In 1926, Charles Taylor of Buffalo, NY, patented the first automatic ice cream maker, laying the groundwork for soft serve technology. In 1934, Tom Carvel’s ice cream truck broke down in Hartsdale, NY. As his ice cream began to melt, he sold it to passing vacationers, who loved the softer texture. This inspired him to develop a soft serve formula and machine. In 1938, J.F. McCullough and his son Alex created their soft serve recipe and tested it with an “all-you-can-eat” event. It was a hit, leading to the first Dairy Queen store in 1940. After WWII, soft serve exploded in popularity across the U.S., becoming a nostalgic symbol of summer, small towns, and roadside diners. By the 1960s and ’70s, soft serve had reached Japan, Australia, and the UK. In Vermont, soft serve is called a “creemee,” often flavored with maple syrup. Japan has adopted add-ons like matcha and black sesame. Soft Serve Ice Cream is made by blending the ingredients into a liquid. The mix is poured into a soft serve machine, which chills it to about 25°F. While continuously churning, air called “overrun” is added to the mix, typically accounting for 30–60% of the final volume. This gives soft serve its light, fluffy texture.
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