The Best No-Bake Haystack Cookies
on Dec 15, 2020, Updated Sep 19, 2024
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This easy classic, crunchy haystack recipe has a combo of butterscotch and chocolate chips, PLUS peanut butter and crushed peanuts.
Haystacks are the most popular cookie recipe of all time on The Mom 100! I was so curious about haystack cookies for the longest time. No-bake cookies are genius, but the idea of crunchy chow mein noodles in them? Crazy. Haystacks are one of the quintessential no-bake cookies in the cookie lexicon, and for very good reason — they are delicious, so easy to make, and they offer up such great crunch.
No-bake haystacks are especially welcome during the holiday season when the ovens are occupied with miscellaneous roasts and side dishes. And in a tin of assorted holiday or Christmas cookies, they have such a nice distinctive look with their spiky texture and chocolaty glaze.
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Also, try these Peppermint Bark Haystack Cookies and Chocolate, Peanut, and Pretzel No Bake Haystack Cookies! On a cookie plate, these are often the first to go. But don’t just stash this recipe away for the holidays; haystack cookies are excellent in the summertime when you don’t want to turn on the oven.
What's In This Post?
The Best No-Bake Haystack Cookies: These classic chocolately no-bake cookies are delicious, easy to make and they offer up such great crunch.
What Are Haystack Cookies Made Of?
People who have childhood memories of haystacks often have a very specific version that they feel is the real haystack. In general, the ingredients are chow mein noodles, some kind of chocolate or other flavored meltable morsels, often peanut butter, and then some add-ins, such as peanuts, marshmallows, or pretzels. Sometimes, these treats are called chow mein cookies, no-bake chow mein noodle cookies, or Chinese noodle cookies. This is a chocolate-butterscotch haystacks recipe, and it calls for a mix of chocolate and butterscotch chips.
As far as the chocolate goes, you can play around with the type of chocolate you use, from milk to semisweet to dark to…white chocolate chips?
Ingredients
- Butterscotch chips – Add a complex sweetness that complements the chocolate and melts down beautifully.
- Chocolate chips – You could also use an equivalent amount of chopped chocolate bars. But chips are the easiest! I usually use semi-sweet, but milk chocolate chips are also an alternative.
- Peanut butter – Crunchy peanut butter is great here. Adding little bits of peanuts amongst the crunchy noodles but creamy peanut butter will also work — cocktail peanuts are also added, so you’re going to get that peanut crunch anyway.
- Chow mein noodles – The noodles in this recipe are packaged, quick-cooked, and dried, so they are light and crunchy.
- Salted peanuts – Cocktail peanuts add to the crunch and the peanutty flavor.
Variations
This haystack recipe is very flexible and a fun cookie to customize.
- Try peanut butter chips instead of the butterscotch for even MORE peanutty flavor. (Have you seen the bag of chips that comes with mixed chocolate and peanut butter? Genius.)
- You could also try these with all chocolate (chocolate haystacks!) or all butterscotch (butterscotch haystacks!) chips for a different flavor twist.
- And you could also use crushed pretzels along with or instead of the cocktail peanuts. Coconut, mini marshmallows, other nuts, and various cereals are other possible add-ins.
- Add a little bit of sprinkles on top for some holiday flair.
How to Make Haystack Cookies
- Melt: Melt the butterscotch and chocolate chips in the microwave or a double boiler on the stove. (You can make an easy DIY double boiler by placing a bowl in a pot with some water in it.) Stir in the peanut butter until well combined.
- Combine: Mix the noodles and the cocktail peanuts in a large bowl. Pour the butterscotch-peanut butter mixture over and stir to combine.
- Form the cookies: Drop the mixture by tablespoons onto a parchment paper or wax paper-lined baking or cookie sheet. Allow to firm up (you can speed this up in the fridge if desired).
Haystack Tips
- If the kitchen is warm, let the cookies firm up in the fridge. Let them sit at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes before serving for the best flavor and texture.
