Easter Haystacks
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Posted: 02/20/24
Updated: 07/11/24
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Easy no-bake Easter Haystacks only take 20 minutes to make and are so cute and fun. A melt in your mouth mixture of butterscotch, mini marshmallows, peanut butter and chow mein noodles that are topped with Mini Cadbury Eggs. Make this easy treat for your Easter celebrations!
I love Easter so much! Spring time just brings so much joy with the flowers blooming and the sun shining. So, when Easter rolls around we embrace it with a smile…and plenty of yummy treats like Easter haystacks. If you’re a fan of regular haystack cookies, then you’ll love this recipe. It’s so incredibly easy to make, even my kids can make these on their own.
Easter haystack nests are festive, cute, and perfect for this spring-time holiday. You can wrap them up to hand out as gifts, serve them at an Easter brunch, or just make them for fun. You could even pack them in your kids lunches around Easter and it will officially makes you “the cool mom”. So, whether it’s before or after your dye Easter eggs, make these super fun sweet treats to enjoy the holiday!
Why You’ll Love Easter Haystacks
- Easter egg haystacks are a no bake recipe. This will leave your oven open for that tasty ham you need to bake for lunch.
- It only takes 20 minutes to prep this dessert. Then you can just let them set until you need them.
- This recipe only requires 5 simple ingredients. No long list to add to your ever-growing grocery list for Easter brunch, just a few easy things to grab!
Ingredients for Easter Egg Haystacks
- Chow mein noodles – The crunchy texture of chow mein noodles is absolutely the best part about no bake butterscotch haystack cookies.
- Butterscotch chips – Butterscotch is what gives haystacks that classic flavor that you know and love!
- Cadbury mini eggs – These are little candy coated chocolate eggs that you’ll put in the center of the haystacks to make them look like birds nests.
- Peanut butter – Use creamy peanut butter for the best results. Any of your favorite smooth peanut butter options will work!
- Mini marshmallows – The key to making the best haystacks is mini marshmallows. The slight squishy texture amongst crunchy chow mein noodles is perfect.
Helpful Tools
How to Make Easter Haystacks
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and then set it to the side.
- Pour the butterscotch chips in and scoop peanut butter into a large microwave-safe bowl. Place the bowl into the microwave and heat in 30 second intervals, stirring in between until the mixture is smooth.
- Add the chow mein noodles to the butterscotch mixture and stir to combine. Then mix in the marshmallows.
- Use a spoon and drop the haystack mixture onto the previously prepared baking cookie sheet. Shape the mounds into a nest shape and then make a shallow indent in the center of each haystack.
- Place three chocolate eggs in each indent and then let the Easter haystacks set at room temperature. If you need them to set more quickly, then place the pan into the refrigerator or freezer.
- Serve immediately or store in for later!
How to Store Easter Egg Haystacks
Place fully set Easter haystack nests into airtight container and store room temperature for up to a week.
FRIDGE: You can also store these sweet treats in the fridge. They’ll last for a little bit longer when stored in the fridge rather than at room temperature.
FREEZER: While I haven’t tested freezing easter egg haystacks, I would think they should store well. The candy may not hold up as well, but you can still try it out. Freeze in a freezer safe container with parchment paper in between the layers and freeze for up to a month.
Variations on Easter Haystacks
Butterscotch haystacks can be made for any holiday, but also adjusted and adapted to you preferences for Easter too! A few different ideas:
- Instead of butterscotch chips, use white chocolate chips to create a lighter-colored nest. The flavor would be different too!
- Instead of butterscotch haystacks, use chocolate chips to make peanut butter chocolate nests. If you like muddy buddies, then you’ll like this variation.
- Use Easter candy for the eggs, like jelly beans or chocolate eggs that don’t have a candy coating. Or, to make them look like robin eggs in a nest, use only light blue eggs.
- Sprinkle always add more fun! Use pastel-colored sprinkles on top of the nests before adding the eggs.
Pro Tips for the best Easter Haystack Nests
- Make sure to push the egg candies into the nests while the butterscotch is still wet. This is important to getting the candy eggs to actually stick to the nests!
- Don’t make the haystacks too large or they may not fully set in the middle.
- If you do not have parchment paper, lightly grease a pan with butter or cooking spray. It is important to have something on the surface of the cookie sheet so that the haystacks don’t stick.
You’re going to love this super fun sweet treat! So much fun for springtime and Easter.
More Easter Recipes You’ll Love
- These Easter Cupcakes are so cute and a great way to use up more of those cadbury eggs.
- Bunny Bait is so much fun to make and a super easy recipe to follow.
- Everyone needs a solid Classic Deviled Eggs Recipe to make around Easter! You can use those leftover colored eggs or fresh eggs.
- Ambrosia Salad is sweet, cheerful and so easy to make. Great for your Easter brunch!
Did you make this? If you snap a photo, please be sure tag me on Instagram at @julieseatsandtreats or #julieseatsandtreats so I can see your yummy treat!
Easter Haystacks
Melt in your mouth Easter Haystacks are a delicious mixture of butterscotch, mini marshmallows, peanut butter and chow mein noodles that are topped with Mini Cadbury Eggs.
Ingredients
- 1 cup butterscotch chips
- ½ cup creamy peanut butter
- 1 cup miniature marshmallows
- 5 ounces chow mein noodles
- 72 Cadbury Mini Eggs
Instructions
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper set aside.
- Combine butterscotch chips and peanut butter in a large microwave safe bowl. Microwave ingredients for 30 seconds, stir and repeat until completely melted.
- Add the chow mein noodles to the peanut butter mixture. Stir until combined then add the marshmallows and stir to combine.
- Drop by spoonfuls onto the prepared baking sheet and shape into nests with an indent in the middle. Place three eggs in the middle of each nest..
- Let cool at room temperature or place in the refrigerator or freezer to speed up the process.
Tips
Place fully set Easter haystack nests into airtight container and store room temperature for up to a week.
FRIDGE: You can also store these sweet treats in the fridge. They’ll last for a little bit longer when stored in the fridge rather than at room temperature.
FREEZER: While I haven’t tested freezing easter egg haystacks, I would think they should store well. The candy may not hold up as well, but you can still try it out. Freeze in a freezer safe container with parchment paper in between the layers and freeze for up to a month.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 103kcal (5%), Carbohydrates: 15g (5%), Protein: 2g (4%), Fat: 4g (6%), Saturated Fat: 1g (6%), Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 1mg, Sodium: 92mg (4%), Potassium: 31mg (1%), Fiber: 1g (4%), Sugar: 9g (10%), Vitamin A: 15IU, Vitamin C: 0.1mg, Calcium: 9mg (1%), Iron: 0.3mg (2%)
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