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Home » Recipes » Desserts

Published: Nov 21, 2019 · Modified: Jul 26, 2022 by Amanda McGrory-Dixon

Butterscotch Ice Cream With Candied Pecans

Jump to Recipe

Meet your new favorite ice cream flavor! Studded with candied pecans in each bite, this homemade butterscotch ice cream is pure decadence with its ultra creamy texture and prominent caramelized brown sugar notes. Serve this ice cream on a slice of rich pound cake or unadorned in a simple dish —- either way, you’re in for one indulgent treat.

Two ice cream dishes of butterscotch ice cream with candied pecans on gold and marble coasters.
Jump to:
  • Ingredients
  • Step-by-Step Instructions
  • How to Make Candied Pecans
  • Perfect Pairing
  • Love Homemade Ice Cream?
  • 📖 Recipe

Why don’t we see butterscotch ice cream often? Sure, we have butterscotch ice cream topping, but butterscotch as a stand-alone ice cream flavor rarely makes an appearance in the grocery aisles or ice cream shops. Considering that we see plenty of caramel ice creams, butterscotch ice cream also deserves a place in our ice cream-loving hearts.

Fortunately, we're changing that with this butterscotch ice cream recipe. Just one bite and you'll see why we need butterscotch-flavored ice cream in our lives.

Related: For more ice cream recipes, make sure you also try my Biscoff ice cream, gingerbread ice cream and amaretto ice cream!

A few scoops of butterscotch ice cream with two gold spoons next to it.

Ingredients

Let's make some ice cream! Here's every ingredient you need to make this butterscotch ice cream with candied pecans.

  • Dark brown sugar
  • Butter
  • Heavy cream
  • Whole milk
  • Egg yolks
  • Vanilla extract
  • Salt
  • Pecans
  • Egg white
  • Cinnamon

Now I know I say this all the time, but dark brown sugar is essential for this recipe. No exaggeration. Light brown sugar doesn't give us the depth of flavor we need to get those rich butterscotch notes. When making butterscotch, always go for dark brown sugar.

A gold container with butterscotch ice cream with candied pecans and three scoops on top.

Step-by-Step Instructions

We begin by melting some butter in a saucepan, adding our dark brown sugar and giving it a stir. The mixture will initially look clumpy like so.

The dark brown sugar in a saucepan looking initially clumpy.

We continue to cook the brown sugar mixture until it comes to a simmer and starts to liquify.

The dark brown sugar as it starts to simmer.

At that point, we cook it for just another minute or two and then add our heavy cream and milk.

Once we add the heavy cream and milk, the sugar mixture will seize up and pieces will harden. Don't panic. That's totally normally. We just continue to cook our mixture, and the hardened pieces will melt back into our cream.

After our cream mixture comes to a simmer, we turn off the heat and ladle in a scoop of said cream mixture into whisked egg yolks and vanilla. We repeat this process a few more times, which allows our egg yolks to gently cook without turning into scrambled eggs. Now we spoon our egg mixture into the remaining cream, put the saucepan back on the stove and cook until it thickens.

From here, we give our butterscotch mixture plenty of time to cool in the refrigerator, preferably overnight, and then we're ready to churn.

Butterscotch ice cream on cheese cloth with flowers in the background.
Looking straight at a dish of butterscotch ice cream with a gold spoon on the side.

How to Make Candied Pecans

This rich ice cream is incredible on its own, but you know what makes it even better? Candied pecans. We basically caramelize a dark brown sugar mixture onto the pecans for the perfect complement to our rich butterscotch.

To make our candied pecans, we mix together some dark brown sugar and a touch of cinnamon in one bowl. In another bowl, we whisk an egg white until frothy. Now we add our pecans to the egg white and then move them to our dark brown sugar mixture to coat. We pop them in the oven and bake at a low 300 degrees, giving the pecans a stir every so often, and that's it.

Oh, and here's a little pro tip: Don't be like me and forget to put parchment paper on your baking dish. Clean up is much easier if you remember to use parchment paper.

The candied pecans before cooked in a baking dish.

Perfect Pairing

With that rich butterscotch flavor, you can never go wrong with a barley wine, which comes with a sweet, caramel-like malt. Many barley wines also carry toffee and dried fruit notes that pair perfectly with the butterscotch.

If you need a wine pairing, you'll love a PX sherry. This sherry shows off honey, fig and candied fruit flavors. As you can imagine, those all work well with our butterscotch. You could even pour some PX sherry on top off this butterscotch ice cream for a boozy kick if you're into that sort of thing.

For those times you need a rich, decadent treat, I hope you try this butterscotch ice cream with candied pecans.

