A part of everyday life as a mama of a child with food allergies is reading a never ending list of ingredients on packaged foods.
When it comes to recipes, more often than not there are ingredients included that my child can’t have. One skill you will perfect over time, is making substitutions when you cook.
I save tons of recipes to a Pinterest board and oftentimes I will have to replace ingredients in the recipe to make it suitable for my child to enjoy.
Sometimes, we choose a dessert recipe while we’re at the grocery store and get the ingredients to make it when we get home, but we have to grab substitutions.
I’ve tried a ton of different things, and there are quite a few ingredients that work well as a replacement for malt milk.
Many of these replacements are dairy free, which is suitable for a vegan diet or for people who are lactose intolerant.
Our favorite non-diastatic malted milk powder substitute is coconut milk powder, which can be used seamlessly in desserts and smoothies because of its similar texture. If you need a diastatic substitute great for baking, we recommend maca powder. Finally, our favorite healthy alternative for malted milk powder is quinoa milk powder, which is gluten free and rich in antioxidants while being high in fiber and protein.
There are also dairy-free malted milk powder substitutes, and our favorites are oat milk powder and rice milk powder because of their neutral flavors that won’t take over your dish.
Top 13 Malt Milk Substitutes
1. Coconut Milk Powder – Best Non-Diastatic Substitute
Coconut milk powder is hands down the best non-diastatic substitute for malted milk powder.
It is commonly used in desserts and cakes. It has a similar fat content as malted milk, but it doesn’t taste as sweet. You can add a sweetener to your recipe such as sugar or syrup.
The consistency of coconut milk powder is the most similar to that of malted milk powder as well, making it a great substitute. It is also gluten-free.
2. Maca Powder – Great Gluten-Free Substitute For Malted Milk Powder
Maca powder looks and tastes like malted milk powder, but it is not easy to find in stores.
You would use maca powder in the same way that you would use malted milk powder, and it could be used in any recipe calling for malted milk powder. Although it is a root “flour”, Maca powder is gluten-free.
3. Regular Milk Powder – The Easiest Non-Diastatic Substitute
Regular milk powder is the easiest non-diastatic substitute to find. It can be found at any grocery store.
It can be used to substitute malted milk powder in any recipe, however you will want to add a sweetener.
Cows milk is typically unsweetened. You would use the same ratios as if you were using malted milk powder when you use this in recipes.
Milk powder is not always gluten-free, so you will want to check the ingredients before you buy it.
4. Soy Milk Powder – Great Vegan Substitute In Baking
Soy milk powder is vegan-friendly, relatively easy to locate, and is most often gluten-free.
It works just like any of the other non-diastatic substitutes and it’s dairy-free.
Like several of the other substitutes, soy milk is unsweetened, so you may want to add sweetener of some sort to it.
Soy milk powder is a great substitute for malted milk powder in baking recipes.
5. Quinoa Milk Powder – One of the Best Gluten-Free Non-Diastatic Alternatives
If you’re looking for a healthy and gluten-free non-diastatic alternative to malted milk powder, quinoa milk powder is the way to go.
It’s very versatile and can be used in all sorts of recipes. Quinoa milk powder comes in both sweetened and unsweetened.
You can use the same proportions as you would with malted milk powder if you want, but keep in mind that quinoa milk powder has a much stronger flavor.
If you don’t like the quinoa flavor, you can use half of the milk powder instead.
6. Almond Milk Powder – Soy-Free Substitute In Baking
Almond milk powder is an uncommon non-diastatic substitute, but it is still effective, and it’s gluten-free.
You can use almond milk powder in vegan baking recipes. It has a very strong almond taste and you’ll want to add malt syrup or maple syrup to it.
If you use almond milk powder in your recipe, use the same ratio as the malted milk powder that you’re substituting.
7. Oat Milk Powder – The Healthiest Alternative In Smoothies
Oat milk powder is yet another vegan-friendly, gluten-free, non-diastatic alternative to malted milk powder.
It is a great substitute because it has a relatively neutral taste- one that will not overpower and ruin your recipes.
Add sweetener to taste and this will be the perfect substitute. Oat milk powder goes great in drinks like smoothies, too.
