How Ice Cream is Made: A Step by Step Guide

Ice cream, for many, is a frozen dessert that is perfectly acceptable to eat any time of the year. This luxurious combination of cream, milk, and sugar comes in many varieties and is the perfect social accompaniment -- after all, what is a birthday party or a work event without a sundae to bring people together? Despite needing to clean up all those tasting ice cream spoons and gelato cups afterward, it is safe to say that ice cream is great anytime, anywhere.


But have you ever wondered how this dessert is made? Here we break the process down for you.

Step 1: Get the right ingredients


According to the International Dairy Foods Association, the ingredients in ice cream really make or break the texture and taste of your dessert. To keep ice cream tasting relatively similar nationwide, federal regulations state the milk used to create ice cream must contain 10% milkfat or more.

Step 2: Everything is combined and blended


Once the sweetener has been added, the basic ingredients are all put together in a blender to be mixed. This part of the process will add about 50% more air into the ice cream, making it a bit more fluffy.

Step 3: The mixture is added to a pasteurizer


The whipped ingredients are then pumped into a pasteurizer, where it is heated and kept at a temperature that prevents bacteria growth.

Step 4: The mixture goes through a homogenizer


The hot mixture is propelled through a homogenizer which breaks the milkfat down into small particles. This ensures that the ice cream maintains a consistent creamy texture, where all the fat particles are uniform.

Step 5: The hot becomes cold


After breaking down all the fat molecules, the batch is quick cooled and kept at around 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Aerators are then used to keep the ice cream from freezing solid.

Step 6: Flavoring and ingredients are added


Up until now, the mixture is the same for every single flavor. At this stage in the process, the flavorings and mix-ins are added.

Step 7: Here come in ice cream and gelato cups!


Once packaged, the ice cream is kept in a hardening room so it will keep its shape until it is sold.

Keep these steps in mind the next time you have a bowl full of ice cream for dessert! You can also check our ice cream cups.

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About the Author: Tim Porter

Tim is the CEO and people builder of FrozenDessertSupplies.com. In his free time, he enjoys being with his family, collecting watches, and Classic Mini Coopers.


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Our purpose at Frozen Dessert Supplies is "Build People and Deliver Joy." That means that everything we do, from manufacturing to packaging to delivery, is to build you and your business and deliver joy to you. We also strive to build our employees and help them to be better people.

Our paper ice cream cups are made withFDA approved food-safe papercoated in a thin layer ofPE (Polyethylene). Our clear plastic cups, banana split boats, and plastic dome lids are made fromPET (Polyethylene Terephthalate). Our plastic spoons and straws are made fromPP (Polypropylene). Our eco-friendly ice cream cups are made fromFDA approved food-safe papercoated in a thin layer ofPLA (Polylactic Acid). PLA is plastic made from corn starch. Our eco-friendly spoons are also made from PLA. Our eco-friendly wooden spoons are made from FDA approvedsmooth birch wood.