Bird’s Nest Cookies

These precious no bake Chocolate Bird’s Nest Cookies are a sweet and crunchy treat the kids will love helping you make. Adorned with pretty pastel candy eggs that are nestled in sweet chocolate and butterscotch nests, these cookies will be a huge hit at your Easter dinner table! 

 

Chocolate Nests No Bake Cookies

Easter season is right around the corner, so I am sharing an egg-cellent Easter recipe the kids are just going to love. These adorable chocolate nests are constructed with bundles of “twigs” made from chocolate covered crunchy chow mein noodles.

Little Easter egg candies give these cookies a cute and realistic finishing touch for a cute Easter theme. But you can enjoy making this recipe all throughout the year and add different decorations depending on the holiday. 

This no bake cookie recipe is so versatile! These Chocolate Haystacks and Peanut Butter Haystacks are versions you also could try. They are both delicious and have entirely different flavors.

Why We Love this Chocolate Birds Nest Recipe

Easy recipe- Only five ingredients and 10 minutes is all you need to make this recipe!

Great for gifts – Wrap a few of these chocolate nests in decorative cellophane bags and they’ll make a fun treat to gift neighbors, friends and family! They’re also great for school parties or any springtime themed party.

Fun for kids – Because this recipe requires little supervision, they make fun crafts for the little ones on cold or rainy days.

What’s Needed to Make Bird Nests Cookies

• Milk chocolate chips
• Butterscotch chips
• Chow Mein noodles
• Vanilla extract
• Egg candies

How to Make Cute Easter Nests No Bake Cookies

1. Place wax paper on a baking sheet or on the counter and set aside.
2. Place chow mein noodles in medium-sized mixing bowl and set aside.
3. In a large microwave-safe bowl add the chocolate and butterscotch chips. Microwave for 1 minute at 50% power and stir. Put back in microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring in between each interval, until chips are melted. If the chips don’t completely melt (some butterscotch brands don’t completely melt) that’s ok. 
4. Add vanilla to the melted chocolate and stir to combine.
5. Pour chocolate mixture over the noodles and toss until all the noodles are completely coated.
6. Using two tablespoons or a cookie scoop, drop the no bake cookie mixture onto the cookie sheet and mold into a bird’s nest.
7. Immediately place three colored Easter eggs candy into the middle of each little nest. Gently press down so they adhere to the chocolate. Repeat until done.
8. Let sit until firm. 

How Do I Store No Bake Birds Nest?

Though you can store them at room temperature, they are best when stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container.

When storing, place them in a single layer in the container with a piece of plastic wrap or parchment paper between the layers to keep them from sticking together.

You can also freeze haystack cookies. Make sure they are wrapped well with plastic wrap then slip them into a freezer bag to store in the freezer for up to about three months.

Tips for Shaping Perfect Chocolate Nests

• If you have little hands helping you make these treats, to help keep their hands less messy, use a little cooking spray or butter on their hands to keep the chocolate from sticking so much.

• You can also use a muffin tin to help make the nest shapes. I would recommend using a silicone muffin tin because the flexible tin will help you pop out all the nests once they have set up.

• Lightly spray the inside of pastel colored cupcake liners and use them to hold the nest. The bottom of the liners will help you keep the nests all similar in size, plus it makes transporting them super easy.

Variations and Add-ins for Easter Haystack Cookies

There are so many tasty and different ways to make these cookies. Try some of these variations next time!

• Add a cup of miniature marshmallows along with the chow mein noodles.
• Replace the butterscotch chips with peanut butter chips or white chocolate chips.
• Use half butterscotch and half peanut butter or chocolate chips.
• If you can’t find the mini chocolate candy eggs, you can use Easter colored M&Ms, Cadbury mini eggs, or even jelly beans.
• Use cashews, chopped pecans, hazelnuts, or walnuts in place of the peanuts.
• Replace half of the chow mein noodles with think pretzel sticks.
•  Add toasted coconut for added taste and texture. 
• Sprinkle the tops with a little bit of flakey salt to give the flavor a sweet and salty combination.

More Haystack Cookies

• Halloween Crockpot Haystacks
• Chocolate Haystack Cookies
• Peanut Butter Haystacks

More Easter Desserts

• Crockpot Easter Candy
• Easy Easter Bunny Cake
• Easter Resurrection Cookies
• Easter Cupcakes with Chocolate Candies and Marshmallow Filling
• Rice Krispie Treat Eggs
• 10 Sweet Easter Cupcakes