Make Ice Cream Magic with This 2-Ingredient Topping

I aspire to be one of those people who can pull off a fun dessert on a whim. We keep ice cream on hand at all times, and when I serve it on its own, I often want to zhuzh it up a bit. Alas, I almost never have sundae toppings on hand.

Enter: this easy two-ingredient homemade magic shell recipe. With two pantry staples—chocolate chips and coconut oil—you can have a fun, tasty, and nostalgic ice cream topping ready to go in less than five minutes.

What Is Magic Shell? 

You might remember the original Magic Shell from its popularity in the 80s and 90s. “Ice Magic” originated as an ice cream topping in Australia but was recreated under the name Magic Shell by Smuckers in the US. Magic Shell and its copies like Trader Joe’s Hard Top Chocolate Shell is a liquid topping that can be poured over ice cream, where it hardens quickly and adds a crisp shell top.

While you can still find Magic Shell in major grocery stores, making your own from pantry staples feels thrifty and allows you to use the ingredients you like best. Plus, it feels like its own kind of party trick to whip this us for dinner guests or with your kids. 

Ingredients for Homemade Magic Shell 

While this homemade ice cream topping is made from just two common ingredients, you’ll have the best results with some specificity: 

• Refined coconut oil: This is the key ingredient for setting the magic shell. Coconut oil is one of the few fats that is liquid when warm but sets to a hard, brittle state when cold. Unrefined coconut oil does work, but the refined coconut oil is more neutral in flavor and sets just a bit harder than unrefined.
• Chocolate chips: Both for flavor and texture, chips work best for making a variety of magic shell flavors. The chips melt quickly and evenly and you aren’t limited to just semisweet. Butterscotch, white chocolate, and peanut butter chips all work for making magic shell with this recipe. Opt for the best quality chips you can find—I love Ghirardelli for chocolate and white chocolate varieties.

Tips for Making Homemade Magic Shell 

• I love to use a glass liquid measuring cup for melting the chocolate chips for easy pouring, but any microwave-safe bowl works, too. 
• Make sure to stir your magic shell mixture between each microwave burst to prevent scorching and to help everything melt evenly. 
• You can use your magic shell right away, but I like to cool it for a few minutes so any residual heat from the microwave doesn’t make the ice cream extra melty. 
• Storing any leftovers in a microwave-safe container makes reheating easy—just pop the container in the microwave and reheat in 15-second bursts, stirring in between. 

How To Make My 2-Ingredient Homemade Magic Shell

To make 2 cups (about 16 servings), you’ll need:

• 2 cups (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips 
• 1/2 cup refined coconut oil
• Ice cream, for serving

In a microwave-safe liquid measuring cup or bowl, combine the chocolate chips and coconut oil. Melt in the microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring between each, about 1 1/2 minutes total. Cool the topping to body temperature, about 5 minutes.

Pour the magic shell directly onto cold ice cream. The topping will set in about 30 seconds; it’s ready for cracking when the shell goes from wet-looking to dull.

Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 months. Reheat in the microwave in 15-second bursts until liquid again. 

Other Ways To Enjoy Homemade Magic Shell

Obviously this topping is made for ice cream, but at my house, we also love it for topping yogurt cups, overnight oats, and as a dip for fresh strawberries, too. You could also use it as a chocolate coating inside ice cream cones or as a drizzle or dip for ice cream sandwiches or popsicles.