Fat Calculator

Fat percentage directly affects creaminess, body, and mouthfeel. This calculator helps achieve target fat levels for different frozen dessert styles.

Fat Targets by Style

Style	Fat %	Characteristics
Gelato	4–8%	Dense, intense flavor
Standard ice cream	10–12%	Balanced
Premium ice cream	14–16%	Rich, creamy
Super-premium	16–20%	Very rich
Philadelphia-style	18–22%	All cream, no eggs
Sorbet	0%	No dairy fat

Interactive Fat Calculator

Target fat %

Non-fat additions (sugar/SMP), g

Heavy cream (36%)g

Whipping cream (30%)g

Half-and-half (12%)g

Whole milk (3.5%)g

2% milk (2%)g

Skim milk (0.1%)g

Egg yolk (30%)g

Skim milk powder (1%)g

Butter (82%)g

Cream cheese (34%)g

Mascarpone (44%)g

Coconut cream (24%)g

Coconut milk (full) (17%)g

Cocoa butter (100%)g

15.1%

Fat content

Ice cream range

128.3g

Total fat

850g

Total weight

+1.1%

vs target

Fat Contribution by Ingredient

Dairy Sources

Ingredient	Fat %	Fat per 100g
Heavy cream (35%)	35	35g
Heavy cream (40%)	40	40g
Whipping cream (30%)	30	30g
Light cream (20%)	20	20g
Half-and-half	12	12g
Whole milk	3.5	3.5g
2% milk	2	2g
Skim milk	0.1	0.1g

Other Fat Sources

Ingredient	Fat %	Fat per 100g
Egg yolk	30	30g
Butter	82	82g
Cream cheese	34	34g
Mascarpone	44	44g
Sour cream	20	20g
Coconut cream	24	24g
Cocoa butter	100	100g
Dark chocolate (70%)	40	40g

Manual Calculation

Formula

Fat % = (Total Fat Weight / Total Base Weight) × 100

Example Calculation

Premium ice cream base:

Ingredient	Weight	Fat %	Fat Contribution
Heavy cream (36%)	300g	36%	108g
Whole milk	250g	3.5%	8.75g
Egg yolks	100g	30%	30g
Sugar	130g	0%	0g
Total	780g	—	146.75g

Fat % = (146.75 / 780) × 100 = 18.8%

Adjusting Fat Content

To Increase Fat

Method	Effect	Notes
More cream, less milk	+3–5% per 50g swap	Most common
Add egg yolks	+2% per 50g added	Adds emulsification
Add butter	+4% per 10g added	Use sparingly
Use higher-fat cream	Variable	Check availability

To Decrease Fat

Method	Effect	Notes
More milk, less cream	-3–5% per 50g swap	Most common
Reduce yolks	-2% per 50g removed	Loses emulsification
Use half-and-half	Moderate reduction	Balanced approach

Dairy Swap Calculator

Cream/Milk Balance

To hit a specific fat target, adjust cream/milk ratio:

Target Fat	Cream (36%)	Whole Milk	Per 500g dairy
8%	100g	400g	Gelato
12%	175g	325g	Standard
16%	250g	250g	Premium
20%	325g	175g	Super-premium
24%	400g	100g	Very rich

Effects of Fat Content

Texture Impact

Fat %	Mouthfeel	Body	Flavor Perception
4–8%	Light, clean	Moderate	Intense, direct
10–14%	Creamy	Good	Balanced
16–20%	Rich, coating	Heavy	Rounded, softer
20%+	Very rich	Dense	Can mute delicate flavors

Overrun Impact

Higher fat bases incorporate air more easily:

Fat %	Typical Overrun	Notes
<8%	20–35%	Gelato range
10–14%	40–60%	Standard
14–18%	50–80%	Premium
18%+	Up to 100%	Risk of over-churning

Quick Reference

Fat % Quick Estimate

For a ~750g base with 150g sugar and 100g yolks:

Cream (36%)	Milk	Approx Fat %
150g	350g	12%
200g	300g	14%
250g	250g	17%
300g	200g	19%

Fat Content by Style

Style	Fat %	Example Build (500g dairy)
Lean gelato	6%	50g cream + 450g milk
Rich gelato	8%	100g cream + 400g milk
Ice cream	14%	200g cream + 300g milk
Premium	18%	300g cream + 200g milk + yolks