Haystack Cookies

These no-bake cookies are a big hit at class parties, baby showers, and around Easter!

Jump to:

• ❤️ Why you'll love this recipe
• 🧾 Ingredients
• 🔪 Instructions
• 🥫 Storage
• ❤️ Tips
• 📖 Variations
• ⭐ Featured in:
• 📚 Related recipes
• 🛒 Shop this post
• 📞 The last word
• Peanut Butter Haystack Cookies

❤️ Why you'll love this recipe

• So easy that kids can make them pretty much all by themselves - or with just a little help. Let the kids make them into bird nests and add a couple of jelly beans for eggs - they're a fun Easter treat!
• A sweet snack any time of the year!
• No-bake cookies!

Back when my kids were small and I was homeschooling we used to do unit studies. I think they call it immersive education now.

Anyway, I'd try to plan a few fun projects and easy recipes to keep them interested. When we did a unit study on birds we made this adorable bird's nest cookie recipe made with crunchy chow mein noodles!

So much fun!

🧾 Ingredients

With just 5 ingredients (most of which are probably in your pantry) and a large bowl you can create some Easter magic with these easy haystack cookies!

• Crunchy Chow Mein Noodles
• White Chocolate Chips
• Peanut Butter (creamy or crunchy)
• Mini Marshmallows
• Jelly Beans or Cadbury Mini Eggs

🔪 Instructions

Note: This is an overview of the instructions. The full instructions are in the green recipe card below.

Step 1

Line baking sheets with wax paper, parchment paper, or silpat.

Step 2

1. Microwave white chocolate in a large microwave-safe bowl on 50% power for 1 minute.
2. Stir.
3. Microwave an additional 15 seconds,
4. Stir.
5. Repeat until the white chocolate is melted.

Step 3

1. Stir in peanut butter , and vanilla until well blended.
2. Add the chow mein noodles and stir gently until they are coated.

Step 4

1. Drop by rounded tablespoons onto the prepared baking sheet.
2. Press down in the center and form "Easter nests".
3. Add 3 jelly beans in each nest.
4. Refrigerate to set.

🥫 Storage

Store these at room temperature. Place them in an airtight container in layers separated by wax paper or parchment. They'll be fine for at least a week.

To freeze: put the cookie sheet with the birds nest cookies on it right in the freezer until they are frozen all the way through. Carefully put them in a freezer container with parchment paper or wax paper between the layers.

❤️ Tips

• Vary the flavors with different chips; semi-sweet chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, peanut butter chips... they all work!
• Use crunchy peanut butter for more texture or add chopped cocktail peanuts if you like.
• Use those dang addictive Cadbury Mini-Eggs, or other chocolate eggs, instead of jelly beans in the center of the cookies.
• Just mound the cookies up like haystacks for other times - no need to make nests if you don't want to.
• Using a lower power setting on the microwave will help ensure the candy doesn't burn as it's melting.
• I like to get a cheap, plastic tablecloth to make clean up super easy for these kinds of projects. Once the cookies are made you can just gather up the plastic table cover, give it a shake outside, and save it for the next project - or, if it's really messy just throw it away!

📖 Variations

• Use pretzel sticks in place of the chow mein noodles
• Use Corn Flakes or Rice Krispies cereal instead
• Add chopped peanuts
• Use half butterscotch chips and half white chocolate chips for butterscotch haystack cookies.
• Use milk chocolate chips instead of white chocolate
• Stir in coconut
• Add on some sprinkles
• "Glue" a marshmallow Peep to the top of the next with some of the melted chocolate
• Stir in crushed potato chips for extra salty goodness
• Use potato sticks (crunchy shoestring potatoes) in place of all or part of the chow mein noodles
• I like jelly beans but you can use the mini chocolate eggs, too.

⭐ Featured in:

You'll find this easy Easter dessert along with several more if you scroll through this idea book!

📚 Related recipes

Celebrating each holiday as it comes along is one way to make lots of warm family memories. It doesn't take a lot of time to add a little something festive to your Easter table! Here are some of my favorites!

• Easter Bunny Rolls - These are so cute! Orange sweet rolls shaped like Easter bunnies!
• Easter Egg Bread - This traditional Italian and Greek sweet bread is served with Easter brunch or dinner.
• Easter Desserts - Wondering what to serve for dessert? You'll surely find something on this huge list of the best of the best.
• White Cupcakes - Ok, I know this isn't necessarily Easter themed but these soft, pillowy white cupcakes are the best.

Loving this lemon layer cake decorated with Peeps from Swirls of Flavor!

🛒 Shop this post

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Silicone cookie sheets make all the difference in how baked goods come out! No more sticking or too-brown bottoms. 

📞 The last word

One of the very best things about holidays throughout the year is the opportunity to make memories with the kids and grandkids. Easy, no bake cookies like these are as much a part of the decor as they are a part of dessert and the kids are always proud to see their handiwork on the table with the rest of the food.

It may seem like a simple activity now but I promise you that these small things that you hardly notice are the very things that get remembered with a smile. They're always a hit with the kids!

These no bake cookies are so simple to make that kids as young as 3 or 4 can do it! You'll need to do the microwaving and mixing, however.

If you've got 10 minutes you've got time to make these Easter birds nest cookies. Get the cooking and combining done and then let them create the "nests" and add the "eggs" while you take a break!

I think this is a great family project because even the littlest littles can add the jelly beans! Crunchy, sweet, salty - these adorable haystack cookies are a fun addition to the dessert table!

They'd even be cute for a spring baby shower, wouldn't they?

If you click on the number of servings in the recipe card you can adjust the measurements up or down for the exact number of servings you need. Don't forget that you can click on "add to collection" to save it to your own, private recipe box!

If you love this recipe please give it a 5 star rating. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Originally published April 2, 2019. Updated on June 28, 2021 to make some text corrections.