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Pecan Praline and Cream Ice Cream

Pecan praline ice cream with caramelized praline pecans folded into a creamy vanilla custard base. The candy-coated nut clusters crack through the smooth, rich ice cream for that classic Southern pralines and 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: 500
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. Combine brown sugar, heavy cream, and butter in a saucepan over medium heat and cook until it reaches 235F (soft ball stage), stirring constantly.
  2. Stir in pecan halves, then cook 1 minute more until glossy; mix in vanilla extract and salt, and immediately spread the candy on parchment.
  3. Let praline pecans cool until hardened, then break into chunks for folding later.
Cook custard base
  1. Heat heavy cream, whole milk, and brown sugar in a saucepan until the sugar dissolves and the mixture looks smooth.
  2. Slowly whisk the hot cream mixture into egg yolks until combined and glossy.
  3. Cook the custard to 175F, stirring, until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
  4. Strain the custard, then whisk in vanilla extract and salt, scraping for even seasoning.
  5. Cool completely, then refrigerate 4 hours until very cold.
Churn and freeze
  1. Churn the chilled custard in an ice cream maker until it reaches a thick, soft-serve texture.
  2. Fold in praline pecan chunks during the last 5 minutes of churning so they stay evenly distributed with a crunchy bite.
  3. Transfer to a container and freeze until firm, until the surface is set and scoopable.

Notes

Key pro tip: Use a candy thermometer for both the praline soft-ball stage (235F) and the custard set point (175F) to avoid grainy pralines or scrambled custard. Refrigerate custard/base 4 hours minimum; once churned, keep covered in the freezer for up to 2 weeks. Freezing yes—best texture within 1–2 weeks. For a dairy-light swap, use lactose-free whole milk and cream (or a lactose-free heavy cream) while keeping fat levels similar so the custard still emulsifies properly.