I got these Vanilla Malt Cookies right on the first try. That doesn’t happen very often, so it warrants a mention.

It was a random Wednesday three years ago and I was making five-or-so dozen of whatever I wanted for a weekly cookie order I had at the time. I could have just made a batch of chocolate chip cookies every week and they would have been happy, but instead, I took this standing commitment as an opportunity to try new ratios, methods, and flavors. Every Wednesday night, I’d bring in a couple of new recipes and take feedback from the group. In case you are wondering, in addition to being a good way to do some experimental baking, being the “cookie lady” is also a great way to make friends.

Recipes that got the group’s approval include my Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cream Cheese Cookies, Banana Pudding Cookies, and Maple Creme Sandwich Cookies, among others in the archives. Luckily, I was smart enough to write almost all of the recipes down…you know, just in case I ever started a baking blog 😉

All that is to say, these Vanilla Malt Cookies were a last-second experiment-turned-instant-hit, and I’m here on this snowy Wednesday three years after their debut to tell you all about them.

Trust me, the minute you sink your teeth into one of these Vanilla Malt Cookies, you’re going to lose your cookie-loving mind. While these are a bit thinner than most of the cookies you’ll find on this site, what they lack in puffiness, they more than make up for in chewy centers and crispy edges.

Oh, and flavor. Between the big hit of vanilla extract and the richness of the malted milk powder (and the butter! and the white chocolate chips!), there’s plenty going on here.

I know there’s at least one person out there wondering why I chose to make these malted beauties with vanilla instead of chocolate. To that person, I say that vanilla malt may not be as popular as its chocolate counterpart, but it is just as delicious, if not more so. The vanilla and malted milk powder complement each other beautifully and make everything about these cookies just…divine.

But if you really can’t wrap your mind around malt without chocolate, see here, here, here, and here, for everything chocolate-malty.

For the rest of you, make a batch of this cookie dough, crank the oven to 350F, and prepare to fall in love.

Vanilla Malt Cookies
makes about 3 dozen cookies

3 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup malted milk powder
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon Kosher or sea salt
1 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 large egg + 1 large egg yolk, room temperature
4 teaspoons real vanilla extract
1 cup white chocolate chips

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together flour, malted milk powder, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to beat butter until light and fluffy. Mix in granulated and light brown sugars, followed by egg, egg yolk, and vanilla. Add dry ingredients in two installments, scraping down the bowl as necessary. Mix in white chocolate chips. Dough will be very thick.

Cover dough with plastic wrap and chill for at least 2 hours, or up to 3 days.

Place oven racks in central positions and preheat the oven to 350F. Line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment.

Scoop dough in 2 tablespoon increments, roll into balls, and place at least 3 inches apart on prepared pans. Bake 9-11 minutes, rotating pans top-to-bottom and front-to-back at the 5 minute mark. Cookies are done when edges are just barely starting to turn golden and centers still look a bit underdone. Let cookies cool on pans for 5 minutes before transferring to a rack to cool completely. Let baking sheets come back to room temperature before repeating process with any remaining dough.

Cookies will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.