Hand holding a cup of soft serve chocolate and vanilla ice cream

What's The Difference Between Custard And Soft Serve Ice Cream?

NEWS

BY EMMY SCHNEIDER-GREEN

Three ice cream cones on white
While custard and soft serve are similar, they’re also unique. There are plenty of differences between custard and soft serve in terms of ingredients, preparation, and taste.
Custard scooped into bowls
Unlike soft serve, custard must contain eggs, which lend it a richer, fuller mouthfeel compared to other frozen treats that are made primarily with milk.
Scoop of custard
There are strict guidelines set by the USDA as to what qualifies as a custard. A recipe must contain 1.4% egg yolk solids, and milk fat must make up at least 10% of the recipe.
Scoops of ice cream in waffle bowl
Soft serve is smooth, soft, and light. It’s made from the same ingredients as ice cream (and doesn’t use eggs) but whipped up with less milk fat, which gives it its light texture.
Soft serve being made
The treat is made inside a soft serve machine that churns while it freezes the ingredients, which creates a final product that stays soft without being melty.