- To crush peanuts, place them in a sturdy zipper-top bag, press the air out of it, seal it, and whack it with a rolling pin, a mallet, or anything that is heavy and can stand to be thwacked against a bag of peanuts. Don’t crush them into a powder; you want some texture. You could also pulse them in a food processor, but the first way is more fun.
- This recipe makes about 24 cookies but is easily doubled.
- If packing them in a box for gifting, separate the layers with parchment paper or wax paper.
FAQs
The chow mein noodles in haystack cookies are actually raw (meaning you don’t cook them before adding, though they were quick-cooked by the manufacturer). Using uncooked noodles makes these cookies super crunchy. The only cooked element of the cookies is the melted chocolate and butterscotch chips, which coat the raw noodles. I promise it won’t taste raw — again, the noodles are already pre-cooked. The cookies are simply sweet and super crunchy!
They’re named haystacks because the little no-bake cookies look like spiky bales of hay!
The first version of a haystack recipe appeared in 1963 in the Betty Crocker Cooky Book (yes, that’s how cookie was spelled in the title!). They were a version of another cookie, the Ting-a-Ling, but haystacks became the more popular cookie, especially around the holidays.
There are a few reasons your cookies aren’t firming up. If you’re trying to get your haystack cookies to harden at room temperature, your kitchen might be too warm, so try putting them in the fridge. Also, don’t add any other liquid or fat to the chocolate when it melts; this could also get in the way of hardening. Stick to just chocolate or candy additions.
Sometimes, these are called haystack candy instead of cookies. Whatever you call them, they are delicious.
Storage
We definitely love the fact that these no-bake haystack cookies can be made ahead. Store these in an airtight container in the refrigerator or at cool room temperature for up to 10 days. Make sure to put them in the fridge unless they can be stored in a cool place.
You can also store them in the freezer for up to 2 months. Let them come to room temperature before serving.
What to Serve With Haystack Cookies
More Haystack Cookie Recipes
- Chocolate, Peanut, and Pretzel No-Bake Haystack Cookies
- Peppermint Bark Haystack Cookies
- S’Mores Haystack Cookies
Also, see How to Do a Cookie Swap!
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No Bake Haystack Cookie
Video
Ingredients
- 1 cup butterscotch chips
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 2 tablespoons peanut butter (crunchy or smooth)
- 1 (6-ounce) package chow mein noodles (3 1/2 cups)
- 1 cup cocktail peanuts (unsalted or lightly salted, lightly crushed)
Instructions
- Line two baking sheets with parchment or wax paper.
- Melt the butterscotch and chocolate chips in the microwave or in a double boiler. (You can make a double boiler by nestling a metal or heatproof glass bowl over a pot with a bit of water in the bottom — bring the water to a boil, and stir the chips frequently until they melt). If using the microwave, heat for 30 seconds, then stop and give the chips a stir, and stop and stir every 15 seconds until they are melted. Stir in the peanut butter until well combined.
- Combine the noodles and the cocktail peanuts in a large bowl. Pour the butterscotch-peanut butter mixture over and stir to combine.
- Drop the mixture by tablespoons onto the prepared baking sheet. Allow to set; in warmer months or when the kitchen is warm, this is best done in the fridge. Do let them sit at room temperature for several minutes before serving.
Notes
- If the kitchen is warm, let the cookies firm up in the fridge. Let them sit at room temp for 5 to 10 minutes before serving for the best flavor and texture.
- This recipe makes about 24 cookies but is easily doubled.
- If packing them in a box for gifting, separate the layers with parchment or wax paper.
- Try peanut butter chips instead of the butterscotch for even MORE peanutty flavor. (Have you seen the bag of chips that comes mixed with chocolate and peanut butter? Genius.)
- You could also try these with all chocolate (chocolate haystacks!) or all butterscotch (butterscotch haystacks!) for a different flavor twist.
- And you could also use crushed pretzels along with or instead of the cocktail peanuts. Coconut, mini marshmallows, other nuts, and various cereals are other possible add-ins.
Perfect in every way.
These are delicious but sticky even out of the refrigerator. I did sub cashew halves and pieces for the peanuts. For my next batch, I am going to omit the peanut butter and see if they are less sticky. I believe that is the culprit!