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Butter Pecan Ice Cream

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raw dairy-free Butter Pecan Ice Cream on a spoon

~ raw, vegan, gluten-free ~

Butter Pecan Ice Cream is one spoonful after spoonful of buttery pecans folded into a sweet, creamy base to create a delight like no other.

An ice-cream loving friend set me up with a challenge, giving me the perfect excuse to make this batch of butter pecan ice cream. Butter pecan is one of her all-time favorite flavors, and I couldn’t wait to pop into the kitchen to see what I could come up with. The result? She loved, I loved it, Bob loved it, and so has everyone else who has tasted it.

Outside of the delicious buttery flavor, this ice cream doesn’t freeze really hard which was actually a pleasant surprise. It makes it much easier to scoop or spoon out for serving.

Where’s the Butter?

So, you might be questioning the word “butter” in the title. I didn’t use butter… of course, but the soaked pecans and macadamia nuts lend to a buttery flavor once blended. The soaking process shouldn’t be skipped. Number one, it helps to reduce the phytic acid which can be difficult on the digestive system. And secondly, it softens them for blending purposes. That way we can get them smooth and silky.

High-Powered Blender

This guides me to a topic that I wanted to quickly chat with you about. A high-powered blender. If you don’t own one, such as a Vitamix or Blendtec… they are worth the investment. I do realize that they are spendy, but they earn their keep by helping you create successful recipes in the kitchen.  Many standard blenders don’t have enough power to blend nuts into a creamy texture, and this is important when creating dairy-free alternatives. Well, I hope you enjoy this recipe.  Please comment below and keep in touch. Many blessings, amie sue

raw dairy-free Butter Pecan Ice Cream frozen in mason jars and push pop moldsIngredients:

yields 4 1/2 cups batter

Preparation:

  1. In a high-speed blender, combine the almond milk, pecans, macadamia nuts, sweeteners, vanilla, lecithin, and salt. Blend until nice and creamy.
    • Due to the volume and the creamy texture that we are going after, it is important to use a high-powered blender.  It could be too taxing on a lower-end model.
    • Blend until the filling is creamy smooth.   You shouldn’t detect any grit.  If you do, keep blending.
    • This process can take 2-4 minutes, depending on the strength of the blender.  Keep your hand cupped around the base of the blender carafe to feel for warmth.  If the batter is getting too warm.  Stop the machine and let it cool.  Then proceed once cooled.
  2. Place the blender carafe in the fridge or freezer for 1 hour.
    • If chilled in the fridge it can stay there for up to 8 hours.  But don’t leave it in the freezer for more than an hour or it will freeze solid.
  3. Once chilled pour the batter into the ice cream maker and follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
  4. As the ice cream machine is near done, add the remaining pecans, blending just long enough to incorporate them.
  5. Transfer to your favorite freezer-safe container and place in the freezer overnight.
  6. It is best to take the ice cream out of the freezer about 10 minutes ahead of time, so it can have a chance to soften.
  7. Eat within 1 month.

Freezing Suggestions for Ice Cream:

  1. Use an ice cream machine.  Follow manufactures directions.
  2. Freeze in popsicle molds or 3 oz Dixie cups with a popsicle stick inserted.
  3. Pour ice cream into a freezer-safe container and occasionally stir as it freezes.
  4. Store the ice cream in the very back of the freezer, as far away from the door as possible. Every time you open your freezer door you let in warm air. Keeping ice cream way in the back and storing it beneath other frozen-sold items will help protect it from those steamy incursions.
  5. Ice cream is full of fat, and even when frozen, fat has a way of soaking up flavors from the air around it—including those in your freezer. To keep your ice cream from taking on the odors, use a container with a tight-fitting lid. For extra security, place a layer of plastic wrap between your ice cream and the lid.
  6. To soften in the refrigerator, transfer ice cream from the freezer to the refrigerator 20-30 minutes before using. Or let it stand at room temperature for 10-15 minutes.
raw dairy-free Butter Pecan Ice Cream frozen in mason jars and placed in a tin of ice

There are so many wonderful ways to package your ice cream. One of my favorite ways in small freezer-safe mason jars. They help with portion control, no additional dishes need to be dirty upon dishing it up, and there is less air exposure which helps to decrease ice crystals from forming.

a close up of raw dairy-free Butter Pecan Ice Cream frozen in mason jars and placed in a tin of ice

cream raw dairy-free Butter Pecan Ice Cream frozen with unique molds

Next, to the jar method, I love taking ice cream batters, dividing it up, and creating many other fun ways to enjoy it. This is a great mold (link above) that gives a popsicle more of a sophisticated look.

cream raw dairy-free Butter Pecan Ice Cream frozen in reusable push pops

Then there are the good ole push pops. I loved this style when I was growing up. Except back then the push pop container was made of disposable paper/cardboard. These are reusable and create less waste in our landfill.

