Chocolate Haystack Cookies are one of the easiest no-bake cookies you can make! Loaded with chocolate, peanut butter and chow mein noodles, they are perfect for lunchboxes and after school treats!
First Published: October 19,2018… Last Updated: December 19, 2019
I am so excited to share these cookies with you guys today! They are another part of my contribution to #Choctoberfest and I just know you will love them as much as I do.
If you love the combination of chocolate and peanut butter and don’t like to turn the oven on every time you want a sweet treat than this cookie recipe is for you. The fact that they are no-bake is a bonus in my opinion, it really can’t get any easier than this. Melt in your mouth chocolate, creamy peanut butter and fresh peanuts all mixed with chow mein noodles to make a one of a kind, delicious cookie you will love.
So, what are haystack cookies?
Simply put a Haystack Cookie is a no-bake cookie using chocolate and chow mein noodles along with other ingredients to create a one of a kind treat that both kids and adults will love! Their “haystack” shape once set is what gives them their unique name, and you can make them as big or small as you would like. We prefer to make them two bite cookies, but have made them as big as our hands in the past!
My Grandmother introduced me to these many years ago when I was just a little girl with a big chocolate craving after a long day of grade school (pfft if only we knew how much longer the days would get as we got older right?!). We created timeless memories in her kitchen together baking and whipping up goodies, and I was often allowed to lick the spoon when it was all said and done so I think it was a pretty sweet deal.
frequently asked questions for haystack cookies
what ingredients are in haystack cookies?
There are 3 main ingredients in Chocolate Haystack Cookies. As you can see above, they consist of chocolate and chow mein noodles and we added in some crunchy peanut butter to ours! This makes them Chocolate Haystack Cookies with Peanut Butter… everything is truly better with peanut butter!
how do you make chocolate haystack cookies?
Are you ready for how easy this is!? Melt your chocolate, either using the microwave or a double broiler method. If using the double broiler method you will need a pot and a glass bowl.
You want to ensure the bowl does not touch the bottom of the pot when placed over top, it should hover just above your water line. Fill pot about 2″ with water and simmer over medium heat, you do not want a rapid boil! As the bowl heats up it will gently melt your chocolate without burning or seizing. It is my favorite way to melt any kind of chocolate.
Once your chocolate is smooth you simply add in your peanut butter and stir to combine and then add in your noodles and whatever other ingredients you choose to incorporate into your Chocolate Haystack Cookies! EASY RIGHT?!
YOU MAY NEED
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When making your Haystack Cookies it is so important to have nice sturdy Baking Sheets that you can line with parchment paper to ensure they don’t get stuck.
no bake chocolate haystack cookie recipe
If you made this recipe please be sure to rate it and leave us a comment below and let us know what you thought!!
Melt in your mouth chocolate, creamy peanut butter and fresh peanuts all mixed with chow mein noodles to make a one of a kind, delicious cookie you will love.
Prep Time5mins
Cook Time5mins
Refrigerate20mins
Total Time10mins
Course: Dessert, Holiday Treats, Snack
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Chocolate Haystack Cookies, No Bake Cookies
Servings: 24Cookies
Author: Melissa
Ingredients
2cupsSemi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
1/2cupPeanut Butterwe used Crunchy
3cupsChow Mein Noodles
1cupPeanuts
Instructions
Begin by lining 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper, or silicone baking mats and set aside.
Melt chocolate chips using the double broiler over medium heat. You can use the microwave as well but be sure to do it in 15 second increments so you don’t burn the chocolate.
Once chocolate is melted turn the heat off and stir in the peanut butter. Mix until well combined and creamy.
Remove from the heat and stir in your peanuts and chow mein noodles. I like to give the noodles a little “force” to break some of them into smaller pieces.*you can add in any other mix-ins you like but remember to increase chocolate amount to ensure proper coverage*
Use a spoon to scoop and drop your chocolate noodle mixture onto your prepared baking sheets. You can make them as big or as small as you like.
Allow to set in the fridge for at least 20 minutes before devouring!
Notes
You can make these cookies FAR in advance, just ensure you place them in a sealed container in the fridge. We have had them up to 4 weeks and they still tasted as if they were just made!
Be sure to PIN THESE CHOCOLATE HAYSTACK COOKIES so you have them for later!