8. Rice Milk Powder – Naturally Sweet Substitute For Malted Milk Powder
Rice milk powder is a non-dairy, gluten-free, non-diastatic milk powder that can be substituted for malted milk powder.
Unlike the other substitutes, rice milk powder is naturally sweet. You won’t have to add much sweetener to emulate the taste of malted milk powder.
You will want to add a little bit, however, because the rice flavor is present.
9. Ovaltine Milk Powder – Best Chocolate Substitute For Malted Milk Powder
Malt milk powder is among the ingredients in ovaltine milk powder, which makes it perfect for a substitute. It is non diastatic.
Ovaltine can be easily found both in its regular flavor and in a chocolate flavor. It tastes great in drinks and it is already sweetened, so you won’t have to do that yourself.
Ovaltine is not gluten-free, so keep that in mind if you have a gluten allergy.
10. Malt Syrup
Unlike the substitutes above, malt syrup doesn’t come in powder form. The flavor, however, is similar to that of malt milk powder.
You will have to dilute the malt syrup with milk because it is a diastatic substitute, but it will make the milk taste like malt milk.
You can add as much or as little malt syrup to your recipe as you like, depending on your taste preferences. Malt syrup is not gluten-free.
11. Molasses – Gluten-Free & Super Sweet Alternative
Molasses is similar to malt syrup with its super-sweet taste and its thick texture, but unlike malt syrup, it is gluten-free.
It will also have to be diluted with milk to be used as a replacement for malt milk powder due to it being diastatic, but it will work.
You won’t want to overdo the molasses- it is made by grinding and extracting sugar three times and then melting the sugar, so it is extremely sweet.
12. Vanilla Powder – Great Gluten-Free And Vegan Substitute
Vanilla powder is a naturally sweet and aromatic powder that can be a great substitute for malt milk powder.
It is made out of dehydrated and ground up vanilla beans, added with sugar and other chemicals.
This is a great choice as a replacement because of the sweetness of the powder.
13. Honey And Sugar – With Added Milk – Great Substitute For Malted Milk Powder
While this may not taste exactly like malt milk, it will do the trick in a quick pinch.
If you find yourself in the middle of baking and discover you don’t have the malt milk powder you thought you had – you can whip out honey and sugar and make it into a diastatic malt substitute. You can add milk to the honey to loosen up the thick consistency.
What Is Malt Powder?
Malt powder, or malt milk, is a mixture of wheat flour, evaporated whole milk, and malted barley.
This mixture is ground up into a powder. This powder is usually used for drinks such as milk, beer, or wine, but it also is great for baking or cooking with other ingredients.
Malt powder is a very versatile ingredient with many uses, and there are also a ton of replacements that can be used.
Malt powder tastes sweet compared to other flours. There are two forms of malt powder: diastatic and non diastatic.
Non diastatic malt has no active enzyme, therefore it is only to sweeten drinks. It has a higher sugar content than diastatic malt.
On the other hand, diastatic malt does have enzymes that break down starches into sugar. This makes it great for baking and making dough.
Final Words
Any of the above substitutes will work great as a substitute for malt milk.
Some may have different flavors that require some adjusting to get it right, but others have a very similar taste. Give a new ingredient a try, you might like it even better.
Other Interesting Guides
Dairy-Free Malted Milk Powder
This is a simple and fast recipe for a dairy-free malted milk powder you can use in smoothies, vegan milkshakes, and more for a delicious and healthy twist that won’t aggravate any sensitive allergies or dietary restrictions.
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp Malt Powder
- 1 cup Oat Milk Powder
Instructions
- Combine the malt powder and the oat milk powder in a small bowl.
- Add to any of your favorite treats and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 1 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving:Calories: 331Total Fat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 31mgCarbohydrates: 74gFiber: 2gSugar: 64gProtein: 6g
My name is Keren Tayler. I am a stay-at-home mama to three lovely girls, Sarah + Rachel + Hannah. Prior to becoming a mom, I had a successful career in the accounting field, steps away from becoming a CPA. I decided to give up on my career in order to raise my own kids (as opposed to letting a nanny do it, no judgment here :)) I learned a lot and I love sharing it with other moms. Along the way, I also became a Certified Food Handler.