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    Home / Recipes / Healthy Ice Cream

    Homemade Magic Shell (3 Flavors)

    Mar 2, 2022 · Updated: May 9, 2024 by Dee Dine · Affliate links disclosure.

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    Straight on view of three flavors of magic shell, chocolate, peanut butter and vanilla.
    Straight on view of three flavors of magic shell, chocolate, peanut butter and vanilla.

    Make a homemade magic shell in 3 flavors - chocolate, peanut butter and vanilla, using chocolate, any oil and a microwave. This magic shell without coconut oil can be made in 2 minutes and used on ice cream or cupcakes, or even overnight oats.

    magic shell on vanilla ice cream


    This homemade magic shell recipe in three flavors is the perfect topping that pours like a liquid but hardens fast in a thin shell as soon as it hits a cold surface including ice cream, popsicles and even on my chocolate dipped cupcakes. Once it hardens, tap it with a spoon, and it gently cracks.

    This chocolate hard shell doesn't use coconut oil. You can use it but in fact any other oil also works. This recipe provides three flavors, chocolate magic shell, chocolate peanut butter magic shell and plain or white magic shell. Use this delicious topping on homemade ice cream recipes. And don't forget to add a magic shell to your desserts and breakfasts including my protein overnight oats.

    Jump to:
    • How Does It Work?
    • What Is Magic Shell?
    • Ingredients
    • Step by Step Instructions
    • Flavors & Variations
    • Recipe Tips
    • How to Store
    • Recipes to Coat
    • FAQS
    • 📖 Recipe

    How Does It Work?

    This easy magic shell recipe is made of only melted chocolate chips and oil. Any oil works, not just coconut oil. Use magic shell on ice cream, as a cookie dip or filling for my milano cookies, on cakes like my chocolate swiss roll, or as a drizzle on my frozen desserts. It's a wonderful topping just like my healthy chocolate sauce that is low calorie, or even my caramel date paste.

    Straight on view of three flavors of magic shell, chocolate, peanut butter and vanilla.

    What Is Magic Shell?

    Magic shell was introduced by The J.M. Smuckers Company in the 1980s, and is still for sale where you find ice cream toppings. But homemade magic shell is simple to make and needs only  two ingredients. 

    Scientifically, magic shell hardens because the oil contains saturated fat that turns to liquid when heated, but solidifies when it comes in contact with cold. Lots of recipes use coconut oil, but any oil works, including avocado oil and olive oil and vegetable oils.

    Ingredients

    overhead view of 3 magic shell flavors and ingredients

    For the original Chocolate Magic Shell, you'll need:

    Chocolate - Use quality chocolate chips or chopped chocolate, at least 70% cacao
    Oil - Use olive oil. Or if you prefer, use refined coconut oil for a non-coconut flavor.

    For the Chocolate Peanut Butter Magic Shell, you'll need:

    Chocolate - Use quality chocolate chips or chopped chocolate, at least 70% cacao
    Peanut Butter - Use a runny quality brand that has only nuts as ingredients.
    Oil

    For the White Magic Shell, you'll need:

    Shredded Coconut - Be sure to buy a quality brand, and fresh blends better. You'll be using my homemade coconut butter recipe to blend this single ingredient into a delicious white shell. Magically, it too solidifies as soon as it hits a frozen surface.

    Step by Step Instructions

    For more detail, visit the complete recipe at the bottom of this post, but here are general steps.

    The white magic shell is explained above. To make the 2 chocolate magic shell recipes:

    1. Melt the chocolate in a microwavable measuring cup. Zap for 60 seconds. Stir until all chocolate is melted. If making the peanut butter flavor, add in the peanut butter and microwave again. Stir again.

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    2. Add in the oil, and stir until all is melted into a shiny wonder. Let it cool off to just warmer than room temperature.

    Overhead view of three flavors of magic shell, chocolate, peanut butter and vanilla.

    3. Now pour or dip! Pour on the shell, and add sprinkles while it is wet. Be quick, it turns solid fast as soon as it hits a cold surface. (within seconds)

    magic shell on vanilla and strawberry ice cream

    Flavors & Variations

    Here are more details regarding the three flavors of magic shell this recipe makes.

    1. Chocolate is exactly like the commercial flavor however healthier.

    2. Peanut Butter is a peanut butter flavored chocolate magic shell.

    3. Vanilla tastes like vanilla coconut, because it is homemade coconut butter. It is easy to make by simply blending shredded coconut into coconut butter. Takes a few minutes in a high speed blender. And since it is naturally sweet, no sweetener is needed.

    More flavors.  With the additions of extracts, flavor variations are endless. Add peppermint extract for mint, add lavender for calming lavender, add almond for a marzipan flavor. And how about a pinch of cayenne for a double snappy Mayan chocolate flavor.

    Recipe Tips

    It's pretty easy to make this shell, but there are few areas to watch out for:

    1. Be sure the container that you use to melt  the chocolate is dry. If there is a single drop of water, that will make the chocolate seize as it melts and turn crumbly and you'll cry.

    Here's a fix: If this happens, there is a way to fix seized chocolate - set the container into a pot of boiling water and keep stirring until it's smooth again.

    2. Regarding the peanut butter chocolate magic shell, be sure to use a natural peanut butter that don't have added sugar and merely contain just peanuts and oil such as Barney Butter, Justins or 365 brand. Don't use Jif or other brands that are full of sugar.

