I’ve been into more complex recipes lately–recipes that require me to be fearless and willing to make mistakes and try again (and again, and again). Yeast doughs and layer cakes, y’all. They’re not for the faint of heart. I am (briefly) resisting the urge to make another today. As much fun as I have with these more involved recipes, I don’t know that I can handle another day like this past Saturday quite so soon.

So today, let’s keep it simple. Really, really simple. Like seven ingredients, no room temperature-ing, no mixer, no stress simple. But with a major chocolate payoff.

Y’all, these Chocolate Malt Magic Bars are fantastic. They have all the flavors of your favorite fountain treat, plus a buttery chocolate cookie crust. Did I mention that they come together in less than 45 minutes start-to-finish?! Let me show you.

First, make a chocolate cookie crust. Simply place a couple of sleeves of chocolate sandwich cookies in a food processor and pulverize them. Drizzle in some melted butter and process until the mixture holds together like wet sand. Press that into the bottom of a foil-lined 8-inch pan and bake for five minutes, just to set.

Chop a bunch of chocolate and scatter it over the crust. I used milk chocolate here, as I prefer its smooth flavor alongside that of the malted milk powder. If dark chocolate is more your style, feel free to use it. You could also throw in some chopped malted milk balls, if you happen to have them on hand.

Here’s where it all comes together. Whisk together a can of sweetened condensed milk, a tablespoon of melted butter, and a touch of vanilla. Add in a hefty dose of malted milk powder and a little bit of cocoa powder, and mix until smooth. Drizzle that over the chopped chocolate and tap the pan on the counter a few times to ensure even distribution. Bake it all for 30 minutes or so, until the filling just barely jiggles when the pan is jostled. Let the bars cool completely before slicing and treating yourself to two 😊

I hope y’all are as obsessed with chocolate malt flavor as I am because these bars have A LOT of it. The jazzed-up condensed milk and chopped milk chocolate melt together as the bars bake, creating a soft, chewy, chocolaty, malty layer of amazingness. And underneath all of that, there’s that crunchy, buttery cookie crust. These bars are a texture-lover’s dream! Incredible texture, chocolate malt flavor, and they’re easy? If I were you, I’d be running to the kitchen right now.

Chocolate Malt Magic Bars
makes 1 8-inch pan, about 12-16 bars

24 chocolate sandwich cookies (like Oreos)
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, divided
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2/3 cup malted milk powder (I use Carnation)
1/4 cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder
6 ounces milk chocolate, chopped

Preheat oven to 350F. Line a 9-inch square pan with aluminum foil, leaving overhang on two sides. Generously butter foil. Set aside.

Place chocolate sandwich cookies the bowl of a food processor and process until pulverized. Add 5 tablespoons of melted butter. Pulse until combined. Transfer mixture to the prepared pan. Press into an even layer. Bake for five minutes, until set. Set crust aside to cool while you prepare the filling.

In a small mixing bowl, whisk together sweetened condensed milk, 1 tablespoon melted butter, and vanilla. Whisk in malted milk powder and cocoa powder. Mixture will be slightly grainy.

Scatter chopped milk chocolate over the crust. Drizzle sweetened condensed milk mixture over chocolate. Tap pan on the counter several times to distribute mixture and release any air bubbles. Bake for 30-32 minutes, tenting pan with foil at the 10 minute mark. Bars are done when the center jiggles just slightly when the pan is jostled.

Let bars cool completely in the pan on a rack. Use overhang to remove bars from the pan to a cutting board. Peel off foil. Slice with a lightly-greased knife and serve.