Four ingredients and just 10 minutes are all you’ll need to make this Easy Vintage Haystacks Candy recipe. Crunchy chow mein noodles, butterscotch, and peanut butter collide in this no-bake treat for the holiday season or any time of year. It’s an easy to make vintage candy recipe that’s a perfect combination of sweet, salty, and crunchy!
‘Tis the season for holiday baking and candy making! And though I do enjoy a leisurely day in the kitchen making Christmas candies, I also appreciate recipes that can be whipped up in just a few minutes.
This vintage recipe for No-Bake Butterscotch Haystacks Cookies is one of the quickest and simplest recipes I know. It takes about 10 minutes from getting the ingredients out of the pantry to dropping them onto the paper to cool.
This retro haystacks recipe has been in my files forever. Since high school, as a matter of fact. I distinctly remember being introduced to it by my childhood friend, Sandra, when we were in about the tenth grade. It’s a delightful combination of sweet, salty, and crunchy and makes a lovely addition to your assortment of more traditional Christmas candies.
Recipe Snapshot
Cuisine: Southern, Vintage
Cooking Method: Microwave
Total Time: 10 Minutes
Servings: 24
Primary Ingredient(s): Chow mein noodles, peanut butter, butterscotch chips, peanuts
Skill Level: Easy
WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING …
“Yum, I haven’t made these in years! Thanks for bringing these back to my thoughts and I think I will whip up a batch for Christmas and maybe bring back some pleasant (and tasty) memories for my kids.”
— Lenoria
Ingredient Notes
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- Peanuts — I like to use the small, red-skinned Spanish peanuts for this, but dry roasted also work.
- Butterscotch Chips — Purchase a good quality brand. I typically use Nestle.
- Peanut Butter — You’ll want smooth peanut butter for this recipe.
- Chow Mein Noodles — I recommend La Choy brand, unflavored, chow mein noodles. Look for these in the aisle with the Asian cooking ingredients.
The complete ingredient list with detailed measurements is included in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
You’ll also find this recipe in my cookbook!
You can see this recipe on page 305 of my cookbook, My Southern Table! Get your signed copy today.
How to Make Easy Vintage Haystacks
Melt the Chips
- In a large bowl, microwave the butterscotch chips and peanut butter on 50% power for 3 to 5 minutes or until the chips have melted, stirring after each one-minute increment.
👉 PRO TIP: It’s important to use 50% power on the microwave, or you’ll wind up with butterscotch chips that have seized or burned. Stir the mixture every minute. Alternatively, you can melt the chips and peanut butter on the top of a double boiler.
Stir in the Peanuts and Noodles
- Remove the bowl from the microwave and stir in the peanuts and chow mein noodles. Stir gently until everything is coated very well. Take care not to break the noodles too much.
Drop Onto a Baking Sheet
- Drop the mixture by teaspoonfuls onto waxed or parchment paper. Let it sit at room temperature until completely cooled and firm. It may take several hours for the candy to become firm, depending on the humidity that day.
Storage and Make Ahead Information
- Make Ahead: It goes without saying that these can and should be made in advance.
- Storage: Best stored at room temperature. Refrigerating the haystacks tends to make them too firm. Place the finished candy in an airtight container and keep for 5 to 7 days (they would be fine for longer, but the noodles tend to become stale after a while).
- Freezing: Not recommended.
Variations
- Swap out the peanuts with slivered almonds, chopped pecans, cashews, or walnuts.
- Use milk chocolate, semi-sweet, or white chocolate chips in place of the butterscotch.
- Add sprinkles for a pop of color and interest.
- Drizzle the finished haystacks with melted milk chocolate.
- For an Easter theme, shape the haystacks into the form of a nest and add a few egg-shaped candies in the center.
More Homemade Candy Recipes
- Cranberry Pistachio White Chocolate Bark
- Easy 5-Minute Microwave Fudge
- Mounds Bars Candy
- Classic Peanut Brittle
- Salted Butterscotch Fudge
- Cinnamon Pumpkin Seed Brittle
- Homemade Southern Pecan Pralines
- Homemade Marshmallows
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Paté
- Bacon and Pecan Topped Toffee
- Saltine Cracker Toffee
Questions About Haystacks Candy
These candies are called haystacks because they resemble an old-fashioned stack of hay.
