Oven-Baked Malted Milk Chocolate Bars

These malted milk chocolate bars are made with cake mix, crunchy malted milk balls, and a pinch of salt for chewy dessert squares that cut neatly.

Course Dessert

Servings bars

Calories 239kcal

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9×13-inch glass baking dish with parchment, letting it hang over two opposite sides for lifting.
In a large bowl, stir the dry cake mix, melted butter, eggs, and fine sea salt until no dry mix remains. Batter will be thick; do not add package-directed oil or water.
Fold in the chocolate chips and 1½ cups of the whole malted milk balls. Press the batter evenly into the lined pan.
Scatter the remaining ½ cup of malted milk balls over the top and press them gently into the batter.
Bake for 22–28 minutes, until the edges are set and the center no longer looks wet. Melted chips may stick to a toothpick; avoid overbaking.
Place pan on a rack and cool completely, at least about 60 minutes (longer if needed). Lift out with the parchment and cut into 16 squares; wipe the knife between slices.

The recipe uses a standard 15.25-ounce box of cake mix; do not follow the box directions for preparing a cake.
The 25-minute cook time is an approximate midpoint of the 22–28-minute baking range; use visual doneness cues.
Total time includes an estimated 60 minutes of cooling, but thick bars in glass may take longer to cool fully.
Store in an airtight container up to 3 days at room temperature or freeze wrapped squares for up to 2 months.
For tidier cuts, chill cooled bars for 15–20 minutes and wipe the knife between slices.