Easy Milo Biscuits (Dairy-Free)

Easy milo biscuits with soft, chewy centres and that classic malted flavour. An Aussie favourite recipe made dairy-free!

I know what you are thinking. That I am claiming a dairy free recipe here that also uses Milo which is traditionally a milk based product and very much not dairy-free. Well thankfully Nestle heard our cries and have finally released a plant-based version of their malted milk powder, taking everyone with dairy allergies or those following a vegan diet back to their childhood.

Having a cold glass of plant-based Milo with oat milk was just as nostalgic as I had thought it would be. If you don’t know, Milo can be made either hot or cold (but my preference is always cold) and is made by scooping too much Milo into your milk so that some of it gets mixed in to make a chocolatey, malted milk drink, and the rest sits on the top for max crunch that you kind of just eat with a spoon.

While this is delicious, the plant-based Milo only came in a larger size container and at the rate of having a treat once and awhile, the container was going to last me for years. Then I remembered all the yummy things we used to bake with it when I was a kid and I knew the first thing I wanted to make was the humble Milo biscuit.

The Milo biscuit was a staple for me growing up in rural Australia. It was a simple recipe I could make at home, they could be found at friends houses as a delicious after school snack, and they often found their way onto tables at the local bake sale fundraisers.

I scoured through my old cook books that I still have, but unfortunately I couldn’t find any original recipes, so this may not be exactly that classic version that I remember but it’s pretty close.

This recipe creates biscuits that are crunchy on the edges, soft and chewy in the middle and have a distinct chocolate malt flavour that is so incredibly delicious.

Ingredients in Milo Biscuits

I use a couple more ingredients than some other recipes as I like the combination of white and brown sugar as well as using plain flour and baking powder rather than self-raising flour as I don’t often have that in my pantry any more as I got sick of buying both types of flour (also I’m still working through the 12kilo bag of plain flour I purchased during lockdown).

You’ll need the following:

• Dairy-free butter – as usual I’m using my favourite Nuttelex brand for the best flavour and texture.
• Caster sugar – the use of finer sugar helps ensure a really smooth textured biscuit.
• Brown sugar – for extra flavour and sweetness that tastes so good with the Milo.
• Egg – to keep everything together and the biscuits nice and light.
• Plain flour – the foundation of your cookie
• Baking powder – for extra lift giving you a nice thick biscuit.
• Plant-based Milo – the super star and key flavour of these biscuits. I use the plant based version to make these biscuits dairy-free but you can use the regular if you want or any malted milk drink such as Ovaltine.

How to make classic Milo biscuits

I like to use my stand mixer to make the dough here because it’s so incredibly fast and easy. If you don’t have a stand mixer a handheld electric mixer will do the job as well.

You start by beating the sugars and dairy-free butter until creamy. Then add in the egg and mix through, followed by your dry ingredients and then you are done!

Because of the dairy-free butter, this dough can be quite soft. You can chill the entire bowl of dough first before rolling out the balls but this takes a couple of hours. Instead, I like to get my cookie scoop (or a tablespoon) and roughly scoop out the dough onto the tray and then put that in the fridge. After 15 minutes you’ll be able to handle the dough much easier and roll your balls from the scooped mounds of dough.

Press the balls down slightly to help them spread ensuring there is about 2 inches between them, and then bake for 15 minutes. The cookies will be soft when you remove them from the oven, but just let them sit for about 5 mins and they will firm up enough to transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

How to store these biscuits

These milo cookies are best enjoyed fresh when the edges are still nice and crisp as they have a tendency to go a little soft when stored, however they are still delicious.

Store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place for up to three days.

If you do make this recipe, please be sure to leave a comment and rating below! And tag any of your creations on Instagram with #eightforestlane as I would love to see.

Easy Milo Biscuits (Dairy-Free)

Easy milo biscuits with soft, chewy centres and that classic malted flavour. An Aussie favourite recipe made dairy-free!

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time15 mins

Chilling Time15 mins

Course: Morning Tea

Cuisine: Australian

Author: Sally

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Ingredients

• ½ cup (125 grams) dairy-free butter
• ¼ cup caster sugar
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 1 egg room temperature
• 1 ½ cups plain flour
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ cup plant-based Milo

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 180°C and line 2 baking trays with baking paper.
• In a large bowl combine dairy-free butter and sugars using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment fitted or an electric hand mixer. Once creamy add in the egg and continue to beat. Add in the flour, baking powder and continue to mix until a dough forms. Finally mix through the Milo until combined.
• Use a cookie scoop or tablespoon to scoop out balls of dough and place on the lined baking tray about 2 inches apart. The dough will be quite sticky. Place the tray in the fridge for 15 minutes to allow the dough to firm up.
• Remove the tray from the fridge. The dough will now be easier to handle so you can roll them between your hands to form balls. Press each dough ball down slightly and place the trays in the oven to bake for 15 minutes. The cookies will still be soft when you remove them from the oven, but the edges should be golden. Allow cookies to cool on the tray for 5-10 minutes to firm up before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

You can use regular Milo instead if you don’t need these biscuits to be dairy free. If you can’t find Milo, you can use Ovaltine as a substitute.

I use Nuttelex to replace butter in most of my recipes as it is vegan and gives a 'buttery' flavour without being greasy. As this is an Australian product, the closest US alternative I believe is Earth Balance. Otherwise any dairy-free spread will work.

Not from Australia? Check out my US Conversion Guide.

More Dairy-Free Biscuits:

Classic Ginger Snap Biscuits
Snickerdoodle Cookies
Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
Dairy-Free White Chocolate Macadamia Cookies

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