Butterscotch Ice Cream

Butterscotch ice cream takes the rich classic flavor of butterscotch candies into a homemade ice cream. This churned ice cream is extra creamy with a caramel like flavor that is almost impossible to resist!

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Ice cream is always a winning dessert! Making it at home is easy and I love the simple ingredient list for this butterscotch ice cream.

This recipe starts with a homemade butterscotch sauce and then a custard based ice cream. It has that rich, classic butterscotch flavor while not being too sweet. Enjoy it in an ice cream cone or cup and you have the perfect make ahead dessert.

This butterscotch ice cream contains eggs and uses an ice cream maker, much like my cinnamon ice cream or Ben and Jerry's copycat cool britannia ice cream. If you prefer a no churn ice cream with no eggs, check out my white chocolate ice cream, brownie batter ice cream or funfetti ice cream.

why you will love this churned ice cream

• Flavor ~ dark brown sugar in the butterscotch sauce and ice cream base give this homemade ice cream a bold butterscotch flavor. No artificial ingredients or melted butterscotch chips here!
• Texture ~ this recipe has the perfect balance of milk and cream to give this butterscotch ice cream an extra creamy consistency.
• Easy to make ~ the easy homemade butterscotch sauce whips up in about 10 minutes and the ice cream base takes about 15. The hardest part is waiting for it to cool before churning and then letting it chill until firm!
• Budget friendly ~ have you been to Baskin Robbins or Cold Stone lately?! I took the girls for ice cream a couple weeks ago and it was $18 for the three of us to get a scoop each. Making ice cream at home is definitely easier on the budget!

ingredient list

Please scroll to the printable recipe card at the end of this post for the full list of ingredients and baking directions.

• Butter ~ gets melted for the base of the butterscotch sauce. If you only have salted butter, leave out the kosher salt.
• Brown sugar ~ I highly recommend using dark brown sugar in this recipe for the best butterscotch flavor. It has a richer flavor, thanks to more molasses. If you only have light brown sugar, it will work, but the butterscotch flavor won't be as bold. Dark brown sugar is used in both the sauce and ice cream.
• Granulated sugar ~ used in the ice cream base, just use your favorite brand of white sugar.
• Kosher salt ~ just a touch to balance the sweetness. This is not a salted butterscotch sauce. If you only have table salt, start with half the amount.
• Heavy cream ~ brings richness to both the sauce and the ice cream. Heavy cream should have a minimum of 36% milk fat.
• Half and half ~ used for the ice cream base. Typically half and half has a 10.5 - 18% milk fat.
• Milk ~ I use 1% milk to balance the richness of the heavy cream and half and half. You could substitute 2% or whole milk.
• Vanilla ~ used in both the butterscotch sauce and ice cream to add flavor.
• Eggs ~ two large eggs are needed for the ice cream base. They add rich flavor and help to give the butterscotch ice cream a smooth and creamy texture.

how to make homemade butterscotch sauce

Melt the unsalted butter in a heavy bottomed sauce pan over medium heat. Once melted add the dark brown sugar, kosher salt and heavy cream and mix until fully combined.

Bring the mixture to a low boil, stirring and scraping the sides of the pan occasionally and allow to boil for 4-5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the vanilla.

Pour half of the butterscotch sauce into a heat proof container and half of the butterscotch into a bowl {I prefer a metal bowl} which is large enough to whisk the ice cream base into. Set aside while you make the ice cream.

The butterscotch sauce in the container can be stored in the refrigerator once it has cooled.

how to make the ice cream base

In a small bowl, whisk the eggs.  Set aside.

In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, stir together the dark brown sugar, granulated sugar, half and half and ½ cup of milk.  When the mixture begins to simmer, remove it from the heat and quickly whisk half of the mixture into the beaten eggs.  Whisking quickly helps to keep the eggs from scrambling. Pour the egg mixture back into the saucepan and stir in the heavy cream and remaining ½ cup of milk. 

Cook over medium-low heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a metal spoon, approximately 10 minutes. You don't want the mixture to boil. If you want to check with a thermometer, the temperature should be around 170°F.

Remove the saucepan from the heat and whisk in vanilla.  Pour the butterscotch ice cream base into the bowl with half the butterscotch sauce in it and whisk to fully combine. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap {press the wrap down onto the top of the ice cream base} and refrigerate until completely cool. 4 hours minimum and ideally 12-24 hours. I shoot for the ice cream to be cooler than 45°F.

time to churn the ice cream!

Once the butterscotch ice cream has chilled until very cold, pour into an ice cream maker {this is the updated version of the Cuisinart I have} and churn approximately 30 minutes.

Pull the butterscotch sauce out of the refrigerator to warm up while you churn the ice cream.

Once ice cream has finished churning, move half the ice cream to a freezer safe container and top with half of the reserved butterscotch sauce. Then add the remaining ice cream and drizzle with the remaining butterscotch. Cover the container with it's lid or plastic wrap and store in the freezer.  {An air tight container is best}.

tips and troubleshooting

• If you worry that you did scramble the eggs a little, you can pour the ice cream base over a fine mesh strainer to remove any clumps.
• If the butterscotch sauce has gotten too firm, lightly warm it. I place the butterscotch container in about an inch of water in the bottom of a sauce pan and warm the water over a medium-low temperature. Stir the sauce until it's a pourable consistency. If it still seems too thick, you can add a tablespoon or two of heavy cream.
• Chill the ice cream base until it is very cold! Ideally 12-24 hours, but 4 hours at a minimum. I use my Thermapen to check the temperature before placing in my ice cream maker. My goal is to have it under 45°F. The colder the base is, the thicker the final ice cream will be.
• Chill the container your ice cream will be stored in. Keeping the butterscotch ice cream as cold as possible will yield the best extra creamy texture. I usually pop my container in the freezer when I place the ice cream custard in the refrigerator to chill.
• If you want to add any mix-ins to the ice cream, keep them small, no bigger than a blueberry!

frequently asked questions

what is the difference between butterscotch and caramel?

Classic butterscotch uses brown sugar and butter. Caramel starts with granulated {white} sugar and may or may not use butter. They taste similar, but butterscotch tends to be more rich in flavor.

can I make ice cream without an ice cream maker?

Yes! No churn ice cream has been all the rage the last several years. You can use the vanilla ice cream portion of this cherry bourbon ice cream recipe. Mix the butterscotch sauce in with the sweetened condensed milk.

is butterscotch ice cream gluten free?

Yes, the butterscotch ice cream ingredient list is gluten free.

how to store

Store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 months. An airtight container can help to prevent freezer burn. {I tend to use a loaf pan or cake pan because they photograph better, but I always move the ice cream to an airtight container for storage}!

Remember to snap a picture and tag me on Instagram if you make this Butterscotch Ice Cream. It warms my heart to see you bring these recipes to life! Thank you for being here and happy baking!

more butterscotch desserts to try

• Butterscotch Mixed Nut Bars
• Nordy Bars {Butterscotch Bars}
• Butterscotch Pretzel Cookies

If you make this recipe {or any recipe!} from two sugar bugs please come back and leave a review and a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star rating.  I read every comment, and I LOVE hearing from you!