Malted Chocolate Chip Cookies

My husband is a predictable creature, especially regarding desserts. He’ll always want chocolate cake or chocolate ice cream, and chocolate chip is his most-requested cookie. On the flip side, I always look for impressive cookie recipes with fun flavor variations to change things up. These malted chocolate chip cookies are our latest compromise. Who knew cookies were the secret to a long and healthy marriage?

If you’re a fan of old-fashioned chocolate malted milk or Whoppers candies, you’ll go bonkers for these cookies. Adding chocolate syrup and malted milk powder to the dough adds extra-rich chocolate flavor and notes of toasted caramelized cream. Together, they make these cookies totally irresistible.

Malted Chocolate Chip Cookie Ingredients

• Butter-flavored shortening: While butter is standard in many chocolate chip cookie recipes, this recipe opts for shortening. Shortening typically results in a softer, more tender cakelike cookie with a higher rise.
• Brown sugar: This recipe calls only for brown sugar, which adds extra moisture for a chewier cookie. This type of sugar also creates a more tender and cakelike cookie than those made with a higher ratio of granulated sugar.
• Malted milk powder: Malted milk is a creamy, sweet powder made from malted barley, wheat flour and evaporated milk powder. Invented in 1873 for medicinal purposes, it’s now most often used to enhance baked goods and desserts.
• Chocolate syrup: A few tablespoons of chocolate syrup enrich the cookies with chocolate flavor and add extra sugar to keep the cookies tender and moist.
• Vanilla extract: For the best cookies, invest in a high-quality vanilla extract brand or make your own.
• Egg: Eggs work as a binding agent and contribute to the structure and texture of the baked cookies.
• Dry ingredients: A classic combination of all-purpose flour, baking soda and salt provides structure and loft and balances the complex flavors in these nontraditional cookies.
• Chocolate chunks and chips: These cookies include semisweet chocolate chunks and a generous scoop of milk chocolate chips for extra sweetness.

Directions

Step 1: Cream together the wet ingredients

Preheat the oven to 375°F. In a large bowl, beat the shortening, brown sugar, malted milk powder, chocolate syrup and vanilla for two minutes. Add the egg.

Step 2: Blend in the dry ingredients

In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the brown sugar mixture, mixing well after each addition.

Editor’s Tip: One cookie tip from the pros: Resist the urge to mix the dough too much once no dry patches of flour remain. Doing so can lead to tough, dry cookies that lack tenderness.

Step 3: Fold in the chocolate

Fold in the chocolate chunks and chips until evenly distributed.

Step 4: Bake

Shape the dough into 2-inch balls and place them 3 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes or until golden brown.

Cool for two minutes on the baking sheets before removing to a wire rack to finish cooling.

Malted Chocolate Chip Cookie Variations

• Use browned butter: Browned butter is another favorite way to add oomph to any cookie recipe. Here, the nutty, toffee-like flavors of browned butter would complement the earthy, umami flavors of the malted milk. Try experimenting by substituting an equal amount of cooled browned butter for the shortening in the recipe.
• Consider mix-ins: You can add other cookie ingredients to make this recipe your own. Try dark chocolate chips, chopped white chocolate, M&M’s candies, chopped walnuts or even pretzel pieces. The possibilities are endless.

How to Store Malted Chocolate Chip Cookies

When completely cooled, malted milk cookies should be stored in an airtight food storage container. When stacking them, you can separate the cookies with layers of parchment to prevent them from sticking together.

How long do malted chocolate chip cookies last?

Chocolate chip cookies are typically best enjoyed within a week. After three or four days, the cookies will begin to dry out and become crisper. If this bothers you, try placing a slice of plain white bread with the cookies in the container to revive them.

Can you freeze malted chocolate chip cookies?

Yes, you can freeze malted milk cookies. One thing you should know about freezing cookies is that you can keep them in the freezer for up to a year! To take advantage of this marvelous fact, freeze the cookies on a sheet pan for about 30 minutes until they are solid. Once frozen, transfer the cookies to a gallon-size zip-top bag or freezer-safe airtight container. Thaw at room temperature before serving (or simply add a scoop of vanilla ice cream between two frozen cookies for a wicked homemade ice cream sandwich).

Can you make malted chocolate chip cookie dough ahead of time?

To make the cookie dough ahead of time, mix it as directed and refrigerate it for up to 24 hours before baking. For longer storage, portion the dough into 2-inch balls and freeze them in a single layer on a sheet pan until solid, 30 to 60 minutes. Then, transfer them to an airtight food storage container, separating layers of dough with parchment, and freeze for up to six months. To prepare, bake the cookies from frozen (they may need just a little extra time in the oven) or thaw them overnight in the refrigerator until the dough is pliable.

Malted Chocolate Chip Cookie Tips

Can you make these into malted chocolate chip cookie bars?

If you prefer something like chocolate chip blondies, spread the dough evenly in a 13×9-inch baking pan, then bake at 350° for 18 to 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the center.

Why are my cookies dense and dry?

Too much flour is often the culprit for dry, dense cookies. If you are not measuring flour correctly, you can very easily add extra flour that will impact the structure and texture of the cookies. Weigh baking ingredients like the pros by investing in a simple and affordable food scale.