No Bake Haystack Cookies

Easy No Bake Haystack Cookies are made with chocolate chips, butterscotch and chow mein noodles. Simple to make in just a few minutes, chow mein cookies make a great, quick last minute treat.

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Haystack Cookies

Cookie baking season has snuck up on me this year and I only have a few batches under my belt. I think time got the better of me and I’m not well equipped mentally to plunge into the whole baking fest that usually ensues during the holiday season. So, I’m glad I have a few easy no bake cookie recipes under my belt to look like I have my act together.

The first time I tried these no bake Haystack Cookies was at an office cookie exchange. Everyone brought their favorite cookie recipe and we traded a few of each so at the end of the day we all had a pretty epic cookie tray to nosh on. I, naturally, took my famous Gingerbread Men. A coworker brought a pile of Butterscotch Haystack Cookies and, while I was totally skeptical, I took a bite. And an obsession began.

I make this haystacks recipe every year for my holiday cookie tray and they’re always, consistently a huge hit! They’re an easy treat to make anytime of year and made with simple ingredients.

Ingredients for Haystack Cookies

• Chocolate – You can use either dark chocolate chips, semi-sweet chocolate chips, milk chocolate chips or a combination.
• Butterscotch – Butterscotch chips are easy to find, if you can’t locate them easily you can substitute with peanut butter chips, a scoop of creamy peanut butter or chocolate chips.
• Chow Mein Noodles – Found in the asian section of your grocery store, crunchy chow mein noodles are usually in a bag or a can.

For the full ingredient list and instructions, see the recipe card below.

What are Haystack Cookies?

This Haystack Cookie recipe is made with both melted chocolate chips and butterscotch chips combined with chow mein noodles. I don’t really know where they originated but the whole concept is pretty genius if you ask me and an easy recipe you can make in minutes.

They look like little haystacks and they actually should be more of a Haystack Candy than a cookie. 

How To Make Haystack Cookies

This recipe couldn’t be simpler to make and all you need are three ingredients. (Four if you use sprinkles!)

1. Melt the chocolate chips and butterscotch chips in a large microwave-safe bowl by microwaving at 30-second intervals until smooth. Stir to combine butterscotch chips with the chocolate until smooth. You can also melt the chocolate using the double boiler method over low heat.
2. Pour the melted chocolate mixture over the chow mein noodles and stir to combine.
3. Using a large spoon or cookie scoop, drop heaping tablespoons of the candy coated noodles onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. (I prefer not to use wax paper as the wax can transfer to the cookie.)
4. Decorate with festive sprinkles, if using, and allow to set on the parchment lined baking sheet.

I like to use this baking mat and these baking sheets to make my cookies.

Since these Butterscotch Haystacks are no bake, they’re really quick to make on the fly if you have drop in guests or need a quick hostess gift for the holidays.

Variations

There are so many ways to mix up your Haystack Cookie recipe, here are a few of my favorites:

• Swap out your chocolate and butterscotch for white chocolate chips.
• Stir in a handful of nuts.
• Fold in shredded coconut.
• Skip the butterscotch, double the chocolate and add a pinch of cayenne for Mexican Chocolate Haystacks.
• Add a tablespoon of peanut butter to the mix.
• Blend in a few scoops of toffee chips.

This is a great kid friendly recipe that they can make themselves. Simply melt the chocolate and they can do the rest. They love decorating their Haystack Cookies with holiday sprinkles and chopped nuts.

How To Store Leftovers

We, generally, eat these pretty quickly so you can safely store them at room temperature in an airtight container. If you’re going to have them around longer than a week, I recommend storing them in the refrigerator in an airtight container.

Alternatively, you can FREEZE your haystack cookies in an airtight container for up to 2 months.

We’re baking up more fun stuff so be sure to follow us over on Instagram!

More Easy No Bake Recipes

• We are LOVING this Black Forest Brownie Trifle.
• No Bake Caramel Apple Tiramisu is fast and easy.
• Super easy No Bake Chocolate Mousse Pie.
• No Bake Cheesecake takes the stress out of cheesecake baking.
• These are my FAVORITE cookies….No Bake Peppermint Bark Cookies!
• The Best Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
• Chocolate Chip M&M Cookies
• No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies