14 Irresistible Homemade Gelato Recipes (2024)

Don’t let summer pass you by without enjoying your very own homemade gelato. My step-by-step guides and tempting flavor combinations—which include vegan and dairy-free options—are just what you need to get started!

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Gelato is a true summer indulgence! It’s impossible to resist this cool, creamy frozen treat and it’s one of my absolute favorite things to make every year.

I have everything you need to get started churning out your very own homemade gelato flavors. You’ll definitely want to check out my step-by-step homemade gelato tutorial (listed below!). It will walk you through the entire process from start to finish with lots of helpful tips and tricks. In the end, you’ll be rewarded with a delectable Vanilla Bean Gelato!

I also have recipes that will help you create a beautiful Sicilian-style gelato base and a vegan gelato base. You’ll have all your bases covered!

Once you’ve got the basics mastered, the fun really starts. One of my favorite parts of making homemade gelato every year is coming up with irresistible flavor combinations.

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In this homemade gelato recipe collection, you’ll find just a few of the different flavors I’ve created—everything from classics like Dark Chocolate or Pistachio to more unusual flavors like Raspberry Rose and Sweet Corn.

If you want to make the most of fresh summer fruit right off the tree, you must try my Fresh Peach Gelato, Cherry Ripple Gelato, and Blueberry Gelato. Once you get comfortable with the basics of making gelato at home, you’ll be ready to start experimenting with your own flavors.

Need a little extra help? If you need a little extra help or you’re somebody who learns better through video, try my Homemade Gelato Skillshare class. You can watch me go through the whole process and replay it as many times as you need!

Homemade Gelato Recipes

1. Classic Gelato: A Detailed, Step-by-Step Recipe

If you’ve never made gelato, start here. This article details what classic gelato is, how it’s made, and the variety of flavors you can make with it. The recipe includes detailed, step-by-step instructions and tips to make the creamiest homemade gelato you’ve ever churned!

2. Sicilian-Style Gelato

Learn how to make Sicilian-style gelato, an incredibly creamy Italian iced treat that uses cornstarch as a thickening agent. Learn how to turn this versatile homemade gelato base into a myriad of flavors!

3. How to Make Vegan Gelato

Get helpful tips and an easy recipe for making a silky smooth, rich-tasting vegan gelato base you can turn into a variety of delicious fruity treats, including a zesty, refreshing Mango and Passion Fruit Gelato.

4. Dark Chocolate Gelato

This indulgent dark chocolate gelato is for true chocoholics: a spoonful provides a rich, strong hit of cocoa, reminiscent of biting into a square of 70% chocolate.

5. Pistachio Gelato

The secret to outstanding pistachio gelato is homemade pistachio paste. Learn how to make it and churn an amazing Italian frozen treat!

6. White Chocolate, Basil, and Strawberry Gelato

This White Chocolate, Basil, and Strawberry Gelato combines two quintessential summer ingredients–strawberries and basil–in a silky smooth treat with a delicate, sweet flavor.

7. Rhubarb Gelato

In this blush pink Rhubarb Gelato, the bright flavor of rhubarb is balanced by the silky-rich homemade gelato base. It’s a memorably refreshing summer treat!

WATCH MY GELATO MASTERCLASS

Never made gelato before? Curious about what makes gelato different from ice cream? Check out my colorful masterclass! In it, you’ll find out what makes gelato different from ice cream, how to make a versatile gelato base you can turn into various flavors, and all my secrets and tips to churn and serve outstanding gelato. I even share how to make dairy-free, vegan gelato! In short, it’s a very thorough, colorful class that will quickly turn you into a gelato master.

This masterclass was previously hosted behind a paywall on an educational site where thousands of students rated it 5 STARS! It’s now available to all gelato lovers worldwide, absolutely free. Watch Now!

8. Raspberry Rose Gelato

This Raspberry Rose Gelato sports the breathtaking fuchsia color of fresh raspberries and carries the flowery flavor of rose in an elegant, understated way.

9. Fresh Peach Gelato

This rich and creamy peach gelato highlights one of summer’s quintessential fruits to perfection: fresh peach puree is both mixed into the homemade gelato as well as rippled through it for a double dose of stone fruit sweetness.

10. Blueberry Gelato

This breathtakingly beautiful blueberry gelato is a silky-smooth treat that highlights the intense taste of the bright blue late-summer berry!

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11. Cherry Ripple Gelato

Bursting with fresh fruit and juicy fruit puree, this cherry ripple gelato is the best treat to enjoy on a hot summer day.

12. Sweet Corn Gelato

This sweet corn gelato is a silky treat with an intriguing savory edge that gives you a delightful new reason to welcome corn season every summer!

13. Almond and Orange Gelato

This Almond and Orange Gelato combines zesty and juicy with toasty and nutty to create a surprisingly comforting, yet remarkable frozen treat. It will charm your taste buds at the first spoonful.

