This Butter Brickle Ice Cream recipe is rich, buttery smooth, and taken to the next level with easy homemade toffee. It’s similar to butter pecan ice cream but even better! With only 7 ingredients, this is the perfect dessert for summer!
Love sweets? Try my Peanut Butter M&M Ice Cream Cookie Sandwiches and my Easy Blackberry Crisp!
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What Is Butter Brickle Ice Cream?
Butter Brickle is my all time favorite ice cream flavor. I first tasted this ice cream at a local ice cream shop that makes there own ice cream with the cream from their very own dairy cows. (Pretty awesome huh?) I like butter pecan ice cream and thought this would be similar. I found out that it was similar, BUT so much better! Butter Brickle Ice Cream is sweet with a hint of caramel with lot’s of crunch from the toffee bits.
Butter Brickle ice cream can be a hard flavor to find, so I was super excited to finally make it at home. This ice cream is made with cream, butter, brown sugar, homemade toffee, and vanilla. It is all heated together and then frozen in an ice cream maker.
If you are a toffee lover like me, then you’ll love this recipe! This ice cream is incredibly easy to make. Add all of the ice cream ingredients to a saucepan and cook just until the sugar dissolves. Let the mixture cool in the fridge and add to your ice cream maker.
Do I Really Need To Make Homemade Toffee?
You can certainly use crumbled store-bought toffee if you’re in a pinch, but this homemade toffee recipe is so good and so easy! It’s well worth the extra effort. For a quick swap you could substitute crushed up health bars!
All you have to do it add butter and brown sugar to a small saucepan and cook until it reaches 300 degrees. Pour onto a silicone baking mat and wait for it to cool and firm up. Then, break it into pieces and combine with cream mixture before freezing. So simple!
Ingredients
- Half and Half and Heavy Whipping Cream: This is the cream base for your ice cream. I like using half and half along with heavy cream because it’s not as rich, but still creamy. The combination of the two makes for the perfect ice cream base!
- Light Brown Sugar: This will give the ice cream a caramel sweet flavor.
- Vanilla Extract: Make sure to use pure vanilla extract and not imitation!
- Unsalted Butter: To meld everything together and add a buttery flavor to pair with the caramel-y brown sugar and toffee.
- Homemade Toffee: You only need 1/3 cup light brown sugar and 5 tablespoons unsalted butter to make the BEST homemade toffee! So worth the effort!
How To Make Homemade Toffee
Making toffee at home is surprisingly easy which is dangerous! Simply add the light brown sugar and butter to a small saucepan. Bring it to a boil over medium-high heat. Continue to cook until a candy thermometer reaches 300 degrees. If the mixture gets too brown, then turn down the heat.
Pour the toffee mixture onto a silicone baking sheet and allow to cool.
Once it has cooled, break up the toffee into pieces and set aside. (I like to place them in a Ziploc bag and use a mallet to crumble them up).
How To Make Butter Brickle Ice Cream
- Make ice cream base: Add the b
- Add half and half, butter, brown sugar and vanilla to a medium saucepan. Over low heat cook until sugar dissolves, stirring occasionally.
-
Take off of the heat and add in the heavy cream. Refrigerate mixture for 2-4 hours or overnight. (This helps get the ice cream really cold before we freeze it)
- Take chilled ice cream out of the refrigerator and add to your ice cream maker to churn. Follow manufactures instructions.
- Stir in toffee: After the ice cream is done, sprinkle in the homemade toffee, and stir. Add some to the top before freezing. Next, wait (im)patiently until it’s frozen, and enjoy!
Variations
- Add some chopped dark chocolate along with the homemade toffee to get Health Bar vibes!
- Fold in some roasted or candied nuts like peanuts or pecans for more crunch.
- Drizzle with my homemade chocolate sauce before serving.
- Instead of homemade toffee add in crushed up health bars.
Storage Instructions
Store the ice cream in the container you freeze it in or in a freezer-safe, airtight container for up to 1 month. (Although it probably won’t last that long!)
More Dessert Recipes To Try
Butter Brickle Ice cream made with Homemade Toffee
Ingredients
Butter Brickle Ice cream with Homemade Toffee
- 16 ounces half and half
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
Homemade Toffee
- 1/3 cup light brown sugar
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
Instructions
Butter Brickle Ice cream with Homemade Toffee
- Add half and half, butter, brown sugar and vanilla to a medium saucepan. Over low heat cook until sugar dissolves, stirring occasionally. Take off of the heat and add in the heavy cream. Refrigerate mixture for 2-4 hours or overnight. (This helps get the ice cream really cold before we freeze it)
- Take chilled ice cream out of the refrigerator and add to your ice cream maker to churn. Follow manufactures instructions.
- After the ice cream is done sprinkle in the homemade toffee and stir.
Homemade Toffee
- Add brown sugar and butter to a small saucepan. Cook over low medium heat for 8-10 minutes whisking constantly. Continue to cook until a candy thermometer reaches 300 degrees. If the mixture is getting too brown turn down the heat.
- Pour mixture onto a silicon baking sheet or greased parchment paper and allow to cool.
- Once cooled break up the toffee into pieces and set aside. (I place them in a ziploc bag and use a mallet to crumble them up).
Nutrition Information
Did you make this?
I'd love to hear your feedback! Leave a review and make sure to share your pictures on social media! Don't forget to follow @thechefsavvy.
Terry
I can’t wait to try this. Bridgeman’s in Minnesota has always had butter Brinkley’s but have not seen it anywhere else. Thanks for giving me a taste of home.
Joan denison
Haven’t made this yet?. I don’t have a candy thermometer but have made candy often. What stage is 300 degrees
Nathan
Hi Joan,
300 is Hard Crack stage (300-310). I hope you enjoy! Thank you for commenting!
Nathan
Kayla
This tasted delicious but mine came out gritty. Not icy but gritty in texture like it separated or something. Also left coating on top of mouth. Could you tell me what I could have done wrong. Thanks. Would love to figure it out cause eats delicious.
Kelley Simmons
Hi Kayla,
Im wondering if it could possibly be overchurned. I found this article that addresses some of the issues you were having and think it will be helpful. https://food52.com/blog/13333-5-common-homemade-ice-cream-issues-how-to-fix-them
I hope this helps!
Kelley
JoanL
I don’t want hard chunks I’m my ice cream
Isn’t there a way to make toffee ice cream. I mean real toffee ice cream, not vanilla with chunks
Kelley Simmons
Hi Joan,
I would make a caramel flavored ice cream. You still get the flavor of the toffee without the chunks. Heres a good recipe: https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/salted-caramel-ice-cream-354517
Thanks!
Kelley
Ildi
This ice cream is delicious! Butter brickle is my husband’s favorite but it’s really hard to find in stores. Once we got our ice cream maker I was excited to try this recipe. It’s a great one and we’ll make this again and again! I was surprised the custard didn’t have eggs in it, but it’s still very creamy and without eggs it’s easier to prepare.
Kelley Simmons
So happy to hear you enjoyed this recipe thank you! It is my favorite ice cream flavor too!
Ann eaves
Can’t wait till we try it ! it’s for my hubby
Tamela Hawley
This is the butter brickle ice cream that I remember.
Kelley Simmons
Yah that makes me so happy to hear!!