Peanut Butter Magic Shell

It’s interesting to look back upon the things I distinctly remember from my childhood.

Don’t get me wrong, I was a lucky kid. I always had food, toys, a bed, a roof over my head, and more; however, when I look back at my most vivid memories, I can only recall the really obscure, totally bizarre, or downright weird.

Allow me to explain.

When we were young, my mom would always take my brother and I to the community pool. We loved being in the water, so we ended up at the pool quite a bit. There was a thing called “adult swim” (ha) at this pool, which meant that all of the kids had to angrily exit the water in favor of a 10-minute kid-free water time. Of course, I now look back at this and realize it was just a clever ruse to get all of the kids to buy snacks at the snack bar. So after we were done scarfing down our soft pretzels with cheese sauce, Reese’s Cups, or Pixie Sticks (shudder), there were approximately 8.934 minutes where we had to entertain ourselves for the remainder of “adult swim.” My mom, the brilliantly creative woman that she is, always brought paint brushes with us to the pool for this specific reason. Why paint brushes, you might ask? We painted the sidewalk…with water…to keep ourselves busy. In just a minute, our creation would evaporate a la the sun, and we’d have to paint another masterpiece yet again. This was a go-to activity for many years of my childhood.

Another weird memory? A Dairy Queen was built within walking distance from my house. One sweltering summer day, my high school best friend came over, and we decided to walk down to the ol’ DQ for a frozen treat. As we walked, I dreamt about my ice cream-o-choice. A Peanut Buster Parfait? A Reese’s Blizzard? No, I opted for my childhood fav: a Cherry-Dipped Vanilla Cone. That thick waxy “magic shell” dip was just vividly red and artificially flavored enough to entice me then, and it was seriously beckoning me that fateful summer day. As my friend and I walked up to the counter, I eagerly ordered my cone and anticipated that characteristic crack from the cherry dip “magic shell.” My friend and I received our orders, and we exited the building and started to walk back to my house. As I went to take my first bite, my entire ice cream masterpiece toppled to the cement. I was magic shell-less. I was sad.

Looking back on this memory, I think the whole foods universe was trying to tell me something. I didn’t need to fill my body with this fake, although delicious, red wax. I can recreate a magic shell, in the comforts of my own home, with just a few simple ingredients. And I can recreate it better for me and better tasting. Thank you, whole foods universe. You’re pretty swell.

Oh, man. This Peanut Butter Magic Shell takes me back. Peanut Butter Magic Shell is the perfect topping to any kind of ice cream your little heart desires:

Peanut Butter Magic Shell with chocolate ice cream…a classic.
Peanut Butter Magic Shell with cinnamon ice cream…mmmm, yes please.
Peanut Butter Magic Shell with peanut butter ice cream…now we’re talkin’!

Regardless of your ice cream o’ choice, this Peanut Butter Magic Shell is bound to be your new summer BFF!

Are you ready to meet this glorious Peanut Butter Magic Shell? It’s made with only two simple ingredients: peanut butter and coconut oil. If you’ve spent any time perusing my recipes, you should know the affinity I have towards the creamy, nutty, rich taste of peanut butter. I am absolutely addicted to the stuff, so I could imagine no better flavor with which I could accentuate my ice cream treat. Coconut oil is the key ingredient here, though. Coconut oil has the amazing ability to melt when heated, but when cold, it firms up. Not only that, but it has been shown to offer us quite a few benefits, like fat loss and weight control. Coconut oil is a staple in my pantry, so I’m going to jump on any opportunity to use the stuff. Especially when peanut butter is involved.

I left a few flavor adaptation ideas in the recipe itself, but feel free to doctor up your Peanut Butter Magic Shell however you wish! Want a little spice in your life? Add some cayenne! A fan of the warming spices? Add a touch of cinnamon! Allergic to peanuts? Use almond butter! No nuts for you? Tahini would be amazing! Make this Peanut Butter Magic Shell yours, and be sure to leave your ideas in the comments below!

Oh, and for the ice cream? Mine’s a homemade variety…you’ll just have to wait a couple of weeks for that recipe! ;)

This Peanut Butter Magic Shell is all that and more. And there are SO many different ways you can jazz up this dessert for even more frozen treat fun; the possibilities are endless with this Peanut Butter Magic Shell! Give it a try, won’t you? Delight in your Peanut Butter Magic Shell-filled summer!