Homemade Magic Shell
Updated
Updated
A super easy recipe for Homemade Magic Shell with only two ingredients. It’s the perfect topping for your favorite ice cream!
Other chocolate recipes we love include our Swiss Roll Cake, Chocolate Mousse, and these Flourless Chocolate Cookies!
One of my favorite childhood memories was definitely discovering Magic Shell, which was introduced at some point in the 1980’s. As a kid, it was literally the coolest and yummiest chocolate treat ever! I’m practically 10 years old again every time I make this Homemade Magic Shell Recipe.
What is Magic Shell?
If you’ve never had the pleasure of experiencing the awe of magic shell, you’re in for a real treat! When it’s poured over cold ice cream, the chocolate syrup immediately hardens, creating a coating that “cracks” when you tap it with a spoon. It’s incredibly fun!
The store-bought product is usually located in the same aisle as the jams, honey, nut butters, and caramel sauce, but making it at home from scratch is just about the easiest thing ever. You only need two ingredients, a bowl, and your microwave. And it can be stored in a sealed container at room temperature and simply reheated anytime you need it.
How Does Magic Shell Work?
The secret ingredient in Magic shell is coconut oil. It’s simply a combination of chocolate and coconut oil (fat) that hardens into a solid, shiny shell when poured over cold ice cream. It soon becomes dull in appearance, but the effect is incredibly satisfying.
The science behind it? Coconut oil contains a high amount of saturated fat – it’s solid at room temperature but melts when heated. Once you melt the chocolate and coconut oil together, it has a smooth, gooey consistency like loose hot fudge, but within seconds of contact with cold ice cream it rapidly cools down, causing the coconut oil to solidify again.
The fat creates a shell, which has a scrumptious texture that breaks into pieces when you crack into it with a spoon.
Recipe Tips!
Even the simplest recipes can be messed up if you don’t follow the proper steps. Here are a few tips:
- Your bowl should be completely dry and free of any residue. Water can cause chocolate to seize up, so make sure your bowl is totally clean and dry before adding the chocolate and coconut oil to it.
- Melt the mixture in short intervals. Melting and stirring the chocolate and oil in short bursts helps the chocolate melt evenly and prevents it from burning.
- Allow the mixture to cool before using it. The mixture will be very warm after microwaving, which will melt your ice cream if you pour it on top right away. So let it cool uncovered (stirring every 5 minutes so it cools evenly), until the chocolate is barely warm before using it – about 20 minutes.
Recipe Notes
- This recipe uses refined coconut oil, which has a neutral flavor. Virgin coconut oil will give your Magic Shell a stronger coconut aroma and taste.
- Feel free to use different types of chocolate, for different flavors. Semi-sweet, milk, or dark chocolate all work.
- Magic Shell isn’t just for ice cream – try drizzling some over frozen fruit!
How to Store this Magic Shell Recipe
Magic Shell should be stored in an airtight container at room temperature (not in the refrigerator) for up to 1 month. If it solidifies, briefly reheat it in the microwave at anytime in short bursts until it’s liquid again.
Other Ice Cream Toppings
My house is never without these homemade toppings!
Uses for Magic Shell Chocolate
You can enjoy Magic Shell on pretty much any ice cream! (It’s also great on frozen fruit.) Here are some of our favorites:
I hope you love this delicious and easy recipe – be sure to give it a review below! Also don’t forget to follow Belly Full on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube!
Homemade Magic Shell
Ingredients
- 1 cup chocolate chips, (semi-sweet, milk, or dark chocolate all work)
- 2 tablespoons refined coconut oil
Instructions
- Stir together chocolate chips and coconut oil in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Place in microwave and cook on high for 30 seconds. Remove and stir. Continue microwaving and stirring in 15 second intervals until all of the chocolate is melted and smooth.
- Remove from the microwave and let it cool uncovered (stirring every 5 minutes so it cools evenly), until the chocolate is barely warm - about 20 minutes.
- Pour over ice cream. Let sit for 30 seconds to harden and then enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information given is an automatic calculation and can vary based on the exact products you use and any changes you make to the recipe. If these numbers are very important to you, I would recommend calculating them yourself.
Did you make this? Leave a rating below!
So easy and so good!
I remember loving this as a kid and couldn’t believe how easy it was to make!
I had no idea it was this easy to make magic shell – tried it with my kids and it was perfect! Thanks so much for sharing.
This worked perfectly!
Color me shocked to find out how easy this was to make at home! Thanks so much for sharing. My girls were so excited.
I always wondered how to make this. Couldn’t believe how easy it was – came out perfectly!
That was exactly what I was craving! I used 1/4 of the amount and it worked great for a single serving.
I cannot have chocolate of any kind. Could you use caramel or butterscotch morsels instead?
Yes, I’ve made this with butterscotch chips and it’s great!
Do you have a way to make peanut butter shell?
Hi Debbie! Sadly, we have peanut allergies in my house, so I never make anything with peanut butter. But my guess is that you could simply replace a little bit of the chocolate with a couple tablespoons of peanut butter. Try it!