Homemade Malted Milk Balls
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If you decide to try making Homemade Malted Milk Balls you’re going to be pleasantly surprised at how easy it is to make something very similar to in flavor to whoppers at home. And they’re so fun to share with friends who won’t believe you made such a popular candy at home in your own kitchen!
Homemade Malted Milk Balls are less crunchy than commercial malted milk balls, Whoppers. But they still have all the unique flavor just in a smoother bite. While the taste buds say WHOPPER, there isn’t that industrialized crunch to them, you should know that going in!!
What do I need?
- Malted Barley Extract (buy online) OR Carnation Malted Milk Powder(buy in the grocery store) directions for BOTH are in the recipe card they’re used very similarly
- white chocolate
- milk chocolate or use dark chocolate if you prefer
- parchment paper or wax paper
- baking tray
- medium saucepan
- rubber spatula
What you won’t need to make THIS recipe for homemade whoppers
An electric mixer, candy thermometer, lots of whipping and boiling. it’s so easy it’s literally nothing but melt, stir, cool, roll, cool, dip, and cool.
WHAT TO DO WITH MALTED BARLEY EXTRACT
While this malt powder is a key ingredient in making malted milk to drink I wanted to I decided to try something beyond malted milk, so I made Malted Milk Balls.
Don’t get me wrong about malted milk, I love malted milk I just wanted to do something different! I want to make a malted chocolate cake and definitely make some malted milk ice cream milkshakes.
Digging around online I found a funny recipe, I wish I had the link but it has been years since I found the inspiration for these homemade candies. I tried it and it didn’t quite work for me but I kept experimenting and eventually made the recipe below work.
If you’re having trouble finding the Malted Barley Extract, you’re not alone, it was pretty scarce for several years! Have no fear there is a substitute commonly found in grocery stores, plain Carnation Malted Milk Powder.
Subbing plain carnation malted milk powder works! It’s not quite the same but it makes a great substitute. More importantly, you can find it in your local grocery store OR on Amazon. To sub, simply add a little more than the required 6 TBPS.
HOW TO MAKE
These little Malted Milk Balls are rather uncomplicated to make. I think even kids as young as 3 could help roll the balls of cooled filling and but moms or dads will need to do the dipping in melted chocolate part.
This is exactly the kind of recipe I loved when my kids were little, some for them to work on and then some for them to watch. Your only problem may be when they realize that the dough they’re rolling tastes really good, up until that point it’s smooth sailing.
Homemade Candy Recipes
Making your own candy can be a fun and easy way to make homemade presents for things like Christmas, Valentine’s Day, and even special birthdays.
Homemade Malted Milk Balls Recipe
Equipment
- Diastatic Malt Powder 4 oz by King Arthur Flour you can use either one of these in this recipe, you don't need both
- Hoosier Hill Farm Dry Malt (Diastatic) baking Powder 1.5 lb. you can use either one of these in this recipe, you don't need both
Ingredients
- 6 ounces white chocolate chips
- 6 TBSP malted barley extract OR 8 TBSP Malted Milk Powder more may be needed to stiffen the dough
- 6-8 ounces milk chocolate chips or dark chocolate chips for dipping
Instructions
- line a baking sheet with parchment paper, waxed paper, or foil
- over very low heat melt the white chocolate in a double boiler or a large bowl over a simmering pan of hot water
- once melted remove from the heat and add EITHER 6 Tablespoons of the malted barley powder one TBSP at a time, stirring well after each addition, keep adding powder until the dough is stiff enough to roll into balls
- OR IF USING CARNATION POWDER use 8 TABLESPOONS one TBSP at a time, stirring well after each addition, keep adding powder until the dough is stiff enough to roll into balls
- let the dough cool about ten minutes then check to see if it needs more malted barley powder, roll a small ball about 1/2 inch or so, if it holds it's shape with minimal flattening then you're ready to roll, if not add more malted barley powder as needed to make a ball that will hold the shape
- roll the dough into small 1/2-inch balls and put on the prepared pan, you should. get between 20-30 malted milk balls, depending on what size you make thme
- freeze on a cookie sheet for 10 minutes or so
- melt the chocolate chips over very low heat in a double boiler until thoroughly melted
- dip the malt balls into the chocolate and return to the cookie sheet
- when all the balls are dipped in the melted chocolate cool in the fridge or freezer
- then store in an airtight container in the fridge
- let them warm for a few minutes before eating
Nutrition
- 3 Ingredient Flourless Chocolate Cake
- Best Oreo Rice Krispie Treats
- Heaven On Earth Cake
- Mixed Berry Custard Pie
- French Apple Cake
- Mocha Torte
- Mallowmars Recipe
- Crock Pot Candy
Those look amazing!
