Bourbon Butter Pecan Ice Cream

Rich and creamy, homemade butter pecan ice cream made with brown butter, bourbon and toasted pecans. This is an egg-based frozen custard, so you’ll need your ice cream maker for this one. It’s the most delicious sweet and salty treat!

Looking for more recipes like this one? You’ll love my butter pecan pound cake, butter pecan biscotti, and butter pecan layer cake with brown butter frosting.

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Why You’ll Love This Ice Cream

Rich and Buttery. Browning the butter first gives this ice cream the most incredible, rich and buttery flavor that perfectly complements the nutty pecans.

Salty and Sweet. A salty sweet dessert is my thing, and anything butter pecan flavored should be noticeably salty, to enhance the flavor of the pecans and balance the richness of the butter.

Creamy and Crunchy. Creamy custard and crunchy pecans – what could be a more delicious combination!

See the recipe card at the end of the post for the full ingredients list and instructions.

Ingredients

• Butter. The browned butter gives this butter pecan ice cream the most wonderful buttery flavor you can imagine.
• Egg Yolks. Gives the ice cream richness and body.
• Sugar. Granulated sugar and dark brown sugar add sweetness, as well as give the ice cream a smooth texture as it freezes.
• Milk + Cream. Use whole milk and heavy whipping cream for the best flavor and a rich, creamy texture.
• Salt. I add coarse Kosher salt to everything I cook and bake. It balances the sweetness and enhances the flavor of the butter and pecans.
• Vanilla. Use a good quality vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste for the best flavor.
• Bourbon. Adds flavor, as well as promotes a smooth texture, rather than an icy texture.
• Pecans. Preferably, use raw pecans, which you’ll be briefly toasting to bring out their flavor.

Instructions

Brown the butter.

• In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Continue to cook the butter for several minutes, swirling the pan occasionally, until it’s very fragrant, and nutty golden brown solids form at the bottom of the pan.
• Set aside to cool for 5 minutes.

Cook the custard.

• To the browned butter, whisk in the egg yolks, sugar, brown sugar, milk, 1 cup of the cream, salt and vanilla. Whisking constantly, cook the custard over medium heat, just until it’s steaming hot, and beginning to simmer around the edges, but don’t let it come to a boil.
• Remove from the heat and pour through a fine mesh strainer to strain out any bits of cooked egg. Cover the custard and refrigerate until well chilled, preferably overnight.

TIP: When the custard is chilled, you may notice that the butter has floated to the top and formed a solid layer. If this happens, just blend it in a blender or with an immersion blender for 10-15 seconds to ensure your ice cream is smooth.

Churn the ice cream.

• Whip the remaining 1/2 cup of cream until soft peaks form, and gently whisk the whipped cream into the chilled custard.
• Churn the ice cream in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions, adding the bourbon during the last minute of churning.
• While the ice cream is churning, spread the pecans out onto a baking sheet and toast in a 300-degree oven for 5-7 minutes, until fragrant. Roughly chop the pecans, then set in the refrigerator to cool.
• When the ice cream is finished churning, fold in the toasted pecans, and transfer the ice cream to a lidded ice cream container. Freeze until firm enough to scoop, about 8 hours.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I skip the step of browning the butter?

You really shouldn’t. It’s what gives this ice cream the best flavor.

Do you have a no-churn version of this recipe?

Not that I’ve tested, no, but it would be simple enough to add the browned butter, salt, vanilla, pecans and bourbon to a standard no churn vanilla ice cream recipe.

Can I make this recipe without the bourbon?

You can leave out the bourbon completely, if you want an alcohol-free recipe, although the alcohol improves the texture of homemade ice cream, since it lowers the freezing point and promotes a smooth texture. You can also substitute a good quality whiskey or dark rum instead.

Do I need to use raw pecans, or can I use salted, toasted pecans?

It’s okay to use what you have, but if you use salted pecans, you’ll probably need to reduce the salt in the ice cream recipe.

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