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This Chocolate Malted Crunch Ice Cream is so rich and chocolatey, with a hint of malt flavor, and lots of crunchy bits from the Whoppers candies.
» Here are 50 of our favorite ice cream maker recipes. We think this pear ice cream is amazing!

If you’ve made any of the other ice cream recipes on our site, like the delicious Chocolate Chocolate Chip Ice Cream, you probably know that I use my favorite custard ice cream base for nearly every recipe. However, the Salt & Straw cookbook introduced me to an even easier base recipe that I’ve used for this Chocolate Malted Crunch Ice Cream. Now I’m really on the fence about which is better.
This base has some expensive ingredients, like milk powder and xanthan gum, but you use them in small quantities, so you can actually make something like 10-15 batches of ice cream from one purchase, if you look at it that way. Plus this one has no eggs, and no complicated egg tempering process.
We do use an ice cream maker for this recipe, so be sure to put the barrel in the freezer a day ahead so it’s good and frozen by the time you want to use it.
What is Malted Ice Cream?

To get the malted flavor in this ice cream, we use malted milk powder.
Malted milk powder is made from a mixture of malted barley, wheat flour, and whole milk, which is evaporated until it forms a powder. The process of malting involves soaking the barley in water until it sprouts, then drying and grinding it. This malting process brings about enzymes that convert starches into sugars, giving malted milk its distinctive sweet flavor.
Malted milk powder is often used in beverages like milkshakes, as well as in baking to enhance the flavor of cakes and cookies. I love the malted flavor and it goes hand in hand in this recipe with the malted milk balls. Perfect combo!
Equipment Needed
- Ice cream maker
- Spatula
- Sauce pan
- Bowl
- Freezer container
- Ice cream scoop

Ingredients You Need
This ice cream uses the Salt & Straw ice cream base, which has a few different ingredients in it than you might expect. I’ve found these to be a bit expensive, and often sold in much larger quantities than you need. Just think of all the other ice creams you can make with!
- Dry milk powder – There are many brands you can choose from. I prefer to buy it in a carton that can be easily resealed, because you won’t use it all.
- Xanthan gum – This is pretty easy to find at the grocery, though it can come in a pack that’s rather large. It’s also great for thickening gravies and soups!
- Light corn syrup – The corn syrup cuts down on the amount of granulated sugar you need. I don’t know the science behind the corn syrup, so I wouldn’t replace it with sugar (not knowing what the effect will be).
- Heavy cream – There is a debate out there about how much butterfat the best ice cream has. It can range anywhere from non-fat all the way up to 20%. Using heavy cream and whole milk results in the best texture and fat level.
- Whole milk – Always use whole milk – we’re not pretending this is a low-fat dessert.
- Sugar – Granulated sugar is fine in this recipe. If you’re going to replace it with a sugar substitute, I recommend using only allulose, because it doesn’t harden like erythritol and the others do. This makes a big difference.
- Cocoa powder – I use Ghirardelli 100% cocoa powder. It’s very rich and chocolatey.
- Malted milk powder – You can get this in a carton at the grocery store. It can be used for many other things – you’ll definitely have some left over.
- Whoppers candies – You can use any malted milk balls you like, I’m a fan of Whoppers.
How to Make Chocolate Malted Crunch Ice Cream
Mix together the sugar, milk powder, and xanthan gum in a bowl.

In a saucepan, combine the light corn syrup and milk. Whisk until fully combined. Pour in the sugar mixture. Whisk vigorously, until sugar is dissolved.
Step One: Heat the Milk Mixture

Set the pot over medium heat and bring up just to a simmer, whisking occasionally. Remove from heat. Add the heavy cream and whisk to combine.
Pour the mixture into a large airtight container. You’ll combine this with the chocolate sauce in the next step.
Step Two: Chocolate Sauce


To make the chocolate sauce, combine sugar, water, cocoa powder, and the malted milk powder in a pot over medium low heat. Whisk until it’s all combined, and simmer it on low until the chocolate is smooth and the sugar is fully dissolved. Remove it from the heat and let it cool.
Once cool, pour the chocolate in with the ice cream base. Mix it together with a whisk or stick blender. Refrigerate the mixture until ready to churn. It’s best to give it a day to rest in the refrigerator. In the Salt & Straw cookbook, they emphasize the need to “age” the base, which “give the proteins in the milk, which were stressed while heating, a chance to relax.”
Step Three: Churn


Don’t forget that your ice cream maker bowl needs to be in the freezer for 24 hours before you can use it. This gives it enough time to completely freeze the water in the bowl so it can effectively freeze your ice cream. Hopefully you’ve already done that, but if not, you’re in for another 24 hour wait before you can churn.
Pour the chocolate ice cream base into the ice cream maker and churn until the ice cream reaches soft serve stage. Add the Whoppers candies to the ice cream maker and let it churn just until they are incorporated, about 30 seconds. The chunks really start to stress the machine, so you don’t want to let it go much longer than that.
Quickly scoop the ice cream into a freezer container. Freeze until the ice cream is firm, at least 4 hours.