14. Gianduja Gelato (Milk Chocolate and Hazelnut Gelato)

This classic gianduja gelato made with real roasted hazelnuts and milk chocolate has a nutty sweetness that is reminiscent of childhood treats. An unforgettable dessert!

Bonus Frozen Treat: How to Make an Affogato

Affogato is the easiest Italian dessert you can make with your very own homemade gelato. Affogato is a delightful and refreshing coffee-based treat that is guaranteed to impress your guests. Find out how to make it!

14 Irresistible Homemade Gelato Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret to gelato? ›

What is the secret ingredient of gelato? There isn't really a “secret” ingredient in gelato – the magic lies in the process. However, what sets gelato apart from its frozen dessert counterparts is the quality of the ingredients used and the low amount of air incorporated during the slow churning process.

What makes gelato so creamy? ›

Gelato is churned at a much slower speed, which introduces less air into the base—think whipping cream by hand instead of with a stand mixer. That's why it tastes denser than ice cream—it is.

What is authentic Italian gelato made of? ›

The ingredients for gelato

Very common ingredients such as milk, sugar, fruit, water, cream, eggs, powdered milk and fructose are used.

What makes Italian gelato so good? ›

Italian gelato is served at a slightly higher temperature than conventional ice cream. By being served closer to the temperature of the human palate, gelato flavors unfold more intensely, allowing natural ingredients to shine and be fully appreciated.

What does egg do in gelato? ›

Eggs leverage the fat already present in the ice cream base (the butterfat in cream and milk) and make it work even further for a creamier texture. But wait, there's more! Egg yolks also improve the stability of an ice cream, reducing its tendency to melt before you can get it from freezer to cone to mouth.

Is gelato healthier than ice cream? ›

The main difference between ice cream and gelato is their fat content. With only 4-9% fat to the usual 10-25% of ice cream, gelato usually is lighter and healthier. Per portion, however, the answer is clear, gelato is typically healthier than ice cream.

Is Talenti real gelato? ›

Talenti gelato is particularly special because we make it from scratch with the finest ingredients from around the world, and use an old world process that involves slow cooking our ingredients and making our gelato in smaller batches than most other ice cream in the US is made.

How do you increase overrun in gelato? ›

In order to obtain an ice cream with high overrun and hom*ogeneous air cell distribution, it was necessary to apply higher shear, so the dasher speed in the continuous freezer was increased. Additionally, the cylinder pressure was increased to facilitate finer air cell distribution.

Why can I eat gelato but not ice cream? ›

Using more milk and less cream is the main reason gelato tends to have lower fat and caloric content. Eggs are another differentiating ingredient; ice cream often contains small amounts of eggs, while gelato is usually completely void of them.

How to tell if gelato is homemade? ›

The best gelato is flat and dense with muted colors—a sure sign that there are only fresh, natural, and raw ingredients.

How long to churn gelato? ›

This Pistachio Gelato is a total winner.
  1. Cook Time: 25 mins.
  2. Freezing and Churning: 4 hrs.
  3. Total Time: 4 hrs 25 mins.
  4. Servings: 2 pints.

What key ingredient in ice cream is missing from most Italian gelatos? ›

Authentic gelato uses more milk and less cream than ice cream and generally doesn't use egg yolks, which are a common ingredient in ice cream.

What is the most popular gelato flavors in Italy? ›

Top 10 Best Gelato Flavors in Italy:
  • Stracciatella – Chocolate chip. ...
  • Cioccolato – Chocolate. ...
  • Fior di Latte – Milk flower. ...
  • Pistacchio – Pistachio. ...
  • Nocciola – Hazelnut. ...
  • Limone – Lemon. ...
  • Fragola – Strawberry. ...
  • Amarena – Sour cherry.
May 1, 2023

What is the best texture for gelato? ›

Gelato has to be “palatable” which means semi-hard. The best body for gelato is consistent, hom*ogeneous, harmonious and looks even. It should not have a consistency that is too watery, gelatinous or floury. This corresponds to the “texture” of the product sold to consumers.

What is special about gelato? ›

Denser, Smoother Texture: Gelato is churned at a slower speed than ice cream, incorporating less air into the mixture. This results in a denser, smoother texture that coats your palate with creamy perfection with every spoonful.

What is the science behind gelato? ›

In a word, chemistry. Gelato contains all three fundamental states of matter: solids (ice and fat), liquids (milk and sugar solution), and gas (air). These elements—specifically, ice crystals, fat droplets and air bubbles—are a lot to keep track of, and to make great gelato you have to know how to manage them.

How is gelato made differently than ice cream? ›

Gelato has a lower milk fat content than ice cream, usually 4 to 9%, yielding a softer, denser texture and smaller ice crystals. That's a result of the base, which typically includes less cream and more milk, as well as a slower churning process that introduces less air into the final product.

What makes a great gelato? ›

Gelato has to be “palatable” which means semi-hard. The best body for gelato is consistent, hom*ogeneous, harmonious and looks even. It should not have a consistency that is too watery, gelatinous or floury. This corresponds to the “texture” of the product sold to consumers.

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