Celebrate the season with these memorable, mouth-watering White Chocolate Malted Sugar Cookie Bars.
I can eat things flavored with malt just about any time of the year. However, with springtime upon us, it’s only natural that this flavor jumps out at me! When I was a little girl, I loved sweets (some things don’t change!), and Easter was one of the best holidays as it was filled with a plethora of family fun; egg hunts, basket finding, cute stuffed bunnies, good food and most of all, lots and lots of candy — including my favorite, chocolate covered malt balls!
Now, that spring is upon us, Whoppers are abundant at the stores, flowers are blooming, people are smiling, the sun is shining (or at least trying to) and pretty pastel colors are everywhere you look!
To honor my fond memories of springtime celebrations, I just had to make something with the distinct flavor of malt. I also wanted these bars to look pretty to represent the season. Truth be told, I was going to add a few drops of red food coloring to the white chocolate to make it a soft pink, but in the end, I decided to leave it white and pure.
Also, with my son now a teen, we are a bit more sophisticated in our celebration of the season and Easter. However, the spirit of the big white rabbit visiting our home each spring lives forever in our hearts!
You see, when my son was young, we celebrated just like when I was a child — big candy filled baskets for all of us, an Easter egg hunt, a delicious feast and a festive dessert. The best part of me was seeing the delight in his eyes as he discovered the goodie filled basket by his bed, then he helped us look for ours! My husband would get up extra early and hide the candy-filled plastic pastel eggs throughout the yard, and my son would wander around with his basket searching for the eggs until he found all of them! It was a wonderful day filled with lost of fun and love.
To keep the tradition, I still prepare an Easter basket for my son. Yes, he has outgrown the “bunny” thing, but he still enjoys celebrating the season and getting some special gifts from mom and dad. This year, it will probably be filled iTunes and Microsoft gift cards, clothes and maybe a special box of chocolates from the See’s Candy Store along with a big chocolate bunny!
I also love whipping up an inspired dessert using some of our favorite candy or flavors. These White Chocolate Malted Sugar Cookie Bars really are impressive, and who doesn’t like to celebrate with sweets?
This recipe is simple to make — it starts with a malted sugar cookie base, followed by a sweet white chocolate layer, and topped with crushed Whopper candies! The combination of soft, sweet and crunchy is amazing!
To make the preparation even easier, I used a store-bought cookie mix and just added a bit of malt and vanilla to bring out the springtime flavor that’s hard to pass up!
It does have an extra step of cooling the cookies before you add the melted chocolate and additional chopped Whoppers, but its worth the wait on these malted gems! Once they are ready to eat, your family and friends will thank you for making these decadent bars and you can reminisce about your childhood favorites!
White Chocolate Malted Sugar Cookie Bars
By: Sheila | Sweet Baked Life 
Ingredients:
– 1 package Betty Crocker Sugar Cookie mix
– 1/2 cup Carnation Malted Milk powder
– 1 large egg
– 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
– 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
– 2 tablespoons milk
– 1 (5 oz.) carton Whoppers Malted Milk Balls, crushed & divided
– 4 oz Lindt White Chocolate bar, melted
Instructions
1.Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Prepare an 8×8-inch baking pan by lining with parchment paper then spraying with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.
2. In a large bowl of an electric stand mixer, with the paddle attachment, add the cookie mix, malted milk powder, egg, butter, vanilla and milk. Beat on medium speed until the dough comes together (it will be thick).
3. Add half of the crushed Whoppers and mix with a spoon until incorporated. Transfer mixture to the prepared pan and press down to create an even layer. Bake for 30-40 minutes, until the cookie mixture is golden brown. Let cool completely on a wire rack.
4. After the cookie base is cool, top the mixture with the melted white chocolate — spreading evenly with an offset spatula. Sprinkle the top with the remaining Whoppers. Place in the refrigerator to chill.
5. When ready to serve, remove from refrigerator, lift cookies out of pan by sides of parchment paper, and cut into squares.
Dig in and celebrate spring and Easter with a batch of these delightful White Chocolate Malted Sugar Cookie Bars!
