No-Bake Birds Nest Cookies are a delightfully sweet and salty treat that’s easy to make with only 5 ingredients. This fun, dessert is perfect for Easter and doubles as a pretty centerpiece for spring celebrations!
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This recipe brings back so many nostalgic memories for me! When my boys were younger, we made these Birds Nest Cookies every weekend in April to celebrate springtime and Easter. It’s a great recipe to make with your kids since there are very few ingredients and there’s no cooking or baking.
While these cookies are just about as cute as a dessert can get, they are also downright delicious! The unique texture of these Nest Cookies is what makes them so special. When you take a bite, they are chocolate-covered crunchy goodness that melts in your mouth!
Nest Cookies are irresistibly addictive! They have a rich flavor but they aren’t super filling, it’s one of those recipes that you’ll end up eating about a dozen more cookies than you meant to. Those sweet and salty snacks and desserts get me every time!
Ingredients Needed To Make This Recipe
- Butterscotch Chips
- Milk Chocolate Chips
- Crispy Fried Chow Mein Noodles – I use the La Choy brand
- Sea Salt
- Mini Chocolate Eggs
How To Make No Bake Birds Nest Cookies
With only 5 simple ingredients and 4 easy steps, you can enjoy these adorable and delicious sweet treats!
- To a medium-sized bowl add milk chocolate chips and butterscotch chips. Place in microwave and set time for 1 minute, checking the melting process every 10 seconds. Remove from microwave and stir melted chocolate chips.
- Add noodles to the chocolate mixture and stir.
- Line baking pans with parchment paper. Scoop a small amount of noodle mixture onto a spoon, and using a second spoon, begin to shape the mixture into a 1″ ball. Place the ball on parchment and create a small indentation in the center using the back of a spoon.
- Place 2 or 3 chocolate eggs in the center of the cookie. Repeat this process with the remaining mixture. Let sit out on the counter until chocolate hardens, then serve.
Fun Additions and Substitutions
This recipe is known by many names, depending on the season! Whether you call them butterscotch cookies, haystacks, or nest cookies, they are downright delicious.
While this recipe is Spring themed, you can absolutely make these cookies year-round by adding or substituting different ingredients. Here are a couple of my favorites…
Additions
- Sprinkles
- Caramel Drizzle
- Coarse Sea Salt
- Pretzel Pieces
- Peanut Butter
- Dip them in melted chocolate
Substitutions
- Substitute dark chocolate chips for milk chocolate
- Use corn flakes instead of chow mein, see my No-Bake Butterscotch Cookie Recipe for more details
- Hershey’s kisses for chocolate easter eggs
How To Store No Bake Birds Nest Cookies
Though I doubt you’ll have any of these delightful, adorable cookies leftovers, they can be stored in an airtight container for up to a week.
More Cookie Recipes You’ll Love…
- No-Bake Butterscotch Cookies
- Thumbprint Cookies
- Kitchen Sink Cookies
- Ambrosia Macaroon Cookies
- Lemon Curd Thumbprint Cookies
Equipment
Ingredients
- 12 ounce Bag of Milk Chocolate Chips – can substitute dark chocolate
- 12 ounce Bag of Butterscotch Chips
- 12 ounce Bag of Chow Mein Noodles
- 1 teaspoon Sea Salt
- 1 13 ounce bag mini chocolate eggs
Instructions
- To a medium sized, microwave safe, bowl add milk chocolate chips and butterscotch chips. Place bowl in microwave and set time for 1 minute, checking the melting process every 10 seconds. After 1 minute, remove bowl from microwave and stir melted chocolate chips – should have a thick, creamy consistency.
- Divide chow mein noodles into three equal portions. Add first portion of noodles into chocolate mixture and stir to coat. Repeat with remaining portions of noodles, making sure everything is well coated in chocolate mixture.
- Line either three baking pans or your countertop with parchment paper. Scoop a small amount of noodle mixture onto a spoon, and using a second spoon begin to shape mixture into a 1" ball. Place ball on parchment and create a small indentation in the center using the back of a spoon.
- Place 2 or 3 chocolate eggs in the center of the cookie. Repeat this process with remaining mixture, adding chocolate eggs to the center of each cookie. Let sit out on counter until chocolate hardens, then serve.
Nutrition
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Hi Donya. I just wanted to let you know that the ingredient of mini chocolate eggs is missing from the recipe’s list of ingredients.
I really enjoy your great recipes!
Thank you,
Amy
Amy, you are the best! Thank you. I’ve updated the post.
I really appreciate your sweet words and am so glad you like the recipes. It’s great to have you as part of the Southern Soul family!
Happy Easter,
~Donya