ComScore

3-Ingredient Strawberry Ice-Cream Shell

Average ()
strawberry magic shell recipe
Photo: Mark Weinberg/Styling: Erin McDowell

If you were born in the ’80s or ’90s, you probably remember eating vanilla ice cream drowned in Smuckers Magic Shell—you know, the chocolate sauce that becomes crackly and cold (like magic!) when it hits the frozen ice cream. Thanks to pastry chef Erin McDowell’s 10-minute, three-ingredient recipe for strawberry ice cream shell, we’re diving spoon-first into a big bowl of nostalgia.

“I don’t like a lot of chunks in my ice cream, but I love how the topping coats,” says the author of The Fearless Baker. “This recipe uses freeze-dried strawberries, which means you don’t need much for a big strawberry flavor and beautiful color. It’s easy to pull off and makes store-bought ice cream seem super impressive.”

One thing to keep in mind: It’s important to get the strawberries as finely ground as you can, so it’s worth the effort to pull the food processor or spice grinder out of the cupboard.

Oh, and about those rainbow sprinkles? They’re nonnegotiable.


Ingredients

¼ cup (5g) freeze-dried strawberries

1¼ cup (213g) finely chopped white chocolate

3 tablespoons coconut oil

Directions

1. In a spice grinder, small food processor, or mortar and pestle, grind the freeze-dried strawberries into a very fine powder.

2. Melt the white chocolate (either in a medium heat-safe bowl over a medium saucepan of simmering water, or in 15-second bursts in the microwave). Stir the coconut oil and freeze-dried strawberries into the melted chocolate, and mix to combine. Let the mixture cool for a few minutes before serving.

Note: The topping can be stored at room temperature for up to two weeks. If the mixture hardens during storage, microwave in 15-second bursts until it becomes liquid again.

Nutrition Facts
  • Per 2-tablespoon serving

  • 125 calories

  • 9g fat

  • 11g carbs

  • 1g protein

  • 10g sugars

Powered By

Note: The information shown is Edamam's estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist's advice.

Made it? Rate it!

erin jeanne mcdowell

Freelance Food Editor

Erin Jeanne McDowell is a recipe developer, food stylist and author of multiple cookbooks, including The Fearless Baker, which was named one of the Best Baking Books of 2017 by the New York Times. She studied baking and pastry at The Culinary Institute of America in New York, and in addition to developing recipes for PureWow, her work has appeared in Better Homes and Gardens, Food Network Magazine, Food52, The Kitchn and more.