Variations to the traditional haystack cookie
Now the thing I love with this cookie is how creative you can get with it. You could stop with 3 ingredients and you would have a great cookie…OR you could add in some salted peanuts and sprinkles like we did and take your cookie over the top!
You could even add in a nice chopped dried fruit mix with sunflower seeds or oats to add another flavor dimension. We also have a delicious White Chocolate Haystack Cookie that you might want to check out, especially if your kiddos LOVE all things Elf on the Shelf!
Play around with them and make them your own by starting with our base recipe! Just remember, if you are adding in more “toppings” you will need to increase your chocolate amount as well so there is enough to coat the goodness.
Today we are sharing cookies with fillings, you know the ones (think ganache, caramel, jams etc!) delicious little treats that can be added to your Holiday baking. As part of our Christmas Baking Frenzy this year I asked for some of my fellow bloggers to share their favorite recipes and I was blown away by the response. I hope you enjoy these just as much as I did, now get your shopping list ready as I know there is at least one you will want to make.
How festive are these Linzer cookies? They are a delicious shortbread type cookie that has lemon zest in the batter and then filled with a raspberry jam…uh yes please!
Delicious little chocolate chip cookies that are made into little “sandwich cookies” with the addition of a peppermint frosting! A classic Christmas flavor combination if you ask me!
Cookies with fillings, you know the ones (think ganache, caramel, jams etc!) delicious little treats that can be added to your Holiday cookie swap! #ChristmasCookies #CookieSwap #CookieRecipes
Well there you have it friends, cookies upon cookies that are (in some way) filled with everything from jams and frosting, to candy and peanut butter! What are some of your favorite cookies to make for the Holidays? Share them below and join in on the cookie swap fun on my Instagram @theoliveblogger .
Here it is, day 5 of our Christmas Baking Frenzy!! These Christmas Sprinkle Cookies are sure to become a new favorite, they are perfectly soft on the inside and crunchy and sweet on the outside! I find them perfect for dipping in a cuppa tea and just love how festive they are with their Christmas sprinkles. The best part though? How incredibly easy they are to make!
Do you see what I mean?! Look at how adorable they are, just covered in yummy sprinkles (you could really do these any time of year and just switch out the color sprinkles you use).
These cookies will forever hold a special place in my heart too…you see, while making these with my mom we got a call that my Gramma was not well (she had been in the hospital after falling and breaking her hip) and my mom dropped everything to rush to be with her. I will never forget the sadness I saw on my moms face that day. Not even 2 days later my Gramma passed. But you see, I don’t share this story to make you sad, but instead to remind you to cherish the time that you have with your family and loved ones this holiday season! I will think of my Gramma every year I make these now, and will take the time to stop and remember just how special she was to me.
These Christmas Sprinkle Cookies are crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside, and perfectly festive to leave on Santa's plate!
Prep Time5mins
Cook Time10mins
Course: Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: American, English
Keyword: Christmas Sprinkle Cookies
Servings: 3dozen cookies
Calories: 74kcal
Author: Melissa
Ingredients
1.5cSugar
2tspBaking Soda
2tspCorn Starch
2.5cFlour
1/4tspSalt
1tspAlmond Extractor peppermint if you prefer!
2Eggs
1tspVanilla
1/2cButtersoftened
1/4cCream Cheesesoftened
1cChristmas Sprinkles
Instructions
In stand mixer, cream butter, cream cheese, eggs, sugar and extracts (vanilla and almond) until smooth (about 5 minutes)
In a medium bowl sift together flour, corn starch, baking soda and salt. Add to wet mix and combine.
Allow to chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours.
Preheat oven to 350F and line tray with parchment paper or silicone baking mat.
Place sprinkles in a shallow bowl, roll dough into teaspoon sized balls and roll in sprinkles to coat the outside (I gently pushed the sprinkles as I went to ensure they stuck!)
Bake for 7-9 minutes on middle rack, they will still look pale, only very slightly golden, but trust me they are done!
I couldn’t even wait for these Christmas sprinkle cookies to cool when they came out of the oven, they looked so scrumptious! I devoured 3 of them with a nice glass of milk and didn’t feel the least bit guilty! So what are you waiting for? Get your shopping list read and get baking friends. And don’t forget to come back tomorrow for our next treat.
