These Haystack Cookies are an easy, no bake treat made with white chocolate, peanut butter, and chow mein noodles. Let the kids make them into nests and add a couple of jelly beans for eggs - they're a fun Easter project!
Ingredients
With just 5 ingredients, most of which are probably in your pantry, 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
Here's how -
- Line baking sheets with wax paper, parchment, or silpat.
- Microwave white chocolate in a microwave safe bowl on 50% power for 1 minute.
- Stir.
- Microwave an additional 15 seconds,
- Stir.
- Repeat until the white chocolate is melted.
- Stir in peanut butter , and vanilla until well blended.
- Add the chow mein noodles and stir gently until they are coated.
- Drop by rounded tablespoons onto the prepared baking sheet.
- Press down in the center and form "nests".
- Add 3 jelly beans in each nest.
- Refrigerate to set.
Tips
- Vary the flavors with different chips - chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, peanut butter chips... they all work!
- Use crunchy peanut butter for more texture if you like.
- Use those dang addictive Cadbury Mini-Eggs instead of jelly beans.
- 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 cornflakes or Rice Crispies instead
- Add chopped peanuts
- Use half butterscotch chips and half white chocolate chips
- Use chocolate chips instead of white chocolate
- Stir in coconut
- Sprinkle 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
Storage
You can keep these at room temperature for up to a week or you can freeze them for up to a month (or so).
Making memories
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 your children will remember with a smile.
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 haystack cookies with your kids. Get the cooking and combining done and then let them create the "nests" and add the "eggs" while you take a break!
More Easter 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!
Supplies
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What’s new? Check out my Restless Chipotle & Co. Store on Amazon where you'll find all kinds of nostalgic goodness! Thanks so much for being a part of Restless Chipotle!
Silicone baking sheets make all the difference in how baked goods come out! No more sticking or too-brown bottoms.
I think this is a great family project because even the littlest littles can add the jelly beans! Crunchy, sweet, salty - these adorable Easter nests are a fun addition to the dessert table!
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.
If you love this recipe please give it 5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
📖 Recipe
Peanut Butter Haystack Cookies
Print Add to CollectionIngredients
- 12 ounces white chocolate chips, may use butterscotch morsels
- 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- 3 1/2 cups chow mein noodles
- 72 jelly beans, or so
Instructions
- Line baking sheets with wax paper, parchment, or silpat.
- Microwave white chocolate in a microwave safe bowl on 50% power for 1 minute.
- Stir.
- Microwave an additional 15 seconds,
- Stir.
- Repeat until the white chocolate is melted.
- Stir in peanut butter , and vanilla until well blended.
- Add the chow mein noodles and stir gently until they are coated.
- Drop by rounded tablespoons onto the prepared baking sheet.
- Press down in the center and form "nests".
- Add 3 jelly beans in each nest.
- Refrigerate to set.
Notes
- Vary the flavors with different chips - chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, peanut butter chips... they all work!
- Use crunchy peanut butter for more texture if you like.
- Use those dang addictive Cadbury Mini-Eggs instead of jelly beans.
- 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!
- Use pretzel sticks in place of the chow mein noodles
- Use cornflakes or Rice Crispies instead
- Add chopped peanuts
- Use half butterscotch chips and half white chocolate chips
- Use chocolate chips instead of white chocolate
- Stir in coconut
- Sprinkle 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
Nutrition
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We'll never share your email or send you spam. Pinkie swear.Originally published April 2, 2019. Updated on February 26, 2020 to increase page speed, add flavor variations, and more tips.
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