No Bake Haystack Cookies have been around for years! This recipe is super easy to make and everyone seems to love them. Make them 2 different ways and pile them onto your holiday cookie platter. Will you make the peanut butter or chocolate version – or even both!?

In this post, I’m going to share two recipes at the same time, but they will both result in the same cookie! The only difference between the two is that one of them will be peanut butter flavoured, while the other will be loaded with chocolate. I love both chocolate and peanut butter, but I know there are those that don’t. When I was married, my ex-wife wouldn’t even wash up the knife used to spread peanut butter. She hated it that much! So for people like her, there’s a chocolate version!
In both versions, I topped them with M&Ms. In our home, M&Ms at Christmastime are a must-have. Even though I’m not a huge fan of them, both John.e and McKenna love them. I used Peanut M&Ms on the Peanut Butter Haystack Cookies and just regular chocolate M&Ms on the Chocolate Haystacks. The sprinkles were added to make these super easy and budget-friendly cookies more festive. They are completely optional.
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LORD BYRON’S 12 NO BAKE CHRISTMAS TREATS
Let’s just say I’m a sucker for punishment – or maybe it’s just that I want to show you just how quick and easy Christmas baking can be! Because, in this brand new Christmas cookie countdown series, I’m going to show you twelve different holiday confections that are 100% no bake!
Welcome, Dear Reader, to my fourth Christmas series this year! Just in case you missed it, here is a quick recap. First, I shared twelve truffle recipes in my 12 Truffles of Christmas series. Then, I shared twenty-four cookies in my 4th Annual 24 Cookies of Christmas series. Then, although it wasn’t a series, because I shared all of the recipes on the same day and in one giant post, there was my 12 Festive Holiday Cocktails series. And, now, here I am with my final series for this year, which I am calling Lord Byron’s 12 No Bake Christmas Treats series!
You might be asking yourself, how many Christmas recipes could one possibly have or need? Well, I say you can never have too much of a good thing. And, I love having lots of choices! If you’re new to Lord Byron’s Kitchen, it’s really simple. I will share a new recipe every single day for 12 consecutive days – yes, even on Saturday and Sunday. These are all no-bake recipes, so who’s ready to get started?

INGREDIENTS NEEDED FOR THIS RECIPE:
Depending on which version of this no-bake confection you decide to make, you will need all or some of the following ingredients. This is just a list of ingredients. The actual amounts can be found in the recipe card close to the bottom of this page.
- Dry Chow Mein Noodles – More about these in the next section!
- White Chocolate Chips – Usually I like to use a good brand, but in this case, the cheapest brand you can find will work just fine.
- Milk Chocolate Chips – You can use semi-sweet or even dark chocolate chips here. I used milk chocolate chips simply because it’s my personal favourite.
- Peanut Butter Chips – Unlike the white chocolate chips, in this case, buy Reese’s. They really do have the best peanut butter chips.
- Peanut M&Ms
- Chocolate M&Ms
- Sprinkles
Looking For More Christmas Confections?
Lord Byron’s Kitchen has more than enough to satisfy your sweet tooth! Click on the links below to see a countdown series of holiday recipes from that category!
CHOW MEIN NOODLES
There are basically two different types of chow mein noodles. They come in either long or short noodles. The long ones are either dried or fresh, which will affect the packaging. The dried noodles are usually in a cellophane bag, while the fresh noodles will be vacuum-packed. The short dry noodles are usually packed in a plastic package filled with air – much like a bag of potato chips!
This is how I differentiate between the two. If I’m cooking a noodle dish, I use Cantonese-style Chow Mein Noodles. Whenever possible, I will use the Rooster brand. But, sometimes, it’s hard to find them. In which case, I like to use these Young & Young brand. But, when I make Haystack Cookies, I prefer to use Farkay Chow Mein Noodles. The link is for you to see what they look like. You can find them at Walmart instead of ordering from Amazon.
In most cases, the dried, short noodles can be found in the pasta section of any grocery store. And, also, in most cases, the short noodles are a bit thicker than the Cantonese style, and they are certainly more orange, whereas the cooking noodles are more yellow.

