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What is Soft Serve Ice Cream?

Mary McMahon
Mary McMahon
Mary McMahon
Mary McMahon

Soft serve ice cream is a type of ice cream that is mixed in a machine and dispensed on demand. The machine mixing includes a step that integrates a great deal of air into the ice cream, resulting in a product that is much lighter in texture and flavor than regular ice cream, and the result is characteristically soft and creamy, rather than hard, like traditional ice cream. Soft serve is especially common at burger joints and diners, and it can be found in many regions of the world, with a variety of toppings and in an assortment of flavors.

It is a bit difficult to attribute the credit for the discovery of soft serve ice cream. The Dairy Queen corporation claims to have invented it in Illinois in 1938, with the company claiming that it was developed so that people could experience the texture and flavor of ice cream fresh out of the batch freezer. If you have been fortunate enough to taste ice cream out of the batch freezer before it has been blast frozen, you may be familiar with the incredibly rich, creamy flavor and soft texture. However, rival claims suggest that this ice cream was developed by a team of cost-cutting British scientists who wanted to figure out a method for increasing the amount of air in ice cream, thereby making it cheaper to produce and sell.

Lychee is sometimes offered as a flavor of soft serve ice cream.
Lychee is sometimes offered as a flavor of soft serve ice cream.

As you might imagine, the defining characteristic of soft serve ice cream is that it is soft. It is often served in the form of a swirl, with people twirling a cone or cup under the machine to create a tower of ice cream with a soft curl on top. Soft serve is also much lower in fat than conventional ice cream, because of the increased air content, and it has a lighter flavor. It is also served at a much warmer temperature than conventional ice cream, and this can enhance the flavor.

Soft serve ice cream.
Soft serve ice cream.

You may also hear soft serve ice cream referred to as Creamee, soft ice cream, or softcream, depending on where in the world you are. Vanilla is probably the most classic soft serve flavor, but it is also frequently possible to find chocolate and strawberry. More exotic flavors include sesame, green tea, coffee, and lychee; many Asian nations have many experimental soft serve flavors.

One of the more charming aspects of soft serve ice cream, in the eyes of many fans, is that it is ephemeral. It generally tastes best right out of the machine, and it does not take well to being refrozen, forcing people to enjoy it on the spot. It also cannot be made at home, unless one happens to have a pressurized machine, so some people view it as a special treat eaten only when dining out.

Mary McMahon
Mary McMahon

Ever since she began contributing to the site several years ago, Mary has embraced the exciting challenge of being a WiseGEEK researcher and writer. Mary has a liberal arts degree from Goddard College and spends her free time reading, cooking, and exploring the great outdoors.

Learn more...
Mary McMahon
Mary McMahon

Ever since she began contributing to the site several years ago, Mary has embraced the exciting challenge of being a WiseGEEK researcher and writer. Mary has a liberal arts degree from Goddard College and spends her free time reading, cooking, and exploring the great outdoors.

Learn more...

Discussion Comments

anon336186

DQ has nutritional information posted on their website. Due to the air injected into the product, nutritional information is provided by weight rather than volume. A mini blizzard, 200g (grams) has 400 calories and 14g total fat, 7g saturated fat. A large, on the other hand weighs in at 570g with 43g total fat, 19g saturated fat and 1200 calories. More or less, 50 percent of your daily dietary intake for any of those.

Moldova

Latte31- I enjoy the Dairy Cream soft serve ice cream. It is actually considered ice milk and is lighter in calories and fat than regular ice cream. I think the vanilla only has about 185 calories.

latte31

Sauteepan-I agree with you. I think that soft serve ice cream does taste a bit fresher. I always get a combination of chocolate and vanilla swirl and then have it dipped in chocolate. It is fabulous.

SauteePan

Breakofday- I agree with you. I would never refreeze soft serve ice cream. I just simply eat it.

I found that the taste of soft serve ice cream appears a bit fresher than the traditional ice cream in the case. I think that it might be the potential for freezer burn that occurs with the ice cream in the case.

breakofday

Chocolate/vanilla swirl from the county fair is the best treat there!

Article says not to refreeze, totally true, it comes out more like Ice Milk instead, yuck!

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    • Lychee is sometimes offered as a flavor of soft serve ice cream.
      Lychee is sometimes offered as a flavor of soft serve ice cream.
    • Soft serve ice cream.
      By: m.u.ozmen
      Soft serve ice cream.