- a farmgirl's dabbles - https://www.afarmgirlsdabbles.com -

Chocolate Magic Shell

This is the easiest and best Chocolate Magic Shell recipe! Just 3 ingredients – two kinds of chocolate plus coconut oil – melt together for a fun, delicious ice cream topping!

A bowl of ice cream topped with magic shell.

Homemade Magic Shell Recipe

One of my favorite ice cream memories from growing up in the 80’s was Magic Shell. I truly thought it was “magic”. I love that my family can enjoy this fun treat with this easy homemade Magic Shell recipe!

All you need for homemade magic shell is chocolate and coconut oil. I like to include 2 different kinds of chocolate, for a little more flavor depth than the original bottled stuff, but that’s totally not necessary.

Just melt the chocolate and coconut oil together. Then pour it over your favorite ice cream – we really love the peanut butter ice cream and chocolate magic shell combo. Then watch the magic happen. Within seconds, the liquid chocolate turns into a hard shell – a super fun, crunchy chocolate crown atop your scoops of ice cream!

If you like dipped cones, shakes blitzed with chocolate flakes, and ice cream treats such as Klondike bars – all with hardened chocolate – then you’re going to love this recipe! I worked at a local small town summer drive-in in the 80’s, and the chocolate and cherry cone dips were my favorite treats (I still order them at Dairy Queen to this day).

I’m basically a kid again every time I make this homemade magic shell!

A bowl of ice cream topped with magic shell and a hand holds a spoon.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

For me, there’s a lot of nostalgia with this recipe. But even if I didn’t grow up with it, I’d still love it. Here’s why!

A bowl of ice cream topped with magic shell and a spoon.

What Is A Chocolate Magic Shell?

Chocolate magic shell is a dessert topping made from melting chocolate and coconut oil together.

So how does magic shell work? Coconut oil is liquid when warm, and hard and crunchy when cold. So when you pour it over frozen ice cream, the chocolate sauce becomes a brittle “shell”. The ice cream literally freezes it into place.

Then when you tap into the magic shell with a spoon, the hardened chocolate caves under pressure and cracks into pieces. It’s incredibly fun!

If you’re looking for the store-bought product, it’s usually located with all the other ice cream toppings. But making it at home from scratch is so easy!

Ingredients needed for chocolate magic shell include chocolate and coconut oil.

Recipe Ingredients

You really only need 2 ingredients to make this dessert topping – your favorite chocolate chips and some coconut oil. But I like to use two different kinds of chocolate chips. It’s up to you!

Be sure to scroll down to the recipe card at the end of this post for the exact ingredient amounts.

A hand pours a pitcher of magic shell over a bowl of ice cream.

How to Make a Chocolate Magic Shell

Here’s the beyond-easy method for making magic shell! You only need one pot or bowl to make this luscious sauce:

Melting chocolate and coconut oil.
A bowl of ice cream topped with magic shell.

Tips for Success

Read on for a few tips on how to make the best homemade chocolate magic shell:

A clear bowl of ice cream topped with chocolate magic shell.

Ways to Serve a Chocolate Hard Shell

Ice cream is the clear first choice for magic shell. Here are a few of my favorite ice cream recipes that you can top with magic shell, plus a few more serving ideas:

A jar of chocolate magic shell.

How to Store

Store your homemade chocolate magic shell in an airtight container in a cool, dark place (like your pantry) at room temperature. It will keep well for up to 1 month.

If it solidifies, briefly reheat it in the microwave in short bursts until it’s liquid enough to pour.

Like this Recipe? Save to Pinterest

Pinterest image for homemade chocolate magic shell
A bowl of ice cream topped with magic shell.

Chocolate Magic Shell

Yield: 12 servings
prep time: 5 minutes
cook time: 5 minutes
total time: 5 minutes
This is the easiest and best Chocolate Magic Shell recipe! Just 3 ingredients – two kinds of chocolate plus coconut oil – melt together for a fun, delicious ice cream topping!
5 Stars (3 Reviews)
Print

Ingredients

  • 6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips we use Guittard
  • 6 ounces bittersweet chocolate chips
  • cup coconut oil

Instructions

  • Combine chocolate chips and coconut oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir frequently until the chocolate is almost melted. Remove from heat and stir until completely melted and smooth.
  • Let cool for 10-20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes. When just barely warm, drizzle it over your favorite ice cream.

Notes

Store in an airtight container in a cool, dark place (like your pantry) at room temperature. It will keep well for up to 1 month.
If it solidifies, briefly reheat it in the microwave in short bursts until it’s liquid enough to pour.

Nutrition Information:

Serving: 1 Calories: 225kcal Carbohydrates: 14g Protein: 3g Fat: 18g Saturated Fat: 12g Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g Sodium: 17mg Fiber: 3g Sugar: 8g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated by Spoonacular. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee accuracy. If your health depends on nutrition information, please calculate again with your own favorite calculator.
Did you make this recipe?Please leave a comment below. And share a photo on Instagram with the hashtag #afarmgirlsdabbles or tag @farmgirlsdabble!

More Chocolate Recipes

A bowl of ice cream topped with magic shell.

This recipe post was first published here in 2012, then updated in 2023.