Magic Shell Smoothie Bowl

5 from 2 votes

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If you love Magnum ice cream bars, then you will love this Magic Shell Smoothie Bowl. The satisfying crunch of biting through the hard chocolate shell, revealing a creamy, sweet, and smooth filling is hard to beat. On a ☀️ hot summer day, this is an easy and healthier alternative to one of my favorite desserts. I love Magnum ice cream and believe anything can be enjoyed in moderation, so if you want to treat yourself, please go ahead and enjoy. But, if you’re looking for an alternative treat that is dairy-free and completely plant-based, this is the recipe for you!

Why You’ll Love Magic Shell Smoothie Bowl

This Magic Shell Smoothie Bowl uses a healthy “nice cream” as its base, which you can enjoy on its own or top with a 🍫 chocolatey shell that’s irresistible! This nice cream will be your new go-to as it totally satisfies the ice cream craving, but it’s dairy-free and plant-based, with no added sugar at all. The true star is the chocolate shell. It takes this into decadence territory, with its chocolatey sweetness and crisp snap after a quick 🧊 freeze. It’s the perfect individual dessert.

How to Prepare

🌀 In a high-power blender, blend the frozen bananas with the nut milk and vanilla, adding more milk as needed, a small dash at a time, until the desired ice cream-like consistency is reached.

🍌 Pour the contents of the blender into a bowl and then smooth out the “nice cream.”

💧 Create a double-boiler by filling a medium pot with 2 cups water. Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat.

🥣 Place a heatproof bowl on top of the pot (be sure the bottom of the bowl is not touching the simmering water.)

🥥 Add the chocolate chips and coconut oil to the bowl and stir constantly until the chocolate is completely melted.

🍫 Now, pour the melted chocolate over the nice cream. I swirl it around so it makes an even layer.

🧊 Freeze the bowl of nice cream for 5 to 10 minutes, until the chocolate has solidified. Top the Magic Shell Smoothie Bowl with nuts (if using) and crack it open with a spoon. Enjoy!

Nonna’s Tip 🍫

You can melt the chocolate chips over a double boiler or in the microwave. Feel free to use any chocolate chips you love in this Magic Shell Smoothie Bowl recipe.

Magic Shell Smoothie Bowl

Variations and Substitutions for Magic Shell Smoothie Bowl

  1. Any 🥛 milk of choice will work for this Magic Shell Smoothie Bowl recipe, plant-based or dairy-based.
  2. Depending on your blender, you may need to add a bit more milk to get the right consistency. Be sure to just add a little at a time so it doesn’t become too thin.
  3. You can add in any other mix-ins you like, such as 🥥 coconut, berries, nuts, and more to this Magic Shell Smoothie Bowl.

Similar Recipes

Best Served With

  • Serve this Magic Shell Smoothie Bowl with additional fresh 🫐🍇🥭 fruit and a bowl of whipped cream.
  • Serve these bowls for brunch, with your favorite breakfast protein such as 🥓 bacon, turkey bacon, or my Homemade Breakfast Sausage Recipe.
  • Serve this Magic Shell Smoothie Bowl with a side of 🥚 eggs, such as my simple Over Medium Eggs or my Copycat Starbucks Egg-Bites.

Common Questions

what type of milk can I use?

Any milk will work to make this Magic Shell Smoothie Bowl. I used almond milk, but coconut milk, soy milk, oat milk or cow’s milk will all work.

can I melt the chocolate in the microwave instead of a double boiler?

Yes, you definitely can. Simply heat it in a heatproof bowl for 15-20-second intervals, stirring in between, until the chocolate is completely melted.

what type of chocolate should I use in this Magic Shell Smoothie Bowl?

I kept this vegan so I used vegan semi-sweet chocolate chips, but dark chocolate would be delicious too!

how long does it take for the chocolate to solidify in the freezer?

It takes about 15-30 minutes for the chocolate to solidify in the freezer, but it would depend on the thickness.

Magic Shell Smoothie Bowl

Magic Shell Smoothie Bowl

If you love Magnum Ice Cream bars, but you're looking for an alternative treat that is dairy-free and completely plant based, this is the recipe for you!
5 from 2 votes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Makes: 1
Author: The Modern Nonna
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Freezing Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients 

  • 2 frozen bananas
  • 2 tablespoons almond milk, plus more as needed
  • ¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract, or vanilla bean paste
  • cup chocolate chips, I used vegan, semi-sweet
  • ½ teaspoon coconut oil
  • crushed nuts, optional

Instructions 

  • In a high-power blender, blend the frozen bananas with the nut milk and vanilla, adding more milk as needed, a small dash at a time, until the desired ice cream-like consistency is reached. Pour the contents of the blender into a bowl. Smooth out the "nice cream."
  • Create a double-boiler by filling a medium pot with 2 cups water. Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat. Place a heatproof bowl on top of the pot (be sure the bottom of the bowl is not touching the simmering water.) Add the chocolate chips and coconut oil to the bowl. Stir constantly until the chocolate is completely melted. Turn off the heat. You can also melt the chocolate in the microwave as well.
  • Pour the melted chocolate over the nice cream. I swirl it around as it makes an even layer.
  • Freeze the bowl of nice cream for 5 to 10 minutes, until the chocolate has solidified. Top with nuts (if using) and crack it open with a spoon. Enjoy!

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 534kcal, Carbohydrates: 93g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 20g, Saturated Fat: 13g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g, Monounsaturated Fat: 0.4g, Sodium: 41mg, Potassium: 1018mg, Fiber: 6g, Sugar: 63g, Vitamin A: 151IU, Vitamin C: 21mg, Calcium: 91mg, Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
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Hi! I'm Sneji. Nice to meet you!

I am more commonly known as “The Modern Nonna” on social media where I create easy home cooked meals with a modern twist. I was born and raised in Sofia, Bulgaria and learned how to cook at the best culinary school in the world – my grandma’s kitchen. I lived in Greece on the Island of Crete with my parents for a while and then moved to Toronto, Canada when I was in grade 5. I started to really cook and experiment with food 11 years ago when I was 21 years old. Everything I currently know is a reflection of some part of my life…

Keep up to date with me on social media! Follow @themodernnonna

5 from 2 votes (1 rating without comment)

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2 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Wow, I made this for the first time today, and now I don’t think I’ll be buying banana ice cream for a *very* long time! This came out just PERFECT! Since it’s made with just a couple of simple ingredients, I don’t feel bad having it in the morning for breakfast or even as a dessert! Sneji knocks it out of the park AGAIN! #anotherone #TMNFTW

    1. Awwww Kelly, you are the BEST for this comment! Any excuse to eat dessert for breakfast 😜 So glad you love it! 😘💗 (omg TMNFTW has me 🥹❣️‼️)