The chow mein noodles you’ll use in this recipe are the crispy, quick-cooked noodles available in most U.S. grocery stores. The most popular brand (and the one used for this recipe) is La Choy.
Have a question or thought to share?
If you have a question about the recipe or if you’ve made it and want to share how it turned out, I would truly enjoy hearing from you. Just scroll down to leave a comment or add your star rating.
Thank you for stopping by. It means a lot to have you here.
Recipe
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Easy Vintage Haystacks Candy
Ingredients
- 1 cup butterscotch chips (recommend: Nestle Toll House brand)
- ½ cup peanut butter
- ½ cup salted peanuts
- 2 cups chow mein noodles (La Choy brand recommended)
Instructions
- In a large bowl, microwave the butterscotch chips and peanut butter on 50% power for 3 to 5 minutes or until the chips have melted, stirring after each one minute increment.1 cup butterscotch chips, ½ cup peanut butter
- Remove from the microwave and stir in the peanuts and chow mein noodles.½ cup salted peanuts, 2 cups chow mein noodles
- Drop by teaspoonfuls onto waxed or parchment paper. Let sit until completely cooled and firm. It may take several hours for the candy to become firm.
Notes
- It’s important to use 50% power on the microwave or you’ll wind up with butterscotch chips that have seized or burned. Stir the mixture every minute. Alternately, you can melt the chips and peanut butter in the top of a double boiler.
- Storage: Best stored at room temperature. Refrigerating the haystacks tends to make them too firm. Place the finished candy in an airtight container and keep for 5 to 7 days (they would be fine for longer but the noodles tend to become stale after a while).
- Freezing: Not recommended.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information is calculated by software based on the ingredients in each recipe. It is an estimate only and is provided for informational purposes. You should consult your healthcare provider or a registered dietitian if precise nutrition calculations are needed for health reasons.
— This post was originally published on December 11, 2012. It has been updated with new photographs and additional information.
I’m Lana Stuart, an award-winning cookbook author, food blogger, and lifelong cook raised deep in Southwest Georgia. I started Lana’s Cooking in 2009 to share the tried-and-true recipes I grew up with. Around here, the food is full of flavor, the traditions run deep, and there’s always room at the table.
These are delicious. I think I messed something up though. I made these about an hour ago and they’re kind of sticky. What did I do wrong?
They can take several hours to set up depending on how humid the weather is. Probably just need to give them a little more time. If they really don’t set up, go ahead and put them in the fridge for about 20 minutes, but be sure to take them out once they’re set and keep them at room temp.
great recipe. so easy.
My haystack will not get hard. I followed the recipe completely. Really gooy
Sorry you’ve had a problem with them, Donna. I’ve never had them to not firm up. As long as you used high quality brands of butterscotch chips and peanut butter, they should eventually get firm. It sometimes takes a few hours and putting them in a cool place can help.
I usually don’t bake or cook much in general, but I promised to make something for a bake sale at work. My MOM always used to make Haystacks and I loved them. I decided to give it a try simply because of the Nostalgia that they held for me as a childhood memory. I searched for a recipe and chose this recipe because of the name…”Vintage Haystacks Candy”. The recipe was simple, easy to follow and the results were delicious! Thank you, Lana, for helping me create a delicious and easy treat that all of my coworkers will enjoy!
It always makes me happy to be able to remind people of old recipes that they remember from childhood. Hope your co-workers enjoyed the haystacks!
can you recommend a substitute for the peanuts?
If you can’t have peanuts, I think cashews would be delicious in this!
Recipe was easy and worked very well.
Tried it. They’re delicious ❤️
Glad you liked them!
I made these Haystacks. I used a double boiler and followed the recipe exactly. I left them overnight on wax paper. They never set up. I used Nestle butterscotch chips. What could I have done wrong?
You may have overcooked the mixture. It’s really hard to say what someone did wrong without being in the kitchen with them. Next time try it in the microwave.
Super easy, crazy addictive! My family will often shape them into bars for easy of making large batches the same way you would Rice Krispie treats.
I never thought of making them into bars, but that’s a nice idea. Might try it myself!