Slow-Churned Vanilla Bean Ice Cream with Toasted Pecan Swirl

By Lauren Mitchell, Test Kitchen Director · Reviewed by AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-07-15 · Updated 2026-07-15

Luxuriously smooth vanilla bean ice cream made with slow-churned cream and swirled with toasted pecans for a rich, buttery finish. This american-inspired desserts ready in about 35 minutes layers whole milk, heavy cream, granulated sugar into a dessert worth slowing down for — great for weekend baking, holiday tables, or any time you want a sweet payoff at the end of a meal. Each serving lands at about 290 calories and feeds 8, so it slots into a weekend bake or a special-occasion dessert tray. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 2 cups whole milk
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
• 5 large egg yolks
• 1 cup toasted pecans, chopped
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter

Instructions

1. Step 1: In a medium saucepan, combine 2 cups whole milk, 2 cups heavy cream, 3/4 cup granulated sugar, and the seeds scraped from 1 split vanilla bean along with the pod. Heat over medium heat until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is hot but not boiling, about 5 minutes.
2. Step 2: In a large bowl, whisk 5 large egg yolks until pale and slightly thickened.
3. Step 3: Gradually pour about 1 cup of the hot milk mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly to temper the eggs.
4. Step 4: Pour the tempered egg yolk mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining hot milk mixture.
5. Step 5: Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon until the custard thickens enough to coat the back of the spoon (about 170°F), about 7-10 minutes. Do not boil.
6. Step 6: Remove from heat, strain the custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl to remove the vanilla pod and any cooked egg bits.
7. Step 7: Chill the custard in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours until fully cold.
8. Step 8: While custard chills, melt 1 tbsp unsalted butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add 1 cup chopped pecans and sauté for 3-4 minutes until fragrant and lightly toasted. Set aside to cool.
9. Step 9: Churn the chilled custard in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions until it reaches soft-serve consistency.
10. Step 10: Fold the toasted pecans gently into the ice cream, then transfer to a freezer-safe container and freeze for at least 3 hours to firm up before serving.