Homemade Magic Shell Chocolate Sauce
Thursday, 4 August 2011
Have you ever had that magical chocolate sauce that hardens when it hits your ice cream? I remember trying it as a kid – getting it was such a treat. It cracks as you dig your spoon into the bowl, giving you a nice chunk of chocolate along with a bite of rich ice cream. Yum!
Turns out, it’s super easy to make. Melt chocolate with coconut oil and you’re done! Pour it on some ice cream and like magic, it turns cold and forms a hard shell of chocolatey goodness. Just like store-bought, without lots of hard-to-pronounce preservatives and other ingredients.
Follow the next 3 steps to reach happiness:
1. Fill a bowl with your favorite ice cream.
2. Pour on the homemade “magic shell” chocolate sauce.
3. Wait a few seconds then dig in!
Recipe:
Homemade “Magic Shell” Chocolate Sauce
- 7 oz. of your favorite chocolate, roughly chopped
- 2 T coconut oil*
In a heat-proof bowl, place chocolate and coconut oil in microwave. Heat 30 seconds at a time, stirring in between, until fully melted. (Or, in a double boiler, heat chocolate and coconut oil over water on medium high heat, stirring frequently until fully melted.) Set aside to cool. Pour over ice cream.
Store in air-tight container. Heat in microwave for 30 seconds before use.
*If you’re allergic to coconut, I’ve seen recipes that use butter or non-hydrogenated shortening (Spectrum makes a good one) but I haven’t tried those ingredients myself. If you try them, let me know how they work!
No. 1 — August 4th, 2011 at 8:39 am
YESSSSS!! =) One of the best recipes you’ve posted! I’ve never seen chocolate shell recipes or nonetheless heard of anyone making it before! This is one of my all time top things when I get soft serve.. it makes it oh so decadent!
No. 2 — August 4th, 2011 at 9:13 am
This looks so amazing! How does it it keep after you make it? Fridge? Pantry? Just reheat when you want to use again?
No. 3 — August 4th, 2011 at 12:12 pm
Who knew?! I love this stuff and am even more happy that its this easy to make! AWESOME! I am so happy I stumbled across your blog. I love, love, love all of the homemade stuff you have on here. I hate that almost everything on the shelves have added ingredients that just aren’t worth it! Thanks!
No. 4 — August 4th, 2011 at 12:27 pm
Awesome!!!! I’m so glad that someone has finally found a way to make this….I had stopped buying this from the store a long time ago but I find that I have cravings for it when I’m eating vanilla icecream
Thanks so much for posting…
No. 5 — August 4th, 2011 at 1:28 pm
why do you store it in the fridge? the store bought ones say not to store it in the fridge…
No. 6 — August 4th, 2011 at 1:43 pm
Awesome! SO easy and delicious!
No. 7 — August 4th, 2011 at 2:19 pm
So…magic shell & ice cream party with a side of mojito popsicles at Wheeler’s house?
No. 8 — August 4th, 2011 at 3:29 pm
Wow, chocolate and coconut oil….who knew! I used to love magic shell (we called it Ice Magic here). Looks delicious!
No. 9 — August 4th, 2011 at 7:18 pm
I would think this is because if you put the sauce in the fridge it gets too hard to pour out easily. This is solved easily by microwaving, as the author of the post says. The problem with the store bought sauce is that it comes in a container that is not microwave safe. The manufacturers of the store sauce get around this by putting preservatives in the sauce which will keep it good at room temp. Since the homemade version does not have preservatives, it should be stored in the fridge. I would say the best container for it would be a glass jar which can go in the microwave. This appears to be what the author uses in the picture.
No. 10 — August 4th, 2011 at 8:10 pm
@Hannah- yay! This is so easy, it might be dangerous for you
oh and you can have some when you come over next week!
No. 11 — August 4th, 2011 at 8:11 pm
@Wheels – I think fridge or pantry would be fine. Just zap it in the microwave for a min, especially if you had it in the fridge.
No. 12 — August 4th, 2011 at 8:13 pm
@Cindy – welcome! I’m so glad you found my blog too! I love making homemade versions of things you’d normally buy. Let me know if you have any requests!
No. 13 — August 4th, 2011 at 8:14 pm
@Casey – hooray! Now you can make it and satisfy that craving. I’m so glad I posted this – I didn’t realize how much people love it!