Cheers!

Looking into a scoop of butterscotch ice cream with a gold spoon sticking out and one gold spoon to the side.
Two dishes of butterscotch ice cream with candied pecans and flowers in the background.

Love Homemade Ice Cream?

  • Bourbon-pumpkin ice cream
  • Fresh mint-chocolate chip ice cream
  • Honey-lavender ice cream with peach compote
  • S'mores ice cream

If you love this recipe, please leave a comment with a five-star rating — or simply hit the five-star button in the recipe card. Don't forget to sign up for my newsletter, and you can follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and TikTok.

📖 Recipe

Two ice cream dishes of butterscotch ice cream with candied pecans on gold and marble coasters.

Butterscotch Ice Cream With Candied Pecans

Meet your new favorite ice cream flavor! Studded with candied pecans in each bite, this homemade butterscotch ice cream is pure decadence with its ultra creamy texture and prominent caramelized brown sugar notes. Serve this ice cream on a slice of rich pound cake or unadorned in a simple dish —- either way, you’re in for one indulgent treat.
5 from 29 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Desserts
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Chilling Time: 4 hours
Total Time: 5 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 8 people
Calories: 500kcal
Author: Amanda McGrory-Dixon

Equipment

  • Medium saucepan
  • Baking sheet
  • Parchment paper
  • Plastic wrap
  • Mixing bowl
  • Ice cream maker

Ingredients

Butterscotch Ice Cream

  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 7 egg yolks
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract or paste
  • Pinch of salt

Candied Pecans

  • ¼ cup packed dark brown sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 egg white
  • 1 cup chopped pecans

Instructions

Butterscotch Ice Cream

  • In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Once melted, add the dark brown sugar and stir to coat in the butter. The mixture will look clumpy. Bring to a simmer and cook for another minute or two. Don't allow the mixture to burn. Just a quick simmer is all we need.
  • Add the heavy cream and milk. When you add these, the brown sugar mixture will likely harden into little pieces. Don't worry. Continue cooking the mixture until it comes to a simmer, stirring frequently. As the cream mixture warms, the hardened brown sugar pieces will melt back into a liquid. Once it comes to a simmer, turn off heat. Do not boil.
  • Whisk together the egg yolks and vanilla extract for about two to three minutes. Ladle in a scoop of the warm cream mixture into the yolk mixture and whisk. Repeat this step a few more times. This gently cooks the yolks, so they don't turn into scrambled eggs.
  • Add the yolk-cream mixture back to the remaining cream in the saucepan. Put the saucepan back on the stove on medium heat. Whisk constantly until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Do not let it boil but a simmer is fine.
  • Once thickened, pour into a nonreactive bowl and cover with plastic wrap directly on the surface of the custard mixture to prevent a film from forming. Allow to cool and store in the refrigerator until cold, at least four hours to ensure proper churning, though I like to chill overnight to really make sure it's cold. The mixture needs to be cold in order to properly set up when churning.
  • Churn according to ice cream maker manufacturer's directions. Add the candied pecans (see below for directions) in the final two minutes or so of churning. After churning, store in an airtight container and freeze for several hours to harden. Enjoy!

Candied Pecans

  • Heat oven to 300 degrees. In a small bowl, mix together the dark brown sugar and cinnamon. Set aside.
  • In another small bowl, whisk the egg white until frothy. Stir in the chopped pecans until coated. Then, add the chopped pecans to the brown sugar mixture and stir to coat well.
  • Spread the pecans on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and bake for 45 minutes. Every 15 minutes, stir the pecans. After baking, allow to cool completely. Once cooled, break any large clumps into smaller pieces. Store in an airtight container.

Notes

  • The candied pecans will last a few weeks, so you can definitely make them well in advance of your ice cream base.
  • Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.

Nutrition

Serving: 0.5cup | Calories: 500kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 30g | Cholesterol: 265mg | Sodium: 132mg | Sugar: 30g
Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @BurrataandBubbles or tag #burratandbubbles!

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    Recipe Rating




  1. Shadi Hasanzadenemati says

    August 23, 2021 at 4:08 pm

    5 stars
    Love all the ingredients, can’t wait to try this! It looks so delicious and easy!

    Reply
  2. Lima Ekram says

    August 23, 2021 at 3:25 pm

    5 stars
    Drooling. I cant wait to make this ...what a fantastic recipe!

    Reply
  3. Beth says

    August 23, 2021 at 2:43 pm

    5 stars
    This ice cream was such a delicious and very addicting treat this summer! My hubby and daughter's boyfriend both loved this, and I'll definitely make this recipe again!