How to Store Ice Cream
The best way to store homemade ice cream is to transfer it from the ice cream maker to a freezer-safe container with an airtight lid.
Before storing, press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the ice cream to prevent ice crystals from forming. Then, cover the container with the airtight lid and place it in the coldest part of your freezer, which is usually the back. Homemade ice cream can last for up to two weeks in the freezer, but it’s best to consume it within the first week for optimal freshness and flavor.

Frequently Asked Questions
Does this ice cream have to be made in an ice cream maker?
This ice cream recipe is made in the ice cream maker. It’s an easy way to churn the ice cream mixture to make it freeze faster and make it super creamy, so we prefer it.
However you can still make it without an ice cream maker. At the end, mix in only half of the heavy cream and reserve the rest. Pour the mixture into ice cube trays and freeze until solid. When ready to eat, add the ice cream cubes to the blender with the remaining heavy cream and blend until smooth.
What if I can’t find xanthan gum?
Xanthan gum is a thickening agent that comes in powder form. It’s readily available at most grocery stores, in the baking aisle, from brands like Bob’s Red Mill. You can also buy it online on Amazon. I use this It’s Just brand. If you absolutely can’t get it, you can use gelatin in its place.
Do I have to add the chocolate sauce?
If you’d rather have vanilla malted milk ice cream with Whoppers candies, that’s fine too. You can skip the stage of adding the chocolate sauce. Both versions are very tasty!
What Ice Cream Maker to Use?
If you’re really wanting to make great ice cream at home, you have to invest in an ice cream maker. I’ve had the same one for many years and it’s never made a bad ice cream.
The one I recommend is the Cuisinart 1.5 quart ice cream maker. It comes in a few different colors and it looks neat and tidy. You just have to keep to recipes that are small enough to fit, which shouldn’t be a problem.
The Cuisinart ICE-70 Electronic Ice Cream Maker is a slightly more professional model that’s 2 quarts and has an LCD screen and 3 settings plus an improved paddle with faster processing time.
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Chocolate Malted Crunch Ice Cream
Ingredients
For the ice cream base:
- 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons (15 g) dry milk powder
- 1/4 teaspoon (0.75 g) xanthan gum
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) light corn syrup
- 1 1/3 cups (315 ml) whole milk
- 1 1/3 cups (315 ml) heavy cream
For the malted chocolate:
- 1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup (59 ml) water
- 1/4 cup (22 g) cocoa powder
- 1/4 cup (31 g) malted milk powder
- 1 cup (208 g) Whoppers candies roughly chopped
Instructions
- Mix together the sugar, milk powder, and xanthan gum in a bowl.
- In a saucepan, combine the light corn syrup and milk. Whisk until fully combined. Pour in the sugar mixture. Whisk vigorously, until sugar is dissolved.
- Set the pot over medium heat and bring up just to a simmer, whisking occasionally. Remove from heat. Add the heavy cream and whisk to combine.
- Pour the mixture into a large airtight container. You’ll be adding the chocolate to this mixture in the next step.
- To make the chocolate sauce, combine sugar, water, cocoa powder, and malted milk powder in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk and simmer on low heat until dissolved and smooth. Remove from heat and let cool.
- Once cooled, pour the chocolate syrup into ice cream base and mix it well, with a whisk or an immersion blender. Refrigerate the mixture overnight.
- Make sure your ice cream maker bowl is in the freezer!
- When ready to churn, pour the ice cream mixture into the ice cream maker and churn until the ice cream reaches soft serve stage.
- Pour the Whoppers candies into the ice cream maker and churn just until they are all incorporated, about 30 seconds. Turn off the machine.
- Quickly scoop out the ice cream into a freezer container. Freeze until firm, at least 4 hours.
Equipment Needed
Notes
- This recipe makes half a gallon.
Nutrition

Laura is a home cook, with 25 years experience behind the stove, who spends an extraordinary amount of time in the kitchen cooking. She loves making new recipes and finding wonderful new things to eat, both at home or abroad. She spends a lot of time researching, crafting, and perfecting her recipes.