Our No-Bake Chow Mein Cookies recipe has been a family favorite for years! It’s a simple refrigerator drop cookie that only needs 4 ingredients: crunchy chow mein noodles, butterscotch chips, chocolate chips, and peanuts. 
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Nearly 30 years ago, I was introduced to my grandmother-in-law’s No-Bake Chow Mein Cookies. Well, she actually called them “Chinese New Year Cookies”, but my family and I always preferred to call them “Chow Mein Cookies”, so that’s the name that always stuck with us.
During Christmastime, she would make a table full of holiday treats. After our holiday dinner with her, she would create a plate of goodies for us to take home. The Chow Mein Cookies were always one of the first to go.
I loved that tradition, so after a few years into our marriage, we started the tradition of making lots of holiday treats too. I usually picked treats to make that were fairly easy or ones that were special to me, such as Chocolate Chip Cookies and Christmas Candy Cane Cookies. And these No-Bake Chow Mein Cookies have also been made every year.
No-Bake Chow Mein Noodle Cookies Recipe Ingredients
Chow Mein Cookies are a simple refrigerator drop cookie that only needs 4 ingredients:
If you are unfamiliar with chow mein noodles, they are a crunchy, fried egg noodle sold in the Asian food section of most grocery stores. Look for them in a bag like you see in our photo (your store may sell a different brand). You may also see chow mein noodles sold in a canister, but we recommend trying to find the bags as they are usually less expensive.
Can’t find them in store? You can also buy them online: La Choy Chow Mein Noodles
How to Make No-Bake Chow Mein Noodle Cookies
No-Bake Chow Mein Noodle Cookies don’t have to be baked in an oven. As long as you have a microwave (or stovetop) and a refrigerator, you can make these.
First, line baking sheet with wax paper or parchment paper. Be sure that the baking sheet you use will fit in your refrigerator. If you have limited space in your refrigerator, you can use a dinner plate or another smaller tray-like item.
Combine both the butterscotch chips and the chocolate chips in a large microwave-safe bowl. Make sure that your bowl is large enough that it will hold all of your chow mein noodles, along with the chips and the peanuts. A bowl that holds at least 2.5 qt will work.
TIP: We use this bowl for this recipe: Pyrex Smart Essentials 2.5qt Mixing Bowl
You’ll start by melting the chips together in the microwave, stirring chips every 30-45 seconds, until smooth. The key is that you want to stir the chips often.
Our preferred method for melting the chips is in the microwave, but if you prefer to melt the chips on your stove top, here are step-by-step instructions for doing that: How to Melt Chocolate on your Stove-Top
Once the chips are smooth and melted, you will begin folding in the chow mein noodles a little at a time until they are completely coated mixture. Then gently fold in the peanuts until they are completely coated.
Finally, drop chow mein mixture by the spoonful onto your prepared baking sheet. We do this by using two teaspoons, one to scoop up some of the mixture and the other spoon to help scrape the mixture off of the other spoon and onto the baking sheet. If any of the chow mein noodles or peanuts escape from your mound, just push it back to the chow mein mixture.
To help the Chow Mein Cookies set up, we have found through the years that placing them in the refrigerator is best. You may find that you don’t need to place them in the refrigerator, but this does speed up the process.
Once the Chow Mein Cookies have set, store them covered at room temperature.
No-Bake Chow Mein Noodle Cookies Recipe
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No-Bake Chow Mein Noodle Cookies
Description
Our No-Bake Chow Mein Cookies recipe has been a family favorite for years! It’s a simple refrigerator drop cookie that only needs 4 ingredients: crunchy chow mein noodles, butterscotch chips, chocolate chips, and peanuts.
Ingredients
11–12 ounces butterscotch chips (about 2 cups)
11–12 ounces chocolate chips (about 2 cups)
12 ounces chow mein noodles (about 6 cups)
1 cup salted peanuts
Instructions
Line a baking sheet with wax paper or parchment paper.
Place both the butterscotch chips and the chocolate chips in a large microwave-safe bowl. Melt the chips together in the microwave, stirring chips every 30-45 seconds, until smooth.
