Maltesers Vs Whoppers — What’s The Difference?
When it comes to the world of confectionery, many of us have strong opinions about which sweets are the best! Both Maltesers and Whoppers come top of the list for many people, and it can be hard to agree on which is the best.
But when it comes to Maltesers vs Whoppers, what is the difference? Maltesers and Whoppers share many similarities, as both are chocolate-coated candies with a malted milk center. However, Maltesers have a thicker layer of chocolate and a light, airy center that melts in the mouth, while Whoppers are much denser and take longer to chew.
If you’re itching to learn more about the difference between Maltesers and Whoppers, we’ve got everything you need to know right here!
What Are Maltesers?
If you’re reading this in the United States, Maltesers may be an item of confectionary that has only recently popped up on your radar. But for UK readers, Maltesers have been known and adored for many, many years!
Maltesers were first sold in the UK in 1937, and have been a best-seller ever since. They are manufactured and sold by Mars, and are marketed as “The lighter way to enjoy chocolate.”
Interestingly, the original target market for Maltesers was women — they were described as energy balls and sold as confectionary items for women who wanted to lose weight.
But let’s be real — we’re going to eat whatever we want, regardless of whatever’s going on with our bodies!
These chocolate balls have been hugely popular in the UK for many decades and were ranked the most popular confectionary item in 2020.
Maltesers only made it over to the US in 2017, when they were exclusively available in movie theaters.
Many people thought they were just an expensive version of Whoppers at first, but American confectionary fans soon caught on to the delightful flavor and texture of these chocolate treats.
But what exactly are Maltesers? These delicious sweets consist of a light and airy malted milk center, surrounded by a layer of smooth milk chocolate.
Each Malteser is about the same size and shape as a marble, making it easy to pop one or two into your mouth at a time.
Because they are so delicious and easy to eat, a packet of Maltesers tends to disappear within minutes once it is opened!
What Are Whoppers?
Whoppers are an American candy produced by The Hershey Company. They were first created in 1939, just two years after Maltesers were developed in the UK.
At first, Whoppers were marketed as “Giants,” but in 1949 they were relaunched as “Whoppers.”
Initially, Whoppers were sold as loose, unwrapped candies, at two pieces for one cent.
As time went on, loose sweets fell out of fashion and were replaced by cellophane-wrapped packages. Whoppers were sold in packs of five, known as Fivesomes.
Whoppers are spherical candy balls, consisting of a crunchy malted milk center and chocolate-flavored coating. They have a smooth exterior and are small enough to eat one or two at a time.
Over years, many other versions of Whoppers have become available, the first of which were egg-shaped Mini Robin Eggs created as part of an Easter candy range.
Other variations include strawberry and vanilla, as well as discontinued varieties such as blueberry and orange cream.
Maltesers Vs Whoppers — Similarities And Differences
Now that we’ve learned a bit about Maltesers and Whoppers, let’s compare the two!
Appearance
If you put a Whopper and a Malteser side by side, you’d be hard-pressed to tell the difference! Both look like similar-sized small round chocolate balls.
However, some subtle clues can help you identify which is which.
Maltesers are slightly lighter brown and shinier than Whoppers, which have a dark brown, matte appearance.
If you cut them both in half, the distinction between these two types of malted candy balls will become more apparent.
The layer of chocolate coating on Maltesers is thicker than on Whoppers. Whoppers have a compact, grey-brown center, while Maltesers have a light tan filling that contains multiple tiny air bubbles.
Taste
When it comes to candies, the taste is everything! Let’s face it, we’re not eating chocolate for the good of our health. We want these treats to taste good so that every sweet calorie is worth it!
The odd thing about Maltesers vs Whoppers is that many of you will have only tried one or the other. But since the rise in popularity of Maltesers in the US, we now have the choice of both these malted chocolate candies to try!
So, how do they compare when it comes to taste?