Christmas Sprinkle Cookies are a delicious, melt in your mouth holiday cookie that everyone will love! The coating of sprinkles gives it a nice crunchy outside that is perfectly sweet. #ChristmasCookies #CookieSwap #CookieRecipes
Day 2 of our Christmas Baking Frenzy is here, and these Chocolate Orange Shortbread Cookies are sure to please everyone! If you liked our classic Whipped Shortbreadfrom our previous years then you are most definitely going to love this updated version with the new flavors. The shortbread melts in your mouth and gives way to a subtle orange flavor that is throughout the cookie, not just in the yummy chocolate that tops it! Just talking about them makes me want to go open one of the tins that patiently waits in the freezer to be distributed to gorgeous cookie trays for my friends and neighbours!
Just look at how golden brown those edges are…yum! Now besides the obvious, another reason I love to make these Chocolate Orange Shortbread cookies is because of the amount you get from it. There is nothing better than a yummy tasting and gorgeous cookie that makes enough to fill a few trays (that means less time in the kitchen for you!). I will note with any cookie that uses chocolate on top like this one and my Chocolate Crinkle Kiss Cookies, you want to make sure you don’t touch them when they come out…please please please let them rest and if you need them sooner pop em in the fridge or freezer to harden up, otherwise you will have a smudged plop of chocolate rather than a pretty piece.
Break apart your chocolate into squares and then using a sharp knife cut in half diagonally (so you end up with triangles)
In mixer cream your butter (just to make sure it is room temperature and no chunks) about 1 minute medium speed, mix in vanilla and orange liquor.
In medium bowl sift together your icing sugar, corn starch and flour, slowly add to your wet mixture and combine.
Drop by teaspoons onto un-greased cookie sheet and gently press a piece of chocolate into the top of each cookie.
Bake 15-18 minutes (until edges are slightly golden)
Remove and allow to cool completely (if you try to move them when they are warm you will smudge the chocolate...you can put in the fridge if you need them sooner)
This shortbread cookie melts in your mouth and gives way to a subtle orange flavor that is throughout the cookie, perfect for any cookie swap this Holiday! #ChristmasCookies #ShortbreadCookies #CookieSwap #Shortbread
What a year 2016 was!!! It was such a roller coaster year for me, in both my personal and professional life, but there is one thing that stayed constant for me and that is THIS BLOG! I love being able to share with you guys so many delicious meals, snacks, treats etc! And from what I can tell, you guys LOVED it too!
I decided to participate in a “Round-Up” of sorts, with some of my fellow bloggers so we could see what our most popular recipes of 2016 were and share them with you guys in one fun place! Below you will find my Top 5 Recipes for 2016 as well as a link to the main page where you will find so many yummy eats from a wide array of food bloggers! I hope you enjoy, and please be sure to let me know if you had a favorite (bonus points if you made it!).
This cookie was our most POPULAR post last year and with good reason too!!! It is such a simple yet flavorful cookie that literally melts in your mouth, and it’s perfect for any time of year (but featured for our Christmas Baking Frenzy).
No surprise that a cookie recipe took both the #1 and #2 spot for us last year, especially one a tasty as this Butter Lemon Snow Drop. This cookie was featured from a fellow blogger as part of our Christmas Baking Frenzy as well!
This is by far my favorite dinner recipe up on the blog, so it is no surprise to me that it came in as one of the top 5 from last year!! It is so EASY and TASTY and inexpensive (with the use of ground beef) that it is a perfect meal for any night of the week.
Mmm…that is all I need to say about this one! What a SPECIAL treat to make for birthdays, holidays, dinner parties etc. It is swirled with chocolate and peanut butter batters to create a heavenly cake that everyone will love. Best enjoyed with others so you don’t eat the whole thing!
This 13 Day post features different cookies, squares, truffles and bars everyday that we like to make around the Holidays to give to friends and family to enjoy! There is a treat for everyone on this list, and even many treats you can make year-round.
Well, there you have it! What did you think of our Top 5 Recipes?? Did you have a favorite that wasn’t on the list? And what about this year…what would you like to see? Let me know in the comments so I can get creative and get cooking!
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