Haystacks – An easy candy recipe from “back in the day.” 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 a quick few minutes. These vintage Haystacks are one of those quick-few-minute recipes. For sure. I made this batch in less than 15 minutes from getting the ingredients out of the pantry to dropping them onto the paper to cool.
This is also another of those back-in-the-day recipes that I’ve had in my files forever. They’re a delightful combination of sweet, salty, and crunchy and make a lovely addition to your assortment of more traditional Christmas candies.
I remember making these with my friend Sandra back in high school. Yes indeed, this recipe has stood the test of time.
How to Make Haystacks
Start by dropping some butterscotch chips and peanut butter into a large bowl and microwave those until the chips have melted. It only takes 3 or 4 minutes, but be sure to set the microwave to 50% power or you’ll wind up with butterscotch chips that have “seized.” Trust me on that. Stir the mixture every minute.
Remove the bowl from the microwave and stir in the peanuts and chow mein noodles. I like to use the red-skinned Spanish peanuts for this, but the dry roasted are fine, too. Stir until everything is coated very well.
Then drop the mixture by teaspoonfuls onto waxed or parchment paper. Let it sit until completely cooled and firm. It may take several hours for the candy to become firm depending on the humidity that day.
Enjoy!
More Candy Recipes on Never Enough Thyme:
- Quick and Easy Fudge
- Mounds Bars Candy
- Classic Peanut Brittle
- Cinnamon Pumpkin Seed Brittle
- Pecan Pralines
- Homemade Marshmallows
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Paté
- Bacon and Pecan Topped Toffee
- Toffee Bars (a.k.a. Redneck Toffee)
- Chinese Chews
Candy Recipes from Other Bloggers:
- Honeycomb Candy from The Seattlest
- Foolproof Peanut Butter Fudge from Real Mom Kitchen
- Dad’s Favorite Fudge from Simply Recipes
- Peppermint Bark from Brown Eyed Baker
- Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Truffles from Better Homes and Gardens
Pin to Your Pinterest Candy Board!
Haystacks
Haystacks - An easy candy recipe from "back in the day" updated for the microwave. Perfect combination of sweet, salty, and crunchy!
Ingredients
- 1 cup butterscotch chips
- 1/2 cup peanut butter
- 1/2 cup salted peanuts
- 2 cups chow mein noodles
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. Remove from the microwave and stir in the peanuts and 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
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 24 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving:Calories: 110 Total Fat: 7g Saturated Fat: 3g Trans Fat: 0g Unsaturated Fat: 4g Cholesterol: 0mg Sodium: 99mg Carbohydrates: 10g Fiber: 1g Sugar: 6g Protein: 2g
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My Mother made haystacks in the 1960s. I make them today so they have been enjoyed for at least fifty years in this family!
‘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.
You’re welcome, Lenoria! I hope you make them again and enjoy them.
I have been looking for this recipie for haystacks for some time. My neighbor made these a while ago I just loved them. Thank You! for the recipie!!
Glad I could help!
We make these at Easter; we press 2-3 tiny jelly beans into the center and call them “bird’s nests”.
At a bake sale last fall, someone made these haystacks with a candy-corn pumpkin pressed into the center of each. Versatile for any season or holiday!
Great ideas for using Haystacks year-round! Thanks, Lynnae.
We make them, too. But we use mini marshmallows in place of the peanuts. They’re always gone in a hurry :)
That sounds good, Amanda. I’ll try some with marshmallows next time I make them.
We made this as kids and still do today but we never knew what they were called. We used a bag each of Chocolate chips and a Butterscotch chips and a bag or can of Chow Mein Noodles. We called them spider cookies.
My family loves these..we prefer them with cashews. I buy the halves and pieces and give them a rough chop.
Cashews sound good too! I think you could use any nut you like for these.
Approximately how many pieces does the recipe make? Thanks.
Hi Stephanie – it makes about 24 pieces.
Your cookie tins – and their recipients – will surely thank you!
yes indeed, these are a classic… I have not made these in a few years, and I think the cookie tins have been a little sad. Time to bring them back.
Have a great weekend.
What a happy little blast from the past! I had forgotten about these delights. They are so tasty!
They are really good and so quick to make. Perfect for this busy time of year!
I make these too!! They disappear. I might be the culprit. :)
These disappeared, too. They went right out the door to work with Bill. Guess that means I’ll just have to make another batch. Oh, darn.