You can make butterscotch haystacks at Christmastime, these have made an appearance on my holiday cookie trays in years past, but they aren’t necessarily holiday-themed, so you can feel free to make them for football parties, potlucks, or any time when a sweet treat would be appreciated. I am a huge fan of how simple these haystacks are to make. They are mixed up in under 10 minutes, and then the hardest part is just waiting for them to harden enough to eat! I also really love the peanut butter in this recipe, it makes them creamy, and adds a salty aspect to the recipe. If you love peanut butter too you should check out my Peanut Butter Cheerio Bars or Easy Peanut Butter Granola.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Key Ingredients
Just 4 simple ingredients are needed to make this classic no-bake cookie treat. Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
Butterscotch Chips. The same chips that you might toss into your oatmeal cookies melt down to create the delicious coating for these haystack cookies. Peanut Butter. Choose a smooth peanut butter here, we’re going to add peanuts separately. Chopped Peanuts. I like to leave the peanuts whole so that there are nice bites in each cookie with nuts. Use salted and roasted peanuts for the best flavor. Chow Mein Noodles. These can usually be found in the section of the grocery store where Asian foods are. They often come in a large paper canister or a bag. Chow mein noodles are a crunchy, fried, wheat-based noodle. LaChoy is the most common brand of these that I’ve seen, but there may be others.
How to Make Butterscotch Haystacks
You aren’t going to believe how simple this recipe for haystacks is!
Recipe Tips
Storing Tips
Store your haystack cookies in an airtight container for up to three days. You can keep them at room temperature, but if it’s warm in your home you might want to refrigerate them.You can also freeze haystacks in a freezer bag for 1-2 months.
Butterscotch Haystack Variations
Because this recipe is loved far and wide, there are also a lot of variations that brilliant cooks have come up with. You can try some of these if you’d like to move away from the traditional haystack recipe. Don’t use crunchy peanut butter. In crunchy peanut butter, the nuts make it so there is less actual peanut butter, and we need the peanut butter to make the coating. Creamy peanut butter works best. Not a butterscotch fan? It’s ok, this recipe works just as well with semisweet or white chocolate chips instead of the butterscotch ones! Swap the nuts out. You can leave the peanuts out of this recipe if you prefer, or swap them out for cashews, almonds, or walnuts. Decorate haystacks. Feel free to add a drizzle of white chocolate and/or some colored sprinkles to match your holiday or special occasion.
Instead of Chow Mein Noodles: Use shoestring potato chips, thin pretzel sticks, or crispy cereal. You can combine two of these things to make a whole new texture too. Try Adding: Dried fruit like raisins or cranberries, mini chocolate chips or M&Ms, miniature marshmallows, or anything else that sounds good to you! Instead of Butterscotch: Use semi-sweet, milk chocolate, or white chocolate chips.
More No-Bake Treats to Enjoy
Peanut Butter No-Bake Cookies are delicious and packed with oats to make them nice and chewy. For the holidays, try these three-ingredient Christmas Pretzel Hugs. Funfetti Cake Batter Dip is the perfect blend of easy appetizer and decadent, creamy dessert!
Have fun making this classic no-bake cookie, and be sure to pin the recipe for later. © Little Sunny Kitchen
