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One of the easiest holiday treats to make is my no-bake Holiday Haystack Recipe! You only need three ingredients and a microwave wave to make them. They are perfect when you need a last-minute cookie during the holidays.
Table of Contents
- No Bake Haystack Cookies Recipe
- Just 3 Ingredients in this Haystack Recipe
- How to Make Haystack Cookies
- Haystack Recipe Variations
- Expert Tips
- Holiday Haystack Recipe Recipe
- Other Candy Recipes
No Bake Haystack Cookies Recipe
Who has hours and hours to bake this time of year? I find that I’m really motivated at the start of the season to bake all the things, but as it gets closer to Christmas, the time disappears. That’s when I turn to this cute haystacks candy recipe – they are an easy no bake cookie that takes no time at all to make.
You only need three ingredients for this easy no bake treat: white almond bark, chow mein noodles, and M&Ms. I’ve seen thousands of haystack recipe variations, but I think my white chocolate haystacks are the best! With minimal effort, you get a sweet treat that everyone will love.
Once you know how to make them, there are a lot of ways you can switch it up – I’m sharing all of my tips so you can do just that!
This is also a great recipe to make with kids because it’s fail-proof and fun to make.
Just 3 Ingredients in this Haystack Recipe
- Almond bark or Melting Wafers – I like Ghiradelli Candy Melts best. You can also substitute white chocolate chips, but they’ll melt in your hands faster.
- Chow mein noodles – those are the crisp noodles you can buy in a can. Look for them in the Asian foods section at the store.
- M&Ms – for the holidays I go with red and green, but there are a lot of options.
How to Make Haystack Cookies
- Follow the instructions on the almond bark package for how to melt chocolate. You should be able to do this in a large bowl in the microwave. (See FAQ for other options for chocolate.)
- Stir the chow mein noodles into the melted chocolate mixture, so they are completely coated. If the chocolate is hot once you’ve stirred it, let it cool for a couple of minutes so the candy doesn’t melt.
- Stir in the M&Ms.
- Drop tablespoonfuls of the mixture on a parchment paper or wax paper lined baking sheet. You can use two spoons for this or a cookie scoop. They should look like little haystacks.
- Chill the haystacks until they are set. Transfer them to an airtight container and keep them in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
Haystack Recipe Variations
- Butterscotch Haystacks: Swap the almond bark for a bag of butterscotch chips, like my cornflake cookies.
- Chocolate Haystack Cookies: Use chocolate almond bark or candy melts in place of the white. Or use dark chocolate chips or milk chocolate chips.
- Peanut Butter Chips: Use peanut butter chips in place of the white chocolate.
- Add nuts: instead of M&Ms you can add peanuts, walnuts, cashews, almonds or any kind of nuts you like.
Tip From Dorothy
Expert Tips
- Skip the M&Ms and sprinkle them with holiday sprinkles or other festive sprinkles after scooping onto the cookie sheets.
- Do you have to use almond bark?Nope! You have some options and can use Candiquik, candy melts, or white chocolate baking bars. I think Ghiradelli candy melts taste the best, and they’re not as expensive as white chocolate baking bars. You can use candy melts sold at craft stores, too, but I don’t think they taste as good.
- What’s the best way to store them?Definitely in the refrigerator. That way, the chocolate will stay firm. They will hold at room temperature (as long as it’s not too warm) but for long-term storage, keep them in the fridge. I like to place them in a bag or container with wax paper separating the layers. That way, they won’t stick to each other.
FAQs
How do I make haystacks without a microwave?
If you don’t want to melt the chocolate in the microwave, simply add to a small saucepan over medium heat and stir constantly until melted and smooth.
Holiday Haystack Recipe
5 from 8 votes
One of the easiest holiday treats to make are these no-bake Holiday Haystacks! You only need three ingredients and a microwave wave to make them. They are perfect when you need a last-minute cookie during the holidays.
Prep Time 15 minutes minutes
Chill Time 1 hour hour
Total Time 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes
Yield 15 servings
Serving Size 1 serving
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Ingredients
- 10 oz white almond bark see note
- 2 cups chow mein noodles
- 1 cup M&Ms see note
Instructions
Melt white bark in a large microwave-safe bowl in 30-second intervals until melted. Be sure to read the directions on the package for melting.
Stir in chow mein noodles.
If chocolate is still hot, allow it to cool a bit. Then stir in M&Ms.
Place spoonfuls on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Chill and serve. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
Recipe Notes
White Chocolate: you can use Almond Bark, Candiquik, or Ghiradelli Candy Melts (all found at the grocery store in the baking aisle). Of these, the Ghiradelli tastes the best. You can also use white chocolate baking bars (i.e. Bakers or Ghiradelli) but they are much more expensive. In a pinch you can use the candy melts you get at the craft store but they aren’t as good tasting.
M&Ms: use any color M&Ms (Christmas for holiday haystacks). You can use regular or mini or any flavor M&Ms or substitute sprinkles. If using sprinkles instead of candy, just sprinkle them over the top of the haystacks after scooping them.
Recipe Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 284kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 6mg | Sodium: 224mg | Potassium: 54mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 37IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 54mg | Iron: 1mg
Nutritional information not guaranteed to be accurate
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Author Dorothy Kern
Did you try this recipe? Click the stars to rate the recipe below
Other Candy Recipes
- Cornflake Cookies
- Almond Clusters
- Crockpot Candy
Need a last-minute Christmas cookie recipe? Look no further! Holiday Haystacks are easy to make, no-bake and take no time at all.
Last Updated on December 20, 2023
Mel
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5 Comments
Next time I make these, I will use Ghirardelli white Premier Chips. Didn’t care for the white Almond bark.
ReplyTry the Ghirardelli melts – they melt better than chips and are just as good!
ReplyLoved this recipe! It was a big hit at my daughter’s holiday party this weekend! Thanks for sharing!
Replyjust to let you know that I am making this for our Tuesday night Support meeting on December 14th. I like things easy and this is one of them. I have a stove but not an oven that works anymore. Everything is either in the frying pan or microware. Thank You for sharing this
ReplyMy mother-in-law made this for me the first Christmas we were together white chocolate almond bark melted 2 cups rice krispies 2 cups Captain Crunch 2 cups peanuts or nuts of your choice and two cups thin stick pretzels broke in half absolutely the best
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