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This no churn butter pecan ice cream doesn't need a machine to create that rich creamy texture with a hint of pecans in every bite.
I could have ice cream every day - from chocolate peanut butter ice cream to chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream to peppermint ice cream to chocolate chip ice cream.
But up to this point all of my ice cream recipes involved using an ice cream machine. I still swear by it, but I know not everyone has one. So how to make some ice cream without a machine?
By the no churn method of whipping heavy cream and adding condensed milk. It is a pretty simple base that is very versatile with the ingredients you add. I finally decided to give this version a try when I saw a recipe shared on Half Baked Harvest.
I ended up going pretty simple with my first no churn recipe with this butter pecan ice cream. It is one of the top 5 most popular ice creams in America for a reason.
I did mix it up a little bit by using maple extract instead of vanilla. But the bites of buttered pecans are what make this dessert. And to answer your question, yes this is super creamy and just as good as a pint at the store!
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Ingredient Notes
- Pecans - by cooking the pecans in some butter and sugar, they get slightly caramelized which adds a ton of flavor to the ice cream.
- Heavy cream - when you whip the heavy cream you create air which helps make the ice cream scoopable.
- Sweetened condensed milk - this is where the sweetness comes from.
- Extracts - I like the combination of vanilla and maple extract, but you can just use vanilla.
Step-by-Step Photos
Cook pecans with butter and sugar in a skillet over medium heat for about 3-5 minutes, or until the pecans are toasted. In a large bowl, whip the heavy cream until stiff peaks form.
Mix together the condensed milk, extracts and salt before folding into the whipped cream until just combined.
Add in the pecans before transferring to a loaf pan and freezing for at least 6 hours.
FAQs
Ice cream makers work by slowly incorporating air while churning the ingredients with a mixing paddle in an insulated freezer bowl.
If you don't incorporate air, the mixture just is a frozen block of cream.
So the no churn method involves incorporating air by whipping the heavy cream which helps with a scoopable ice cream.
You can although I highly recommend trying to use heavy cream as the high fat content creates the creamy texture when the ice cream is cooled. If you use half-and-half, it won't be as creamy and could get icy.
So in general, eggs help prevent ice crystals but I also add Xanthan gum a lot of times to my recipes. And since this recipe doesn't use eggs, Xanthan gum helps stabilize the ice cream and prevents ice crystals from forming.
The usual problem with homemade ice cream is it will only lasts a couple of days before ice crystals form. But the Xanthan gum helps battle this. Just add ¼ tsp.
In a perfect world you have an ice cream container with a lid, but I know not everyone has that. You can also store in a loaf pan and cover with plastic wrap.
No churn ice cream will last about 2 week in the freezer before forming ice crystals. That's no problem though as this will go fast!
Pro Tips/Recipe Notes
- If you want lower fat ice cream, replace the heavy cream with half-and-half and use fat-free sweetened condensed milk.
- Replace the maple extract with more vanilla extract if you want a more mellow flavor.
- Freeze for at least 6 hours so the ice cream has time to freeze and won't melt.
Other Ice Cream Recipes
If you’ve tried this no churn butter pecan ice cream recipe or any other recipe on Chisel & Fork, please let me know how it turned out in the comments below! You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube to see more tasty meals and anything else I'm up to.
No Churn Butter Pecan Ice Cream
Ingredients
- 1 cup pecans
- 2 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoon light brown sugar
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 (14 oz can) sweetened condensed milk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon maple extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- In medium skillet add pecans, butter and sugar and cook over medium heat for 3-5 minutes or until pecans are slightly toasted. Remove from heat and set aside.
- With an electric mixer with whisk attachment, whip the heavy cream in a large bowl until stiff peaks form.
- In another bowl, mix together the condensed milk, extracts and salt. Gently fold the condensed milk mixture and pecans into the whipped cream until just combined.
- Transfer to a 9x5 loaf pan and freeze for at least 6 hours.
Notes
- If you want lower fat ice cream, replace the heavy cream with half-and-half and use fat-free sweetened condensed milk.
- Replace the maple extract with more vanilla extract if you want a more mellow flavor.
- Freeze for at least 6 hours so the ice cream has time to freeze and won't melt.
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