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    You are here: Home / Desserts / Malted Cheesecake

    Malted Cheesecake

    June 26, 2015 Updated September 6, 2022 BySam 46 Comments

    This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Please read my disclosure policy.
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Thick creamy malted cheesecake jam-packed with malted milk ball bits is baked over a malted shortbread crust and blanketed with dark chocolate ganache then topped with a sprinkling of crushed malted milk balls.  This cheesecake is a unique spin on the classic milkshake and candy.  

    Malted Cheesecake slice on plate

    When I think of malted desserts I think of malt shakes, which I have never tasted and have only have ever existed to me in 1950’s based books and movies from back when drive-in movies were still popular and boys and girls “went steady” (I watched a lot of “Happy Days” as a child).  I think of girls in skirts embroidered with poodles and silky ponytails tied up high on their heads with ribbon leaning over formica diner tabletops and sipping thick, chocolate-hued milkshakes through striped straws.

    The only malted dessert I’ve really ever actually tasted comes in the form of malted milk balls, which I love with their soft, milk chocolate shells and their crunchy malted interiors.  The flavor pairings and textural differences between exterior and interior are so simple, but so perfectly complementary and, though I’m certainly not a child of the 1950’s, there is still something so nostalgic about them.

    Malted Cheesecake covered with ganache

    This spin on a classic cheesecake recipe takes simple malted milk balls and malted milk power and transforms them into something far less 1950’s and much more modish.  The crust is made of shortbread and heavily malted to provide a subtle crunch that you might expect when biting into a Whopper (The candy that is, not the Burger King special.  I think my brother was a little disappointed [or relieved] when I clarified exactly what kind of Whopper-infused cheesecake I was bringing over).

    What I really love about this cheesecake is that despite the fact that it is clearly malted themed, the malted flavor is not overpowering.  It is just enough; the flavor is clear in the crisp shortbread crust, softly expressed among the tang of the cheesecake filling yet attention-grabbing with surprise pops of malted milk balls.  If you wish to stay true to the malted milk ball theme throughout, you can certainly use a milk chocolate ganache instead, but I felt this made the cheesecake too sweet and the rich, dark chocolate ganache added yet another layer of complexity to this ridiculously delicious cheesecake.  All in all the flavors balance extraordinarily well.

    Malted Cheesecake slice on plateMalted Cheesecake slice on plate

    I’ve found that a significant number of people hesitate to make cheesecake because they worry it is too difficult, and I think this is a shame.  Let me leave you with some tips on how to make sure any cheesecake is a success:

    • Allow your cream cheese to soften to room temperature before beginning (otherwise you’ll have lumps).
    • Make sure ingredients are well-combined, but don’t over-beat the eggs, otherwise you’ll have cracks.  This cheesecake is very forgiving because any cracks will be covered by the thick ganache, but this is still a good rule to follow.
    • Don’t open the oven while your cheesecake is cooking, this will allow heat to escape and will cause your cheesecake to sink.  Wait until you think the cheesecake is done, though it is OK to err on the side of checking slightly sooner to make sure your cheesecake is not overdone.
    • I personally feel that the trickiest part is knowing when your cheesecake is finished baking.  For this, look for edges that are set but a center that is still slightly jiggly, though it should be firm enough that it bounces back when lightly touched.  The edges should ideally not be more than lightly golden brown.

    Voila: perfect malted cheesecake.

    Happy Friday!

    More Cheesecake Recipes to Try:

    • Mini Cheesecakes
    • Oreo Cheesecake
    • Pumpkin Cheesecake
    • No-Bake Cheesecake
    slice of malted cheesecake on plate

    Malted Cheesecake

    This cheesecake is a unique spin on the classic milkshake and candy.  
     
