The New $3.49 Trader Joe’s Find I’m Stocking up on for Summer

Trader Joe's new Hard Top Chocolate Shell Topping is almost exactly how you remember that magical ice cream topping of our youth—it sets from saucy to hard and brittle almost as soon as it hits the ice cream. The result is a cracking top that makes even the most basic vanilla more delicious and fun.

If you work quickly, you can add sprinkles or chopped nuts before the topping sets, making it a must for ice cream this summer. If you didn't grow up with "magic shell" ice cream topping but are intrigued by Trader Joe's new Hard Top Chocolate Shell Topping, here is all you need to know.

An Introduction to Magic Shell

Modeled after an Australian dessert product called Ice Magic, Magic Shell was produced by Smuckers and became popular during the 1980s and 1990s as a topping for ice cream at home. Most are made with a high percentage of coconut oil or sunflower oil that helps a mixture of cocoa and sugar set to a hard, shell-like topping when poured over ice cream. 

The cracking chocolate shell adds an element of fun and a delicious crunchy texture to ice cream. It's also great for securing toppings like sprinkles or nuts in place.

Made with chocolate, sugar, coconut oil, and a little hazelnut, the six-ounce bottle of TJ's Hard Top Chocolate Shell Topping is just $3.49, far less than the cost of ingredients to make your own. The squeeze bottle is designed to be placed in a mug of warm water to soften the mixture, and then you can easily squeeze it onto ice cream. 

The nutrition panel says it serves six, but my family of four enjoyed it on ice cream one night and still had plenty for other snacks throughout the week.

Other Use for Trader Joe’s Hard Top Chocolate Shell Topping Besides Ice Cream 

Since Trader Joe's Hard Top is designed to harden on anything cold, making it a fun topper for more than just ice cream. We drizzled the warmed sauce on chilled strawberries for an afternoon snack and used a bit to top overnight oats for a fun breakfast treat. 

You could use this topping on your favorite yogurt or sweetened cottage cheese. Another idea would be to drizzle it into an ice cream cone before filling it and then topping it with more to make an easy, Drumstick-like treat.

Unlike chocolate syrups or hot fudge toppings, Trader Joe's Hard Top Chocolate Shell Topping is made to be stored at room temperature, so it shouldn't require more than a shake and a dip in warm water anytime you want to use it.

Luckily, this type of ice cream topping has a long shelf life, so you can stock up on Trader Joe's Hard Top Ice Cream Topping now and be set for ice cream all summer.

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