Malt and shake are almost identical and delicious. But there is a difference in one key ingredient. Malted milk powder is added to the malt, which makes malt an entirely different drink. Want to know more about it? Here is a detailed article on malt vs. shake.

Both malt and shake are made from almost similar basic ingredients, but malted milk powder makes malt a classic one.
Malt includes malted milk powder, which is made of barley. Malt is much healthier than a shake, thus having more nutritional value. Malt has a sour and toasty flavor, whereas milkshakes are much sweeter.
Milkshakes are easily available and can easily blend with almost all flavors. But malt blends with fewer flavors. Milkshakes are much more versatile than malts.
Before going ahead, let’s have an idea about malt and shake from the below-mentioned table.
What's In The Post
Malt Vs. Shake | Difference Table
Basis Of Difference | Malt | Shake |
---|---|---|
Taste | Malt is a little sour and toastier in taste. | Milkshakes are sweeter. |
Consistency | Malts have a thicker consistency. | Milkshakes have a thinner consistency. |
Calories | Malts have fewer calories than milkshakes. | Milkshakes have more calories. |
Nutritional Value | Malt powder can add nutritional benefits to malt milkshakes. | Milkshakes are less nutritional than malts. |
Flavor | Malt powder adds flavor to the malted milkshake. | Milkshakes don’t have a toastier flavor. |
Preparation | To prepare a malted milkshake, you must have malt milk powder. | Milkshakes can easily be prepared with different toppings. |
Amount Of Sugar | Malts contain 18 to 25 grams of sugar. | The average milkshake contains 55-60 grams of sugar. |
What Is Malt?

Malt milkshakes are made of identical ingredients that we use in milkshakes but with the addition of malted milk powder. Malt milkshakes are classic shakes that include a perfect combination of milk, whipping cream with malted milk powder.
Walgreens employee Ivar Pop Coulson first created the malt in 1922. Malt milkshakes hold a special classic place in an American diner. Now, malt is found in soda fountains and diners.
Malt has a sour taste and a toastier flavor than milkshakes. Malt has more nutritional value as it has barley and is suitable for fulfilling nutrient requirements. Malt has a thicker consistency and a rich taste.
Malt has a caramel-like fruity flavor. Malt can make dough-based foods such as cakes, bread, waffles, and tortillas. Malts are mainly used in whiskey and beer.
What Is A Shake?

As the name suggests, a milkshake shakes milk until it becomes frothy and thick. A milkshake is a beverage that is a perfect combination of milk, ice cream, and chocolate syrup.
To increase the flavor of milkshakes, you can blend them with pre-flavored milk, such as chocolate milk.
Milkshakes can easily blend with mostly all flavors. Milkshakes are much sweeter and creamy drinks. Milkshakes can be used with fruits too. Bananas and strawberry milkshakes are the perfect examples. You can easily find milkshakes in your nearby food chain.
Milkshakes are a worthy companion for black burgers and grilled food. Children tend to have a great love for milkshakes. My personal favorite one is the Oreo milkshake.
You can add different toppings to the milkshake, such as chocolate syrup or caramel. You can also add nuts and sprinklers to milkshakes to enhance their flavor.
What Is Malted Milk Powder?

Malted milk powder is an evaporated powder and has a unique flavor. It is made from barley, wheat flour, and corn flour.
Malted milk powder was first made by James and William Horlick, British brothers, in Wisconsin in 1869. The idea was to offer infants a nutritional supplement and treat digestive orders. After this, malted milk powder was used as rations for emergency services and military expeditions.
Eventually, it was popularly used as the main ingredient in sweet drinks. The malted powder is often used in chocolate candies, cakes, and cookies.
Malt Vs. Shake | Difference Between The Two
Let’s learn in detail about the difference between the two.
1. Consistency
Malts have thicker consistency as it has malt milk powder. Milkshakes have a thinner consistency. As the quantity of malt milk powder increases, the thicker the malted milkshake becomes.
2. Calories
The process and the ingredients are different in malt and milkshake. The milkshakes have 350 calories on average, whereas 260 calories are lower in malt.
If you are someone who counts calories, you must go for malt rather than milkshakes. A glass of malt has less sugar content than a milkshake.
3. Nutritional Value
The malt milk powder is made up of barley and thus has lots of health benefits. Malt beverages are made of malted milk powder, thus having more nutritional value than milkshakes.
Malts are richer in protein and minerals than milkshakes. However, the nutritional value of milkshakes increases with the type of fruits and flavors added.
4. Sugar Content
The sugar content is a little higher in milkshakes and malts to enhance their taste and flavor.
Average milkshakes contain between 55 and 60 grams of sugar, whereas malts contain 18 to 25 grams. The quantity of sugar is lower in malt than in milkshakes.
5. Preparation
The preparation process for milkshakes and malts is not a difficult one. All you need is a blender machine and a few ingredients.
For milkshakes, blend milk and ice cream with your favorite flavor of fruits and berries. Whereas, for malt, you need milk, whipped cream or ice cream, and malt milk powder. Malt milk powder is an important ingredient for preparing malt shakes.
6. Flavor
Malt milk powder is added to the malt. It has a sour taste with a toasty touch. It gives a rich classic taste to your regular drink. At the same time, milkshakes have a sweet flavor. Malt does not go well with all flavors, whereas milkshakes go well with most flavors.
Malt Vs. Shake | Which Is Better?

