This sweet & buttery ice cream flavor is what nostalgia tastes like. In my opinion there is nothing better than a scoop of good old-fashioned Butter Brickle Ice Cream. The creamy salted caramel ice cream is loaded with crunchy toffee pieces for the most heavenly dessert.
Why this Homemade Butter Brickle Ice Cream Recipe is Amazing: My ice cream base has a deep caramel flavor & it's packed full of crunchy old-fashioned toffee for the ultimate luscious, rich, & decadent cold treat.
I decided to take a chance and create this recipe after having tiny pieces of leftovers from my homemade english toffee recipe. I know what you are thinking, leftover - toffee - come on, no such thing!
When I break the bark into pieces, small shards are left behind which I save - never waste candy. We like to sprinkle them on sundaes or add to baked goods. This time I saved some for ice cream & DANG, it's fantastic if I do say so myself.
This was inspired by my recipe for Candy Bar Ice Cream also found on this site, and like my Sea Salt Toffee Chocolate Chip Cookies, it's sweet & salty in every bite. Ok, now let's get churning!
Ingredients
All you need is 6 simple ingredients for this recipe. I start this ice cream with classic vanilla ice cream ingredients.
This ice cream is a bit different than most since it's made without white sugar. I am using brown sugar instead to create the yummy caramel/butterscotch scent and taste. It's also egg-free; this is not a custard-style ice cream.
Here are the ingredients needed to make butter brickle ice cream from scratch.
- Whole Milk - full-fat dairy is best; I do not recommend using low-fat, skim etc or your ice cream will be "icy".
- Heavy Cream - the fat content in cream makes the best consistency.
- Light Brown Sugar - for creating the butter toffee sauce & for sweetening the vanilla base.
- Salted Butter - key ingredient for the butter toffee sauce & gives it the salted caramel flavor.
- Vanilla - a classic ingredient in the best ice cream flavors.
- Toffee Candy - I use my recipe for homemade classic toffee, which does have a bit of chocolate, but any store-bought candy bar or Health bits will work.
See the recipe card for quantities & substitutions/variations.
How to Make Butter Brickle Ice Cream in an Ice Cream Maker
This vintage recipe could not be easier. There is no cooking a custard or prepping a bunch of items. The hardest part is planning ahead if you need to freeze your ice cream maker insert 1-2 days beforehand.
This recipe is for a churned ice cream and uses an ice cream maker. I have a 1.5quart Cuisinart which is amazing & fits this recipe perfectly. You can use whichever machine you have & follow the manufacture's instructions.
Here are the easy steps for making butter brickle ice cream with toffee pieces.
- Make the Ice Cream Base
- Churn & Layer
- Freeze & Serve
See the step-by-step instructions with photos below plus the recipe card at the end of the post.
1 - Make the Ice Cream Base
There are two steps to this recipe since it has a homemade salted butter toffee sauce. But it is still so simple to whip up a batch & worth the tiny bit of effort.
In a large mixing bowl add the vanilla ice cream ingredients & whisk. Place in the freezer to keep it cold while making the butter brickle sauce.
In a medium pot add the toffee/butter brickle sauce items. Over medium heat stir & cook until sugar is dissolved & butter has melted.
Reduce heat to medium-low. Scrape down the edges as you stir and cook for 2-4 minutes. Once it has thickened & reaches a golden brown color as seen here, turn off the heat, add vanilla, & let it cool for 5 minutes.
Add the butter sauce to the chilled ice cream base. Whisk to combine.
Place the bowl in the freezer for 30 minutes for it to get very cold. You do NOT want to start churning now since the sauce is still a bit warm.
2 - Churn & Layer
After the base is very cold, assemble your ice cream maker as needed. Whisk the ice cream up to redistribute just in case any sauce has settled & didn't dissolve the first time.
You will also need a freezer-safe container that can hold 6 cups or 1.5 quarts. I like these shallow containers for ice cream when I am adding mix-ins because it give you more surface area versus a deep tall. container
Pour the base into your ice cream maker & churn until it is thick & fluffy. Mine takes about 10 minutes.
- If you need to chop up a Heath bar or any toffee pieces, now is the time.
Scoop half the ice cream into the container & sprinkle with half of the toffee pieces. I like to swirl them in so some fall to the bottom and get everywhere.
Top with remaining ice cream & the other half of the toffee pieces. Stir to mix in if you desire.
3 - Freeze & Serve
Place the ice cream in the freezer to set and harden. Let it freeze for 5-6 hours before trying to scoop it. I find this recipe takes longer than my other recipes to freeze, likely due to the moisture content from the brown sugar and the butter.