    Reply
    • Amanda McGrory-Dixon says

      August 23, 2021 at 3:43 pm

      So glad everyone loved it!

      Reply
  4. Lucy says

    August 23, 2021 at 12:39 pm

    5 stars
    This is such a delicious indulgent dessert! I love the butterscotch flavour. So refreshing especially during the summer months.

    Reply
    • Amanda McGrory-Dixon says

      August 23, 2021 at 2:21 pm

      I'm happy to hear you loved it!

      Reply
  5. Claudia Lamascolo says

    August 23, 2021 at 12:05 pm

    5 stars
    this was delicious will make it again and again!

    Reply
    • Amanda McGrory-Dixon says

      August 23, 2021 at 2:21 pm

      So happy to hear that, Claudia!

      Reply
  6. Alena says

    December 03, 2019 at 2:26 pm

    5 stars
    Those candied pecans are such a perfect addition to the ice cream! Yum!!

    Reply
    • Amanda McGrory-Dixon says

      December 05, 2019 at 2:22 am

      Thanks, Alena!

      Reply
  7. Debbie says

    December 02, 2019 at 6:33 am

    5 stars
    I love any Ice Cream but Butterscotch and candied pecans sounds simply wonderful . This truly the perfect ice cream recipe. I want this in a big waffle cone please!!LOL

    Reply
    • Amanda McGrory-Dixon says

      December 02, 2019 at 7:11 pm

      A waffle cone sounds like a perfect addition!

      Reply
  8. Gunjan says

    December 02, 2019 at 5:37 am

    5 stars
    Oh my gosh! I am actually drooling over this ice cream. Can’t wait to try it myself.

    Reply
    • Amanda McGrory-Dixon says

      December 02, 2019 at 7:10 pm

      Hope you love it!

      Reply
  9. Sophie says

    December 02, 2019 at 3:20 am

    5 stars
    This is so so good. Thank you for this recipe. I
    Love this unique flavored ice cream.

    Reply
    • Amanda McGrory-Dixon says

      December 02, 2019 at 7:10 pm

      Thanks, Sophie! Glad to hear it.

      Reply
  10. Danielle says

    December 02, 2019 at 1:38 am

    5 stars
    Literally THE BEST ice cream I have seen this season. I should definitely give it a try, considering I LOVE candied pecans this year more than ever! 🙂

    Reply
    • Amanda McGrory-Dixon says

      December 02, 2019 at 7:00 pm

      I hope you do! Sounds like you'd love it.

      Reply
  11. Elaine says

    December 02, 2019 at 12:09 am

    5 stars
    Incredible looking ice-cream that I could probably eat in winter, too! And its texture is such the way I prefer! Can't wait to make a big LOAD of this delicious treat!

    Reply
    • Amanda McGrory-Dixon says

      December 02, 2019 at 6:59 pm

      Sounds perfect for you! ?

      Reply
  12. Aleta says

    November 30, 2019 at 8:37 pm

    5 stars
    Wow, this ice cream has got it goin on! Candied pecans and butterscotch? That is a match made it heaven! Can't wait to make it 🙂

    Reply
    • Amanda McGrory-Dixon says

      December 01, 2019 at 1:06 am

      They're so good together! I'm sure you'll love it.

      Reply
  13. Anna says

    November 28, 2019 at 5:23 pm

    5 stars
    Drool! What a great recipe! The ice cream looks so fine, and I love addition of candied pecans, that must add such a nice crunch and flavour!

    Reply
    • Amanda McGrory-Dixon says

      December 01, 2019 at 1:05 am

      It really does! Hope you get a chance to try it.

      Reply
  14. caren p magill says

    November 27, 2019 at 12:27 am

    5 stars
    Hey! Popping over from facebook and I have to say, I loved landing on your website. It's the first one I've come across today that isn't loaded with ads. I realize now what a much better experience it is.

    Anyway, recipe looks wonderful too and I love the name of your website! So clever 🙂

    Reply
    • Amanda McGrory-Dixon says

      December 01, 2019 at 1:04 am

      Aww, thanks so much, Caren!

      Reply
  15. Tara says

    November 26, 2019 at 6:25 pm

    5 stars
    You had me at candied pecans. I love ice cream with extras and nuts are a fantastic add-in. Thank you for a great new ice cream flavor.

    Reply
    • Amanda McGrory-Dixon says

      December 01, 2019 at 1:03 am

      You're so welcome!

      Reply
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Hi, I'm Amanda, a Denver-based lady who believes life is best spent with comforting meals, tasty beverages and good company. When I'm not playing in the kitchen, I'm probably exploring new breweries with my husband, Matt, or obsessing over my adorable dog, Baylor.

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