Memorial Day is right around the corner and that means it’s time for alllll the warm weather treats! And if you’re an ice cream fan, you know exactly what Magic Shell is – that fun, chocolatey topping you can drizzle over ice cream that hardens almost instantly and can be cracked with a spoon like a shell. The best part about magic shell topping is that because it hardens quickly, it’s really easy to get it evenly distributed on your cold treats without it turning into a big gloopy mess that regular old melted chocolate would leave you with. But did you know it only takes 5 minutes to make at home with your favorite chocolate?!?

My Homemade Magic Shell Topping is best when drizzled over cold or frozen treats like ice cream. When the topping comes in contact with a cold surface, it quickly hardens into a thin, crunchy shell that is easily broken with a spoon. Compare that with using a regular melted chocolate, which freezes in large, gloopy chunks when poured over ice cream, making it tough to evenly distribute and enjoy.

This is the best coating for frozen pops because it creates a really thin coating that can be easily bitten into without destroying the bar underneath. This topping isn’t just for frozen treats though! You can even use it on cold stuff like Greek yogurt or cottage cheese to create a quick and easy high-protein dessert.

Here’s what you’ll need to recreate this Homemade Magic Shell Topping recipe:

• Chocolate – I personally love this with semi-sweet chocolate, but you can use whatever chocolate you like. Dark chocolate, white chocolate, milk chocolate, etc. You could even make it with butterscotch chips or peanut butter chips. I don’t think that using chips vs chopped chocolate bars makes a huge difference in this recipe (though some recipes will say it does!).
• Coconut oil – Refined coconut oil is best so you don’t end up with a coconut flavor in the magic shell. Most other oils are not good substitutes because they are either too low in saturated fat and won’t solidify, or they just don’t taste very good mixed into chocolate. Vegetable shortening would be the best 1:1 substitute if you’re concerned about coconut allergies.

The Magic Shell Topping will re-solidify after an hour or two of sitting at room temperature. I recommend storing any leftovers in a glass jar so they can be microwaved right in the storage container (without the lid, of course!).

To re-heat, microwave on high for 30 seconds and stir. That should be enough for it to pour easily, but if it’s still a little too thick, go for another 10-15 seconds in the microwave and stir again. You don’t want it to be too hot when you pour it over ice cream or it may melt the ice cream instead of immediately hardening on top.