Once the ice cream is solid enough, scoop into bowls or on a cone to enjoy. Every bite should be loaded with bits of toffee candy.
You have been warned - this ice cream is crazy addicting. The deep brown sugar flavor is decadent and will be hard to resist.
HOW TO STORE : This will store in the freezer for up to 30 days like most ice cream. I do have to confess, it did not last 2 days in our house and probably won't in yours either.
Recipe Tips & Behind the Scenes
Here is my recipe for success - including what I learned when testing, funny stories or bloopers, and more.
- #1 tip - DO NOT substitute the full-fat dairy with low-fat, skim, or non-fat.
- You can use dark brown sugar if you need to as a substitute - just know your caramel sauce will be a deeper color.
- All the ingredients are easy to find and likely already in your refrigerator or pantry.
- Make sure your ice cream maker can hold 1.5 quarts or more.
- Instead of using my homemade chocolate-covered toffee with almonds, use Health Bits of Brickle which is similar.
- So few brands still make butter brickle ice cream so it is hard to buy & why making it at home is how to go.
- Butter brickle is a midwest favorite having been invented in Omaha Nebraska in the 1920s.
- I first fell in love with this flavor at one of the best ice cream shops when going to Santa Cruz for beach days as a kid, Marianne's.
- If you love butter pecan or pralines & cream ice cream, you will love this too.
- My love for the butter sauce in this recipe was the inspiration for my Butterscotch Fudge Recipe.
Butter Brickle Ice Cream
Equipment
- ice cream maker makes 1.5 quarts or more
Ingredients
Butter Brickle Toffee Sauce
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- ¼ cup light brown sugar
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
Ice Cream Base
- 1.5 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup whole milk
- ¾ cup light brown sugar
- ½ tablespoon vanilla
- butter brickle toffee sauce
- 1 cup chopped homemade toffee or Heath Bar toffee bits
Instructions
- Ensure the ice cream insert has been frozen to the model's instructions. This is usually 24 hours minimum.
TOFFEE SAUCE
- In a medium sauce pan add the butter, brown sugar, cream, & salt. Over medium heat, stir with a rubber spatula (works better than a spoon) and warm until the sugar completely dissolves. Try to stir slowly & keep the sugar from clinging to the sides of the pot - this will result in a grainy toffee sauce since the sugar cannot dissolve. Scrape down the sides with the rubber spatula as you cook.2 tablespoons salted butter, ¼ cup light brown sugar, ¼ cup heavy cream, pinch of salt
- Once the sugar is dissolved, decrease the heat to medium-low. Let it lightly simmer & thicken - without stirring - for 2-4 minutes. There should be tiny bubbles in the center. When it has thickened & become a dark amber color, turn off the heat.
- Stir in the vanilla & set aside for it to cool.½ teaspoon vanilla extract
ICE CREAM BASE
- In a large mixing bowl use a whisk to beat cream, milk, sugar, & vanilla and beat until combined.1.5 cups heavy cream, 1 cup whole milk, ¾ cup light brown sugar, ½ tablespoon vanilla
- Place the bowl in the freezer for 15 minutes. The more chilled the ice cream base is, the faster it will churn.
- After 15 minutes, pour in the butter brickle toffee sauce. Stir to combine. Place back in the freezer for another 15 minutes.butter brickle toffee sauce
- Get your ice cream machine ready and slowly pour the chilled vanilla mixture into the cold insert. Let your ice cream maker do all the work. While it is churning, chop up the candies for the next step. Run the ice cream maker for about 15 minutes or until it is ready. It should be the consistency of soft-serve ice cream.1 cup chopped homemade toffee
- Scoop out ⅓ of the fresh ice cream and place it into a freezer-safe container. Sprinkle the top with chopped toffee pieces. Using a spoon or spatula, mix and swirl in the candy to distribute evenly.Top with another ⅓ of the ice cream. Add candy and again mix in. Top with the last bit of ice cream and candy. Mix & swirl to distribute.
- Freeze this for about 3-5 hours. It will then be ready to serve after it chills for hours.
- When it reaches the firmness you desire, scoop it into bowls or onto ice cream cones. ENJOY!
Notes
- Use Health Bar or Skor chopped up instead of making my recipe for homemade toffee.
- Use a nut-free or chocolate-free toffee, Heath Bits of Brickle for those with allergies.
- Use storebought caramel or butterscotch sundae sauce to swirl in at the end instead of the homemade butter brickle sauce.
- This ice cream stores well for up to 30 days in the freezer.
- Homemade ice cream without preservatives or stabilizers often freezes more solid than store-bought. Let it sit out at room temperature for 5 minutes to soften before scooping.
Nutrition
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