No. 14 — August 4th, 2011 at 8:16 pm
@mayra – I was following another recipe’s suggestion but you’re right – I don’t see any harm in storing it in the pantry since you’d so that with the ingredients themselves.
No. 15 — August 4th, 2011 at 8:16 pm
@Ann – exactly! It’s dangerously easy. I might have to whip some up each time I buy ice cream.
No. 16 — August 4th, 2011 at 8:18 pm
@Kelly – sounds like (a delicious) plan! I have homemade mac and cheese on my to do list too…
No. 17 — August 4th, 2011 at 8:19 pm
@Jennifer – Ice Magic is a fun name! Very fitting for this fun and seemingly magical topping.
No. 18 — August 4th, 2011 at 8:21 pm
@Alicia – thanks for your input! I think it would also be safe to store this homemade version in the pantry but you’re right about the store bought version. It also has a lot preservatives so is probably totally fine to be left out anyway.
No. 19 — August 5th, 2011 at 2:55 pm
Thanks so much for this recipe. I have fond memories of eating cone after cone with the chocolate shell topping–until I found out what was in it. Now I can eat it guilt free.
No. 20 — August 5th, 2011 at 3:02 pm
Thank you! So happy I stumbled upon your blog!
No. 21 — August 5th, 2011 at 8:01 pm
WOW! This looks amazing!! I plan to try this ASAP!
No. 22 — August 5th, 2011 at 8:06 pm
@Dee – I know how that feels. I love making stuff like this from scratch – it’s so nice knowing exactly what goes into your food!
No. 23 — August 5th, 2011 at 8:07 pm
@Kendrick – welcome! I’m so glad you found me too!
No. 24 — August 5th, 2011 at 8:07 pm
@Lindsay – thanks! Enjoy it!
No. 25 — August 6th, 2011 at 6:44 pm
I remember buying this years ago under the name “Gold Brick” – loved it then and would love to make it with your recipe.
No. 26 — August 7th, 2011 at 9:16 am
@ciaochowlinda – I’ve never heard it called “Gold Brick.” Apparently it’s called “Ice Magic” in Australia. I wonder how many other names it has!
No. 27 — August 8th, 2011 at 11:31 am
[...] have a great use for homemade “magic shell” chocolate sauce that transitions us perfectly to an ice cream maker giveaway. A few weeks ago, my friend posted a [...]
No. 28 — August 9th, 2011 at 9:12 am
First off, WOW, your photos are amazing! Secondly, I can’t wait to try this recipe! My husband and I bought some of the magic shell sauce from the store awhile back, something he had had as a child, I always just had chocolate syrup or caramel on mine, but we both thought it tasted more like wax than chocolate. I’m so looking forward to trying it this way! Thanks so much for sharing!
No. 29 — August 9th, 2011 at 10:00 am
Holy easy! I had no idea! Thanks for sharing
No. 30 — August 9th, 2011 at 10:02 am
I really need to try this… where do you get coconut oil from?
No. 31 — August 9th, 2011 at 10:16 am
@Angie – in the supermarket along with the other oils. I actually saw some at Walmart in the grocery section.
No. 32 — August 9th, 2011 at 10:18 am
@Dee – isn’t it crazy? So easy and just like store-bought, without all the added junk. Enjoy!
No. 33 — August 9th, 2011 at 10:19 am
@Amberini – thank you! I love this homemade version because it doesn’t have all the added preservatives and junk but it’s just like the real thing. Hope it lives up to your husband’s memories! Enjoy
No. 34 — August 9th, 2011 at 11:37 am
I love this, so simple but so fun
No. 35 — August 9th, 2011 at 1:14 pm
My 6 year old LOVES magic shell!! Thanks for this recipe – can’t wait to try it with him!
No. 36 — August 9th, 2011 at 9:49 pm
This looks so good. I have fond memories of it growing up. I had no idea it was easy to make. That is dangerous information. Lol! Hope you don’t mind me including this in my ice cream sundays post. It’s a must pass on recipe. It will link them right over to your site to see it and get the recipe.
No. 37 — August 9th, 2011 at 10:01 pm
@Kim Bee – I know, it’s seriously dangerous! Way too easy. It’s fine with me if you include it in a blog post as long as you link back. Enjoy!
No. 38 — August 10th, 2011 at 5:09 am
OMG!!! I am definitely keeping this! I love the magic shell so much. As a kid I always got a vanilla ice cream with cherry or chocolate shell suace – soooo good!
