I hope you are taking care of yourself. I hope you’re inhaling, and exhaling as often as possible in an intentional sort of way. You know the way that involves a candle, some hot tea, and a little self-reflection. It sounds mundane, and you’ve heard it all before, but I believe it helps. I have found myself so overwhelmed with emotions over the last year, often finding myself tearing up for no reason, and all the reasons. Which probably explains why I’ve been baking so much. And I have no apologies for that. It started a month or so into the pandemic last year, and while it has lessened a bit, its definitely still happening more than the typical. Because I need dessert, and you all need dessert. So I come with the dessert for you.
These cookies were an experiment from quite a while ago, and I came across it in one of my food journals, decided to make them, and share them on social media where they took off. And ever since I have had someone send me an image of their cookies, and I love it. Because I feel like chocolate chip cookies have the power to keep us sane, but don’t let me deter you from professional help as well. Malted milk chocolate chip cookies will only take you so far.
I also put this recipe out into the inter webs one night, and forgot to mention the half of a teaspoon of kosher salt, and that the butter is blended with the sugar in the first step. That won’t happen this time, and I formally apologize to anyone who made them without salt. Forgive me! And yes, you can brown the butter for these, and yes, you can omit the malted milk powder but I don’t recommend it. I just know that not everyone will have access to it, but that shouldn’t keep you from a legit chocolate chip cookie. And I would like to give credit to Sarah Kieffer of the Vanilla Bean Blog for the pan banging method. This is not that similar to her recipe, so don’t expect that crinkle look, but it will give you an excellent chewy cookie, which is the only cookie I want in my life, unless we’re talking about Girl Scout Thin Mint cookies. Anyways, make these cookies, close your eyes, and clear your mind before taking that first bite. And let that chewy chocolate chip goodness wash over you.
Malted Milk Chocolate Chip Cookies
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 3/4 cup dark brown sugar
- 1/3 cup granulated white sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 1/2 tablespoons malted milk powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 1/2 cups AP flour, not sifted
- 2 cups, plus 1/4 cup blended chocolate chips.
- Heat the oven to 350°. In a bowl, blend the sugars, butter, salt, vanilla, and egg with a whisk until smooth, about 2-3 minutes. I like for most of the sugar to dissolve for a cookie that’s not granular. That drives me crazy, lol.
- Fold in the flour, baking soda, cornstarch, and the malted milk powder until combined. Then, fold in the 2 cups of chocolate chips, and set the 1/4 cup of chips to the side.
- Portion the dough onto a greased, or lined cookie sheet, leaving an inch or so between each ball of dough. Lightly press down, but not too much, and use some of the chocolate you have left to press into the top of the dough. And save some for when they come out of the oven, or simply grab some more from the pantry based upon your personal love for chocolate.
- Bake for 6 minutes, then lift the pan about 3 inches off of the rack, and drop it. We want to deflate the cookie so that it is chewy, and dense verses fluffy. Bake for another 3 minutes and repeat. After an additional two minutes, remove the cookies from the oven and drop them for the last time on top of the oven or counter.
- Then, remove them from the sheet pan so they don’t continue to cook. We want to preserve that chewy situation that we are getting ready to indulge in. Allow to cool for several minutes, or grab a glass of milk, and dig in, because warm cookies are a gift from the Lord himself.
NOTES: The cornstarch, I’m told makes for a chewier cookie, so why not up our chances. As far why the baking soda is in the recipe, I’m not sure, since there is no acid to activate it, but I haven’t made them without it before, so I didn’t see the need to change it. Feel free to make them without it, and come back to let us know if you notice any changes.
And I believe this is solid brown cookie base, so take liberties with it. If you have butterscotch chips, toasted nuts, toasted coconut. Toss them in, and make the cookie your heart desires.