Is Malted Milk Powder Gluten Free? Here's What To Know

From giving chocolate cake more depth to making whipped cream fluffier, malted milk powder is a versatile staple in the kitchen of any home chef. But if you or someone in your family is sensitive to gluten, the term "malt" might raise some concerns — and they're valid.

Most of the malted products you'll see on the market today, including malted milk powder, are made from wheat and barley, both of which contain gluten. However, this doesn't mean you have to say goodbye to all malted products. Contrary to popular belief, malt can be produced from any kind of cereal grain, including gluten-free ones, such as rice, buckwheat, sorghum, and even corn, which are typically used in the production of gluten-free beers. Unfortunately, we haven't yet come across a brand that offers malted milk powder made from these gluten-free malts, so for the time being, if you're sensitive to gluten, it's best to avoid malted milk powder altogether.

While malted milk powder is out of the question, there are fortunately plenty of great alternatives that'll still get you that lovely malty flavor and creamy texture. One of the most popular substitutes is maca powder, which is derived from maca root. It offers a sweet, slightly earthy, and nutty taste, similar to malted milk powder. It's also been noted to lend an extra golden tone to the crust of baked goods when swapped with malted milk powder.

Another great alternative is kinako, which is a Japanese flour made from roasted soy. You can pick a bag of these up at your local Japanese supermarket and sub them into your baking recipes. The roasted soy within the kinako flour can impart a nutty, earthy flavor that tastes quite similar to malted milk powder. Though it's not a one-for-one flavor match, kinako will still do a great job at helping you boost the flavor of any dessert you have rising in the oven in its place. But because has a bit of a robust flavor, you may have to experiment with the proportions a little to get the taste right.