These butterscotch and peanut butter cookies are so good. All you need is 4 ingredients to make them.
And it takes less than 30 minutes to make a tray full of these bite size sweet and salty cookies made with crunchy Chow Mein noodles.
If it wasn't for no-bake cookie recipes I know some of you might not have time to make Christmas cookies at all.
Ingredients
Peanut butter Haystacks are made with only 4 ingredients. Chow Mein Noodles, creamy peanut butter, butterscotch morsels or chips and crushed peanuts.
- Butterscotch Morsels
- Creamy peanut butter
- Chow Mein Noodles
- Roasted Peanuts
Prep
- Line the baking sheets with parchment paper or wax paper. Set aside.
- Choose the method to melt the chips and peanut butter. I am using the double boiler method. You can also use a small slow cooker or heat the ingredients slowly in a microwave.
Directions
Step 1: Put the butterscotch morsels and the creamy peanut butter into the bowl. Heat over very low heat to melt the butterscotch and nut butter. Heat, stirring constantly until melted and smooth.
Step 2: Once melted remove the bowl from the pot and place it on a stable surface. Avoid splashing any water into the bowl.
Step 3: Add the Chow Mien noodles and crushed peanuts to the bowl. Use a large silicone spatula to fold the noodles and nuts into the melted butterscotch candy pieces and peanut butter.
Mix until evenly coated.
Step 4: Using a 1 tablespoon cookie dough scoop or a tablespoon dip into the bowl and scoop a level amount up and drop onto the lined cookie sheet.
Repeat leaving about an inch of space between each cookie.
Step 5: Allow the cookies to harden and set up before storing in an air tight container separating layers with parchment or wax paper.
How to melt the chips
There are three methods you can use to melt the butterscotch chips and peanut butter together.
- The method I used is to make a double boiler with a glass or metal bowl nestled into a pot with a few inches of water.
- The second melting method is to use the microwave in short intervals stopping and mixing in between. The problem with using the microwave to melt candy chips or chocolate is that it is very easy to overheat the candy and cause it to seize. If it seizes it is a waste of ingredients that will need to be trashed. There is no way to save it once that happens. See note for more info.
- The third method to melt candy morsels or chocolate is to use a slow cooker on the warm setting. This is
Recipe FAQs
Haystacks are traditionally made with crunchy Chow Mein noodles, creamy peanut butter, butterscotch morsels and roasted peanuts.
Haystack cookies do not need to be refrigerated.
Chocolate Haystacks are made with milk chocolate chips instead of butterscotch morsels.
These easy cookies are perfect for the holidays. You can check out all of my Christmas cookie recipes here.
Recipe Expert Tips
- Melting the chips: There are multiple melting methods that can be used to melt butterscotch with the peanut butter. You can use the microwave, a double broiler or even a slow cooker.
- Using a dough scoop: I love using a dough scoop to make no-bake treats like this. A scoop ensures that all of the cookies are the same sizes.
- Storing: Store the hardened Haystacks in an airtight container in a cool cabinet. Place a sheet of parchment paper between layers to keep the cookies from sticking together. They will last about 2 weeks.
More holiday cookie recipes
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Haystack Cookies
Equipment
- 1 Parchment Paper
- 1 Baking Sheet
Ingredients
- 1 cup Butterscotch Morsels
- ½ cup creamy peanut butter
- 2 cups Chow Mein noodles
- ½ cup Roasted Peanuts (slightly chopped or crushed)
Instructions
- Line the baking sheets with parchment paper or wax paper. Set aside.
- Put 2 inches of water in the bottom of a large sauce pan and place a glass or metal bowl on top of the pot so the bottom of the bowl rests on top of the water without falling into the pot to create a double boiler.
- Put the butterscotch morsels and the creamy peanut butter into the bowl. Heat over very low heat to melt the butterscotch and nut butter. Heat, stirring constantly until melted and smooth.
- Once melted remove the bowl from the pot and place it on a stable surface. Avoid splashing any water into the bowl.
- Add the chow mien noodles and crushed peanuts to the bowl. Use a large silicone spatula to fold the noodles and nuts into the melted butterscotch candy pieces and peanut butter. Mix until evenly coated.
- Using a 1 tablespoon dough scoop or a tablespoon dip into the bowl and scoop a level amount up and drop onto the lined cookie sheet. Repeat leaving about an inch of space between each cookie.
- Allow the cookies to harden and set up before storing in an air tight container separating layers with parchment or wax paper.
Video
Recipe Expert Tips
- Melting the chips: There are multiple melting methods that can be used to melt butterscotch with the peanut butter. You can use the microwave, a double broiler or even a slow cooker.
- Using a dough scoop: I love using a dough scoop to make no-bake treats like this. A scoop ensures that all of the cookies are the same sizes.
- Storing: Store the hardened Haystacks in an airtight container in a cool cabinet. Place a sheet of parchment paper between layers to keep the cookies from sticking together. They will last about 2 weeks.
- Christmas Cookie Exchange: No bake cookies like these make the best cookie exchange cookies. It is very easy to double or triple the recipe when you need a lot of holiday cookies.
Kristine
I remember making these with my Grandma while growing up. When I got married I made them for my stepsons who went wild for them!! Thank you so much for posting this recipe in Tuesday Turn About; I knew I wanted to make them for Christmas this year!! Merry Christmas to you and your family!