    5 from 4 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 20 minutes
    Cook Time: 1 hour
    chill time: 6 hours 10 minutes
    Total Time: 7 hours 30 minutes
    Servings: 12 slices
    Calories: 279kcal
    Author: Sam Merritt

    Ingredients

    Malted Shortbread Crust

    • 8 Tbsp butter softened
    • ⅓ cup granulated sugar
    • 3 Tbsp malted milk powder
    • 1 ⅓ cup all-purpose flour

    Malted Cheesecake

    • 24 oz packages cream cheese softened
    • ¾ cup granulated sugar
    • ½ cup malted milk powder
    • 3 eggs
    • ⅓ cup sour cream
    • 2 cups semi-crushed malted milk balls (I place the milk balls in a large resealable plastic bag and then smash repeatedly with rolling pin until they are crushed into pieces but not finely crushed--you want to have some larger pieces of the milk balls in your cheesecake).

    Dark Chocolate Ganache

    • 1 ⅓ cup dark chocolate chips (if you prefer to have a milk chocolate topping simply substitute the dark chocolate chips for milk chocolate ones), 8 oz
    • ½ cup heavy cream
    • ½ cup Additional semi-crushed milk balls to sprinkle on top
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    Malted Shortbread Crust

    • Preheat oven to 400F
    • In stand mixer (or with electric hand mixer) cream together butter and sugar.
    • Add malt powder and stir until combined
    • Gradually stir in flour until all ingredients are combined.
    • Line bottom of 10" springform pan with parchment paper (remove the bottom, line with paper so that paper hangs over edges of pan, then replace sides of springform pan and snap on)
    • Press shortbread crust into bottom of springform pan.
    • Poke crust all over with tines of fork.
    • Bake at 400F for 15 minutes then remove from oven and set aside while you finish preparing the cheesecake.
    • Reduce oven to 350F

    Malted Cheesecake

    • In KitchenAid mixer (or with electric hand-mixer) cream together cream cheese, sugar and malted milk powder on medium speed, pausing to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula, until ingredients are well-combined.
    • Add eggs, one at a time, beating just until combined after each addition.
    • On low speed stir in sour cream until just combined.
    • Using rubber spatula, fold in crushed milk balls.
    • Pour cheesecake batter into prepared springform pan/over malted shortbread crust
    • Bake on 350F for 45 minutes/until cheesecake is mostly set, slightly jiggly in the center still but firm to the touch when lightly touched with fingertips. Edges may be slightly golden.
    • Remove from oven and allow to cool completely. Transfer to fridge and allow to chill at least 6 hours or overnight.

    Dark Chocolate Ganache

    • Once cheesecake has completely chilled, run a sharp knife around the sides of the springform pan and release the edges (sides of springform pan should no longer be attached)
    • Combine chocolate chips and heavy cream in medium saucepan and set to medium heat.
    • Stir frequently until chocolate is completely melted and well-combined with the cream.
    • Remove from heat and allow to set for about 1-2 minutes before pouring over cheesecake.
    • Within several minutes of pouring ganache, sprinkle additional chopped milk balls over the top of the cheesecake.
    • Return to fridge and allow to chill for at least 10 minutes so the ganache can set before cutting and serving.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1slice | Calories: 279kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 80mg | Sodium: 119mg | Potassium: 96mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 21g | Vitamin A: 493IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 44mg | Iron: 1mg

    Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.

    Tried this recipe? Show me on Instagram!Mention @SugarSpun_Sam or tag #sugarspunrun!
    Whopper candy stuffed malted cheesecake www.SugarSpunRun.com
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. jamie

