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Homemade Magic Shell is so easy to make! This fun ice cream topping only has 2 ingredients and is ready in 5 minutes. Once you try it, you’ll leave the store-bought chocolate on the shelf – it’s so easy to make it yourself.
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What is Magic Shell?
When was the last time you had ice cream topped with magic shell? Well, now you can have it any old time that you want because this homemade version is one of the easiest ice cream toppings ever!
This post feels like a trip down memory lane with this recipe! I have so many childhood memories of this chocolate ice cream topping. Some of my best ice cream topping ideas are the ones I loved as a kid, and this chocolate magic shell is at the top of the list.
It really did seem like magic getting an ice cream cone coated in a hard chocolate shell, and, as a kid, I always wondered how the ice cream shop made it happen! Well, fast forward to now and, friends, I have the secret.
If you’ve ever bought some at the store, you probably noticed the container lists quite a few ingredients, most of which I can’t pronounce! Well, you don’t need all that stuff for this magic shell recipe – it’s a 5-minute, 2-ingredient chocolate ice cream topping that is so easy to make.
Homemade Magic Shell in 5 minutes
Yep, five minutes! If you want to make a chocolate sauce that hardens on ice cream, all you need are 2 ingredients, a microwave, and a bowl. Oh, and a bowl of ice cream, of course!
How does magic shell work?
The secret ingredient in this ice cream sauce is coconut oil. Coconut oil is solid at room temperature but melts when you warm it. When you mix it with melted chocolate, it makes a silky-smooth homemade chocolate sauce.
Pour that chocolate sauce over ice cream, and the coconut oil immediately hardens, creating a hard chocolate shell. Every time I crack the topping with my spoon, I feel like a kid again!
It’s so easy to make, you can make a batch in no time at all. I usually make it in smaller batches, but leftovers will keep for up to a month. That means you can have magic shell ice cream every night for dessert! Unless you have more willpower than me, that is.
Just 2 Magic Shell Ingredients
- Chocolate: Use a good-quality chocolate bar or chocolate chips. If you are using a bar, you will need about five ounces. For chocolate chips, you will need one cup.
- Coconut oil: I like to use refined coconut oil because the coconut flavor is not as strong.
How to Make Magic Shell
1. Place your chocolate and coconut oil in a small microwave-safe bowl.
2. Warm them in 30-second intervals, stopping to stir between each increment until the mixture is smooth.
3. Pour over ice cream and watch the magic happen!
Substitutions
There isn’t a substitute for coconut oil, but there are a few flavors you can make by switching the chocolate!
- Try using semi-sweet, milk chocolate, or dark chocolate.
- Use white chocolate and make a white chocolate magic shell.
- You can also use chocolate almond bark for this recipe – any flavor will work!
How to Store Magic Shell
Store the leftovers in an airtight container. It will keep for up to a month at room temperature as long as it’s stored properly.
Expert Tips
- There’s not much in this easy recipe, so use high-quality chocolate. Trust me – it makes a difference!
- Magic shell isn’t just for a bowl of ice cream. It’s one of my favorite ice cream sundae toppings, banana split toppings, or you can drizzle it over any sweet, cold treat!
- Feel free to add nuts or sprinkles to make a fun version!
FAQ
Place it in the microwave for 20 to 30 seconds or until it’s thinned to a pourable consistency.
No, it only works with coconut oil. It solidifies at room temperature, which makes the magic shell harden.
Scoop ice cream into a bowl and pour the magic shell over the top. Quickly add your other sundae toppings – I think the best ice cream sundae toppings are chopped nuts, sprinkles, and a cherry on top! Once the magic shell hardens, I also like to drizzle caramel sauce over the top. Add some whipped cream and a cherry and enjoy.
Ice Cream Desserts To Make at Home
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Homemade Magic Shell Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup approximately 180g chocolate (see note)
- ¼ cup coconut oil
Instructions
- Place your chocolate and coconut oil into a small microwave-safe bowl.
- Heat in thirty-second intervals, mixing each time until all the chocolate is melted.
- Pour over ice cream.
Recipe Notes
Recipe Nutrition
I can’t wait for you to try this easy magic shell recipe! It’s so satisfying to crack open that chocolate shell to get a spoonful of ice cream. And it doesn’t get any easier than 2 ingredients and 5 minutes, right? Go get your coconut oil and chocolate today – I know you won’t regret it.