Chocolate Haystack Cookies (No Bake Recipe)
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This easy Chocolate Haystacks recipe makes a simple no-bake cookie that uses rich chocolate chips, peanuts, and crunchy chow mein noodles. It’s an old school treat that’s always a huge hit!
As long as I can remember, Chocolate Haystack cookies have been a quintessential no-bake cookies during the holidays. Sometimes called chow mein noodle cookies, they are the perfect sweet and crunchy dessert that uses just a few simple ingredients. Though we have tried different delicious variations of haystacks recipes, like these Peanut Butter Haystacks, this recipe is the classic chocolate with peanuts recipe that’s been around for ages.
Easy Haystack Cookies
With all the holiday baking at Christmas time, it’s nice to have that one go-to sweet treat recipe to ease your baking stress. Haystacks are such an easy recipe, and everyone loves them-kids and adults alike.
They aren’t just for the holiday season either. They are such a delicious cookie; we make all throughout the year and will add different colored holiday sprinkles depending on the time of the year.
Ingredients in this Haystack Cookie Recipe
- 24 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips (you can use milk dark)
- 2 cups chow mein noodles (one large 5 oz. container)
- 1 cup salted peanuts, chopped (you can use cocktail peanuts)
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
How to Make No Bake Haystack Cookies
- Place wax paper on a baking sheet or on the counter and set aside.
- Place chow mein noodles in large bowl and set aside.
- Melt chocolate chips in a medium-sized microwave-safe bowl for 1 minute at 50% power and stir.
- Continue to microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring in between each interval, until chips are melted. If the chips don’t completely melt that’s ok. You won’t even notice in the end result.
- Add salt and vanilla and stir to combine.
- Pour melted chocolate over the noodles and chopped peanuts and toss until all the noodles are completely coated.
- Using two tablespoons or a cookie scoop, drop mixture by the spoonful onto the lined cookie sheet and let cool.
How to Store Chow Mein Noodle Cookies
You can store haystack candy at room temperature. Place them in an airtight container in a single layer for up to 3-4 days. Make them last a little longer by storing them in the refrigerated for up to a couple of weeks.
You can also freeze these cookies for a make ahead snack. Just make sure you wrap them well with plastic wrap and put them in a freezer bag. They’ll last for up to 2 months. Perfect for having a quick snack on hand when that sweet tooth hits.
Why are they Called Haystack Cookies?
Once you assemble these Christmas cookies and drop them onto parchment paper, the chow mein noodles cause the clusters to resemble little haystacks you’d see out in the middle of a field.
Add-ins and Flavors
There are several flavors and variations of these sweet treats that are all great. Have fun and create your own version with some of these suggestions:
Add-ins: This recipe uses peanuts but you can use any other nuts you prefer, chopped up pretzels, mini marshmallows, quick oats, or puffed rice cereal are all great ideas.
For extra peanut butter flavor, add a little crunchy peanut butter to the melted chocolate mixture before mixing in the noodles. One of my favorite additions it to sprinkle just a tiny bit of sea salt to the top of each cluster before they dry.
Flavors: You can change up the flavors in this haystack recipe easily by using a combination of semisweet chocolate chips with white chocolate chips, or white almond bark. You use peanut butter chips, butterscotch chips or try a combination of your favorite flavored chips.
Where Can I Find Chow Mein Noodles for Chocolate Haystacks?
Chow Mein noodles are a crunchy, fried egg noodle you can find on the Asian food aisle of most grocery stores.
What are Other Versions of Chocolate Haystack Cookies?
There are different ways to make haystacks. Some use peanut butter, some don’t. This recipe is for our chocolate haystacks, and we also have a butterscotch and peanut butter version.
Try our crockpot haystacks too that can be used for all the holidays with different colored sprinkles.
More Easy Treat Recipes
- Cornflake Candy
- Church Window Cookies
- Microwave Peanut Brittle
- Sugared Cranberries
- Crockpot Christmas Crack
- Christmas Wreath Cookies
- Ritz Peanut Butter Chocolate Cookies
Chocolate Haystack Cookies
Ingredients
- 24 ounces chocolate chips milk, dark, or semi-sweet
- 2 cups chow mein noodles one large 5 oz. container
- 1 cup peanuts chopped
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Place wax paper on a baking sheet or on the counter and set aside.
- Place chow mein noodles in medium-sized mixing bowl and set aside.2 cups chow mein noodles
- In a large microwave-safe bowl add the chocolate chips and 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 that’s ok. You won’t even notice in the end result.24 ounces chocolate chips
- Add salt and vanilla and stir to combine.Pinch of salt, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pour melted chocolate over the noodles and chopped peanuts and toss until all the noodles are completely coated.1 cup peanuts
- Using two tablespoons or a cookie scoop, drop spoonfuls of the mixture onto the wax paper and let cool.
- Store in refrigerator.
Nutrition
Did You Make This Recipe?
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I made these exactly per the recipe. They came out so hard that I thought I would break a tooth. What went wrong? The taste was good but scared to eat them.
I’m sorry to hear the cookies turned out too hard. They’re meant to be a crispy treat, but not hard. This can happen if the chocolate mixture was overheated, the ingredient ratios were off, or if they were chilled too long. Try melting the chocolate gently, measuring carefully, and letting them sit at room temp before serving. I’m glad you enjoyed the flavor and hope they turn out perfect next time!