Yossy Arefi’s Malted Chocolate Cookies

It’s always a good day when I get to tell you about a new book from Yossy Arefi, member of an elite crew of recipe writers who meet me where I am, namely: in no-fuss, no-brainer baked good land. Her latest book, Snacking Bakes, speaks my love language, offering up baked treats (bars, brownies, cookies, cakes) that can be made in under one hour, in one bowl, with no fancy ingredients or equipment. Last week, I made her Malted Chocolate Cookies and the recipe lived up to its promise. Just the thing to box up in a cookie tin and give this holiday.

Malted Chocolate Cookies
Note from Yossy: These fudgy and rich chocolate cookies have a bonus ingredient that makes them super special: malted milk powder. The malted milk powder gives these cookies a nutty and toasty depth that complements the chocolate so well. I love these with sweet and creamy milk chocolate, but semisweet or bittersweet works, too. You can also swap in a bit of whole-grain flour to give these an even deeper flavor (I love rye).

MAKES 20 COOKIES

8 tablespoons (113g) unsalted butter, melted 
¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar 
1 large egg, cold from the fridge 
1 tablespoon neutral oil 
1 teaspoon vanilla extract 
½ teaspoon fine sea salt 
½ cup (45g) Dutch process cocoa powder, sifted if lumpy 
½ teaspoon baking powder 
¾ cup (96g) all- purpose flour 
¼ cup (30g) malted milk powder
¾ cup (128g) chopped milk chocolate
Flaky sea salt, for sprinkling

Position two racks as close to the center of the oven as possible and preheat to 350ºF. Line two large, rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. 

In a large bowl, combine the melted butter and sugar and whisk until well combined, about 30 seconds.

Add the egg, oil, vanilla, and salt and whisk until smooth, thick, and glossy, about 30 seconds. 

Whisk in the cocoa powder until smooth. Whisk in the baking powder. Fold in the flour and malt powder with a spatula. When a few streaks of flour remain, fold in the chopped milk chocolate and mix until no streaks of flour remain and the chocolate is evenly distributed in the dough. 

Use a 1½- tablespoon cookie scoop or heaping tablespoon to portion the dough into 20 cookies, 10 on each prepared baking sheet, then sprinkle with flaky sea salt.

Bake the cookies until just set with a few cracks on top, 8 to 10 minutes, switching racks and rotating the pans front to back halfway through baking. You want them to be soft and fudgy. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.