    3. Regarding the white magic shell, be sure to use shredded coconut, not flakes. It must be unsweetened and have only coconut in the ingredients. And it should be fresh. Here is my more detailed post on coconut butter.

    Straight on view of three flavors of magic shell, chocolate, peanut butter and vanilla.

    How to Store

    Homemade magic shell needs to be stored at room temperature. Do not refrigerate or else it will turn rock hard and be unusable. In a sealed container, it can last two weeks. It will still solidify slightly, even at room temperature so just pop it in the microwave and reheat for 15-30 seconds to prepare it for serving. If the seal is loose however, mold can grow so check for mold. 

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    • no churn chocolate ice cream in cones.
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    • two blueberry ice cream cones on their side
      Blueberry Ice Cream
    • Chocolate Peanut Butter No Churn Ice Cream
      Chocolate Peanut Butter Ice Cream
    • watermelon ice cream with raspberries
      Watermelon Ice Cream

    FAQS

    Does magic shell have wax in it?

    No, my magic shell has only chocolate and oil, and even the store bought version does not have paraffin wax as an ingredient.

    Does magic shell harden on skin?

    No, magic shell needs to come into contact with a frozen surface to form a hard shell.

    Does magic shell only work on ice cream?

    Magic shell hardens on any frozen surface, not just ice cream. Try  it on frozen cookies, fruits, even the frosting on a cupcake.

    If you tried this recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!

    📖 Recipe

    Straight on view of three flavors of magic shell, chocolate, peanut butter and vanilla.

    Homemade Magic Shell (3 flavors)

    Created by Dee Dine
    Make a homemade magic shell in 3 flavors - chocolate, peanut butter and vanilla, using chocolate, any oil and a microwave. This magic shell without coconut oil can be made in 2 minutes and used on ice cream or cupcakes, or even overnight oats.
    5 from 5 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe SaveSaved! Rate Recipe
    Prep Time 1 minute min
    Cook Time 1 minute min
    Total Time 2 minutes mins
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine American
    Servings 18
    Calories 64 kcal

    Equipment

    • microwave
    • measuring cup

    Ingredients
     
     

    Chocolate Magic Shell

    • 1 cup chocolate chips
    • 2 tablespoon oil (coconut, avocado oil, extra virgin olive oil, or vegetable oil)

    Peanut Butter Chocolate Magic Shell

    • 1 cup chocolate chips
    • 2 tablespoon oil (coconut, avocado oil, extra virgin olive oil, or vegetable oil)
    • 2 tablespoon peanut butter

    White Magic Shell

    • 1 cup shredded coconut unsweetened
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    Instructions
     

    To Make Chocolate Magic Shell

    • Melt the chips in a glass pyrex measuring cup at 60 seconds in the microwave. Add in the oil and stir until all is melted.
      1 cup chocolate chips, 2 tablespoon oil
    • Pour onto your ice cream, or dip your popsicle or chilled cupcake.

    To Make Peanut Butter Magic Shell

    • Melt the chips in a glass pyrex measuring cup at 60 seconds in the microwave. Add in the oil and peanut butter and stir until all is melted. Return to microwave for 15 second increments if the peanut butter is not quite melted.
      1 cup chocolate chips, 2 tablespoon oil, 2 tablespoon peanut butter

    To Make White Magic Shell aka Vanilla Coconut

    • Blend the shredded coconut (not coconut flakes) in a high speed blender until it turns to liquid coconut butter.
      1 cup shredded coconut
    • Drizzle the liquid coconut butter onto ice cream, or dip a popsicle or chilled cupcake.

    Storage

    • Magic shell needs to be stored at room temperature. Do not refrigerate or else it will turn rock hard and be unusable. In a sealed container, it can last a month.

    Video

    Notes

    Be sure the container that you use to melt the chocolate is dry. If water is present, and the chocolate seizes, set the container into a pot of boiling water and keep stirring until it's smooth again.
    Storage: Magic shell needs to be stored at room temperature and in a sealed container can last two weeks but not if the seal is loose so check for mold. 
    Nutrition is calculated used an app and is for only the plain chocolate flavor.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 64kcalCarbohydrates: 6gProtein: 1gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.4gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0.01gFiber: 1gSugar: 5gCalcium: 13mgIron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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    Comments

    1. Maruja Shelton says

      June 16, 2023 at 8:22 pm

      If you add another liquid flavor like coffee or vanilla how much would you add

      Reply
      • Dee Dine says

        June 17, 2023 at 2:14 pm

        Add a teaspoon of coffee instant granules, or 1/2 teaspoon of alcohol-based vanilla. This magic shell recipes needs to be stored in a sealed container at room temperature.

        Reply
    5 from 5 votes (5 ratings without comment)

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    Recipe Rating




    Straight on view of three flavors of magic shell, chocolate, peanut butter and vanilla.
    Straight on view of three flavors of magic shell, chocolate, peanut butter and vanilla.
    dee dine

    My name is Dee Dine and I’m a two-time cookbook author and certified nutritionist. Here you’ll find clean healthy recipes made with few ingredients, dairy free, & gluten free. About Dee →

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    Straight on view of three flavors of magic shell, chocolate, peanut butter and vanilla.
    Straight on view of three flavors of magic shell, chocolate, peanut butter and vanilla.

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