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    Home > Ice Cream & Frozen Desserts

    Magic Shell for Ice Cream

    Modified: Apr 19, 2026 · Published: Jun 2, 2015 by Helen S Fletcher · This post may contain affiliate links · 6 Comments

    Have you ever wondered how they make that hard chocolate shell on soft serve ice cream? Magic Shell is the answer. Two Ingredients + 15 minutes and you have a treat everyone will love. You can make as little or as much as you wish as the basic recipe consists of twice as much chocolate as coconut oil by volume.

    Ice cream in a sundae glass is covered with a broken chocolate Magic Shell.

    Coconut oil can be found in most grocery stores today,   You want the refined coconut which is opaque white in the jar and solid, not liquid. Some say you can use any oil or butter but I have only made it with the coconut oil. After you open the oil, store it in the refrigerator. Liquify in the microwave when you want to use it again or as in this case, just spoon it out.

    You can make as little or as much as you wish as the basic recipe consists of twice as much chocolate as coconut oil by volume.

    Because of the melting point of the coconut oil, the magic shell will stay liquid in a hot kitchen and solidify after sitting in a cold kitchen or the fridge. If your leftover shell hardens, just re-melt in the microwave.

    This magic shell is really good to have at home since you can just drape a towel around you and have at it. And feel free to put it on twice for a really thick shell.

    Chocolate & Coconut Oil

    Magic Shell1 cup chocolate (150 grams or 5 ⅓ ounces)
    ½ cup coconut oil (100 grams or 3 ½ ounces)

    chocolate/oil in bowl
    Chocolate/oil melted in bowl 1
    Whisk to combine

    Combine the chocolate and coconut oil in a microwave proof bowl or put the bowl over a pan of hot water and heat until melted. It took 2 minutes at half power in my microwave. Don't overheat it or it can separate. After it has melted,  whisk to combine.  

    Dripping off spoon

    It will be very thin when whisked. This is as it should be.

    Ice cream in glass
    Magic Shell being poured over ice cream

    Scoop ice cream into dishes and simply spoon the magic shell over really hard ice cream. It will be shiny at first. When it becomes dull and loses all of its shine wait another 5 to 10 seconds. When you tap it with a spoon it will be really hard.

    Magic Shell broken

    Break the magic shell and eat away!!

    Yield: 1 cup

    If you're looking for more ice cream treats try, the Individual Baked Alaska, No Churn Peach Swirl or the Easy Hawaiian Sundae featuring caramelized pineapple and don't forget the Hot Hot Fudge Sauce or the always popular Caramel Hot Fudge Brownie Sundae.

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    1. Manisha says

      June 02, 2015 at 7:29 am

      Nice trick Helen!!!!!! Reading this post was so de-stressing :)

      Reply
      • hfletcher says

        June 02, 2015 at 7:49 am

        Hi Manisha - Glad to help. What is stressing you out now?

        Reply
    2. sallybr says

      June 02, 2015 at 7:13 am

      How exciting! Good luck with your 4 and a half minutes, that would stress me out to no end! ;-)

      love this recipe, remember enjoying magic shells as a teenager - it's been a while

      Reply
      • hfletcher says

        June 02, 2015 at 7:48 am

        I was excited to run across this also. There is a place that sells little cones dipped or unzipped. My husband always has his plaint - I always get mine dipped two!!!

        Reply
    3. rockyrd says

      June 02, 2015 at 5:11 am

      thanks and so much better than the stuff in the jar!
      i can use my good chocolate for this too.
      where do you appear on tv?

      Reply
      • hfletcher says

        June 02, 2015 at 6:27 am

        I am on Great Day St. Louis on KMOV-TV on the first Tuesday of every month.

        Reply

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