Malted milk powder is made from barley, a good source of nutrients. Malted milk powder is rich in potassium, selenium, and vitamins B2, B6, and D.
On the other hand, milkshakes serve as a nutritional drink when combined with fruits like bananas and berries.
Milkshakes are a better option, in my opinion, as they are best for summer days. Not only this, they are easily available and inexpensive.
Milkshakes can easily blend with many flavors, making them better than malt. Milkshakes also have nutritional value as it includes milk, and the health benefits increase depending on the type of fruit added to them.
Malt Vs. Shake | Which Is Healthier?
As I mentioned earlier, malts are made from malted powder. The malted powder is made from barley which describes its nutritional value.
On the other hand, milkshakes are loaded with sweets and calories. Malts have less sugar content than milkshakes and have a thicker consistency.
I think malt is much healthier than milkshakes because malted milk powder is rich in potassium, selenium, and vitamins B2, B6, and D.
Moreover, milkshakes have 350 grams of calories, whereas malt has fewer calories. A malt shake is thus a healthier option than a milkshake.
Malt Vs. Shake | Which Is Sweeter?

Malt and shakes are sweet drinks, but there is a little difference in the sweetness content. Malt includes malted powder, which gives it a savory taste more than milkshakes.
Milkshakes are much sweeter than malt. Malt has a thick consistency and a toastier flavor.
How To Make Malt?
Malt adds the classic texture to your regular milkshake. To the mixer, add milk, ice cream, and malt powder. Blend them well until you get that frothy texture.
Ingredients
- 1 cup milk
- 2 teaspoons of malted milk powder
- 3 scoops of vanilla ice cream
- Chocolate syrup ( or any other syrup ) and sprinkles for decorating the glass rim
Instructions
- Combine all the ingredients and blend them well with the help of a blender.
- Blend the mixture for 20-30 seconds until it becomes creamy.
- Transfer the creamy mixture into a glass.
- Decorate the drink with chocolate syrup or with any toppings of your choice.
How To Make A Milkshake?
Milkshakes are one of the easiest drinks to make. You just need three ingredients to get the yummiest drink. Blend ice cream of your choice or frozen yogurt, milk, and additional flavors (optional). That’s it! Serve yourself a sweet and creamy drink.
Top Recipes For Milkshakes
Let’s learn about the easy and simple recipes for a milkshake,
1. Chocolate Hazelnut Milkshake

The chocolate hazelnut milkshake is my personal favorite recipe for milkshakes. It is the perfect blend of nuts and cream. This is not only tasty but also has nutritional value.
It includes a combination of milk, ice cream, hazelnut and cocoa. Blend all the ingredients and garnish them with hazelnuts, almonds, and chocolate chips.
2. Red Velvet Milkshake

The red velvet milkshake is the perfect gem in the list of milkshakes. Red velvet milkshake recipe can be made by using simple ingredients. Red velvet is perfect for milk, ice cream, and red velvet muffin.
You can add a shot of espresso and ice cubes to make it tastier. Top it with whipped cream with red velvet crumbs. You can make this recipe with minimal ingredients in a few minutes.
3. Pistachio Milkshake

Another gem of a milkshake is a pistachio milkshake. Pistachios are a healthy treat for your body and are the perfect drink to have on a summer day.
Blend milk, ice cream, sugar, and pistachio. It is easy and quick to make at home.
4. Banana Milkshake

If you are looking for a healthy diet for your kids, then this banana milkshake is the one for you. This recipe is the perfect combination of banana and milk.
It is easy and can be prepared in a matter of a few minutes. Banana milkshake can even be used as a pre-workout drink. This recipe is filled with minerals and vitamins with fiber content.
5. Musk Melon Milkshake

