WHAT YOU’LL NEED:

The beauty of this butter pecan ice cream recipe lies in its simplicity. You’ll only need 6 ingredients for this recipe, many of which are probably hiding somewhere in your pantry or fridge.

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
• 1 1/2 cups pecan pieces
• Salt
• 1 can sweetened condensed milk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups heavy cream
• Blender

HOW TO WHIP IT UP:

Now that you’ve gathered your ingredients, let’s get cookin’!

1. Stick a quart container or loaf pan in the freezer before starting. The longer and colder, the better!
2. Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add 1 cup of pecans, plus a pinch of salt, and toss to coat. Toast for about 5 minutes, stirring often and lowering the heat as needed so the nuts don’t burn, until very fragrant. Transfer to a large plate and immediately stick in the freezer to chill out.
3. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter to the emptied skillet and return to the stove over medium heat. Cook, watching closely, until the milk solids in the butter start to brown and smell like roasted hazelnuts. That’s when you know it’s ready! Pour the brown butter directly into a large bowl with the condensed milk.
4. Add the vanilla to the condensed milk, plus another pinch of salt, and stir to combine.
5. Add the remaining 1/2 cup of pecans to a blender. Process until powdery. Add a big splash of cream and process to combine, scraping down the sides as needed. Add another big splash and repeat until smooth. 
6. Now, pour in the rest of the cream and blend until the cream is whipped.
7. Scrape the whipped cream into the condensed milk/brown butter mixture and gently fold to combine. Now fold in the toasted pecans from the freezer until creamy with bits of toasty pecan goodness.
8. Remove the container from the freezer and add the ice cream. Cover and freeze for at least 6 hours, until the ice cream has set to your desired firmness. 
9. Scoop and enjoy!