream recipes that I shared for the summer.

So easy to make, I simply toast my pecans with a bit of butter in a skillet over medium-low heat. Then, I allow them to cool while I’m combining the rest of my ice cream ingredients. To combine the other ingredients, I cream together the heavy cream, milk, and softened cream cheese until smooth. Then, I mix in all of the other ingredients, finally stirring in the buttered pecan mixture. Finally, I let my ice cream maker do its thing and in just a bit I have over the top, delicious homemade butter pecan ice cream.
It’s all kinds of fabulous!

Here’s my homemade Butter Pecan Ice Cream Recipe. I think you’ll love it.
Butter Pecan Ice Cream Recipe

Ingredients
- 2 cup pecans chopped
- 2 tablespoons butter
- pinch salt
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup whole milk
- 4 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1ΒΌ cups packed brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- pinch salt
Instructions
- In a skillet over medium-low heat, add pecans and butter. Toast, stirring occasionally, until pecans are lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Add a pinch of salt to pecans while hot. Remove from heat and allow to cool while preparing ice cream base.
- Cream together heavy cream, milk, and cream cheese with an electric mixer. Add in brown sugar, vanilla and salt. Stir in cooled butter pecan mixture. Add to container of ice cream maker and make according to ice cream maker instructions.
- Serve immediately or remove from container and place in freezer for about an hour to harden
Notes
Nutritional Information
Enjoy!
Robyn xo
Perfect! I love this so much. Butter pecan is one of my favorite flavors and yours looks so good!
Oh, man, does this look scrumptious!!!! Hope to try!!!
This is my mother’s favorite! Hope to make it for her π
So when should I come over to share a bowl of this goodness?! π
I’m with you – butter pecan is one of my favorites! I’ve never made it before – but I think that needs to change asap!
Would this recipe still work if you used whole milk just to lighten the calories?
This was really delicious! Thank you so much for sharing it.
This ice cream is superb! I only put half the amount of pecans called, and it was perfect for us. This recipe makes a lot!
Looks yummy, what kind/size ice cream maker do you use??
Thanks for all your fantastic recipes !!
Can I omit the cream cheese? What does it do for the ice cream? Never heard of using it to make ice cream. I am not a fan of cream cheese, so was just wondering if the recipe would still work, as I love Butter Pecan. Thanks.
This recipe has a very good taste but wayyyyy too many pecans. I love nuts, but it was overloaded! We used half and half in place of the cream and skim milk. It was probably not as creamy, but still very good.
Wow this is probably the best ice cream I’ve ever made! So creamy and love all the toasty pecans. Yum π thank u!!
I’m thrilled you enjoyed it, Steph! I just love the toasted pecans in it too – so delicious! Thanks so much! xo
I tried your recipe and everyone absolutely loved it!! They especially loved that there were lots of pecans! Initially, I wasn’t sure if I should use four or eight ounces of cream cheese. I used four ounces and it turned out just fine. The ice cream was especially creamy and I assume it was due to the addition of the cream cheese. Great recipe and I think this will be my “go-to” recipe!!
Hi Donna,
I’m so excited you enjoyed this ice cream too! You were correct to use the 4 ounces of cream cheese.
I’m going to have to make this again really soon – you’ve made me have a craving for Butter Pecan Ice Cream! π
Thanks! xo
How much does this make?
I have made this many times. Everyone in the neighborhood loves it. I make many flavors but this is always the favorite among the crowd. I do only use half the amount of pecans.Β
I’m so happy to hear that you and your neighborhood friends enjoy this ice cream, Wendy! It is one of my favorites too! Thanks so much for letting me know that you enjoy it! xo
Can this recipe be made in an old fashioned ice cream maker
Hi Marcella,
It certainly can be made in an old fashioned ice cream maker. It is delicious made in one of those. Hope you enjoy!
The best homemade ice cream I have ever made! A family favorite!
So glad your family loves this ice cream, Beth. It is always a favorite around my house. xo
Going camping and planning to make ice cream…this recipe for buttered pecan sounds yummy and simple enough. Do you think the ingredients except pecans could be mixed and kept refrigerated a day ahead?
You can make this ahead without the pecans as you suggest and keep refrigerated, Ruby. Have fun on that camping trip! xo
Butter Pecan ice cream is 5 Star! Super easy. Super creamy. Delicious! Most time intensive piece is toasting the pecans but well worth the extra time.
Thanks so much, Brenda. I’m so glad you love this ice cream.
Hello, Butter Pecan ice cream is one of my favorites. I was wondering if this recipe could work making it in my Blendtec blender?
I haven’t tried making this in a Blendtec blender, Dee, but if you try it, let me know how it turns out.
I made this and it was fabulous! I have tried several of your ice cream recipes, and this was my favorite, and so easy to make! I just threw all the ingredients except the pecans in the blender and that worked perfectly.