The first thing to note is that many reviewers observe that the chocolate coating on Maltesers is far superior in terms of taste and quality compared to their Whopper rivals.
The flavor of Malteser chocolate is milky and natural, whilst Whopper chocolate is much more artificial.
The thicker layer of chocolate on Maltesers also makes the chocolate flavor more prominent, while in Whoppers it can be barely noticeable against the full-flavored center.
The reason that Malteser chocolate tastes so much better is that it is real chocolate! If you compare the ingredient lists for these two malted milk balls, you will see that Maltesers contain cocoa butter, and Whoppers don’t.
The coating on Whoppers is more like an artificial chocolate-flavored candy shell, which is crunchy and brittle rather than smooth and milky like Maltesers.
Both Maltesers and Whoppers have a malted milk center, but the flavor of this is much stronger in Whoppers.
The balance between malted milk and chocolate is much more even in Maltesers, while in Whoppers the predominant flavor is the crunchy center.
Texture
Open a bag of Maltesers or Whoppers, and you can guarantee that these malted milk-flavored chocolate balls won’t be around for long!
The reason for this is not only that they taste great, but they both have a texture that calls you back for more.
The center of both these types of confectionary is like a malted milk biscuit, but they are very different in consistency.
The center of Maltesers is light and airy, with a filling that resembles a cross between a crunchy cookie and a brittle honeycomb.
This gives you a satisfying crunch as you bite into each chocolate-covered ball, and the center quickly melts in the mouth creating a delicious malted milk flavor.
In contrast, Whoppers have a dense compact center, which is very crunchy and chewy. It takes longer for the biscuit-like filling to break down, and often by the time this happens all trace of the chocolate coating has gone.
The center of both Whoppers and Maltesers turns gummy as it dissolves in your mouth, but this happens far faster with Maltesers. But whether you think this is a good thing or not is entirely down to personal preference!
A dense Whopper will take longer to eat, taking you from firstly tasting the chocolatey coating through to finishing off with the crunchy, malted milk filling.
In contrast, Maltesers can disappear in seconds, with the flavor of chocolate and malted milk perfectly combined throughout.
Unless of course, you’re one of those people who likes to suck the chocolate off these candy balls before eating the center, which creates a whole different eating experience!
So basically, Maltesers are light and airy with a more intense chocolatey flavor, while Whoppers are denser, crunchier, and packed full of malted milk flavor. Which you prefer will ultimately come down to personal preference!
Ingredients
Realistically, none of us are eating chocolate candies for their health-boosting benefits! But by taking a closer look at the ingredients of Whoppers and Maltesers we can get a better idea of which product is of better quality.
In terms of nutrition, Whoppers are very similar to Maltesers. Both have a similar sugar, carbohydrate, and calorie content, but Whoppers have nearly twice the amount of sodium as Maltesers.
There aren’t enormous differences in the nutrition facts between Whoopers versus Maltesers. Whoppers win out in calories, total fat, and cholesterol. Maltesers have less sodium, carbs, sugars, and higher protein.
When you compare Maltesers to Whoppers in terms of sugar content, you’ll likely discover that the two aren’t very different.
The main ingredient in both these confectionary items is sugar – no surprises there! However, both contain other forms of sweetener, which can be very variable in terms of quality.
Whoppers are sweetened with corn syrup, while Maltesers are made with glucose syrup. Both are naturally derived sweeteners and are often used interchangeably in recipes.
The key difference in the ingredients is that Maltesers contain cocoa butter, which helps to contribute to a more natural and smoother flavor.
This is why many reviewers say that Maltesers taste more like real chocolate, while Whoppers are more artificial.
The outer coating on Whoppers is likened to a chocolate-flavored hard candy shell, which explains why they are crisper and less intensely flavored.
Maltesers Vs Whoppers — Which Is Most Popular?
It is impossible to pick a superior product in terms of sales, as until recently Maltesers were mainly sold in the UK, and Whoppers in the US.