      July 08, 2020 at 12:01 am

      5 stars
      At the risk of saying something depressing that others have already said (I didn’t stop to read the other comments), OMG Sam you’ve never had a malted milkshake? WHAT?! Okay, so my spouse and I were born in 1972 & 1981 and we were both craving a chocolate malt this one time and we discovered, to our horror, that NO ONE had them anymore (we drove to a few places, then started calling around to see who had them, and couldn’t find one anywhere). We were just like, WHAT? How could they just disappear from the earth? Prior to that moment, we’d always assumed they continued to exist, because our whole lives, at a LOT of places, you could always ask for a malt, which just meant they added malt powder to the shake (we think). And then we were so sad that day… was it 10 years ago already? We’re really not sure. We though, okay, this is just a problem of living in Los Angeles. Surely normal cities still have them. But it seems like you’re saying this is not a thing anymore anywhere! How can this be?! Sam, I am truly sorry you’ve never had the pleasure to enjoy a malt. Because chocolate malt balls are just not the same. For one, the waxy chocolate-like substance on those is usually terrible. And it’s just not the same. You must make it a quest to find one. And now you’ve informed us, we must find a place during some road trip, some day, for our baby (she’s only 19mo right now, she can’t eat sugar yet, lol) to try one. You’re breaking our hearts, for you and for us and for our baby! Maybe there’s malt powder to be purchased and you can find a recipe for a malted milk shake and we don’t need to go anywhere. You are really missing out. I mean it. This is not a relic of the 50s, this is seriously the best version of a milk shake!!!

      Reply
      • Sam

        July 09, 2020 at 10:23 am

        Hi Jamie! It sounds like I really have to find myself a malted milkshake now! There are a few small ice cream shops around me that may have it. I have just never looked. I will certainly be on the lookout for them now, you have convinced me. 🙂

        Reply
    2. doreen

      May 23, 2020 at 8:16 am

      I’m not sure do I remover the parchment paper before I pour the cheese cake mixture in to the pan?

      Reply
      • Sam

        May 23, 2020 at 8:49 pm

        Nope you can leave it 🙂

        Reply
    3. Sue

      November 21, 2019 at 6:24 pm

      Question: you say 24 oz packages of cream cheese? Then do not give a count, 1 or 2

      Reply
      • Sam

        November 21, 2019 at 9:16 pm

        Hi Sue! Sorry about the confusion. You will need 24 oz of cream cheese total. Usually cream cheese is sold in 8 oz packages, so you would need 3 of them. Make sure to use the brick-style cream cheese and not the spreadable kind.

        Reply
    4. Geri from PA

      May 05, 2018 at 9:34 pm

      5 stars
      Honey you should sell your cakes and pies. I’d buy them. The malted cheesecake looks amazing! I love to cook but suck at baking. I wish you the best. You seem to be very talented.

      Reply
      • Sam

        May 06, 2018 at 8:09 am

        You are so sweet, Geri! Thank you for such a kind comment!

        Reply
    5. KC

      April 27, 2018 at 9:07 am

      I can’t wait to make this but have googled to no avail so I will ask. I have ovaltine malt powder. Is that the same as malted milk?

      Reply
      • Sam

        April 27, 2018 at 9:11 am

        Yes that will work! 🙂

        Reply
    6. Aida

      July 02, 2015 at 11:19 am

      Beautiful! Great photos too. Thanks for sharing this.

      Reply
      • Sam

        July 03, 2015 at 9:27 am

        Thank you Aida!

        Reply
    7. Cheyanne @ No Spoon Necessary

      June 29, 2015 at 8:06 pm

      Wowza! This is ONE he!!a spin on a malted dessert! Decadent, creamy, dreamy, chocolatey and foe-so delish. Seriously drool-worthy! ♡ Loves it!!!

      Reply
      • Sam

        July 03, 2015 at 9:52 am

        Haha, thank you Cheyanne!

        Reply
    8. Fanny @ Oh Sweet Day!

      June 29, 2015 at 3:13 pm

      I’ve been tempted to make something with malt powder. Your cheesecake looks really fun and delicious to make! Gotta get it started! BTW, thanks for stopping by my website! Happy Monday! 🙂

      Reply
      • Sam

        July 03, 2015 at 9:55 am

        Let me know how you like it! Thanks Fanny!

        Reply
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    The author (Sam) in blue shirt holding donut Hi, I'm Sam! I'm dedicated to bringing you sweet, simple, and from-scratch dessert recipes. My life may or may not be controlled by my sweet tooth. Send help (or chocolate). Read more about me.

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