Chocolate Malted Whopper Drops

These cookies are so good!  The pictures don't really make them look all that good, but they really are great.  Chewy and rich and packed with chocolate bits!  I used ghirardelli bittersweet chips, and they were great.  A "must have milk" kind of cookie, but even with no milk available, my husband couldn't help himself and ate several.  He said they were really rich but just so good, he couldn't stop.   I brought about 20 to small group and all were gone!
This recipe is from "Baking" by Dorie Greenspan, a fantastic cookbook!  Hers look so much prettier, but mine still tasted great!  Go get whoppers, and malted milk, and make them!   I will definitely be making them again!


CHOCOLATE MALTED WHOPPER DROPS

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 3/4 cups AP flour
• 1 cup malted milk (or Ovaltine)
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 stick and 3 TBSP unsalted butter softened
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup whole milk
• 2 cups malted milk balls, coarsely chopped
• 6 oz. bittersweet choc, coarsely chopped, or chips/chunks

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350.  Line 2 baking sheets with silicone mats or parchment paper.
Sift or whisk together flour, malted milk, cocoa, baking powder and salt.
Beat butter and sugar on med. speed with paddle attachment for 3 minutes, until very smooth, scrping down bowl as needed.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating one minute after each egg.  Beat in vanilla (mixture may look curdled here, no worries!) Turn mixer to low and mix in half dry ingredients, just until they disappear, then add milk, then rest of dry ingredients, mixing only until just incorporated.  Batter will be thick!  Mix in chocolate and malt pieces by hand or on low.
Drop by rounded TBSP. into lined cookie sheets, leaving 2" in between (they will spread).  Bake 11-13 minutes, rotating cookie sheets half way through.  Remove from oven and let sit for 2 minutes on cookie sheets before removing them.  They may stick a little, so you may need to clean spatula several times.  Repeat once cookie sheets are cooled.