Remove from microwave and begin folding in the chow mein noodles a little at a time until they are completely coated with the melted chip mixture. Fold in peanuts until they are completely coated.
Drop chow mein mixture by the spoonful onto prepared baking sheet. Place baking sheet in the refrigerator until Chow Mein Cookies have completely set.
Once Chow Mein Cookies have set, store covered at room temperature.
Notes
–We usually use semi-sweet chocolate chips, but you can use milk chocolate chips if you prefer
–The peanuts can be removed if you prefer. Or other salted nuts can be substituted.
- Category: Cookies
- Method: Microwave
Darlene Rhodes says
I have made it many times over the years but I am not at home where my recipe is. Thank you.
Kat Willson says
About how many cookies will this make? I am making for a large crowd.
Thanks!
Susan Enke says
I add minature marshmellows in the end for fun.
Eloise says
can you make these in a crockpot
Sheryl says
IF they are being frozen up to a month. If they are not, not more than 2 weeks
sabrina says
How far in advance can you make these?
Cheri says
I made mine with milk chocolate chips. I melted them in the micro but they didn’t melt creamy. It was thick. I did micro them every 10 secs checking and mixing as I went to make sure I didn’t over cook the chocolate. The choc didn’t cover the noodles because if this. It was globby. Should I have added butter to the chips to make them melt better?
Ruth says
I tried a rocky road variation by using toasted almond slivers and stirring in 2 cups mini marshmalllows. 😋
To share a new hack I learned, if the oven is warm, place the chips in an oven proof container to melt. No need to use extra energy and save on utilities. It works great!
Pennie M Manto says
I just made these, I had to substitute peanut butter chips for the butterscotch chips as they weren’t available in the stores here in Canada. Just wondering,Can these be frozen to keep fresh for a week?
KS says
Easy and family loved them!
Making another batch now.
Deric says
Chocolate Chow Mein cookies are one of our family favorites, although our version is without nuts. At Halloween we jokingly refer to them as Chocolate Spiders. The kids love them regardless of their name.
MJ says
Awesome 🤩 my mother’s recipe.
Cathy says
My mom’s recipe too. I made them yesterday…..one batch with peanuts and one batch with cashews (she liked cashews better😊)
Jim says
I didn’t make these yet but I’m gonna! Might use peanut butter chips!
Barbata says
Loved this recipe and it is no longer on the noodle bag! Thanks for this!
Anita says
I remember my brownie troop leader making these for a Halloween party and I really wanted to make them they came out great but I think I will use crunchy peanut butter next time
Etp says
My mom made these every Christmas and easter and called them haystacks. I just use chocolate chips, nuts and the noodles.
Jerrilea Uhrick says
My mother made these cookies when my first child was about two years old, she instantly called them spider cookies and now I am a grandmother of seven and these cookies are still called spider cookies, many happy memories, oh and by the way they are a hit everywhere I take them! 5 stars!!!!
Sandi Klein says
My mom always used a half stick of butter so the morsels wont get clumpy. I cannot find that particular recipe. Please let me know what is best to do.
Nora says
We love these cookies. They are a family favorite in the Autumn, but we’ve always called them Haystack because that’s exactly what they look like!
Donna Blake says
Haven’t made these in years. Made them when the kids were small ( they are all-6- over 50 now). They were good then and my great grandchildren now love them and they are so easy.
angie says
love these little cookies like snacks there are so many ways they can be made
Miz Helen says
We love your chow mein noodle cookies! Hope you are having a great week and thanks so much for sharing your awesome recipe with us at Full Plate Thursday!
Miz Helen
Lise says
Looks delicious. Do you never actually cook the noodles? Lise
brandie says
Thank you, Lise! These type of chow mein noodles are pre-cooked, so they are ready to use right from the package.
Jeanna says
This is a classic, who came up with this combo, I mean chow mein noodles? This is a reason for me to get a new microwave (the other one died and I’ve yet to replace it).
Lisa says
You can always go old school and melt the Chocolate over a double boiler