It is only in the last five years that both have become more widespread globally, so it would be unfair to compare the two in this way.
Maltesers rank very highly on bestseller lists in the UK, but as they have only just reached the US, they have yet to reach the same peaks of popularity.
In contrast, a survey revealed that 1.86 million Americans consumed 5 or more servings of Whoppers per year — that’s a lot of chocolate-coated malted milk balls!
Which you prefer out of Maltesers and Whoppers will inevitably come down to personal opinion. And it may be that you like them both equally, with neither coming out on top!
However, on paper, it looks like Maltesers are the better option.
The flavor is more natural, and the light and airy texture of the filling is what makes them so moreish and irresistible. Maltesers are generally considered to be a higher quality product than Whoppers.
The balance between chocolate and filling is also perfectly calculated in Maltesers, so every bite contains equal levels of both.
But when it comes to Whoppers, any hint of chocolate will likely have disappeared by the time you get to the middle of the dense, malty center.
The malted milk filling is also much more intensely flavored that the subtle center of a Malteser.
Just because they are different, it doesn’t mean that one is better than the other!
What we do know is that once you’ve opened a packet of Maltesers or Whoppers, they won’t be around for long. Both of these chocolate candies have an irresistible taste and texture that just leaves you wanting more.
Related Questions
Now we’ve got the great Maltesers vs Whoppers debate all figured out, let’s take a look at some other common questions relating to these delicious confectionary items!
Are Maltesers vegan?
Finding chocolate treats suitable for vegans can be a tricky business, as sweet manufacturers seem to sneak in unwanted additives that are hidden away in the ingredient list!
Anyone following a vegan diet will avoid food items that contain any animal products or byproducts, so do Maltesers fit this bill?
Unfortunately, Maltesers are not vegan, as one of the main ingredients is cow’s milk. These chocolate-covered malted milk balls have a high milk content, both in the chocolate coating and the light and airy center.
However, Maltesers are suitable for vegetarians, as they only contain dairy products and no other animal-derived ingredients.
Are Mighty Malts the same as Whoppers?
Mighty Malts and Whoppers are both types of chocolate-coated malted milk balls, and they share many similarities. But in a taste test, some subtle differences between the two are revealed!
The malted milk interior of Mighty Malts is darker and stronger in flavor than whoppers and has a hint of yogurt flavor.
The outer chocolate coating of Mighty Malts is more intensely cocoa flavored, while Whoppers taste more like mild milk chocolate. Mighty Malts are also shinier than Whoppers and do not melt as easily.
Can you bake with malted milk balls?
In recent years home bakers have come up with many inventive ways to use confectionary items in their baked goods.
No party seems complete nowadays without a platter of Oreo cheesecake bites or a towering cake decorated with store-bought candy. But if you’ve got a glut of malted milk balls, can you bake with them?
The joy of baking with malted milk balls is that they melt gently into your batter mix in the oven, turning into a gooey ball of malted milk and chocolate.
Malteser cookies are a popular alternative to chocolate chip cookies, and Whoppers are a delicious addition to gooey cakes and brownies.
Another great option is a no-bake Malteser cheesecake, which makes an impressive centerpiece for any dessert table.
Alternatively, crumble crushed Whoppers on top of a decadent ice cream sundae for a crunchy, sweet topping.
Can you make malted milk balls at home?
Pop open a bag of Whoppers or Maltesers, and you might start to wonder how these delicious chocolate-coated malted milk balls are made. It is possible to make them at home, or is the method a well-kept trade secret?
Theoretically, it is possible to make malted milk balls, but the technique is fairly tricky. However, if you’re up for a challenge it is worth a try!
The balls are made using a mix of malted milk powder, powdered sugar, cocoa powder, salt, milk, and vanilla extract.
This makes a thick, paste-like dough that is rolled into balls and then frozen. The frozen malted milk balls are then dipped in melted chocolate and left to set.
