What Is a Commercial Soft Serve Ice Cream Machine? | Complete Guide

There's no doubt that ice cream has always been one of the hottest items on supermarket shelves, in grocery stores, and on the menus of ice cream shops or milk bars—especially during the summer season. As a frozen dessert typically made from milk or cream, ice cream can be served in cones or plated as a dessert, and it's also commonly paired with pies or bread, or even used as an ingredient in baked goods and soda drinks.

When it comes to ice cream, there are generally two popular serving styles found on many foodservice menus: soft serve and hard ice cream. In this section, however, we'll focus on soft serve, aiming to help those who are planning to start an ice cream shop or looking to purchase an ice cream machine understand the secret behind the commercial soft serve ice cream machine.

What Makes Soft Serve Different From Regular Ice Cream?

Before we get to know the soft serve machine, understanding what soft serve is very essential. Like other frozen desserts, soft ice cream is similar to regular ice cream, but the texture is lighter and smoother. It's still ice cream—so why does soft serve have a creamier and smoother texture?

The answer is the air content. During the freezing process, air—known as overrun—is incorporated into the mixture, which can range from 0% to 60% of the total volume of the finished product.

In addition, soft serve typically contains a lower milk fat content, around 3–6%, compared to 10–18% in regular ice cream. Another key difference is temperature: soft serve is produced at around −4 °C, whereas conventional ice cream is stored at approximately −15 °C. If soft serve is stored below freezing after dispensing, it will quickly become solid and lose its signature smooth texture.

When soft serve is stored below freezing after dispensing for a substantial time, it quickly freezes solid. Thus, to sell and serve soft serve in its most palatable state, it must be freshly prepared at the point of sale using a special machine—this is why you need a commercial soft serve ice cream machine.

How Do Soft Serve Ice Cream Machines Work?

Soft serve machines are all-in-one ice cream dispensers designed to mix, aerate, freeze, and dispense soft ice cream directly at the counter. There are three key processes behind making soft serve light and fluffy: mixing, aerating, and freezing. Let's get to know the secret behind the soft ice cream machine.

First things first, mixing is the foundation of the entire process. It works by blending the pre-mixed product including ingredients such as milk fat, milk solids, water, and stabilizers into a liquid form. The refrigeration system inside the hopper helps to keep the mix fresh at around 3 °C before freezing begins.

Once the mix is fed into the freezing cylinder, the rotating blade begins to stir the liquid continuously, while the compressor activates the refrigerant to cool the cylinder rapidly. At the same time, the aeration process introduces air into the mixture—this is known as overrun.

Overrun is the key to achieving that signature smooth and creamy texture of soft serve, and it's what sets it apart from conventional ice cream.

Ideally, the air content in soft serve should make up 35% to 45% of the total volume, ensuring that the final product maintains both rich flavor and light texture.

In most commercial soft serve ice cream machines, a pre-mixed product is first introduced into the hopper, where it is held at a safe chilled temperature. When the product is drawn from the dispensing valve, a fresh batch of mix—combined with the correct amount of air—is fed into the freezing chamber by either gravity or pump. It is then churned, quick-frozen, and held at ideal serving temperature until ready to be dispensed.

Choosing the Right Commercial Soft Serve Equipment

In the commercial kitchen equipment sector, there are several common types of soft ice cream machines available on the market—whether it's countertop units, floor models, or machines that operate by gravity feed or pump systems. Choosing the right equipment is a crucial first step in launching your business.

At Shinelong, we don’t just offer a full range of ice cream machines—we deliver complete solutions. As your trusted solution supplier, we help you identify the best option tailored to your specific needs, providing a one-stop solution for your professional kitchen.

Dual-hopper soft serve machines? Check.
Commercial kitchen design? Got it.
Kitchen installation? No problem.
After-sales support? Absolutely.

What more do you need? Contact us now and let’s bring your dream kitchen to life!