Musk melon is the best ingredient for juices and smoothies and can also be used to prepare milkshakes. A blend of milk, ice cream, and musk melon is a delightful drink on a hot summer day. It is refreshing and quick to make.
6. Dates Milkshake

If you want something to fill up for a long time, this drink suits you. The perfect blend of just four ingredients; milk, ice cream, sugar, and dates. Date milkshake recipe is healthy and can be prepared in just 5 minutes.
7. Oreo Milkshake

Oreos are the first choice for most of us. It is a universally loved ingredient. Oreo milkshake is the best combo of creamy drinks with the taste of Oreos.
It is a quick and tasty drink to beat the summer heat. The sprinkling of Oreo crumbs can make this recipe even tastier.
8. Chai Tea Latte Milkshake

Chai tea latte milkshake is the best example of creativity. This milkshake is the perfect blend of tea leaves, cinnamon, milk with nuts, and whipping cream. Both children and adults love it.
9. Strawberry Milkshake

Everyone loves strawberries. Strawberry milkshake is the perfect blend of milk and strawberries. Add ice cream for creamy flavor. Everyone loves this pink-colored and sweet-flavored drink.
Top Recipes For Malt
Let’s learn about the easy and simple recipes for malt.
1. Malted Chocolate Milkshake

To make this easy-to-go recipe, you just need three basic ingredients – milk, chocolate ice cream, and malted milk powder.
Blend the ingredients, and your malt chocolate milkshake is prepared within 2 minutes.
2. Robin Eggs Candy Malted Milkshake

If you are a malt lover, then you are at the right place. Robbin eggs malted milkshake is made of malt chocolate candy and homemade whipped cream. It also has milk powder and extra malt and is topped with mini-ice cream cones.
Mix all the ingredients and top it with whipping cream. Freeze it for a few minutes for more taste.
3. Classic Vanilla Malts

Everyone has great admiration for vanillas. Classic vanilla malts are a mixture of vanilla ice cream, milk, and malt powder. Blend all the ingredients. You can add more malted milk powder to increase the consistency.
4. Old Time Chocolate Malted Milkshake

For this classic malt shake, all you need is vanilla ice cream, milk, chocolate syrup, and malted powder with whipped cream.
Blend the milk, malted milk powder, ice cream, and chocolate syrup in a blending jar. Pour this delicious mixture into a glass and top it with whipping cream.
5. Chocolate Cocoa Malted Milkshake

You need to add cocoa powder to your regular malt for this recipe. Blend cocoa powder, milk, and vanilla ice cream with a blender. Increase the speed of the blender from low to high. Serve your chocolate cocoa milkshake cool.
Malt Vs. Shake | Which Is More Versatile?

Malt and shake can easily blend with mild and ice cream. But the malt is not as versatile as milkshakes. Milkshakes can easily blend with most flavors, whereas malt tastes best with fewer flavors.
Milkshakes can merge with fruits such as bananas and berries. Chai tea latte milkshake is the perfect example to say that milkshakes are more versatile.
Can We Add Malt To Milkshakes?
Powdered malt is added to various doughs and is the main ingredient in making whisky and beer. It is also used to make waffles and bread. It can easily be added to any shake and will convert it into malt.
Yes, you can add malt to milkshakes. It gives a rich classic flavor to milkshakes. Not only this, it will boost nutrients and minerals. It also increases the consistency of the shake.
Conclusion
These were all the things that you needed to know about Malt Vs. Shake. I hope you found this article interesting. If you want more such great articles, keep reading. Also, if you have any ideas or suggestions, leave them in the comments. Thanks for reading!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Can I make malt powder at home?
Yes, you can make malt powder at home. You can also use the malted powder of different flavors from the market.
Is malt sweeter than shake?
Malt is sweet but has a sour taste. Shakes are much sweeter than malts.
Does a malt have more calories than a shake?
An average milkshake has 350 grams of calories, whereas malt has 260 grams of calories.
Is malt good for your health?
Malt is prepared with the malted milk powder, which makes it a healthier option to include in your diet.
What are the side effects of malt?
Gas or flatulence, Stool stuck in the colon or rectum, and excessive bowel activity is the common side effects of malt.
Can I drink malt every day?
You should add malt to your occasional drink rather than adding it to your daily diet. In this way, you will be able to take the required nutrients without gaining weight.