Featured Reader Comment
These sweet little cookies are delicious! And, my kids and I had the best time making them. Thank you for such a fun and yummy recipe that’s now become a tradition in my family. Happy Easter!
Julia
Why These Precious Spring Treats Mean So Much to Me
This recipe brings back so many nostalgic memories for me! When my boys were younger, we made these Bird’s Nest Cookies every weekend in April to celebrate springtime and Easter. With just a handful of ingredients and no baking at all, they’re the kind of easy Easter dessert you can pull together in minutes for brunch, classroom parties, or our family’s big Sunday meal.
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!
Happy Easter!
Donya’s Best Tips for Perfect Little Nests
- Watch the chocolate, not the clock: Every microwave is different, so go by look over time. When most of the chips are melted, and the mixture looks smooth and glossy, stop heating and let the stirring finish the job.
- Let the chocolate cool just a bit: Give the melted chips a minute to cool down before you add the noodles. If it’s too hot, it can crush the noodles, and you’ll lose that light, crispy “nest” texture.
- Add the noodles in batches: Stir in a handful or two of noodles at a time until everything is coated but still a little “twiggy.” This keeps you from flooding the bowl with too many noodles or too much chocolate.
- Shape and tuck the eggs in right away: Scoop, make the little nest shape, and press the candy eggs in while the mixture is still soft. Once it starts to set, the eggs won’t nestle down and are more likely to pop off later.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Milk chocolate chips – classic, kid-friendly chocolate flavor; can swap dark chocolate.
- Butterscotch chips – add buttery, caramel-like sweetness.
- Crispy fried chow mein noodles – La Choy-style; give that iconic crunchy “nest” texture.
- Sea salt – balances sweetness and boosts flavor.
- Mini chocolate eggs – pastel candy eggs for the “nest” look.
Make Them Your Own: Flavor, Candy, and Holiday Swaps
These sweet little cookies go by lots of names—bird nest cookies, haystacks, butterscotch cookies—and they’re easy to dress up for any season.
Fun additions: pastel or seasonal sprinkles, caramel drizzle, crushed pretzels for extra crunch, or a spoonful of peanut butter swirled into the melted chips.
Simple substitutions:
- Dark chocolate chips instead of milk chocolate for a richer flavor
- Cornflakes in place of chow mein noodles (like my No-Bake Butterscotch Cookies)
- Different candies: jelly beans, pastel M&Ms, mini peanut butter eggs, or Hershey’s Kisses
Holiday twists:
- Spring/Easter: pastel eggs, sprinkles, and a pretty cake stand
- Fall: caramel drizzle and warm-toned candies
- Christmas: red and green candies with a white chocolate drizzle
How To Make No Bake Birds Nest Cookies
Got 20 minutes? Then you can make these sweet treats with only 5 simple ingredients and 4 easy steps!
- Melt the chocolate and butterscotch chips together until they’re smooth and glossy.
- Gently stir in the chow mein noodles so everything gets lightly coated.
- Scoop little mounds onto parchment and nudge them into cute “nests.” Sprinkle sea salt lightly over the nests.
- Tuck a few candy eggs in the center of each one, then let them sit until the nests are set and ready to nibble.
How Far Ahead Can I Make These (and How Do I Store Them)?
You can absolutely make these ahead, which is a lifesaver during a busy holiday week. I like to make the nests 1–2 days before I need them, let them set completely on parchment, then move them to an airtight container. Keep them at room temperature in a cool, dry spot, in a single layer or stacked gently with parchment so the chocolate and eggs don’t stick together.
If you need to, you can pop them in the refrigerator, but I only use the fridge if my kitchen is really warm, because cold air can make the chocolate sweat and soften those crispy noodles.
More Easy Sweet Treats for Your Spring Table
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. Sprinkle sea salt lightly over the nests.
- 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
Questions You Might Have (Answered Before You Even Ask)
Use short bursts (about 10 seconds at a time), stir often, and stop heating as soon as most of the chips are melted—then stir until smooth. If it seems too thick, you can gently rewarm it or add a tiny splash of neutral oil.
Absolutely. Grown-ups should handle the hot bowl, but kids can stir once the mixture cools slightly, help scoop, shape the nests, and tuck the little eggs into the center.
Using roughly 1 tablespoon of mixture per nest, you’ll get about 36 cookies from this recipe. You can make them a little larger or smaller, just know that it will affect the total yield.
If you tried this Bird’s Nest Cookie Recipe or any other recipe, please leave a star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. Thanks!
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When do you add the salt? To the melted mixture before the noodles go in?
Yes, add the salt to the melted mixture before the noodles go in so it distributes evenly through the dish.
~Donya
These sweet little cookies are delicious! And, my kids and I had the best time making them. Thank you for such a fun and yummy recipe that’s now become a tradition in my family. Happy Easter!
Thank you, Julia! I’m thrilled that you all enjoyed making them and started your own tradition. Happy Easter to you and your family.
~Donya
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