Chocolate Malted Whopper Cookies

As I write this post, I’m polishing off the other 6 ounces of Whoppers that weren’t needed for this recipe. I mean come on, how often do you have extra Whoppers on hand in the house? And they’re healthy, right? There’s some wholesome milk in them.

At any rate, last week I borrowed Dorie Greenspan’s Baking From My Home to Yours, from the local library. The book is simply amazing. I’m sure to order my very own copy very soon. First, it’s huge. Over 500 pages long. Most of the recipes are photographed. That really matters to me. There are few things that I dislike more than a photo-less cookbook. I started exploring the book in the cookie section, of course. There are many that I’m going to make, but the one that really caught my eye was the Chocolate Malted Whopper Drop Cookies. Ms. Greenspan references Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory in her introduction to the recipe. How could I go wrong?

One final note: These cookies are even better after they’ve chilled out in the fridge for a couple of hours.

Chocolate Malted Whopper Cookies – adapted from Dorie Greenspan, Baking From My Home to Yours

• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup malted milk powder (I used chocolate Ovaltine)
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 11 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup whole milk
• 2 cups Whoppers, coarsely chopped
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips or chunks (I used chunks)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mat.

Sift together the flour, malted milk powder, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt.

In a stand mixer, with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar together on medium speed for 3 minutes, until very smooth. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the vanilla extract. At this point the mixture may look curdled.  Don’t worry, it will even out as the dry ingredients are added.

Reduce the mixer speed to low and add half the dry ingredients. Mixing just until combined. Mix in the milk, then the remaining dry ingredients. Mix until the dough is just incorporated. Do not over mix. With the mixer on low, add the chopped Whoppers and chocolate chunks.

Drop the dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto the sheet leaving 2 inches of space between cookies. Bake for 11-13 minutes, rotating the sheet after 6 minutes. When done, the cookies will be puffed but slightly soft to the touch. Let the cookies rest on the sheet for 2 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.