Custard 101
Frozen Custard vs Ice Cream: What’s the Difference?
More egg yolk, more butterfat, less air — the reason every spoonful of Andy’s frozen custard is thicker, creamier, and the kind of good that will have you enjoying every last bite.
What Actually Makes Frozen Custard Different
Frozen custard and ice cream start life the same way, with cream, sugar, and cold. Then egg yolk joins the frozen custard party and everything changes. In fact, to legally call something frozen custard, it has to have at least 1.4% egg yolk solids by weight (that’s the FDA’s rule, straight from FDA standard 21 CFR 135.110). Ice cream skips the egg yolk entirely.
That yolk is a big reason frozen custard tastes as good as it does — rich, creamy, and borderline shocking how easy it is to devour. Another reason is how it’s churned. At Andy’s we churn it low and slow, keeping air out of the mix so every spoonful stays thick instead of fluffy. If you hear someone call frozen custard “fancy ice cream” they’re underselling it. Think of it as a different type of treat, kind of like cake vs brownies. They’re cousins for sure, but nobody is confusing the two once they’ve had both.
| Item | Frozen Custard | Ice Cream |
|---|---|---|
| Butterfat % | ≥10% (typically 14–18%) | ≥10% minimum |
| Egg yolk solids | ≥1.4% egg yolk solids required | Not required |
| Air (overrun) | Low — slow churning reduces air in the custard | Higher — more air is whipped in, reducing creaminess |
| Serving temperature | Warmer, around 18–20℉ | Colder, typically 0–10℉ |
| Texture | Dense, smooth, holds a spoon upright | Lighter, airier |
| Churn method | Slow, in small batches | Faster, often in large batches that are shipped in |
| Only at Andy’s | Made fresh, hourly, in every store since 1986 |
You Can Taste It in Every Bite
We mentioned air in the frozen custard above, and there’s even an industry term for it: overrun. Basically, it’s how much air gets whipped into a frozen treat while it churns. The faster the churning, the more air that ends up getting whipped in, the higher the overrun. Frozen custards keep overrun low on purpose. That means less air and more actual frozen custard in every scoop, spoonful, and sip. That’s also why Andy’s frozen custard feels heavier in your hand and richer in your mouth than regular ice cream.
Add the egg yolk and the warmer serving temperature, and you get a frozen custard with fewer air pockets, more flavor in every bite, and a texture that’s always smooth.
Speaking of egg yolks, at Andy’s, we don’t cut corners there. Our eggs arrive already pasteurized, then we pasteurize the entire frozen custard mix again — eggs and all — at 178 degrees. It’s an extra step that ensures each and every bite of our silky frozen custard is safe to eat. (We told you, we’re fanatical about custard!)
Small Batch, Every Hour, All Day
Every Andy’s location makes its own frozen custard, in store, every hour, all day long. That means it’s always fresh, and never made in advance and then frozen, waiting for someone to order it. That’s been the promise since our very first location opened in 1986, and it’s still exactly how we do things today.
Taste the Difference for Yourself
Reading about frozen custard only gets you so far. Eventually, you just have to taste it. Order a small cup, grab a spoon, and go slow. Savor the first bite, then the next, and notice how it never turns watery or thin, even as it melts. That’s frozen custard doing what it does best. Find your nearest Andy’s and see for yourself.