Gelato Serving Temperature and Overrun: A Technical Guide

Gelato is served at -12°C to -14°C, warmer than ice cream's -18°C, and is churned to an overrun of just 20% to 35% against ice cream's 50% to 100%. Those two numbers are why gelato eats denser, softer on the spoon and more intensely flavoured than ice cream.

Two numbers quietly decide how your gelato eats: the temperature you serve it at, and its overrun — the amount of air churned into it. Get them right and gelato is dense, silky and intensely flavoured; get them wrong and it turns either rock-hard and muted or light and watery. This short technical guide explains the target figures and why they matter.

What temperature should gelato be served at?

Gelato is best served at around -12°C to -14°C — noticeably warmer than ice cream, which is served nearer -18°C. That warmth is deliberate: it keeps gelato soft and silky on the spoon and lets its flavour come through, because very cold temperatures numb the palate and mute taste. Serve gelato too cold and it eats hard and tastes flat; serve it in that -12°C window and the texture and flavour both open up.

Storage temperature vs serving temperature

Serving temperature is not the same as storage temperature. For safety and shelf life, gelato is usually stored colder — around -18°C — then brought up to serving temperature before it goes on display. In practice the display cabinet holds the gelato at that warmer -12°C to -14°C serving point, while the back-of-house freezer keeps stock at -18°C. Moving gelato straight from a deep freezer to the scoop without tempering is the most common reason a good product serves hard.

What is overrun?

Overrun is the amount of air whipped into the mix during churning, expressed as a percentage of the original volume. If a litre of mix becomes 1.3 litres of frozen gelato, that is 30% overrun. Gelato runs low — typically 20% to 35% overrun — while ice cream can run 50% to 100%. Less air means each spoonful is denser and carries more flavour.

Why gelato has low overrun

Gelato is churned more slowly and to a lower overrun on purpose. The goal is not volume but intensity: with less air, the fat, sugars and flavour are more concentrated per bite, which is why authentic gelato tastes richer and more intense than a fluffier, air-heavy ice cream. Low overrun also gives gelato its characteristic dense, elastic body.

How temperature and overrun work together

The two work as a pair. Low overrun makes gelato dense; the warmer serving temperature keeps that dense body soft enough to scoop and eat. Push overrun too high and the gelato turns fluffy and melts to something watery; serve it too cold and even a well-made gelato eats like a brick. The silky, intense scoop people expect comes from getting both in range at once.

Getting it right in your kitchen

Overrun is controlled by your machine, your mix balance and how long you churn — a well-formulated base and the right stabiliser help hold a smooth, stable texture at serving temperature and slow melting in the display. Temper gelato to serving temperature rather than scooping straight from deep-freeze, and set your display cabinet to hold that -12°C to -14°C range. Our guide to gelato bases and stabilisers covers how the base supports texture, and our guide to gelato display shelf life covers holding quality in the cabinet.

Frequently asked questions

What temperature should gelato be served at?

Around -12°C to -14°C — warmer than ice cream's -18°C — which keeps it soft, silky and full-flavoured.

What is a good overrun for gelato?

Roughly 20% to 35%. That is much lower than ice cream, at 50% to 100%, and it is what makes gelato dense and intensely flavoured.

Why is gelato served warmer than ice cream?

Because the warmer temperature keeps its lower-fat, low-air body soft and lets the flavour come through; very cold serving temperatures numb the palate.

For more on how gelato differs from ice cream, see our gelato vs ice cream guide, or browse our gelato ingredients FAQ.