I drank a lot of Milo and Ovaltine drinks growing up. My Cantonese mother ordered the drinks year-round from Chinese bakeries in Manhattan and Brooklyn. They would be hot and cold in summer.
So Milo and Ovaltine have become my comfort drinks; They are actually popular pantry staples across Asian diasporas. From Hong Kong to the Philippines, children grow up with those cans of malted chocolate powder on the kitchen shelf, stirred into cups of warm milk after school or over shaved ice desserts.
For many of us who immigrated or grew up between cultures as third culture children, Milo or Ovaltine immediately connects us to childhood and family, no matter where we are in the world.
Why should you add Ovaltine or Milo to your chocolate chip cookies
When I developed cookie recipes for my cookbook, 108 Asian cookiesI experimented with Milo and Ovaltin, incorporating spoonfuls of the mixtures into my cookie dough and treating them like cocoa powder.
What makes Milo and Ovaltine special and a good addition to cookie dough is their unique combination of cocoa, malt, sugar and milk solids – with ingredients that blend effortlessly into cookie dough. These powders leave my chocolate chip cookies layered in flavor, with malty sweet notes that comfort both my inner child and me.
The malt in the powder deepens the flavor of the chocolate chips and enhances the caramelized notes of the batter. The resulting cookies? Stunning!
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How to use this tip
If you want to try it yourself, add 1/4 cup Milo or Ovaltin to each cup of all-purpose flour you use to make chocolate chip cookies. Since these powders already contain sugar, you should keep an eye on the overall sweetness bar. The key is that this chocolate malt magic plays a supporting role, reinforcing rather than overwhelming. A touch of sea salt to garnish the cookies is a great finishing touch.
Or just make my cookie recipe below! Once cooled a bit, these cookies are crispy on the edges and chewy on the inside, with a subtle, almost toffee-like finish. My son Philip calls them my “best cookies ever” and he can’t be wrong!
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1 cup (120G) All-purpose flour
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1/4 cup (35G) Milo or Ovaltin chocolate malt mixture
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1/2 teaspoon Cream of tartar
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1/2 teaspoon baking powder
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1/4 teaspoon baking powder
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6 tablespoon (85G) unsalted buttersofter
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1/3 cup (71G) dark brown sugar
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1/3 cup Plus 1 tablespoon (76G) granulated sugar
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1 tablespoon molasses or darling
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1 1/2 teaspoon Red Miso
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1 large egg
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1 1/2 cups (255G) Semi-sweet chocolate chips
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Sea salt Flakes, optional
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Combine the dry ingredients:
Whisk together flour, Milo or Ovaltin, cream of tartar, baking soda, and baking soda in a medium bowl. Set aside.
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Make the dough:
Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or in a large bowl using a hand mixer, whisk, or spatula), combine the butter, sugar, molasses, or honey and combine until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides.
Add the egg and mix until incorporated. Add the flour mixture and mix on low speed until the dough forms. Fold in chocolate chips.
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Shape and cool the cookies:
Scoop about 3 tablespoons (up to 1/4 cup) of dough per cookie and form roughly into balls (about 21 total). Place on sheets, 2 inches apart. Cool for 30 minutes.
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Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375°F.
Adjust oven racks to top and bottom positions. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
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Bake:
Bake all cookies, turning sheets top to bottom and front to back halfway through, until edges are golden brown, about 10 minutes.
Allow the cookies to set on the baking sheet for 5 minutes and then transfer to a rack. Best enjoyed warm while I was inside.
Store refrigerated leftover cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
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| Nutritional Information (per portion) | |
|---|---|
| 146 | Calories |
| 7g | Fat |
| 21g | Carbohydrates |
| 2g | protein |
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| Nutritional Information | |
|---|---|
| Servings: 21 | |
| Amount per serving | |
| Calories | 146 |
| % Daily Value* | |
| 7g | 9% |
| Saturated fat 4G | 22% |
| 18mg | 6% |
| 50 mg | 2% |
| 21g | 7% |
| Diet Toner 1G | 3% |
| Total sugar 15g | |
| 2g | |
| Vitamin C 0mg | 0% |
| Calcium 18mg | 1% |
| Iron 1mg | 4% |
| Potassium 77mg | 2% |
| *The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food service contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories per day is used for general nutritional advice. | |
Nutritional information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are specified, the first nutrition listed will be charged. Side dishes and optional ingredients are not included.
