Healthy Pecan Butter Ice Cream (Made in the Food Processor)

You may have heard of Butter Pecan ice cream, but what about Pecan Butter Ice Cream? Made using frozen bananas, pecan butter, molasses and pecans, this healthy pecan butter ice cream is made all in the food processor and full of a toasted pecan and praline flavor that’s sure to be a hit with the whole family!

I am a huge fan of pecan pie in all forms, pecan pie cheesecake, pecan pie bars… you name it. And even though summer is over, I am bringing back my favorite summer dessert by bringing in the warm, nutty and cozy fall flavors of the pecan pie.

Made with a heaping spoon of pecan butter which is basically pecans that have been ground and blended into a thick paste, then molasses and more pecans to amp up the flavor and texture- I can say to my southern friends back home this is one good pecan pie they need to make for their next potluck.

Ingredients used to make Pecan Butter Ice Cream

_{**I’ve linked some of these ingredients to amazon.com to give you an idea of what they are, but you should also be able to find them in your local grocery store (usually, the natural & organic food section). They are also affiliate links, which means that I earn a commission as an Amazon Associate if you decide to purchase the items. The price will be the same for you, link or no link 🙂}

• Bananas – best when ripe. The sweetest ones are yellow with brown spots.

• Molasses – I used molasses but you can use maple syrup, honey, agave syrup, or liquid stevia.

• Pecan Butter – this stuff is creamy, dense and full of the toasted pecan flavor that reminds me of fall. I do love pecan butter for this one but use any nut butter you have in hand — almond butter, cashew butter, even peanut butter; they’ll all work nicely

More Pecan Recipes to Check Out

How to Make

Recipe Variations and Optional Add Ins for Pecan Butter Ice Cream:

• Chocolate pecan pie icecream– Just fold in some cocoa powder and chocolate chips to the icecream before freezing.
• Sweet and salty pecan pie ice cream – love salted caramel? Add a 1/2 teaspoon of coarse salt and 1 teaspoon of caramel flavoring or extract into the ingredients before blending
• Oatmeal pecan pie ice cream- Stir in 1/4 cup of quick oats Into the nicecream before freezing
• Pumpkin pecan pie– Add 1/4 cup of pumpkin purée with the bananas and rest of the ingredients before blending.
  
• Coffee flavored pecan pie – Add 1 tablespoon of instant coffee granules into then ice cream ingredients, blend and enjoy!

How to Make this Healthier

• Make this even healthier by adding a handful of nuts, seeds and old-fashioned oats to add texture and nutrition before freezing.
• For a protein boost, you can also add a Tablespoon of protein powder of your choice when blending. I’ve tried using an unsweetened plant-based protein powder. You can also use chocolate protein powder 

What are some ways you can eat these?

• In a bowl or cup, drizzled with honey, maple syrup, caramel or chocolate syrup
• Stacked on a waffle or sugar cone

How to Store

• This icecream is best eaten within 1-2 days. The longer it is left frozen the harder it’d be to scoop. For best icecream consistency, take container out of the freezer and let sit out at room temperature for 10 mins. If it’s in a microwaveable container, you can also microwave it for 15 seconds until softened.

Final Tips

• Use ripened bananas for the best results!
• While a food processor will give you the best consistency for the icecream, you can also use a high-powered blender (such as Vitamix) that comes with a tamper. Use the tamper to push the ingredients into the blades of the blender to ensure the best results. 

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