No
I would wait until it’s cooled to try again.
Im going to make some First thing in the morning. They look so good
Most excellent, I hope you enjoy them!
Malted barley extract is liquid not powder
No the Malted Barley Extract I used is a powder.
Where do I get the extract? On line everything says barley malt powder . Is this the same thing?
It is linked in the post and in the recipe card.
Going to make these love malted milk balls. Thank you for sharing I pinned it!!!!
I just bought Dry Malt Extract from Amazon and it definitely is NOT liquid!
Why the white chocolate? Could you do it with regular chocolate chips?
You can totally use regular chocolate chips. White chocolate is a little blander and it allows the malt flavor to come through.
Wow, like a dream come true!
Reading this recipe made no sense. White chocolate and malt powder? Well, let me tell you! Yum!!! I haven’t even finished it yet. But the balls are rolled and chillin. Chocolate is melted and I told hubby he’s 20 minutes away from loving me more that yesterday!!! Thanks for the recipe!!
Omgosh you scared me! LOL I am happy you enjoyed them. We love homemade malted milk balls.
Do you use diastatic or non-diastatic malt extract?
I originally used non-diastatic Barley Malt Extract but that’s become harder for me to find so I’ve been
using just malted milk powder which works ok
I just made these and so many memories came running back. my grandma used to make these on the farm and they taste just the same
thank you
never to old to feel young
I am SO happy to hear that these brought back some great memories!
How do you dip the balls? It seems so difficult lol. Looks delish, and I’ll definitely make them soon!
I use a toothpick or a fork!
This is a good recipe, and it brings back memories when I was an L.D.S. Missionary in western Canada in the mid Sixties. At Christmas time in Saskatoon Sasketchewan the Relief Society Sisters made hand dipped chocolates, and the Missionaries were allowed to help. I learned hand dipping, and could even drizzle a C on the top of the cherry chocolates with my little finger. We made all kinds of chocolates and almond toffee that were also hand dipped. I can still remember how simple it was to make the toffee; We melted a pound of butter, added two cups of granulated sugar and a cup of ground almonds. The important thing was the heat and cooking. It was cooked on medium high heat just until a light blue smoke appeared, then we poured it into a rimmed cookie sheet, smoothed it out and lightly scored it in rectangular pieces to set. If it cooked too long it would have a burnt taste. If it was not cooked long enough it was like taffy. For baking and real Malted Milk Shakes I use both Barry Farm Barley Malt Extract in the liquid form, Hoosier Hill Farm Malted Milk Powder, and Carnation Malted Milk Powder. The liquid extract is a little stronger flavoured; and gives a little more presence to the recipe. Once in a while I will add a small amount of pure Almond extract to the malt balls which gives a neat twist to an already good recipe. D. Sohn Spring Valley Ca.
I just learned quite a bit from your post. Thank you for sharing. 🙂
I learned in a candy making class to take a plastic fork cut out the two center tines. Excellent dipping tool.
They are good but not what I expected. I was looking for a more crispy cookie like center, that might be where the barley comes in or tapoika flour I’m uncertain. Good recipe and fun to make and eat
I made these but added crushed up very fine rice crispy cereal ( for the crunch) we loved them & now I make them
every year at Christmas time..
YUM!
Adding the rice krispy cereal sounds great, I think I’ll try that when I make them! Thanx for the idea!!
This recipe looks great! Have you ever tried making these then dipping them in a candy coating of seasonal colors by chance? I love keeping jars of these with colors on the counters for the grandkids and visitors. Thank you in advance for your recommendation and recipes.
I think you could do that!
Is it possible to use DME (dry malt extract) that’s used in brewing (home brew stores sell it)? It’s a lot cheaper than what you linked to, and that product is malt extract plus flour and dextrose. DME is 100% malt extract. Does the flour impart some of the stiffness to the white chocolate?
I’m not 100% sure on that? I’ve never made them with it. I think the best bet would be to try it and know you’re results may be different.
Does this recipe really only make 8 balls? If not, about how many does it make?
NO! I think there was something lost when I switched recipe cards. When I make them I get between 20-30 depending on how small I make them. I like to make them small so they’re bite size and you can pop them in your mouth easily.
I love these I have made a lil change. I add some rice crispy ceral to add that little crunch and they are so good
Can you dehydrate these take make them crispy maybe?
Im confused. I bought Dry Malt Diastatic Powder and Dry Malt extract. Do I still need the baking powder?
NO! Just one or the other. I was trying to give choices and I made it worse!