Christine GallaryFood Editor-at-Large
Christine graduated from Le Cordon Bleu in Paris, France, and she has worked at Cook's Illustrated and CHOW.com. She lives in San Francisco and loves teaching cooking classes. Follow her latest culinary escapades on Instagram.
Andrea Rivera WawrzynAssociate Food Editor, The Kitchn
Andrea is the Associate Food Editor at The Kitchn. She is a lifelong chef and full-time clog enthusiast. Her passions include grabbing more books at the library than she can read in the time allotted and the relentless pursuit of the perfect burrito. She lives in Salem, MA with her husband and two cats.
updated Jun 7, 2024
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When it comes to frozen treats, I’m not super picky. When browsing the freezer aisle I’m just as likely to grab a pint of Ben and Jerry’s as I am Talenti. However, upon closer inspection you might notice that one of those treats is labeled as “ice cream” while the other is “gelato.” They look very similar. They’re both creamy, sweet, and scoopable, so what’s the difference?
Quick Overview
The Difference Between Ice Cream and Gelato
Ice cream is made with heavy cream and has a higher fat content than gelato. It’s also made with eggs and has a fluffy texture as a result of the fast churning speed.
Gelato is made with milk, typically does not include eggs, and has a dense texture from a slower churning speed than ice cream.
Ice Cream: Fluffy and Full of Fat
Ice cream is a frozen dairy dessert made of milk, cream, sugar, and (typically) egg yolks. Traditionally, French-style ice cream contained egg yolks and was richer than American-style ice cream, which didn’t initially contain eggs. However, American ice cream has now evolved to also include the yolks.
The ingredients in ice cream are first cooked together into a rich custard. After the custard base is cooled, it’s churned at a fairly high speed to incorporate air and increase its volume (cheaper ice creams tends to have more air whipped into them).
Ice cream is served at a fairly cold temperature that helps scoops hold together, and the finished product is smooth, light-textured, and creamy.
Ice Cream Recipes
Gelato: Dense and Intense
Gelato is the Italian word for ice cream. It starts out with a similar custard base as ice cream, but has a higher proportion of milk and a lower proportion of cream and eggs (or no eggs at all). It is churned at a much slower rate, incorporating less air and leaving the gelato denser than ice cream.
Gelato is served at a slightly warmer temperature than ice cream, so its texture stays silkier and softer. Because it has a lower percentage of fat than ice cream, the main flavor ingredient really shines through.
