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This magic chocolate shell recipe is the king of ice cream toppings! Made with only two ingredients and ready in under five minutes, it’s the perfect way to enhance your favorite ice cream without needing to buy it from the store.
If there’s one thing we all agree on, it’s that the best part about a hand-held ice cream cone or popsicle is the crispy crunch of that thin layer of chocolate on top. I remember being a child and sometimes eating the whole shell first, before even touching the center, because it was just so good. This is why I had to recreate that nostalgic feeling as an adult (and why my homemade fudgesicles are always stocked in my freezer).
And if there’s one way you can make it even better, it’s making it at home. With this homemade magic shell recipe, you no longer need to go to the store to get Magnum or Klondike bars. You can now get that same amazing chocolate coating in the comfort of your kitchen. And it’s so much easier than you think. It’s especially good poured over a few scoops of my espresso coffee ice cream.
Key Ingredients
Here are the ingredients you will need to make a homemade magic shell topping. Scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of the page for the detailed ingredient measurements.
- Chopped Chocolate Bar or Chocolate Chips: provides the base and rich chocolate flavor for the hard shell.
- Coconut Oil: thins out the chocolate and allows the liquid magic shell to spread before hardening.
How to Make Magic Chocolate Shell
- Combine. Add the chopped chocolate (or chips) and the solid coconut oil to a heatproof or microwave-safe bowl.
- Melt. Melt over a double boiler on low heat, stirring until smooth. Or microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring well after each one.
- Cool slightly. Pour it into a jar and set it aside for a couple of minutes, just until it’s no longer hot enough to melt the ice cream but still easy to pour.
- Drizzle. Spoon or drizzle the chocolate over ice cream that is straight out of the freezer.
- Let it harden. Wait a few seconds and watch it firm up into a crisp, shiny shell, then crack in with your spoon.
Expert Tips
- Measure solid coconut oil for better accuracy. Melted coconut oil will mess up the measurements.
- Use “refined” coconut oil specifically so you don’t add a coconut flavor to the chocolate.
- Use the highest quality chocolate you can get your hands on to have the best flavor.
- Chop your chocolate bars into smaller pieces before melting to help them melt more evenly.
- Make sure your ice cream is fresh out of the freezer when putting on the chocolate. The shell will harden better if it’s on a cold surface.
Why do you need to make this recipe?
- Putting this on top of ice cream will revive your childhood memories and make you take a trip down memory lane.
- This easy recipe only requires two simple ingredients that you most likely already have.
- Skip going to the grocery store for boxed ice cream desserts and make this hard chocolate shell for cold treats at home.
- The great thing about this recipe is that it pairs well with almost every flavor of ice cream or your favorite treats, from my vanilla bean ice cream to my high protein cottage cheese ice cream made in the Ninja Creami.
- Once you try it the first time, you can customize it and try different flavored shells.
Magic Chocolate Shell FAQs
That depends on your preference! I personally like to use semi-sweet chocolate because of the balanced flavor. But you can use milk chocolate if you want it sweeter, or dark chocolate for a less sweet shell.
This magic chocolate shell topping is useful for any and all ice cream treats such as ice cream bowls, ice cream cones, and ice cream cakes. For a full sundae bar, set it out next to a jar of warm butterscotch ice cream topping and my homemade caramel sauce.
Honestly, I would say that the vast majority of flavors would work well with this as a topping. The first and most obvious ones that come to mind would be vanilla ice cream, chocolate condensed milk ice cream, coffee espresso ice cream, and peanut butter ice cream. It’s also amazing on my pistachio ice cream and no-churn Oreo ice cream.
Use white chocolate instead to make it taste more like cocoa butter. You can use caramel or butterscotch chips for a more decadent twist. You can also add two tablespoons of different types of nut butters to the chocolate mixture.
Store any leftovers of this fun treat in a sealed airtight container, a small bowl covered with plastic wrap, or a mason jar at room temperature for up to a month. It will solidify, and you’ll just have to microwave it briefly until it’s liquid and pourable again. It does not need refrigeration.
Coconut oil is useful for this recipe because it solidifies at room temperature once it’s cooled. Using refined coconut oil also has a neutral flavor so it won’t take away from the chocolate taste. I don’t recommend substituting this ingredient for any other oils like olive oil or vegetable oil, as the chocolate may become too runny.
Chocolate bars are better for this recipe because they will give a thinner shell with a glossy finish. Chocolate chips should only be used if they’re all you have and more convenient for you (which is what I did). Just know that it will give you a much thicker shell.
More Ice Cream Favorites
If you poured this magic chocolate shell over your ice cream, tell me if you ate the shell first like I used to! Leave a ⭐ star rating and a comment below with your favorite ice cream pairing. Enjoy every crack!!
Chocolate Magic Shell Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup chopped chocolate or chocolate chips (semi-sweet, dark, or milk)
- 2 tablespoons refined coconut oil measured solid
Instructions
- In a microwave-safe bowl or over a double boiler, combine the chocolate and coconut oil. If using the microwave heat in 30-second bursts, stirring between each, until smooth and melted.1 cup chopped chocolate , 2 tablespoons refined coconut oil
- Let it cool for a few minutes so it's not piping hot, but still pourable.
- Drizzle over cold ice cream and wait a few seconds, it will harden into a glossy shell!
- Keep in an airtight container at room temp for up to 1 month. If it hardens, just microwave for a few seconds to liquefy again.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I love that you can keep it at room temperature and just give it a few seconds in the microwave when it firms up. Such an easy homemade topping to have around.