The Surprising Ingredient for the Best Chocolate Chip Cookies, According to a Pro Baker

It makes “the best cookies ever.”

By
Kat Lieu
Kat Lieu
Kat Lieu
Kat Lieu is an author, food writer, recipe developer, and content creator. Kat is the visionary founder behind Subtle Asian Baking, the largest global online group that focuses on spreading the love and joy of Asian baking and fundraising for AANHPI communities, raising over $101,000 since 2020 for charities such as Welcome to Chinatown, The Very Asian Foundation, and The Wing Luke Museum.
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Published October 07, 2025
Kat Lieu
Chocolate chip cookies on a baking mat with a dish of salt nearby

Simply Recipes / Kat Lieu

I drank a lot of Milo and Ovaltine drinks growing up. My Cantonese mother would order the drinks year-round at Chinese bakeries in Manhattan and Brooklyn. They’d be hot in the wintertime and cold in the summertime. 

Thus, Milo and Ovaltine have become my comfort drinks; they’re actually beloved pantry staples across Asian diasporas. From Hong Kong to the Philippines, kids grow up with these tins of malted chocolate powder on the kitchen shelf, stirred into mugs of warm milk after school or sprinkled over shaved ice desserts. 

For many of us who immigrated or grew up between cultures as third culture kids, Milo or Ovaltine instantly connects us to childhood and family, no matter where we are in the world.

Why You Should Add Ovaltine or Milo to Your Chocolate Chip Cookies

When I was developing cookie recipes for my cookbook, 108 Asian Cookies, I experimented with Milo and Ovaltine, incorporating spoonfuls of the mixes into my cookie dough, 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—ingredients that blend effortlessly into cookie dough. These powders make my chocolate chip cookies layered in flavor, with malty sweet notes that comfort both my inner child and me. 

The malt in the powders both deepens the flavor of the chocolate chips and boosts the dough’s caramelized notes. The resulting cookies? Mind-blowing!

A spoon holding a scoop of powdered cocoa laid over a background of cocoa powder

Simply Recipes / Adobe Stock

How to Use This Tip

If you want to try it yourself, add 1/4 cup of Milo or Ovaltine to every cup of all-purpose flour that you’re using to make chocolate chip cookies. Since these powders already contain sugar, you may want to keep an eye on the overall sweetness balance. The key is letting that chocolate malt magic play a supporting role, enhancing rather than overwhelming. A touch of sea salt to garnish the cookies will be a great crowning touch.

Or simply 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’s not wrong! 

“Best Ever” Chocolate Chip Cookies

Prep Time 15 mins
Cook Time 10 mins
Chill Time: 30 mins
Total Time 55 mins
Servings 21 servings
Yield 21 cookies

Recipe reprinted with permission from the author, 108 Asian Cookies: Not-Too-Sweet Treats from a Third-Culture Kitchen, Voracious, 2025

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Ingredients

  • 1 cup (120g) all-purpose flour

  • 1/4 cup (35g) Milo or Ovaltine chocolate malt mix

  • 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda

  • 6 tablespoons (85g) unsalted butter, softened

  • 1/3 cup (71g) packed dark brown sugar

  • 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon (76g) granulated sugar

  • 1 tablespoon molasses or honey

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons red miso

  • 1 large egg

  • 1 1/2 cups (255g) semisweet chocolate chips

  • Sea salt flakes, optional

Method

  1. Combine the dry ingredients:

    Whisk the flour, Milo or Ovaltine, cream of tartar, baking powder, and baking soda together in a medium bowl. Set aside.

  2. Make the dough: 

    Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, whisk, or spatula), cream the butter, sugars, molasses or honey, and miso together until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides. 

    Add the egg and mix until incorporated. Add the flour mixture and mix on low speed just until dough forms. Fold in chocolate chips.

  3. Form and chill the cookies:

    Scoop about 3 tablespoons (up to 1/4 cup) of dough per cookie, shaping roughly into balls (about 21 total). Place on sheets, spaced 2 inches apart. Chill for 30 minutes.

  4. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375°F.

    Adjust oven racks to upper and lower-middle positions. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

  5. Bake:

    Bake all cookies, switching sheets top to bottom and front to back halfway through, until edges are golden brown, about 10 minutes.

    Let the cookies set 5 minutes on the baking sheet, then transfer to a wire rack. Best enjoyed warm while gooey inside.

    Store cooled leftover cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

    Love the recipe? Leave us stars and a comment below!

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
146 Calories
7g Fat
21g Carbs
2g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 21
Amount per serving
Calories 146
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 7g 9%
Saturated Fat 4g 22%
Cholesterol 18mg 6%
Sodium 50mg 2%
Total Carbohydrate 21g 7%
Dietary Fiber 1g 3%
Total Sugars 15g
Protein 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 serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.