Spider Cookies

These delicious, sweet and salty Spider Cookies are a huge hit in my family! It’s a good thing the recipe makes a bazillion because these tasty treats disappear almost as fast as you can make them!

If you love easy no bake desserts, you’ve got to try our tips and tricks for chocolate covered oreos. Or give our eclair cake a try soon.

These delicious, sweet and salty Spider Cookies are a huge hit in my family! It's a good thing the recipe makes a bazillion.


What are Spider Cookies?

Spider Cookies is a horrible name for a dessert. Almost as bad as cherry dump salad.

But, growing up that’s what my mom called these sweet treats. Little did I know most of the country calls them Haystack Cookies. Definitely a cuter name!

Whatever you call them, these easy cookies are always a hit.

  • You make them by mixing crunchy chow mein noodles with melted chocolate, butterscotch and peanuts–no baking required!

Haystack cookies do look a little like spiders but they taste amazing! If you love salty and sweet snacks, these cookies are a must try. Whether you’re trying Spider Cookies for the first time or rediscovering a childhood favorite, you’ll love this recipe.

These delicious, sweet and salty Spider Cookies are a huge hit in my family! It's a good thing the recipe makes a bazillion.

Ingredient Notes

  • Chow mein noodles – I use a full bag or canister of the La Choy brand crispy noodles.
  • Peanuts – Red skinned Spanish peanuts work best.
  • Semi-sweet chocolate morsels – Substitute milk or white chocolate if preferred!
  • Peanut butter and butterscotch morsels

Easy Instructions

Melt butterscotch morsels, chocolate morsels and peanut butter morsels in a sauce pan on the stove on low eat. Remove the pan from heat then fold in the peanuts and chow mein noodles.

Drop spoonfuls of the mixture onto a counter or pan lined with parchment paper. I use either a cookie scoop or two tablespoon measuring spoons to make sure the cookies are evenly sized. Make sure to leave a couple of inches of space between each cookie clump so they don’t stick together!

Allow the cookies to set for about 15 minutes before eating. Transfer to an airtight container once the chocolate is firmed up and store in the fridge for best flavor!

These delicious, sweet and salty Spider Cookies are a huge hit in my family! It's a good thing the recipe makes a bazillion.

Recipe FAQs

Do you have to keep these chilled?

No, you can store the haystack cookies at room temperature if needed or preferred. I find that chilling them helps bring out the butterscotch flavor more!

Why are my cookies falling apart?

If your cookies aren’t holding together, you may not have let the chocolate set up long enough. After 15 – 20 minutes, the cookies should be set enough to pick up without them falling apart. Also be sure to check your ingredient amounts. Using too many noodles will prevent the cookies from holding together as well.

Can you freeze haystack cookies?

Yes, first place them on a cookie sheet in the freezer for an hour. Once the cookies are frozen transfer them to a gallon freezer bag or freezer safe plastic container.

These delicious, sweet and salty Spider Cookies are a huge hit in my family! It's a good thing the recipe makes a bazillion.

More No Bake Treats

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Spider Cookies

5 from 3 votes
By: Aimee
These delicious, sweet and salty Spider Cookies are a huge hit in my family! It's a good thing the recipe makes a bazillion because these tasty treats disappear almost as fast as you can make them!
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 12 dozen

Ingredients 

  • 1 package butterscotch morsels 11 ounce
  • 1 package peanut butter morsels 10 ounce
  • 1 package semi-sweet chocolate morsels 12 ounce
  • 1 bag spanish peanuts (the red skinned peanuts) 12 ounce
  • 1 bag Chow mein noodles or canister 12 ounce
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Instructions 

  • Line counter with parchment paper or wax paper.
  • In a large saucepan, combine butterscotch, peanut butter morsels, and chocolate morsels. Heat on low, stirring constantly until smooth. Remove from heat and fold in peanuts and chow mein noodles. Stir until combined. Using a small scoop (or two teaspoons), drop mixture onto parchment paper in small clumps.
  • Allow to set, about 15-30 minutes. Store in airtight container. I prefer to keep mine in the refrigerator, I love eating these chilled, it brings out the butterscotch flavor!

Notes

  • You can store the haystack cookies at room temperature if needed or preferred. I find that chilling them helps bring out the butterscotch flavor more!
  • If your cookies aren’t holding together, you may not have let the chocolate set up long enough. After 15 – 20 minutes, the cookies should be set enough to pick up without them falling apart. Also be sure to check your ingredient amounts. Using too many noodles will prevent the cookies from holding together as well.
  • To freeze, first place them on a cookie sheet in the freezer for an hour. Once the cookies are frozen transfer them to a gallon freezer bag or freezer safe plastic container.

Nutrition

Serving: 2cookies, Calories: 4kcal, Sodium: 6mg
Course: Cookies
Cuisine: American
Did you make this recipe?Mention @shugarysweets or tag #shugarysweets!

Crunchy, sweet and salty, these no bake Spider Cookies are a breeze to make! While they may not be the prettiest dessert you’ll ever see, the rich chocolate and butterscotch flavor more than makes up for their funky appearance.



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About Aimee

Aimee is a dessert lover (specifically rice krispie treats), workout enthusiast, self-taught foodie, and recipe creator.

Learn more about Aimee.

Affiliate Disclosure:**There may be affiliate links in this post! By clicking on them, or purchasing recommended items I may receive a small compensation. However, I only recommend products I love! Thank you for supporting Shugary Sweets! See my disclosure policy for more info**

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Posted on July 15, 2015

Comments & Reviews

  1. Wow, these are different to Australian Chocolate Spiders! We use fried noodles, chocolate, and peanut butter.

  2. …..oh and btw, I have a dear friend who is absolutely terrified of spiders. She can’t even see a picture of one on the computer and she freaks out. If she sees one in person she has a panic attack. It is really bad. I feel awful for her. I can’t imagine having such an immobilizing fear as that. I don’t like spiders but I know that they kill and eat other bugs so I don’t mess with them…let them have dinner and kill some critters for me lol.

    1. Well, I guess I should be thankful that my fear doesn’t cause panic attacks. Yikes!!!

  3. I have heard these called everything from haystacks to no bake chow mein cookies to chocolate chow mein cookies and others….I don’t care what they are called as long as I get some LOL.

  4. These look so yummy! I’m actually not scared of spiders. Camelback crickets and cockroaches on the other hand? I scream bloody murder! 

  5. Ok, Love the cookies, HATE the “s” word.  I am such a scary cat about them!!!

  6. I’m super duper scared of spiders too. Yuck even thinking about them. We have a lot of black widows out here during the summer and I hate it. These spider cookies don’t scare me at all. In fact I wish I could grab a handful right this second! Pinned! 

  7. I am deathly afraid of spiders, too! I don’t know what it is but they make anxious as all heck. However, these spider cookies? They make me happy. 🙂

  8. I too have done all those spider getting rid of techniques!   Now as for these cookies! Yumo and nothing scary about them at all!

  9. A spider made from chocolate is the only spider I want anywhere near me!  We have a family of spiders living on the outside of our living room windows…guess which windows are now closed all the time!  I don’t even like to look at them!!! We always have a similar cookie like this around the holidays too!!!

    1. Ick. That would freak me out, and someone (ahem, Michael) would have to take care of that family ASAP!

  10. So I’m guessing you don’t want to hear stories about the pet tarantula I had in high school? He was so cute! Pinky. I miss him.
    These look like the kind of cookies I eat 50 of. Delicious!

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