Haystack cookies are an easy no bake cookie with white chocolate, butterscotch chips, peanut butter and chow mein noodles you can make in under 20 minutes!
Just like my recipes for Avalanche Cookies, No Bake Cookies and Peanut Butter and Chocolate No Bake Cookies, haystack cookies are a delicious, crunchy dessert that you can make in minutes.
HAYSTACK COOKIES
Cookies are amazing and go well with everything, but they’re also a pain to bake. Luckily, there are cookies that eliminate the need for an oven.
All you need is a microwave safe bowl, a cookie sheet, some parchment paper and a craving for something sweet. Mix all the ingredients together in a large bowl, scoop out your cookies and just let them sit at room temperature until they firm up.
The hardest part about making them is trying not to steal a few tastes while they set. Just keep in mind that butterscotch does harden up a lot so don’t take a huge bite out of it unless you don’t like your front teeth.
HOW TO MAKE HAYSTACK COOKIES
- Add the white chocolate and butterscotch chips together to a microwave in a large bowl.
- Melt in 30 second increments (this should take 90 total seconds) stirring in between each 30 seconds.
- Stir in the chow mein noodles and the peanut butter.
- Using a 2 tablespoon scoop measure scoop 30 spoonfuls of cookies.
- Place scoops of cookies onto parchment paper or wax paper lined baking sheets.
- Let sit until fully hardened, about 1 hour at room temperature or 10 minutes in the refrigerator.
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Haystack Cookie Flavor Variations:
- Chocolate chips: You can mix in any flavor of chocolate chips you would like, but I’d recommend trying semi-sweet chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, white chocolate chips or rich dark chocolate chips. You can also mix in pieces of chopped fudge.
- Marshmallows: Stir in some mini marshmallows, or make your own Homemade Marshmallows from scratch.
- Pretzels: Pretzels are the best way to mix in some salty crunch if the chow mein noodles just aren’t enough. Use pretzel sticks instead of the traditionally shaped ones and your cookies will look even more like haystacks.
- Nuts: You can add cashews, cocktail peanuts or chopped walnuts to the cookie batter. The nuts make the flavor even more complex, and are an easy way to bring out the rich flavor of the caramel.
- Corn flakes: No, really. They’re sugary, crispy and are great for making the texture of your cookies even more unusual and fun.
More easy Cookie Recipes:
- Edible Cookie Dough – Flourless Cookie Dough Bites made with graham Crackers!
- Cookie Dough Bars – The best cookie dough bars ever! Make these into ultimate ice cream sandwiches!
- Cake Mix Cookies – Just four easy ingredients!
- Chocolate Cake Mix Cookies – Take those cake mix cookies up a notch, these are AMAZING!
- Chocolate Covered Oreos – your kids will LOVE making these with you, just as easy as haystacks!
How to Store Haystack Cookies:
- Serve: If you keep them in an airtight container at room temperature, haystack cookies are good for up to 2 weeks.
- Store: If you keep your haystack cookies in the fridge they will stay good for about 1 week.
- Freeze: Freeze your no bake cookies for up to 3 weeks. You can thaw them by putting them in the fridge for a few hours and then enjoy them chilled.
Ingredients
- 12 ounces white chocolate disks , (melting disks work better than chips which tend to burn)
- 12 ounces butterscotch chips
- 1 cup peanut butter , (avoid natural peanut butters)
- 12 ounces chow mein noodles
Instructions
- Add the white chocolate and butterscotch chips together in a large microwave safe glass bowl.
- Microwave in 30 second increments, stirring well in between each one, until fully melted (should be 90 seconds total).
- Stir in the chow mein noodles and the peanut butter until well mixed.
- Using a 2 tablespoon sized scoop, scoop out 30 "cookies" onto two parchment paper lined baking sheets and let them sit at room temperature for 1 hour to harden or put them in the refrigerator for 10 minutes to harden before serving.
My Aunt made the haystack cookies for years. Me and 3 siblings always fought over them. They are awesome!!!!
Right?!!! We like them too! Thank you Lucy and thanks for the five star rating.
I made these tonight and we love them I wanted to make them for Christmas but…. You couldn’t find the noodles anywhere, easy recipe
Well that’s disappointing. Maybe next year?
I use my grandmothers recipe which calls for shoe string potatoes instead of chow main noodles and just butterscotch chips.
Why do all the butterscotch no bake cookies have peanut butter in them?
Hi, Connie. I have made haystacks for many years now, but never have I used peanut butter with the chocolate, butterscotch, etc. I have always melted chocolate chips or chocolate & butterscotch chips or white & chocolate chips, adding a tsp. of shortening, then mixing with the chow mein noodles. Always turned out good. But I’m going to make the peanut butter ones too! Cheri
Hello Sabrina, I have been making these for many years, as they are my daughter’s favorite. The only thing I do different is my recipe has Spanish peanuts in it.
Delish.
Can these be frozen?
Hi Sherry! You can freeze them up to 3 weeks and thaw them for a few hours in the fridge.
The family loves these… great recipe
My mom made these for my class about 50+ years ago. I have never forgot about how good they were. When she made them she added miniature marshmallows to them??
I love a recipe that is nostalgic!
Sabrina, I think I am going to like your Recipes. I also ate these many years ago. Good Job!!!! Merry Christmas
Thanks, Sandra.
Love the recipes
Thank you!
It would be nice to be able to print this recipe. Although it has a print button it does not print!
Hmm, I just tried it and it worked for me. Maybe try it on another browser? I used chrome with no issue. Hope this helps.
White Chocolate and butterscotch, my two favorites. These are marvelous.
Thank you so much Andrea!
Haystacks are so yummy, and so easy! Like you, I like to add some pretzel sticks too. Sweet and salty all the way!
An amazing flavor combo for sure!
Sabrina, I’m loving these festive haystack cookies! Every year around the holidays my sister and I get together to make these fun and flavorful treats.
What a fun tradition! Thanks for the 5 stars.
Cookies and no bake in the same sentence? Sounds amazing, can’t wait to try them!
A total win!!
These are so cute and fun – love the idea of the butterscotch in there.
Thanks Caroline. It’s a fun change.
I have been making haystacks for about 60 years, this is a different take on a family favorite, can’t wait to try your version.
They definitely sound like a family favorite. I hope you enjoy this version.
Why do we have to use peanut butter in the butterscotch haystacks
are you looking for a substitute? There are many different types of spreadable butters you could try instead but it will, of course, affect the taste of the haystacks.