Haystacks

Chow mein noodles and marshmallows covered in chocolate make Haystacks a family-favorite addition to holiday baked goods platters! 

I hadn’t had Haystacks since I was a little kid, rarely see them at parties, nor do any of my friends talk about making them.  I knew I wanted to share them here, as they are such a special recipe in my life. 

There is a handwritten recipe for Haystacks on a piece of binder paper tucked into the back cover of my Betty Crocker Cooky Book. 

Handwritten, by me, as a kid – probably not older than 8 or 9 years old. I’ve looked at this recipe every year and I’ve never stopped to really think about what it meant, until this year. 

This recipe was a foreshadowing of my life to come as a baker and recipe developer.

Are Chow Mein Noodles Haystacks a No-Bake Recipe?

Yes! 

That is one of my favorite things about this recipe.  When you are doing your holiday baking, the oven is typically full of cookies, cakes, and pies.  Being able to whip up something without needing oven space is a must.

That’s why I love adding things like this to my no-bake treat list. It definitely doesn’t hurt that they are delicious!

I love making these, marshmallow muddy buddies, chocolate dipped pretzel rods and these chocolate dip spoons and cookies since they don’t require turning on the oven.

Can Kids Make This Recipe for Chocolate Haystacks?

As mentioned above, I started making this as a child, and know it is a great addition to your baked goods list for kids because it is a no-bake and easy recipe for them. 

While you will be working with melted chocolate, it is easy to teach kids how to handle it without burning themselves.

Much safer than having them at the cooktop or going in and out of the oven with trays of cookies.

My mother’s influence, her love of baking and being in the kitchen, inspired me at a young age to create and make Haystacks.  She encouraged me to write the recipe down and make sure it stays in the cookbook.

I knew that someday, I’d need the recipe again.  It’s one of those you want to keep and share with your children because it is easy fun, and of course, yummy.

Tips for Making and Storing Haystacks

Over the years, I have learned how to best make and store these.  Admittedly, however, I rarely have to store them for long!

They are always gone in minutes because they are just that good!

When making these, I like to set up a station on my table or counter that is lined with wax paper to drop the “stacks” onto after all ingredients have mixed together.  I let them harden, then gently stack them into a large plastic storage container.

You can place them in Ziploc bags, but they tend to get crumbled or broken easily that way.

While I don’t have to refrigerate them, I typically will if I am making them a few days before we plan to serve them. 

This keeps them a bit fresher and makes sure no chocolate starts melting when the kitchen heats up as we cook.

Haystack Variations

My original recipe for Haystacks says you can use butterscotch or peanut butter, but I prefer using chocolate as it is most traditional. 

Good quality chocolate really makes these amazing.

The best thing about this haystacks recipe is that you can truly make it different with simple changes.

• Use peanut butter, butterscotch, white chocolate, toffee, peppermint, chocolate mint, pumpkin spice, or even red velvet chips instead of chocolate.  
• Add chopped peanuts or pecans for more texture. 
• Make with flavored marshmallows for different flavors.