MICROWAVING CHOCOLATE
Did you know that we did not own a microwave until last year? Yes, that’s true! When John.e and I first moved in together, he had a microwave. I used it one day and left a metal spoon in the bowl of whatever it was I was warming through. Needless to say, there were sparks, a rumble, and a bang – oh, and the lights dimmed a bit too! That was the second microwave I had killed in my lifetime. We went without one for 8 years, but bought one last year – mostly because we had more counter space!
Anyway, since then, I have never used the double boil method again to melt chocolate on the stove. Using the microwave is so much easier, so please use it if you happen to have one! To melt chocolate in the microwave, you should remember that just like on the stove, you can scorch or burn the chocolate. It is best to microwave the chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl on half power.
Here’s how to get the chocolate just right. Place the chocolate into a microwave-safe bowl. Whenever you microwave chocolate, you should microwave on medium power for 30 seconds. Then, if it’s still not silky smooth, microwave in increments of 5 or 10 seconds, depending on your microwave, stirring with a rubber spatula after each increment. If you want thinner chocolate, add just a bit of vegetable shortening or oil. Coconut oil works well too!
HOW TO MAKE HAYSTACK COOKIES
Up next, I’ll tell you how to make these Haystack Cookies. Below, there are two recipe cards. The first recipe card is for the Peanut Butter Haystacks. And, the second recipe card is for the Chocolate Haystacks. In the photographs, you can see that I made one batch of each. Once again, I topped the peanut butter version with peanut M&Ms and the chocolate version with plain M&Ms. Here’s how I did it.
If making the peanut butter version, place the white chocolate chips and the peanut butter chips into a large microwave-safe bowl. And, if making the chocolate version, you will place only the milk chocolate chips into the bowl. Using the microwave instructions found in the recipe card, melt the two together until silky smooth. Add in the chow mein noodles and use a rubber spatula to fold them in until each noodle is well coated. Next, use a tablespoon to portion out mounds on the mixture onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Top with M&Ms and sprinkles, if using.
It’s important to allow the chocolate to firm up at room temperature, which is slow, but it works. If you place the tray of haystacks in the fridge to speed up the re-hardening of the chocolate, you run the risk of separating the milk solids. That will result in chocolate with white streaks through it. It’s best to let them sit at room temperature for two or three hours. The chocolate will slowly cool down and the milk solids will not separate.
Lord Byron’s Annual Christmas Cookie Series
Did you know that Lord Byron’s Kitchen has been sharing a 24 Cookies of Christmas Series for the past several years? Click on the links below to see all of the recipes from each series on one page!
STORING, PACKAGING, & FREEZING
When it comes to most no-bake confections, they taste best at room temperature, but they don’t hold up well to being left out on your countertop for long periods of time. Some of them will stay fresh in a cookie jar or food-safe container with a lid for 3-5 days if left to sit on your kitchen countertop. But, others most certainly will not! If in doubt, store them in a food-safe container in your fridge. When you want one, two, or half a dozen, take them out of the container and place them in a single layer on a plate. Let them sit at room temperature for 5 minutes and they’re ready!
Most no-bake confections are made without the need to freeze them for long periods of time, but they can be frozen. For this recipe, I have tested whether or not they can be frozen, and they certainly can! Once they are completely hardened, pile them into a clean, food-safe container. The container must be freezer friendly! You’ll want to ensure a very tight-fitting lid too. I use these quite often when freezing baked goods. I like to place a sheet of plastic wrap over the top of the container before pushing the lid on. This helps to create a better seal. The goal is to keep all of that freshness locked in!
You can freeze these for up to three months. If you plan to give previously frozen confections as a gift, lay them out onto a wire cooling rack in a single layer to thaw out. Condensation might form and that’s normal. Giving them space to breathe by not overlapping them will help to eliminate that. Once thawed, pile into cellophane bags and tie with a ribbon, or stack in a cookie tin/box.

QUESTIONS?
If I have not answered all of your questions in the text above, don’t hesitate to reach out to me! You can contact me by sending me a message in the comments section further down the page. I will try my best to answer as soon as possible! You might reach me even faster by following me on Facebook and sending me a private message. Scroll down to follow me and never miss another recipe!
Finally, as I stated previously, every day I will be posting a new recipe. If you miss one, don’t fret. You can find my entire collection of Christmas Recipes right here! There are over 100 Christmas recipes and counting. There’s something for everyone! Cheers!

Do You Like This Recipe?
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Haystack Cookies – Peanut Butter Version
Ingredients
- 226 grams white chocolate chips
- 300 grams Reese's Peanut Butter Chips
- 4 cups Chow Mein Noodles
- 1/2 cup peanut M&Ms
- 2 tablespoons sprinkles
Instructions
- Microwave in 30 second increments on half power, stirring with a rubber spatula between each increment until mixture is silky smooth.
- Add in the chow mein noodles and use a rubber spatula to fold them in until each noodle is well coated.
- Next, use a tablespoon to portion out mounds on the mixture onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Top with M&Ms and sprinkles, if using.
- Allow the chocolate to firm up at room temperature. Once firm, transfer to food-safe container and keep refrigerated.
Nutrition
Haystack Cookies – Chocolate Version
Ingredients
- 540 grams milk chocolate chips
- 4 cups Chow Mein Noodles
- 1/2 cup chocolate M&Ms
- 2 tablespoons sprinkles
Instructions
- Microwave in 30 second increments on half power, stirring with a rubber spatula between each increment until mixture is silky smooth.
- Add in the chow mein noodles and use a rubber spatula to fold them in until each noodle is well coated.
- Next, use a tablespoon to portion out mounds on the mixture onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Top with M&Ms and sprinkles, if using.
- Allow the chocolate to firm up at room temperature. Once firm, transfer to food-safe container and keep refrigerated.
Nutrition
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Jane says
I will definitely be giving the PB version a try! I grew up making these with butterscotch morsels, but there are so many other options. Last weekend, I needed a treat to take with us to a gathering but didn’t have all the ingredients on hands, so I used white chocolate and crushed pretzels and added Spanish peanuts– SO GOOD. I melted the chocolate in the crock pot, which I had never done before, and it worked well because it kept the chocolate soft while I dropped one cookie at a time and decorated with sprinkles and M&Ms before the chocolate cooled too much for all that to stick. You do have to be careful not to leave it in there too long though or it will brown. I have my chow mein noodles now, so next is your PB version– thank you! 🙂
Deb says
My first haystack recipe was from my mother and it was made with heresy’s cocoa,coconut and oatmeal! Delish. My second was from my sister in law made with butterscotch and potato sticks! Another great recipe and so easy!!
Snooks says
They are great and easy to make. Try them you’ll really enjoy
Snooks says
Great and east to do. You’ll 😊