31 thoughts on “Butter Pecan Ice Cream

  1. Tracy says:

    This is AMAZING. I eat many raw foods… and many made with good ‘ol fashioned butter, eggs, and flour. I am also a bit of an ice cream nut – so I couldn’t wait to try this – and what a surprise. It tastses better than any store bought butter pecan. Really, you must try this!!!

  2. Kim says:

    Sounds absolutely yummy. Quick question though, do you have to soak the macadamia nut and pecans? If yes, for how long? If no, do you recommend a nut strainer for an even smoother consistency?

    • amie-sue says:

      Hi Kim,

      Thank you for bringing that to my attention! I modified the instructions to include soaking the pecans. The macs don’t require soaking. I didn’t use a strainer for the nuts and the ice cream came out nice and smooth. This will be a good testament to the blender that you have. :) Please let me know how it goes for you. Blessings, amie sue

  3. Dee says:

    Amazing! I made this using cashews instead of macademias, stevia instead of agave, and coconut milk in place of almond milk…even with my subs it was SO delicious! I never thought it would taste so good! Again you are a genius! This tasted exactly like the most expensive Butter Pecan Ice Cream! I also left out pecans in half the batch and used carob powder..Omg! Creamy chocolate ice cream! My tastebuds are singing! My husband and my boys loved it! Thanks Amie Sue!

    • amie-sue says:

      Dee… I Love your excitement!! It just tickles me that you and your family enjoyed it! How much stevia did you use in it? Thank you so much for sharing with us how it came out! Have a great weekend! amie sue

    • Dee says:

      My excitement is due to finding your site and having so many delicious dishes that I haven’t touched cooked food (even when cooking my previous favorite foods for my family)…I’m finally sticking to it since I found your site..losing weight, allergies clearing up and my fibroids (which were so bad that my Dr said immediate hysterectomy) have shrunk since going raw! All this while eating ice cream, chocolate brownies, marinara and cheese sauces..it tickles me pink..I have sent many of my fb friends to your site and many are convinced to go vegan..(ok Dee take a deep breath)..lol! As far as stevia I used about 5 packets of NuStevia…

      • amie-sue says:

        Good morning Dee… finding an email like this first thing in the morning… well it just made my day! I am so happy for you and for all the “wins” with your health issues. What an inspiration. :) Have a wonderful weekend and keep playing in that kitchen! amie sue

  4. Niki says:

    Amy, Love your site…Have a question about the butter pecan ice cream. I just made it this morning and it has a slightly gritty texture. Should I have removed the outer skin of my almonds when I made my almond milk? Did I not blend enough when I made my almond milk? After blending the ingredients for the ice cream, I tested the grittiness with my fingers and it seemed smooth to the touch. When I tasted it though, it felt kind of gritty in my mouth. I am thinking of thawing it, reblending it and starting over. I do have a vitamix. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated…thank you

    • amie-sue says:

      Good morning Niki,

      Lets see if we can work through this. :)

      Q ~ Should I have removed the outer skin of my almonds when I made my almond milk?
      A ~ No, this is necessary because you strain the pulp from the milk. You did that step right?

      Q ~ Did I not blend enough when I made my almond milk?
      A ~ Again, this shouldn’t be an issue because you should have strained the nut milk.

      Q ~ I am thinking of thawing it, reblending it and starting over.
      A ~ I haven’t ever thawed and reblended an ice cream mixture so I am not sure how it would effect it.

      ” Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated…” So my thoughts and questions are; did you strain your nut milk before adding it to the batter? Did you hand mix in nuts at the very end? It could be possible that the texture did reach that smooth texture as you indicated but then the added nuts that were hand mixed in brought in small grainy pieces. If the texture is so undesirable that you won’t eat it as is, then go ahead and reblend it. This would cream up the hand mixed in nuts and hopefully correct the problem.

      Ok the ball is back in your court. :) Let me know..amie sue

  5. Niki says:

    Thank you for your response and help. I did strain the nutmilk and I did hand mix the nuts in the end. You’ve got me thinking now. I seemed to have done everything correctly. I am recalling that my nut milk was grainey. I’m thinking my nut milk bag isnt so great. It must have let some of the nut grains through the bag. My poor ice cream didn’t have a chance. Are all nut milk bags created equal? I am going to get a differant nut milk bag and do this all over again. I will let you know the outcome. Take care!

    • amie-sue says:

      Aaaah Niki,

      The leaking nut bag will get ya all the time. haha Been there, done that. I have learned over the years that nut bags have an expiration date on them (not literally) and they are NOT all make equally. The fibers over time start to break down and the holes get “lose”. It’s then that I recycle them and pull out a new one. I have also gone through different brands and right now, I have good luck with the following..

      http://astore.amazon.com/nouraw-20/detail/B00158U8DU

      I usually buy 2-3 at a time, because it’s a bugger to get caught without one when you need it. There is quality to be found in a good bag!

