These no-bake Haystack Cookies are crunchy, sweet, and a little bit salty. You only need 5 simple ingredients and 10 minutes of prep time to make a big batch!
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Pin RecipeI always keep all the ingredients for these cookies in my pantry. They are my favorite cookies to make in a hurry (no need to bake cookies here!), and everyone always goes crazy when I bring them to a party or family get-together. They are not your typical cookie recipe, which makes them exciting, irresistible, and a huge hit!
Haystack Cookie Recipe
There are a lot of haystack cookie recipes out there, and each one is a little bit different. Some use pretzel sticks instead of chow mein noodles, and I have tried making these simple cookies both ways. They’re all great! However, I definitely like using the chow mein noodles best, because of their unique taste and perfect crunch.
In addition, I use both butterscotch chips and chocolate chips to make my haystack cookies. I like the flavor the blend of the two types of chocolates creates as well as the light caramel brown color they create when mixed together.
Similar to classic No-Bake Cookies and No-Bake Christmas Crunch Cookies, all you have to do is combine the ingredients, shape your cookies, and let them set. Of course, you want this specific recipe to look like little haystacks! Blend in some peanut butter, and you will have the perfect color, flavor, and texture that will make everyone obsessed with these delicious cookies!
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Ingredients for Haystack Cookies
See recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
- Butterscotch chips
- Chocolate chips – I typically use semi-sweet chocolate chips, but milk chocolate or dark chocolate works as well. Any kind of chocolate is good!
- Peanut butter – Use creamy peanut butter. I like the Skippy brand, but any type will work!
- Vanilla extract
- Chow mein noodles – You can find crunchy chow mein noodles in the Asian food section of your local grocery store. They are usually in a bag or cardboard canister with a plastic lid. Any brand of dried chow mein noodles will work!
Variations
Here are a few ingredient substitutes and recipe variations you might want to try.
- Use either all butterscotch chips, peanut butter chips, or all chocolate chips. I like the blend of both flavors, but you can use just one if needed. You can also use white chocolate chips in place of butterscotch chips for a new type of cookie. Add some holiday sprinkles, and you have perfect, easy Christmas cookies for the holiday season. It’s amazing what some festive sprinkles can do!
- Replace the peanut butter with any other type of nut butter. You can also use 3 tablespoons of softened, salted butter if you would like a nut-free haystack cookie.
- Replace the chow mein noodles with small pretzel sticks. The cookies will be a little bit crunchier but still taste delicious.
- Skip the microwave, and melt the semi-sweet chocolate chips and butterscotch chips over a double boiler in a large bowl. This is a more traditional way to melt chocolate and make a no-bake treat!
- Use crunchy peanut butter or add chopped peanuts to the chocolate haystacks for an extra crunchy cookie. I like to add cocktail peanuts which are a little salty and make the chocolate haystack cookies even tastier.
How to Make Haystack Cookies
- Prepare: Line a flat baking tray with parchment paper, wax paper, or a silicone baking mat.
- Melt the chips: Combine butterscotch morsels, chocolate chips, peanut butter, and vanilla in a large microwave-safe bowl. Microwave the mix in thirty-second increments, stirring after each addition until it is completely melted and smooth.
- Add the noodles: Gently fold the crispy chow mein noodles into the melted chocolate mixture.
- Scoop: Use a medium cookie scoop or two spoons to scoop the mix onto the prepared cookie tray.
- Cool: Let the cookies cool at room temperature for 2 hours. Once they are hard enough to pick up, they are ready to eat!
Quick Tip
Pop the tray of cookies into the fridge to chill them quickly. They will get nice and hard after about 30 minutes in the fridge. You can also freeze the cookies for about 15 minutes. Haystack cookies taste really good when frozen and are such an easy treat to pull out and enjoy.
How to Store Haystack Cookies
Haystack cookies will stay fresh in an airtight container for up to two weeks. Keep the cookies at room temperature, and enjoy them anytime! You can also freeze the cookies for up to three months. The chow mein noodles will soften a little bit over time, but the yummy flavor will still be there!
FAQs
These easy cookies look like little stacks of hay when they are done, hence the name! The color of the butterscotch chips and the texture of the chow mein noodles really do make these cookies look like hay stacks. These cookies are also called chow mein cookies and chow mein noodle cookies. No matter the name, they are always delicious!
Haystack cookies can be dry if you skip the peanut butter. This really helps make them soft and easy to eat. Make sure you do not skip the peanut butter, or replace it with another nut butter or real butter to ensure your cookies hold together and have a creamy, crunchy texture.
Haystack cookies can be too sticky if you use too much peanut butter or if you do not let them cool long enough. Make sure to measure the ingredients correctly, and give the cookies plenty of time to cool! Pop them in the fridge if they are too sticky and you just can’t wait to eat!
More Easy Cookie Recipes
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Banana Pudding Cookies
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Quick & Easy Desserts
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No Bake Desserts
No Bake Cookies (Without Peanut Butter)
Haystack Cookies
Equipment
- Baking tray
- Parchment paper or silicone baking mat
- Large microwave safe bowl
- Rubber spatula
- Measuring cup
- measuring spoons
Ingredients
- 2 cups butterscotch chips
- 1 cup chocolate chips
- 3 tablespoons peanut butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 bag (12 ounces) chow mein noodles
Instructions
- Line a large baking tray with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
- Add the butterscotch chips, chocolate chips, peanut butter, and vanilla to a large, microwave safe bowl.2 cups butterscotch chips, 1 cup chocolate chips, 3 tablespoons peanut butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Place the bowl in the microwave and heat for thirty seconds. Stir then heat for another thirty seconds. Stir again and continue to heat in 30-second increments until the chocolate is completely melted and smooth.
- Stir the chow mein noodles into the melted chocolate so they are completely coated.1 bag (12 ounces) chow mein noodles
- Use a cookie scoop or two spoons to scoop the cookie mix onto the baking tray, making piles that are about ¼ of a cup in size.
- Let the cookies harden (about 2 hours at room temperature or 30 minutes in the fridge).
- Store in an airtight container and enjoy anytime!