No. 39 — August 10th, 2011 at 10:46 am
This makes me very happy! I can’t wait to try it out with my kids. What a fun treat!
No. 40 — August 10th, 2011 at 4:30 pm
Do you have a recipe for sweetened condensed milk? Even better do you think that we could make one with Splenda or another sugar substitute? I am hooked on it in my coffee but the dr wants us to cut down on sugar. Yeah,right.Thanks
No. 41 — August 10th, 2011 at 4:31 pm
I’d like to try it with butterscotch chips.
No. 42 — August 11th, 2011 at 10:35 am
@Debbie – I’ve never made sweetened condensed milk but here’s a recipe using Splenda: http://www.food.com/recipe/sweetened-condensed-milk-with-splenda-412496
No. 43 — August 11th, 2011 at 10:35 am
@Debbie – yum! That’s a great idea.
No. 44 — August 11th, 2011 at 8:14 pm
I have been itching to try this recipe for a long while! This looks great!!
No. 45 — August 12th, 2011 at 4:11 pm
Gorgeous pictures.
No. 46 — October 21st, 2011 at 7:35 pm
Long before Magic Shell there was Gold Brick Sundae topping and my desire to recreate it. I have used a combination of butter and chocolate for years with the same results…either of which are way better than Magic Shell!
No. 47 — March 18th, 2012 at 6:03 pm
is “T” supposed to be tablespoons or teaspoons?
No. 48 — March 18th, 2012 at 6:11 pm
@Quinn – capitalized “T” = tablespoons, lowercase “t” = teaspoons
No. 49 — May 24th, 2012 at 1:56 pm
Are you sure it has to be refrigerated? It seems to me that since coconut oil is shelf stable and chocolate is shelf stable, then coconut oil + chocolate should also be shelf stable. What am I missing?
No. 50 — May 25th, 2012 at 6:17 am
This is great. I’m going to try it with canola oil. I can eat coconut, but I’m not a fan of the taste.
No. 51 — May 25th, 2012 at 9:16 am
[...] I almost cried when I saw this, it made me so happy: Homemade Hard Shell Chocolate Sauce. [...]
No. 52 — May 25th, 2012 at 9:29 am
I love this topping and I’ve never used the coconut oil but I use butter all the time and it turns out terrific.
No. 53 — May 25th, 2012 at 9:30 am
@Ken – I don’t think it will work with canola oil. Coconut oil is solid at room temperature, so it gets hard when it hits the cold ice cream. I’ve seen some recipes that combine canola and butter, but I’m not sure if it works as well as coconut. I made this almost a year ago, but I don’t remember it tasting strongly of coconut – more of chocolate.
No. 54 — May 25th, 2012 at 9:36 am
@Brandon – you’re right and I updated the recipe.
No. 55 — May 25th, 2012 at 1:38 pm
[...] at home, or will you spring for the store-bought stuff? Share your thoughts in the comments below.Homemade Magic Shell Chocolate Sauce [52 KItchen Adventures via The Kitchn]Tags cooking diy food Related Stories DIY Storage Couch [...]
No. 56 — July 29th, 2012 at 11:54 am
[...] Magic Shell Chocolate SauceHomemade Magic Shell Chocolate SauceAn easy homemade alternative from the 52 Kitchen Adventures [...]
No. 57 — August 9th, 2012 at 1:27 pm
[...] Magic Shell Chocolate Sauce Homemade Magic Shell Chocolate Sauce An easy homemade alternative from the 52 Kitchen Adventures [...]
No. 58 — August 25th, 2012 at 8:30 am
[...] This week I’m posting about something I pinned on Pinterest and then did — a recipe for a homemade version of that chocolate sauce that hardens when it’s poured on cold ice cream. I pinned the recipe from LifeHacker: Make Your Own Magic Shell Ice Cream Topping At Home and Dress Up Your Desserts. They got the recipe from 52 Kitchen Adventures: Homemade Magic Shell Chocolate Sauce. [...]
No. 59 — December 28th, 2012 at 9:56 am
[...] Homemade Magic Shell? Don’t mind if I do! [...]
No. 60 — March 22nd, 2013 at 9:44 pm
I have seen a similar recipe in an ice cream recipe book, but it used butter, rather than coconut oil. It works great & is delicious.