This creamy Brown Butter Ice Cream has toasty browned butter is mixed in to a simple ice cream base for a luxurious decadent ice cream.
I’ve had this recipe written in a notebook for years. For some reason or another I was nervous to make it. I’ve probably put it off for at least 6 years. Gah! I know. However this year, it was on.
I’ve made it a few times now and it’s SO good. Toasty, warm with notes of vanilla. It’s incredible. It’s also rich, so I like to have a small serving and savor it.
To Make This Brown Butter Ice Cream You Will Need:
- 1 stick unsalted butter, browned
- 4 egg yolks
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup whole milk
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
I highly recommend browning the butter the night before and letting it cool on the counter before making this ice cream. This gives the browned butter a chance to cool completely and solidify somewhat. No need to refrigerate.
In a large mixing bowl, measure and add the (cooled) brown butter, 4 egg yolks and 3/4 cup light brown sugar.
Whisk well until combined and the sugar has dissolved.
Meanwhile, add the 2 cups heavy cream and 1 cup whole milk into a heavy bottom sauce pan.
Heat until just simmering, stirring often to avoid scorching.
Slowly pour the hot cram and milk in while whisking the egg/brown sugar mixture.
Perfection!
Transfer this to a new saucepan.
Heat on low to medium-low until thickened and coats the back of the spoon. About 10 to 15 minutes.
Whisk in the vanilla.
Place a mesh strainer into a large bowl and pour the thickened ice cream base through to catch any impurities.
Allow to cool slightly before covering and refridgerating for 4 hours to overnight.
Once the brown butter ice cream base has chilled completely, following the manufacturers instructions, pour the ice cream base into the ice cream maker.
Churn on low-speed until thick.
Scrape the ice cream from the attachment and into a freezer safe container.
Spread evenly and freeze for 4 hours to overnight.
Scoop.
Serve.
Devour.
Enjoy! And if you give this Brown Butter Ice Cream recipe a try, let me know! Snap a photo and tag me on twitter or instagram!
Brown Butter Ice Cream
Ingredients
- 8 tablespoons browned butter, cooled completely (see notes)
- 4 egg yolks
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 1 cup whole milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Equipment
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl place the (cooled) brown butter, egg yolks and brown sugar. Whisk well until combined and sugar has dissolved.
- Meanwhile, pour the milk and heavy cream into a heavy bottom sauce pan. Heat until just simmering, stirring often to avoid scorching.
- While whisking, carefully pour the hot milk/cream into the bowl with the eggs and brown butter. Transfer this to a new saucepan and heat on low to medium-low until thickened and coats the back of the spoon. About 10 minutes.
- Place a mesh strainer into a large bowl and pour the thickened ice cream base through to catch any impurities.
- Whisk in the vanilla and allow to cool slightly before covering and refridgerating for 4 hours to overnight.
- Once the brown butter ice cream base has chilled completely, following the manufacturers instructions, pour the ice cream base into the ice cream maker and churn until thick.
- Transfer the thickened ice cream into a freezer-safe container and freeze for 4 hours or overnight.
- Serve scoops in ice cream cones or into bowls.
Notes
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OMG! Laurie, this sounds like the best ice cream ever! I would never have thought to use browned butter for ice cream… but, of course, it makes everything better! I can’t wait to try this! Thanks!
Thank you, Jane! I agree! Brown butter makes everything so much better!
I am making this! I belong to a group that orders organic pastured butter in bulk. I have 40 pounds of butter so this recipe came at the perfect time! As usual, I love the way you lay out your recipes. So easy to follow.
Thank you!
Enjoy!
I’m not sure what I did wrong, but the ice cream stayed as a liquid – it wouldn’t churn.
My batter was in the fridge over night, and my ice cream churning bowl was completely frozen, so I don’t think it’s a temperature thing.
Hopefully we can debug what I did wrong so that I can get the full experience of brown butter ice cream.
This reads like a very tasty ice cream.
There are 4 star restaurants that offer brown
butter ice cream with dessert.
This looks so good! I love the rich flavors in this recipe!
Thanks for sharing! Does it keep long?
Mine didn’t thicken in the ice cream maker either. I followed the recipe, chilled the batter overnight, and made sure the ice cream mixing bowl was in the freezer for a couple of days… Something must be wrong with the consistency of the liquid because it never thickened.
I made this yesterday. Used dark brown sugar, packed not loose…which may be the reason other posters versions didn’t freeze. The proper amount of sugar is a big factor in the freezing results. I also added broken pieces of homemade toffee my sister made me for my birthday! Perfectly creamy texture. Completely addicting but a little goes a long way. I’d probably add a 1/2t of sea salt to the mix because salt on ice cream makes it even more decadent, if that’s even possible. I took pictures but not sure where to upload. Thank you!
Followed recipe except for using half the vanilla called for. So happy I found this recipe after having this flavor for the first time at Coneflower in Omaha. For me, the browned butter flavor was there in mixing process, but nearly lost after freezing. The consistency was creamy, but with an odd “flour” like texture left on the tongue. Good, but not what I was hoping for.
Lauren,
I had the exact same experience as you with this recipe. Not sure why but won’t be using this recipe again.
Great recipe. I followed it and at the end added 4 home made crushed up pecan and raisin butter tarts. It was very decadent.
Mine setup fine and had a nice texture, but it had an overwhelmingly eggy flavor – no real hint of browned butter at all. I even tried adding edible cookie dough chunks, but can’t get past the egg taste.
A number of steps in the recipe seemed unnecessary to me – I understand the need to temper the eggs, but why cool the brown butter before adding the sugar? (made dissolving it more of a chore) and why a second saucepan? Perhaps there is a scientific reason? I’d love to understand that better.
Delicious! with a couple of modifications. Instead of 3/4 cup of brown sugar, I put in a scant 1/2 cup of brown sugar as I dislike overly sweet desserts. It still tasted sweet. Made me think I could reduce the sugar a little more. And I added sea salt, likely half a tsp or so (I didn’t measure, went by taste). I used duck eggs as my daughter raises ducks. Likely made it richer but didn’t affect flavor. I will make it again. Rather like salted caramel ice cream but way easier to make.
Delicious! with a couple of modifications. Instead of 3/4 cup of brown sugar, I put in a scant 1/2 cup of brown sugar as I dislike overly sweet desserts. It still tasted sweet. Made me think I could reduce the sugar a little more. And I added sea salt, likely half a tsp or so (I didn’t measure, went by taste). I used duck eggs as my daughter raises ducks. Likely made it richer but didn’t affect flavor. I will make it again. Rather like salted caramel ice cream but way easier to make.
Absolutely phenomenal! One of the best ice creams I’ve had. I recommend adding a bit of salt, almost tastes like salted caramel.
The taste was good but the texture was gross and chunky. The butter just solidifies in tiny pebble chunks to make it nothing like creamy smooth ice cream. Followed the recipe to a T. Not sure this person has ever tried this recipe but maybe just made it up as she went??