Chocolate Malted Milk Cookies Recipe From “Holiday Cookies”

Long before I made cookies, I remember my dad pulling up to the drive-through at the local Dairy Queen when I was a kid. The employee already knew what my dad wanted without him saying a word. Apparently he stopped by often for a thick chocolate malt.

I’ve long been a fan. But upon my discovery of blue moon ice cream and banana splits and pretty much anything I can throw sprinkles on, chocolate malt wasn’t a flavor I often chose — unless I raided my mom’s stash of malted milk balls or, later, the double chocolate malted milk balls in the bulk candy at the Indianapolis-area Box Office Video where I worked for half a year in my early twenties.

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Fast forward a couple of decades, and I’m still hooked on chocolate malt flavor (even if my love for malted milk balls has faded). Fortunately, I found this cookie recipe for chocolate malted cookies in “Holiday Cookies: Showstopping Recipes to Sweeten the Season” by Elisabet der Nederlanden.

Homemade Malted Milk Cookies

Wandering my local library one state and several moves ago, I found “Holiday Cookies: Showstopping Recipes to Sweeten the Season“. I didn’t waste any time snatching it up and flipping through one fabulous recipe after another. But what’s the good of reading a baking cookbook?

The first time I made these cookies, I made a substitution without realizing it. I used CHOCOLATE malted milk powder instead of the original flavor. A couple of moves later, I tried to make them again. Chocolate malted milk powder wasn’t available at my store. Without it? The cookies were a bit boring. They NEED that chocolate malted powder, okay?

Now, I am in a location with chocolate malted milk powder. They don’t carry full-fat buttermilk or any good baking cocoa (seriously, I may have stopped at a large grocery store before meeting my date to grab the good stuff because I am that dedicated to the pursuit of non-cruddy baked goods).

Yet, somehow my store has chocolate malted milk powder. Funny, but true. It’s entirely possible that these malted chocolate chip cookies cookies have been breakfast for the past few days. Don’t judge. Bake ’em and you’ll understand.

Baking Chocolate Malted Cookies

I’ve already mentioned how my sons ALWAYS request milk chocolate chip cookies, with occasional deviations for other favorites (infrequent, if not downright rare). I am thrilled when I get to make Chocolate Mint Cookies. But I swear their requests are all some variation on a chocolate chip cookie).

1. My oldest told me they are now his favorite cookie.
2. I can’t believe it.
3. My youngest can’t either.

He knows his brother’s unwavering dedication to chocolate chip cookies. But then again, he’s also a fan of a good malted milk ball and hoards them on Halloween. I should have seen this coming.

Once you have a basic idea of how to make cookies, you can make any cookie recipe that heads your way. Seriously, if you can throw together a batch of chocolate chip cookies, you can handle these cookies with chocolate malt flavor. Think: soft and subtle.

These chocolate and malted milk cookies use pantry basics like unsalted butter (though I use salted), brown sugar, flour, baking soda, plus a few more general items. You know, the usual baking suspects. I like that it doesn’t use chopped malted milk balls and makes use of a powder and milk chocolate chunks (or chips) instead.

Tips for Making Malted Chocolate Cookies

I made these chocolate malted cookies using my 1 1/2 Tablespoon cookie dough scoop to set the dough on my baking sheet. Not only does it make uniform cookies, but it is LIGHTNING FAST to use a cookie scoop. You won’t believe the baking speed change if you’re still using the old “two spoons” method to scoop out your cookie dough. Your cookie sheet won’t know what hit it.

This flour mixture has a different consistency than what you are used to. I think it reminds me of something closer in feel to softened cream cheese. It kind of looks like a Tootsie Roll. It’s a little thicker than you’d expect.

For this recipe, well, I made a couple of changes. As I already said, swapping in chocolate malted milk powder for the original vanilla flavor was accidental and incredibly lucky. It’s so good. Don’t try to sub the malted milk powder with chocolate milk powder or malt powder. Those are not the same things. You will regret it.

Also, as with the majority of cookie recipes out there, I upped the salt. Remember, when you add in more salt than a cookie recipe calls for, it tastes better.

Finally, I used a full cup of milk chocolate chips in this. I knew they would benefit from MORE milk chocolate chips (and I am very much in the “less is more” when it comes to chocolate chips in cookies so that extra addition means something). Swap to semi-sweet chocolate chips if that’s what you prefer.

Holiday Cookies: Showstopping Recipes to Sweeten the Season by Elisabet der Nederlanden

Looking at the cover and the title, I realize this isn’t anywhere close to December and the holiday season (though you can peruse these Christmas cookie cookbooks any old time). Does it count if I sometimes celebrated my half-birthday in June because no one wants to celebrate a birthday the day after Christmas, and I’m all about celebrating?

Let’s pretend that my dizzying logic all works somehow because this recipe totally slaps any time of year — the holiday season or not. With a mere 50 recipes in the 7.77 x 0.71 x 9.28-inch, 161-page cookbook, you might think this is the kind of baking cookbook you’ll flip through once and then give away or donate.

There are so many other cookies I’d love to try (but do put the malted chocolate chip cookies at the top of your list). Pinwheel cookies have always been a favorite of mine. If my parents ever wondered where the pink-edged pinwheel cookies disappeared to … it was all me.

Elisabet’s pinwheel cookies, Danish Butter Wreaths, Espresso Thins, Dark Chocolate Cookies with Caramel, and Chocolate-Peanut Butter Brownie Sandwich Cookies are on my must make list (and soon). I know, I know. It’s a stupidly long list, something closer to the size of a Christmas wish list of an eight-year-old (or, heck, a 12- and 16-year-old, I swear), but things do get made from it — and often.

Do you see the loveliness of this cookbook below? I see a lot of cookie baking in my future now that I have my own copy. Before too long, it will be flour-dusted, sugar-coated, and vanilla-scented like the rest of my kitchen (and me).

Inside the Holiday Cookies Cookbook

Elisabet doesn’t have a lengthy list of solo cookbooks behind her — but Elisabet’s background in recipe testing and styling food photos for over thirty cookbooks more than hints at her skill in a kitchen. Also, why is this her only cookbook? Elisabet, please publish another cookbook.

Holiday Cookies packs strong visual appeal. No wonder, remember Elisabet is a food stylist. Full-color images accompany every recipe. The font is clear and legible. I have nothing but love for the layout. Simple and clean.

Chapters inside “Holiday Cookies” include:

• Very Merry Classics
• Cookie Exchange Party
• Warm Holiday Spice
• Around the World
• Holiday Confections
• Decorated Delights

Each chapter heading consists of a list of the cookies inside, as seen in the image above. At the front of the book, you’ll find baking, decorating, and packaging tips. Elisabet closes with a list of special ingredients and her recommendations, plus a section of special order resources good for baking.

Recipe for Malted Chocolate Chip Cookies

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