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Home ยป Homemade Magic Shell (sugar free & keto)

Homemade Magic Shell (sugar free & keto)

by Adrienne Leave a Comment Published August 7, 2020 Updated: Dec 22, 2020

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homemade magic shell on vanilla ice cream in a white bowl with peanuts on top and a spoon digging into it

If you grew up loving the mystery of Magic Chocolate Shell as a kid, I have something even better: homemade healthy chocolate hard shell. Five simple ingredients are all you need to add a little magic to your dessert and to your life.

homemade magic shell on vanilla ice cream in a white bowl with peanuts on top

I loved Magic Shell as a child. It was so much fun and mysterious, right? I mean, you pour chocolate sauce on your ice cream and within seconds it turns from liquid to a crunchy shell! (Hence why it's called "chocolate hardening sauce" by some.)

And the crunch--yum!

Crunch and ice cream go so well together--am I right? Nothing better.

Unfortunately, Magic Shell toppings (either at an ice cream shop or from the grocery store) are loaded with sugar (there are literally 16 grams in a 2 Tbsp serving! [source]) and typically also contain milk (which our oldest child can't have).

So what's a mom to do?

Well, I wanted to share my childhood magic shell fun with my kids, so it was time to make our own version that's not only a sugar-free magic shell, but also a vegan magic shell. 

And--we have a real winner. Once I discovered how to make chocolate shell (a healthier, no "Mom-guilt" version of it, of course) at home that tastes simply delish, well, I just had to share it with all of you.

homemade magic shell in a glass jar with a spoon

What Makes Magic Shell Harden?

If you’re wondering how the chocolate shell works, you’re not alone! I wondered that for such a long time. Then I realized the secret: it’s all about the coconut oil.

When warmed, coconut oil is liquid and pourable, like any oil. However, when it gets cold, it solidifies. Combine coconut oil and chocolate...well, that’s when magic happens.

pouring homemade magic shell onto a bowl of vanilla ice cream with ice cream scoop in the foreground

How to Use Magic Shell

So, since this magic shell doesn't have sing it couldn’t be easier. All you do is pour the desired amount onto your cold dessert. It pours as a liquid and then quickly becomes a crispy crunchy shell.

The key is that you need to put it on food that’s cold for it to do its thing. Some delicious examples include the following:

  • Ice cream Topping
  • Popsicle Drizzle or Shell (just dip your popsicle in and voila! I think these Sugar-free Fudgesicles would be incredible dipped!)
  • Spoon over Cold or Frozen Fruit to make a shell or drizzle topping
  • Milkshake Topper

And since there's no sugar in this homemade shell, you can go above and beyond the 2 Tablespoon serving size with no worries. Mmmmmm......

homemade magic shell on vanilla ice cream in a white bowl with peanuts on top and an ice cream scoop and peanuts in a bowl on the side

Can You Refrigerate It? 

You can, but know that if you refrigerate it, the cold temps of the fridge will make it harden, and it won't be usable without reheating. The only reason to keep this chocolate shell in the fridge would be to make it last longer.

Even at room temperature, the coconut oil can solidify, depending on the temperature of your home (coconut oil solidifies at 76 degrees, Fahrenheit). If that happens, simply warm your homemade shell by placing the container in warm water over a double boiler until it’s liquified.

How Do You Store It?

If you don’t use all of your magic chocolate shell immediately (probably won't happen!) after you make it, store it in an airtight container (like a mason jar) at room temperature. It should keep for up to quite awhile--possibly for up to a year!

homemade magic shell on vanilla ice cream in a white bowl with peanuts on top and an ice cream scoop and peanuts in a bowl on the side

Ways to Adapt This Chocolate Hard Shell Recipe

To make this recipe healthier, I personally use a low-carb sweetener, but you can use any sweetener you like.

As is, this recipe is fantastic, but, why not try some of these fun adaptations!

  • Chocolate Mint Shell: add 1/4 teaspoon of mint extract
  • Chocolate Orange Shell: 1/4 teaspoon orange extract for a fun chocolate orange shell.
  • Chocolate Cherry Shell: 1/4 tsp cherry extract for a chocolate cherry shell.
  • Chocolate Almond Shell: 1/4 tsp almond extract for a chocolate almond shell!
  • Salted Chocolate Shell: doubles the salt

Really almost anything goes!

Special Diet Notes

This recipe, as written, works for keto and vegan diets, and of course it works for gluten-free as well.

For AIP: Use carob instead of cocoa, and choose an AIP sweetener like honey, maple syrup, or coconut sugar. Coconut sugar would work the best in this application.

THM: This recipe, as written, is THM:S for the Trim Healthy Mama eating plan.

homemade magic shell on vanilla ice cream in a white bowl with peanuts on top and a spoon
collage of pouring homemade magic shell on ice cream and chocolate shell hardened on ice cream in a bowl with peanuts on op
homemade magic shell on vanilla ice cream in a white bowl with peanuts on top and a spoon

Homemade Magic Shell

You only need 5 ingredients and a few minutes to make this super fun and delicious Homemade Magic Shell that's sugar-free, vegan, and keto!
Print Pin Rate
Course: Dessert, Dressings, Seasonings, etc.
Cuisine: AIP, Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, Grain-Free, Keto, Low-Carb, Paleo, Sugar-Free, THM, Vegan
Keyword: homemade magic shell recipe
Prep Time: 1 minute
Cook Time: 4 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Servings: 28
Calories: 39kcal

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
  • 3/4 cup cocoa
  • 1/2 cup powdered low-carb sweetener
  • 1 tsp vanilla (optional)
  • 1/8 tsp salt (optional)

Instructions

  • Place all ingredients in a small bowl.
  • Whisk to combine.
  • Store at room temperature.
  • Shake or stir gently before using.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 39kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Sodium: 11mg | Potassium: 35mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Calcium: 3mg | Iron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @wholenewmom or tag #wholenewmom!

Final Thoughts 

It’s just super fun and a great crowd pleaser to pour chocolate sauce onto your ice cream...only to have it harden to a luscious, crunchy shell right before your eyes. And then, of course to eat it!

I hope you love this chocolate shell recipe as much as we do and would love to hear what what you think!

More Delicious Chocolate Recipes:

  • Dairy-free, Allergy-friendly Chocolate Frosting - so good it might not make it onto the cake!
  • Healthy Chocolate Fruit Dip (Paleo, Vegan) - a real crowd pleaser!
  • No Bake Chocolate Brownies - simply delectable
  • Chocolate Avocado Ice Cream--amazingly rich--possibly the best Homemade Vegan Ice Cream I've ever had.

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About Adrienne

Adrienne Urban is the Founder and Owner of Whole New Mom. She has a background in research, journalism, insurance, employee benefits, financial markets, frugal living, and nutrition. Seeking a better life for herself and her family, she uses research and consults with many physicians and other practitioners to find solutions to the variety of issues they have dealt with including life-threatening food allergies and thyroid and adrenal concerns. WholeNewMom.com is the result of her experiences and knowledge gained throughout the process. Posts are reviewed and verified by the Whole New Mom team.

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adrienne author of whole new mom blog

Welcome! I'm Adrienne, and I'm here to show you that Healthy Living Doesn't Have to Be Hard! Here, you'll findย basically everything you need to make healthy living doable--healthy & easyย flexible recipes, tips forย clean beautyย and aย natural home,ย essential oils,ย beginner gardening tips, and more. Learn moreย about me here.

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