What’s the Difference Between Ice Cream, Gelato, Sorbet, and Sherbet?

Ice Cream

Ice cream is the most common frozen dessert on this list, but to be called ice cream, it must meet certain criteria. The USDA requires ice cream to contain at least 10% milkfat (also called butterfat).1

By definition, ice cream must also be churned during freezing and be sweet. If you’re an ice cream flavor fanatic, it’s easier than you think to make your own, even if you don’t have an ice cream maker.

Gelato

Gelato means “ice cream” in Italian, but the two are not the same. Gelato has a dairy base like its American cousin, but it has less milkfat (4 to 9%) and less air churned into it during freezing. In addition, gelato is traditionally served at a slightly warmer temperature than ice cream, so it feels a bit softer and looks glossier than ice cream.

“While both date back to 16th-century Europe, gelato was invented by Bernando Buontalenti. It’s made with more milk and less cream than ice cream, giving it a lower fat content and a denser, smoother texture,” says ice cream expert Lisa Vortsman. “Gelato’s slow churning process creates a rich, indulgent consistency—perfect for layering flavors.”

Sorbet

Sorbet is a French treat containing fruit and sugar. “Sorbet is a dairy-free frozen dessert that is typically a great option for vegans,” says pastry chef Jean-Baptiste Scordel. “Sorbet flavors are often fruit-forward, made from fruit juices or purees, ice, and sweetener.”

It’s often churned in an ice cream maker, which makes it scoopable but not creamy. Restaurants use sorbet as a palate cleanser during multi-course meals because its intense fruit flavor is extra refreshing.

Sorbetto

Sorbetto is the Italian version of sorbet, and in most cases, the two terms are interchangeable. “Sorbetto is simply the Italian word for sorbet and is 100% dairy-free, focusing on achieving a smooth, rich texture using a water base,” says Vortsman. The lack of dairy makes sorbetto lower in fat than ice cream and gelato.

“Unlike gelato, which is dairy-based, sorbetto gets its indulgent flavor from a balance of water, sugar, and real fruit, resulting in a velvety consistency with vibrant, fruity notes,” Vortsman adds.

Sherbet

“Sherbet’s origins stem back to Turkey during the age of the Ottoman Empire,” says Scordel. “The dessert was born from a popular Middle Eastern beverage called ‘sharbat,’ which is a sweet and fruity iced drink that is still enjoyed today. It evolved into the frozen dessert in the 20th century, mixed with milk or cream and served frozen.”

Unlike sorbet, Scordel says sherbet contains some dairy, which makes it creamier. The dessert is made with pureed fruit and/or fruit juice and milk or cream. It usually contains sugar and sometimes egg whites or gelatin. The milkfat content of sherbet is only 1 to 2%, making it a good dessert option for anyone on a low-fat diet—just be mindful of the added sugars.

Granita (aka Italian Ice)

Granitas have ingredients that are identical to sorbet—pureed fruit (or juice), sugar, and water—but they differ in texture. Unlike sorbet, which is smooth-churned, granita is scraped repeatedly during the freezing process, loosening its structure into icy flakes. The texture is similar to a slushie.

Frozen Custard

This uber-creamy treat is similar to ice cream, except egg yolk is added to the base. “Frozen custard, aka “French style” ice cream is ice cream with egg yolk,” says Vortsman. “The addition of egg yolk gives the ice cream a ‘softer’ texture and custardy (eggy) notes.”

Like ice cream, it has a minimum of 10% milkfat, but frozen custard tends to be dense and soft, like soft-serve ice cream, and is popular in the Midwest and South.

Frozen Yogurt

Yogurt—instead of milk or cream—gives this frozen dairy dessert its creaminess. Otherwise, it’s made the same way as ice cream but with less than 10% milkfat. For the most part, frozen yogurt retains some of the probiotic benefits that yogurt delivers, depending on the brand, giving it a healthy advantage over ice cream.

Soft Serve Ice Cream

Soft-serve ice cream is a subset of ice cream. Both have the same ingredients and at least 10% milkfat, but soft-serve is delivered directly from a machine that continually incorporates more air into the base, preventing it from hardening. The result is a smoother, softer-textured ice cream with no scooping required.

Vegan Ice Cream

Technically, there is no such thing as “vegan ice cream” because ice cream, by definition, has a dairy component. Nevertheless, grocery store freezer cases are full of “dairy-free frozen treats” that come very close to ice cream. Manufacturers achieve that similar taste and texture using bananas or non-dairy milk from soy, nuts (mostly almonds and cashews), coconut, and oats.