Need a last-minute sweet and easy treat this holiday season? This No Bake Peanut Butter Haystack Cookie recipe creates delectable little treats by combining crunchy chow mein noodles, butterscotch chips and creamy peanut butter that can be ready in minutes.

light brown mounds of covered chow mein noodles on plate

One thing you may notice, when it comes to haystacks, there are two camps. One calls them candy, because they are an easy drop mixture that requires little effort. The other camp calls them cookies because of the amazing crunch you get from the crispy chow mein noodles. No matter what camp you’re in, you’ll definitely want to add these to your holiday line up this year!

Peanut Butter Butterscotch Haystacks

Haystacks are just one of those quick and easy recipes everyone loves. The traditional Chocolate Haystacks recipe, sometimes called Chow Mein Noodle Cookies has been around for years. I can remember making these sweet little morsels even as far back as when I was a little girl. Of course, back then you’d melt butterscotch chips in a bowl on top of a double boiler, slowly adding the peanut butter and other ingredients. Now, the microwave has taken an already simple recipe and made it even simpler and much quicker.

There are many variations of haystack cookies. But this sweet peanut butter and butterscotch version has such a perfect blend of flavors, it’s definitely one of my all-time favorite no-bake cookie recipes. If you love peanut butter as much as I do, you may want to try these Peanut Butter Balls or these Peanut Butter Blossoms.

Ingredients for this Peanut Butter Haystacks Recipe

ingredients on white counter: chow mein noodles, butterscotch chips, peanut butter, vanilla, salt

1 cup butterscotch chips
½ cup creamy peanut butter, not natural
2 cups chow mien noodles (one large 5 oz. container)
½ tsp vanilla extract
Pinch of salt

How to Make Peanut Butter Haystacks

four photos: peanut butter and butterscotch chips in bowl, melted and spatula stiring; peanut butter mixture on top of chow mein noodles; small cookie scoop with a scoop of coated chow mein noodles

Line cookie sheet with wax paper and set aside.
Place chow mein noodles in medium-sized mixing bowl and set aside.
In a large microwave-safe bowl add the butterscotch chips and peanut butter. Microwave for 1 minute at 50% power and stir. Put back in microwave in 15-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. You won’t even notice in the end result.
Add salt and vanilla and stir to combine.
Pour peanut butter mixture over the noodles and toss until all the noodles are completely coated.
Using two tablespoons or a cookie scoop, drop the mixture by the spoonful onto the wax paper and let cool.

How to Store Peanut Butter Haystacks

These Haystack no bake cookies can be stored at room temperature. Place them in a single layer with parchment paper between them in an airtight container.

They will stay fresh for at least a week. To extend their freshness, you can keep them in the fridge for up to a couple of weeks.

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.

Making this Cookie Recipe Anytime of the Year

This is such an easy recipe, with only four items in the ingredient list, I make them all throughout the year. Adding different colored sprinkles is the perfect way to represent the different holidays. Red, white and blue sprinkles for the 4th of July, red and white for Valentine’s Day, green for St Patrick’s Day or cute little pastel sprinkles for Easter.

mounds of light brown haystack cookies on white counter

Variations of Haystack Cookies

Once you see how easy it is to make these old school treats, have fun adding your own new spin to them Here are some ideas to give you some inspiration:

Add-ins: Change them up by gently folding in puffed rice cereal, salted peanuts, or mini marshmallows.
Extra crunch: Add extra crunch by using one cup pretzel sticks and one cup chow mein noodles. The extra little bit of saltiness from the pretzel is so tasty.
Flavor combos: The butterscotch chips give these no bake cookies a lot of flavor but you can substitute them with white chocolate chips, milk chocolate chips, semisweet chocolate chips or for even MORE peanut butter flavor you can use peanut butter chips.
Texture: This recipe uses a cup creamy peanut butter. You can always add extra texture to haystacks by using chunky peanut butter in its place.

Want More No Bake Treats?

Peanut Butter Haystacks

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15

Total Time 15

Need a last-minute sweet and easy treat this holiday season? This No Bake Haystack recipe creates delectable little treats by combing crunchy chow mein noodles, butterscotch chips and creamy peanut butter that can be ready in minutes.

Ingredients

▢ 1 cup butterscotch chips
▢ ½ cup creamy peanut butter not natural
▢ 2 cups chow mein noodles one large 5 oz. container
▢ ½ tsp 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 butterscotch chips and peanut butter. 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. You won’t even notice in the end result.
1 cup butterscotch chips, ½ cup creamy peanut butter
Add salt and vanilla and stir to combine.
Pinch of salt, ½ tsp vanilla extract
Pour butterscotch mixture over the noodles and toss until all the noodles are completely coated.
Using two tablespoons or a cookie scoop, drop spoonfuls of the mixture onto the wax paper and let cool.
Store in refrigerator.