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Pecan Praline and Cream Ice Cream

Pecan praline ice cream with a creamy vanilla custard base and crunchy, candy-coated praline pecan clusters. Cook the custard to 175°F, chill for 4 hours, then churn and freeze for a rich Southern praline ice cream texture.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
chilling + freezing 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 45 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 460
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the praline pecans
  • 1.5 cup pecan halves
  • 0.5 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 3 tbsp heavy cream
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • 0.25 tsp vanilla extract
  • 0.25 tsp salt
For the ice cream base
  • 2 cup heavy cream
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 0.75 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 5 egg yolks
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 0.25 tsp salt

Equipment

  • 1 saucepan
  • 1 ice cream maker

Method
 

Make praline pecans
  1. In a saucepan over medium heat, combine brown sugar, heavy cream, and butter. Cook, stirring, until it reaches 235°F (soft ball stage), watching for thick caramel and a syrupy sheen.
  2. Stir in pecan halves, vanilla extract, and salt. Continue cooking briefly until the pecans look fully coated in glossy caramel.
  3. Spread the hot praline mixture onto parchment to cool and harden. Let it set until firm, then break into crunchy chunks.
Cook the custard and chill
  1. Heat heavy cream, whole milk, and brown sugar until the sugar dissolves. Stop when steaming and smooth, but not boiling.
  2. Slowly whisk the hot dairy mixture into the egg yolks. Keep whisking so the custard stays smooth and thickens evenly.
  3. Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook until it reaches 175°F. The custard should coat the back of a spoon and look glossy.
  4. Strain the custard, then whisk in vanilla extract and salt. Cool completely to room temperature, then refrigerate for 4 hours.
Churn and finish
  1. Churn the chilled custard in an ice cream maker until it reaches soft-serve thickness. During the last 5 minutes of churning, add the praline pecan chunks so they distribute through the base.
  2. Transfer the ice cream to a container and freeze until firm. It will become scoopable with a dense, creamy texture as the praline pieces stay crunchy.

Notes

Pro tip: For the pralines, use a candy thermometer and don’t rush past 235°F—too far and the coating can turn bitter or grainy. Refrigerate leftover ice cream in a sealed container up to 3 days; it also freezes well up to 2 months (best texture within 1 month). For a lighter option, you can try replacing some heavy cream with additional whole milk, but the custard will churn softer and feel less rich.