Haystack Cookies: a family-table method

Haystack cookies made with chow mein noodles on a baking sheet.

These no bake haystack cookies combine chow mein noodles, milk chocolate and butterscotch chips to make decadent treats that are always a huge hit. Chow mein cookies are reliable to whip up at a moment’s notice and you can vary the flavors and sprinkle decorations depending on the season.

When I need dessert recipes that don’t take much time to prepare, I turn to favorites such as caramel apple dip, cheesecake stuffed strawberries, chocolate crinkle cookies, cake mix cookies and these unfussy haystack cookies.

Every time I make these haystack cookies, I’m taken back to childhood. I can remember eating these at every holiday function and any day mom felt like whipping them up. Finest of all, they come together in minutes and don’t require turning on an oven! These also make great Christmas cookies.

Haystack Cookies Ingredients

To make these cookies, you will need milk chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, crunch chow mein noodles and sprinkles.

How Do You Make Haystack Cookies?

Place the milk chocolate chips and butterscotch chips in a large bowl. Microwave the chocolate in 30 second increments until it melts, then stir until smooth. Add the crunchy noodles to the bowl with the melted chocolate mixture, and toss to coat them in chocolate. Spoon mounds of the cookie mixture onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Add some sprinkles on top. Let the cookies sit until they are firm, then serve and enjoy.

A mixing bowl of milk chocolate and butterscotch chips.

Tips For The Reliable Cookies

Look for crunchy chow mein noodles in a bag or tin in the ethnic foods aisle of the grocery store. I typically use La Choy brand. Do not buy the long raw chow mein noodles that are meant to be boiled. These are short, fried noodles for use as is in baking and salads.
Use a good quality brand of chocolate such as Guittard or Ghirardelli for the finest results.
You can make the cookies as big or as small as you like, but I find 2 tablespoons is a nice size.
Feel free to change up the color of the sprinkles to suit your occasion. These cookies are especially festive with Christmas sprinkles for the holidays.
Make sure to put your cookies onto a nonstick surface like parchment or wax paper so they’ll be straightforward to lift up when they cool.

Quick Tip

Haystack cookies will stay fresh in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.

A bowl of melted milk chocolate chips and butterscotch chips.

Recipe FAQs

What are haystacks made of?

Haystacks primarily contain chocolate and crunchy noodles. Sometimes the cookies have other ingredients such as nuts, different flavors of melting chips or sprinkles.

What gives haystack cookies their signature crunch?

Crunchy packaged chow mein noodles are the signature ingredient in haystack cookies that give them a crunchy texture and sweet and salty flavor.

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A bowl of melted chocolate and chow mein noodles.

Flavor Variations

These cookies are tasty as is, but you can change up some of the ingredients to suit your tastes.

Chocolate: You can use different combinations of chocolate chips and other flavored chips. Some great options include white chocolate chips, semisweet chocolate or peanut butter chips.
Add-Ins: Feel free to add up to 1/2 cup of other ingredients such as mini marshmallows, peanuts, pecans, cashews, walnuts, raisins or dried fruit.
Toppings: Omit the sprinkles and try out other garnishes such as miniature chocolate chips, a drizzle of white chocolate, toasted coconut or finely chopped nuts.

A plate of haystack cookies topped with rainbow sprinkles.

Every time we make these cookies, I like letting the children help. They’re just so straightforward that there’s really no way to mess them up. It’s a great way for the kids to make the memories I got to make growing up.

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Add as Google preferred source Authorthe Makdob kitchen Haystack cookies made with chow mein noodles on a baking sheet.

These no bake haystack cookies combine chow mein noodles, milk chocolate and butterscotch chips to make decadent treats that are always a huge hit. Chow mein cookies are reliable to whip up at a moment’s notice and you can vary the flavors and sprinkle decorations depending on the season. Time Prep Time7 minutes
Cook Time3 minutes
Total Time10 minutes

Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Serves 12

Ingredients

12 ounces milk chocolate chips
12 ounces butterscotch chips
12 ounces chow mein noodles
1/4 cup sprinkles

Instructions

Place the milk chocolate chips and butterscotch chips in a large bowl. Microwave in 30 second increments until melted. Stir until smooth.
Add the chow mein noodles to the bowl and toss until coated in the chocolate mixture.
Spoon 2 tablespoons of the cookie mixture onto a piece of parchment and shape into a mound; place a pinch of sprinkles on top.
Repeat the process with the remaining cookie mixture and sprinkles until you have 12 cookies.
Let cookies sit until firm, then serve. Cookies can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

Notes

Look for crunchy chow mein noodles in a bag or tin in the ethnic foods aisle of the grocery store. I typically use La Choy brand. Do not buy the long raw chow mein noodles that are meant to be boiled, these are short, fried noodles meant to be used as is for baking and salads.
Use a good quality brand of chocolate such as Guittard or Ghirardelli for the finest results.