9 Ice Cream Shell Toppings to Make This Summer

Nothing embodies the beginning of summer better than a towering — and slightly drippy — ice cream cone. Though rainbow sprinkles and chopped nuts make great toppings, there's something about a classic chocolate shell that turns any flavor of ice cream into a must-have treat. The secret is coconut oil, which causes the melty creation to harden once it hits ice cream. Though you can easily buy a jar of it in the grocery store, making our own shell topping from scratch is so much more fun for ice cream lovers big and small. Here's how to make a variety of other irresistible shell toppings this summer.

Raspberry Shell: Use semisweet chocolate. Finely grind 1 cup freeze-dried raspberries in a food processor, then stir into the warm sauce. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve, then let cool.

Matcha Shell: Use white chocolate. Stir 1 tablespoon matcha powder into the warm sauce; let cool.

Mocha Shell: Use semisweet chocolate. Stir 2 teaspoons instant espresso powder into the warm sauce. Stir in 1/2 cup chopped chocolate-covered espresso beans, then let cool.

Peanut Butter Shell: Use milk chocolate. Stir 3 tablespoons creamy peanut butter and 1/2 cup chopped salted roasted peanuts into the warm sauce; let cool.

Confetti Shell: Use white chocolate. Let the sauce cool, then stir in 1/2 cup rainbow sprinkles.

Banana Shell: Use white chocolate. Finely grind 1 cup freeze-dried bananas in a food processor, then stir into the warm sauce. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve, then let cool.

Mint Shell: Use bittersweet chocolate. Stir 1 1/2 teaspoons peppermint extract into the warm sauce; let cool.

Strawberry Shell: Use white chocolate. Finely grind 1 cup freeze-dried strawberries in a food processor, then stir into the warm sauce. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve, then let cool.

Photograph by Ralph Smith

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