Ovaltine cookies or chocolate malt cookies are fudgy, chewy and so chocolatey. The malted chocolate brings these cookies to a whole different level of deliciousness you wouldn’t want to go back to regular chocolate cookies again.
Did you drink Ovaltine as a kid? We were more of a Milo family ourselves but we did love Ovalteenies.
I re-discovered my love for this malted chocolate drink on a recent trip to Switzerland where it was developed (called Ovomaltine) and where it was Ovaltine overload.
We don’t get a lot of these products in Canada so I bought so many (so many) Ovaltine treats home.
And I’m now making it my personal mission to bake and create as many recipes as I can using Ovaltine and re-introduce this delicious malted chocolate to the world lol!
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Delicious. First of all, it’s so good. Using Ovaltine or chocolate malted milk lends a distinct nutty, deep chocolatey flavor to the cookies and the use of chopped Maltesers (instead of regular chocolate chips) adds a nice sticky bite to them.
- Easy to make. They’re easy to make too! Hard to mess this one up.
- Makes a big batch. This recipe also makes a big batch, perfect for holiday cookie swaps, Christmas cookie trays, Easter baskets, bake sales, picnics, lunch boxes, potlucks and more.
How to make
Making these cookies is fun and easy!
Ingredients notes
For this Ovaltine cookies recipe, you’ll need the usual pantry staples like butter, granulated sugar, baking soda, and vanilla extract. In addition:
- Ovaltine (chocolate malt drink mix) — I prefer using Ovaltine but for other malted chocolate powder options, use whatever is the easiest for you to get your hands on, like Carnation, Milo or Horlicks. Just expect a different flavor and level of sweetness for each, which will inevitably affect your cookies. For Ovaltine, I use the classic variety.
- Maltesers — Maltesers is the brand of malted chocolate candy available where I am. You can also use Whoppers.
Baking tools
I like using my stand mixer when making these cookies. An electric hand mixer will work, too. Note that the batter will be thick and sticky.
I also use a commercial size cookie or baking pan, but any pan will do. You’ll just need to bake your cookies in batches, or use the convect mode of your oven if you’re using multiple pans and multiple racks at a time for an even bake.
Step-by-step photos
In a large bowl, place flour, baking soda, salt, cornstarch, cocoa powder and Ovaltine.
Whisk until combined.
In another bowl using an electric mixer or using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream butter, brown sugar and white sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy.
This should take about 3 minutes.
Add eggs and vanilla extract.
Stir until incorporated.
Switch mixer to low-medium speed and add your flour mixture in thirds, beating until each addition is incorporated.
The batter will be thick and sticky so remember to regularly scrape the bottom and sides of your bowl.
Add in chopped Maltesers (or Whoppers). Stir until evenly blended.
Chill the dough for at least an hour. When ready, preheat your oven to 350F.
Scoop the cookie dough into a cookie sheet or baking pan lined with parchment paper, making sure to give at least an inch of space around each cookie.
Bake for 10 minutes or until the cookies turn matte and the edges start to set and firm up. Remove from oven, allow to rest in the pan for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Easy, right? Here are more tips for perfect Ovaltine cookies every time.
- Make sure your ingredients are at room temperature. They are easier to combine and results to better cookies.
- Measure flour correctly. Using the incorrect amount of flour can lead to crumbly cookies or cookies that will spread too much. I always use a kitchen scale but if you don’t have one, fluff up your flour before using it then spoon it into your measuring cup.
- Don’t over-bake the cookies. As soon as the edges start to set, even if the middle still looks a little under-baked, you can take the cookies out of the oven. They will continue cooking in the pan. Over-baking these cookies will make them dry and crumbly.
- Re-shape cookies with a cookie cutter. Are your cookies not perfectly round? No worries, you can easily re-shape them with a cookie cutter while still warm. This is a fairly new hack I discovered and it works like a charm.
Recipe FAQs
According to Serious Eats, malted milk or malted milk powder, like the ingredient found in Ovaltine, is “a simple combination of wheat flour and malted barley extracts”.
The grain extracts is what gives malted milk powder a roasted, toasty, earthy flavor, while the powdered milk adds creamy richness.
When used in baking, malted milk lends a nice touch of butterscotch or toffee flavor to baked goods.
Yes, you can. Chill the dough, scoop them, then freeze until you’re ready to bake.
You can bring them out while preheating your oven.
I store these cookies in a covered container on my counter.
The don’t last for very long in my house lol, but should keep for 3 days. You can also store them in the fridge to keep them for longer, up to a week.
More chocolate desserts
Looking to satisfy all your chocolate cravings? Check these out:
Hope you enjoy making these Ovaltine malt cookies as much as I do!
Dunk them in milk, make Ovaltine sandwich cookies with vanilla ice cream, share them with friends, enjoy!
Happy baking!
Did you make this Ovaltine cookie recipe? I’d love to hear all about it! Leave a comment or a star rating below. You can also tag me on Instagram or Facebook. I’d love to see your creations!
You can also find me on Pinterest, Twitter and YouTube.
Ovaltine Cookies (Chocolate Malt Cookies)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2½ cups all purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- ½ cup cocoa powder I use Dutch-processed cocoa powder
- ¾ cup chocolate malted milk powder I use Ovaltine Classic
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 cup brown sugar packed
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 pieces large eggs room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2½ cups chocolate malted milk balls roughly chopped, I use Maltesers
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, salt, cornstarch, cocoa powder and Ovaltine until combined.2½ cups all purpose flour, 2 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp salt, 2 tbsp cornstarch, ½ cup cocoa powder, ¾ cup chocolate malted milk powder
- In another bowl using an electric mixer or using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream butter, brown sugar and white sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy (about 3 minutes).1 cup unsalted butter, 1 cup brown sugar, ½ cup granulated sugar
- Add eggs and vanilla extract. Stir until incorporated.2 pieces large eggs, 2 tsp vanilla extract
- Switch mixer to low-medium speed and add your flour mixture in thirds, beating until incorporated. The batter will be thick and sticky so remember to regularly scrape the bottom and sides of your bowl.
- Add in chopped Maltesers and stir until evenly blended.2½ cups chocolate malted milk balls
- Chill the dough for at least an hour.
- When ready, preheat your oven to 350F.
- Scoop the cookie dough into a cookie sheet or baking pan lined with parchment paper, making sure to give at least an inch of space around each cookie.
- Bake for 10 minutes or until the cookies turn matte and the edges start to set and firm up.
- Remove from oven, allow to rest in the pan for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Video
Notes
- For the yield, it depends on how big or small you scoop your cookie dough. I use a 2-tbsp medium cookie scoop and get 36 cookies. That is the basis for the estimated nutrition information provided.
- In the ingredients section, I provide the exact brands of the malted chocolate powder and malted milk balls I use. You can use similar products, just note that the sweetness and flavor profile will vary.
- See post for more baking tips, FAQs and step-by-step photos.
Nutrition
Nutritional information are estimates only.
Sue
I love Ovaltine and these cookies taste so much like them! They’re so good. My husband and I inhaled them lol
Jolina
They’re our new favorite cookies too! Glad you liked them Sue 🙂
Robin
I love Ovaltine and had to make these and they were so good.
Jolina
Happy to hear that Robin! We love Ovaltine too 🙂