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If you love the taste of butter pecan ice cream, no-bake butter pecan crunch is the perfect combination of sweet and salty flavors. Topped with a generous sprinkle of crumbled Heath bars, butter pecan crunch has a filling that is a creamy mix of vanilla pudding and rich butter pecan ice cream, which sits atop a buttery graham cracker crust.
Butter Pecan Crunch
Butter pecan crunch might just be the perfect no-bake dessert. With its delicious graham crust, creamy, buttery filling, and a generous topping of crumbled Heath bars, this butter pecan crunch recipe will have everyone asking for more.
You can serve this dessert as is or take it up a notch by adding a drizzle of chocolate sauce or caramel sauce. It’s also yummy with a dollop of whipped cream! Enjoy a slice with a cup of coffee or a mug of hot chocolate.
Surprisingly simple to put together, butter crunch treat is a no-bake ice cream cake that combines the thick ice cream base with the crunchy graham crust and lots of pecans for a satisfying texture. Whether you’re looking to create something special for an upcoming event or just want to enjoy something sweet, this butter pecan dessert tastes like a butter pecan ice cream sandwich and is sure to become a new family favorite.
Butter Pecan Crunch Ingredients
- Sugar - granulated sugar
- Sugar - brown sugar
- Graham crackers - crushed
- Butter
- Milk
- Pudding - instant vanilla pudding
- Ice cream - butter pecan ice cream
- Cool Whip
- Candy bars - Heath candy bars
This yummy ice-box recipe isn’t just limited to butter pecan, either. Chocolate ice cream and butterscotch ice cream are both great choices or you can test out your favorite ice cream flavors.
Feel free to add any other of your favorite toppings onto your ice cream cake. Extra chopped nuts are a great choice. If you can’t find Heath candy bars, crumbled-up Skor bars or toffee chips would be a yummy alternative. You can also choose another type of milk or dark chocolate bar if you’d like.
To make crumbling the Heath bars easier, put them in the freezer while the dessert is chilling. You can either purchase crushed graham cracker crumbs or crush your own by pulsing them in a food processor or putting the crackers in a Ziploc bag and crushing them with a rolling pin.
Substitutions and Additions
CANDY BARS: If you find Heath candy bars inaccessible, consider using crushed Skor bars or toffee chips as a delightful substitute. Alternatively, you may opt for different varieties of milk or dark chocolate bars according to your preference.
TOPPINGS: Don't hesitate to garnish your ice cream cake with any additional toppings that you fancy. A generous sprinkle of chopped nuts can be an excellent option.
How to Make Butter Pecan Crunch
FIRST STEP: Combine the graham crumbs and white and brown sugar together. Add the melted butter to make a crumbly paste.
SECOND STEP: Press mixture into the bottom of a 9x13-inch pan and refrigerate for 10 minutes.
THIRD STEP: Mix milk and vanilla pudding together, then add butter pecan ice cream.

FOURTH STEP: Pour on top of the graham cracker crust, then put in the freezer to chill.
FIFTH STEP: Before serving, top with Cool Whip and 2 chopped up Heath candy bars.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a different type of crushed cookie base rather than the graham crackers?
This creamy butter pecan crunch recipe would also work with vanilla sandwich cookies or a Nilla wafer crust.
If I can’t find Heath bars, what would be a good substitute?
Skor bars are very similar to Heath bars, so they would work great if you can’t find Heath bars. Toffee bits would also be a great topping for this treat!
Can I use a different ice cream flavor in this no-bake recipe?
This is a fun recipe to experiment with. It is flexible enough that you could use any flavor of ice cream you’d like.
How to Store Butter Pecan Crunch
IN THE FREEZER: Store any leftovers of this pecan butter crunch recipe in the freezer in an airtight container for up to three months.
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Butter Pecan Crunch
Ingredients
Crust
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 10 graham crackers, crushed
- 7 tablespoons melted butter
Filling
- 2 cups milk
- 3.4 ounces instant vanilla pudding
- 1 quart butter pecan ice cream
- 8 ounces Cool Whip
- 2 Heath candy bars
DIRECTIONS
- Combine the graham crumbs and white and brown sugar together. Add the melted butter to make a crumbly paste.
- Press mixture into the bottom of a 9x13-inch pan and refrigerate for 10 minutes.
- Mix milk and vanilla pudding together, then add butter pecan ice cream.
- Pour on top of the graham cracker crust, then put in the freezer to chill.
- Before serving, top with Cool Whip and 2 chopped up Heath candy bars.
WATCH THIS RECIPE VIDEO
Notes
- Crush the graham crackers either by pulsing them in a food processor until they are crumbs or put the crackers in a Ziploc bag and crush them with a rolling pin.
- Put the Heath bars in the freezer while the dessert is chilling to make them easier to crumble.
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