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Crunchy chocolate cookie pieces that stay crunchy in ice cream. Perfect as an ice cream topping, swirled into homemade ice cream, layered between flavors of an ice cream cake, or even in parfaits and other desserts.

What are Chocolate Cookie Crunchies?

Chocolate crunchies are small pieces of chocolate wafer cookies that add a delicious crunch to ice cream and other desserts. They’re fantastic as an ice cream topping, swirled into ice cream, used in between layers of an ice cream cake, or layered in parfaits or other desserts. These cookies have a wonderfully deep cocoa flavor, but what really makes them stand out is their texture — they maintain their crunchy texture well, even when used in ice cream.

There are two parts to this recipe. The first is the thin and crispy chocolate wafer cookies. The second is the magic shell topping which helps keep moisture out so the ice cream doesn’t soften the cookie pieces.

The magic shell topping firms up when it comes into contact with cold ice cream, which creates the perfect (and delicious) barrier between the crispy cookie pieces and the creamy ice cream.

broken wafer cookies for ice cream cookie crunchies

FAQ

What is magic shell topping?

Magic shell topping is a chocolate ice cream topping. The “magic” is that it starts out liquid, but firms up quickly to create a hard shell when it is poured over cold ice cream. In this recipe, we use it as a moisture barrier between the crispy cookie pieces and the creamy ice cream (or whatever dessert you are using them with).

Can I use store-bought magic shell topping?

Yes, you can use store-bought magic shell topping to make these chocolate crunchies. Since homemade magic-shell topping is quick and only uses 2 ingredients, I tend to prefer homemade, but either works.

Can I use store-bought cookies?

This recipe uses chocolate wafer cookies that have a deep cocoa flavor and a crispy texture. They’re similar to the classic ice cream crunchies that you’d find in ice cream cakes. While I recommend using the cookies in this recipe, you can absolutley experiment with using store-bought cookies to make ice cream crunchies. I would recommend starting with a cookie that is dry and crunchy for the best results.

Ice Cream Recipes to Try:

Black Cocoa Cookies and Cream Ice Cream

close-up of smooth and creamy homemade no-machine ice cream being scooped showing the texture

How to Make Ice Cream Without a Machine

homemade chocolate malt ice cream being scooped into cones

Creamy Chocolate Malt Ice Cream

Brown Butter Ice Cream

Crème Brûlée Ice Cream

Salted French Vanilla Brownie Ice Cream

Equipment

These are nice to have when making the cookies for this recipe:

scoop of ice cream with cookie crunchies

chocolate coated ice cream cookie crunchies

Chocolate Crunchies for Ice Cream

Brookside Kitchen

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Prep Time 10

Cook Time 10

Chilling 1 30

Course Dessert

Yield 1 cup (enough for 1 quart of ice cream)

Ingredients

Wafer Cookies:

3 tbsp (43 g) butter, melted
¼ cup (46 g) sugar
¼ tsp vanilla extract
a pinch baking soda
a pinch salt
¼ cup + 1 tbsp (38 g) flour
2 tbsp (13 g) dutch-process cocoa powder

Magic Shell Topping:

¼ cup (45 g) dark chocolate
2 tsp (9g) refined coconut oil

Instructions

Prepare the Wafer Cookies:

Preheat oven to 350℉.
Add melted butter and sugar to a bowl. Mix until combined.
Add salt, baking soda, and vanilla. Mix until combined.
Mix in cocoa powder until combined. Mix in flour until combined.
Form dough into a log about 3 inches long. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm.
Once the dough is chilled, slice the dough into ⅛ inch thick slices.
Transfer to a parchment-lined cookie sheet and bake for 8-12 minutes, or until cookies appear slightly deflated and the kitchen smells of chocolate*.
Allow to cool on the cookie sheet for 1-2 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Prepare the Magic Shell Topping:

Add coconut oil to a bowl and microwave until fully melted.
Add chocolate and stir until smooth. You may have to place back in the microwave for 10 second bursts, stirring well in between, to get chocolate to fully melt into the coconut oil.

Prepare the Cookie Crunchies:

When the wafer cookies are completely cooled, break into small crumbles, similar in size to the crumbles used between layers of an ice cream cake.
Pour the magic shell topping over the cookie crumbles and mix well to fully coat.
If mixing into ice cream: once the ice cream has churned and reached soft-serve consistency, transfer to a freezer-safe container, alternating between ice cream and cookie crunchies, so the crunchies are evenly distributed throughout the ice cream.

Notes

Yield – this makes about 1 cup of cookie crunchies, which is a fantastic amount for mixing into 1 quart of ice cream. If you are using these for a 9 x 13 ice cream cake, I would recommend doubling the recipe.

Doubling the Recipe – if you wish to double the recipe (for 2 cups of cookie crunchies), use 1/8 tsp baking soda and 1/8 tsp of salt.

Wafer Cookie Bake Time – Bake time for the wafer cookies will vary depending on how thick you’ve cut the cookies and your specific oven. Because the cookies are very dark in color, it can be a bit difficult to know when they’re done cooking.

About 5 minutes into baking the cookies will puff up ever so slightly. The surface will then begin to bubble as they cook. The bubbles will eventually slow down and the cookie will deflate slightly. This is when you’ll notice your kitchen begins to smell of chocolate. At this point, the cookies are ready.

If you try out this recipe for chocolate cookie crunchies, I’d love to know what you think! Please leave a comment with a rating below and share a photo of your creation on Instagram using the hashtag #BrooksideKitchen and tag @BrooksideKitchen

Chocolate Cookie Crunchies for Ice Cream