• Start by

  browning the butter.

  This is optional but gives a lot of flavor.
  1 1/2 cup (340g) salted butter

Candied Pecans

• Add 2 Tbsp of brown butter to a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the brown sugar and water and stir until it’s fully combined. 
  2 Tbsp (28g) browned butter, 1/2 cup (100g) dark brown sugar, 2 Tbsp (30mL) water
• Allow the sugar to dissolve completely while stirring frequently for 2-3 minutes. 
• Add the pecans and cinnamon and continue to cook for 3-5 minutes, stirring continuously until the sugar fully coats the pecans and there’s almost no liquid left. 
  2 cups pecan halves, 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• Spread the pecans out onto a sheet of parchment/silicone mat to cool completely. 
• Once they’ve cooled, finely chop them into smaller chunks. 

Butter Pecan Ice Cream

• Add the cold heavy whipping cream to a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat at medium speed for 2 minutes until it starts to thicken and then increase the speed to high. 
  2 cups (480mL) heavy whipping cream
• Beat for another 1-2 minutes until the heavy whipping cream is fully whipped and holds stiff peaks. 
• Add the sweetened condensed milk, vanilla bean paste and browned butter and mix just until they’re fully combined.
  1 can (14oz) sweetened condensed milk, 2 tsp vanilla bean paste, 2 Tbsp (28g) browned butter
• Fold in the chopped pecans just until they’ve evenly distributed.
  2 cups candied pecans
• Line a 9 inch square baking pan with parchment paper (with an overhang for easy removal) and spread the ice cream in the pan. Freeze for about 4-6 hours.
• Use the parchment overhang to remove the ice cream from the pan and place it onto a cutting board. Use a biscuit cutter/round cookie cutter that’s a little smaller than the size of the cookies to cut 9 rounds of ice cream. They’ll stick to the cookie cutter so just press them back down on to the cutting board with your finger.
• Once you have 9 circles cut out, place them back in the freezer. Then make the cookies. 

Butter Pecan Cookies

• Preheat the oven to 350F/177C convection (325F/163C conventional) and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
• Place one cup of the browned butter into a large bowl with the brown sugar. 
  1 cup (227g) salted European style butter, 1 cup (200g) light brown sugar
• Use a whisk to combine the butter and sugar together for 1-2 minutes. 
• Add the egg and continue whisking until the mixture is smooth and pale, about 2-3 more minutes.
  1 large egg
• Use a spatula to fold in the flour, baking powder and cinnamon just until the flour is almost combined.
  2 1/4 cup (270g) all purpose flour, 2 tsp baking powder, 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• Fold in the chopped pecans just until they’re evenly distributed.
  1 cup (150g) candied pecan halves
• Use a 2 oz cookie scoop to scoop 18 balls of dough into rounds, 6 per pan. Flatten them slightly and bake for about 11-12 minutes, just until the edges begin to brown.
• Remove the cookies from the oven, slam the pan onto the counter a couple of times and use a biscuit cutter or large cup to scoot the cookies around to make them perfectly round. 
• Let the cookies cool completely to room temperature. 
• Place the rounds of ice cream onto half of the cookies and top with the other half of the cookies.
• Serve immediately or place them in an airtight container and return to the freezer.