      So yes, grainy nut milk will affect the over-all texture in the ice cream.

      I hope we discovered the culprit here, sounds like it. Have a happy day! amie sue

  6. Courtney says:

    Your blog is by far the BEST!!! I’m super excited to make this! I’m having difficulty finding yacon syrup, is there something I could use to substitute? I was thinking honey, agave, or maple syrup? Thanks so much, Courtney

    • amie-sue says:

      Hi Courtney, thank you! You could use any of those. Be sure to taste test to see if you need to adjust any of the flavors. Each of those different sweetener lend a different flavor profile. :)

  7. Katelyn says:

    Hi!

    All your frozen desserts look amazing. I stumbled upon your site wondering how best to use sunflower seed lecithin and found many helpful answers! Another question I had for you was where you order the stickers to wrap around your pint containers. I am having trouble finding the perfect width and length stickers for pint containers. Any nudge in the right direction would help!

    All the best,
    Katelyn

    • amie-sue says:

      Hello Katelyn,

      Thank you for the kind words. I am glad that found my site. As far as the labels go… they are Avery shipping labels. :) I hope that helps. Blessings, amie sue

  8. constance says:

    This ice cream is EPIC lol
    I have made this one several times now (sharing with the neighbors)
    what a wonderful treat -the flavor is just spot on and the texture is sublime
    I have just started getting into these ice creams and using my machine my husband bought for me last year
    would love to see more flavors (yes I know you have tons on here) lol but looking for more more more
    i bought the little ice cream containers off of amazon and have been filling them up and stocking the freezer-however I dont seem to be able to keep up with the demand around here and everyone keeps asking me what are you making next
    safe to say this is a hit
    thankyou again you definately rock the ice cream world girl
    constance

    • amie-sue says:

      I love hearing when a recipe is EPIC! hehe I have purchased those same ice cream containers in the past, great for gift giving. Now I use those small mason jars (4 oz I think) and they make for perfect single servings, they are reusable and are freezer-safe. So thrilled to hear that you are rocking the raw ice cream world. hehe hugs, amie sue

  9. Kiki says:

    I was all prepared to make this, but I didn’t notice the sunflower lecithin, which I don’t have. Is there anything else that I could use, or could I just leave it out? Also, I don’t keep macadamia nuts, because I don’t care for them, but I tried to make sure that I had all ingredients, so I went and purchased a very expensive bag of mac. nuts…lol. I am saying all of this to ask you… where do you source your nuts?

    • amie-sue says:

      You can leave the lecithin out if you don’t have it Kiki. As far as replacing the macadamia nuts, I would use cashews in place of them. I source my nuts and seeds from various places. Right now I buy in massive bulk wholesale due to my business. Over the years I have been really happy with this online company. http://www.wildernessfamilynaturals.com/. I hope this helps, have a wonderful evening. amie sue

  10. Kiki says:

    Thank you so much for always responding so quickly, and for all of your advice. I did purchase those macadamia nuts by the way, but just wanted to know your source for future purposes. I’m only missing the lecithin. I also wanted to inform you of a sale going on for Medjool Dates until August 15th(Yummy,huge,plump dates). Will you please check out Medjooldates.com? You won’t be sorry.

    • amie-sue says:

      You bet Kiki. I do my best to answer all comments and emails in a timely fashion. :) Thanks for sharing the date info. :) I have been a huge fan of Naked Dates for years but it’s so nice that there are multiple companies to turn to for good quality ingredients. Many blessings and sweet dreams. amie sue

  11. Kiki says:

    Firstly,I took your advice to use the salt to soak my nuts and rinsed them off afterwards, as you directed,and they turned out delicious, so thanks for your assistance=). Secondly…this Butter Pecan Ice Cream is ABSOFREAKING DELICIOUSSS!!! I adore it, and it hasn’t even ripened yet. Now I need to exercise patience in awaiting the ripening process…lol. You are a master at what you do, and I can’t thank you enough for all of your hard work. Hugs and kisses from one happy camper, I am so excited for my hubby to try this when he gets home from work=)))).

    • amie-sue says:

      Your welcome Kiki. Thank you for trusting in my advice and giving the process a go. :) Patience is hard at times. hehe Have a blessed evening, amie sue

  12. Kiki says:

    HE LOVED IT!=)

  13. trishlee29 says:

    Hi Amie-Sue,

    I am making this ice cream today.

    Just wanted to know if it had to be really creamy when mixed?

    Mine turned out smooth and not gritty, but not really thick.

    Does it have to be thick like cream?

    Yours sincerely Trish

    • amie-sue says:

      Good morning Trish,

      Are you referring to the texture after you have blended the ice cream ingredients together?

      It doesn’t need to be thick. Just follow the instructions. :) Will you be using an ice cream machine?

      Blessings, amie sue

  14. Greetings Amie Sue,

    Do you have any recommendations for an ice machine?

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