OurNo-Bake Chow Mein Cookiesrecipe 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 Ialways 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 simplerefrigerator 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.
No-Bake Chow Mein Noodle Cookiesdon’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 qtwill work.
You’ll start by melting the chips together in the microwave, stirring chips every30-45 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
Here is the full recipe, ready for you to print. Like this recipe? We’d love for you to pin to your Pinterest board or share it on Facebook! Thank you for your support!
OurNo-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.
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 every30-45 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 havecompletely 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.
Haystack Cookies are a magical combination of butterscotch, peanut butter, chocolate, M&Ms, and marshmallow bits. It doesn't get much sweeter than this!! It all comes together with a secret ingredient that you likely wouldn't expect: noodles!
Chow mein noodles are fried to crispness while lo mein noodles are boiled to softness. Both are great – but sometimes you just want those crispy noodles. So after that mix up, I've been trying to perfect a homemade chow mein dish. You know, so I don't have to constantly fight about chow mein versus lo mein with Ben.
Despite their differences, chow mein and lo mein dishes are both made with Chinese egg noodles, which are wheat flour noodles with egg added. While lo mein requires fresh egg noodles, chow mein can be made with either fresh or dried egg noodles.
Milk: Milk gives the cookies more moisture and richness. Cocoa powder: Unsweetened powder is essential for the deep chocolate flavor. Peanut butter: This recipe calls for crunchy peanut butter, but you can use smooth peanut butter if you prefer. Oats: Make sure to use quick-cooking oats.
Some claim cowboy cookies hail from Texas, a state many cowboys call home.Others say the treats were named for their ability to withstand long days in saddlebag. Whatever its origin, the combination of oats, chocolate, pecans, and coconut is undeniably delicious.
Lo mein typically uses fresh noodles, while chow mein can be made with fresh or dried. Lo mein noodles are typically thick and chewy. Stir-fried noodles in chow mein are thinner and cooked to a golden crisp.
Crispy chow mein is usually topped with a thick brown sauce, while steamed chow mein is mixed with soy sauce before being served. There is a regional difference in the US between the East and West Coast use of the term "chow mein". On the East Coast, "chow mein" is always the crispy kind.
“Lo mein usually uses the fat, chewy noodles, while chow mein uses the thin type of noodles that sometimes contain egg.” Lo mein uses fresh noodles that are boiled for a few minutes, while chow mein uses dried noodles that are parboiled for five to six minutes. Then there's the difference in cooking method.
Yes, it is possible to substitute spaghetti for chow mein noodles by boiling it with a small amount of baking soda. The baking soda alters the pH level of the spaghetti, giving it a similar texture and flavor to chow mein noodles. They can then be used in any dish that calls for chow mein noodles.
Noodles are simply strands or ribbons of a flour/water dough, sometimes with other things like eggs or milk added. Chow mein is a dish that is prepared with particular types of noodles, stir-fried with various ingredients. It's a main dish that includes protein and vegetables, not just carbohydrates.
Largely this is a matter of personal taste since both dishes can be made to your preference. If you prefer lightly sauced noodles with some crunch and vegetables with some snap, chow mein might be the way to go. If you like a more comforting noodle with richly flavored sauce, lo mein may be the better option.
Boiling too long will cause the cookies to be dry and crumbly. However, if you don't boil long enough the cookies will not set and will be runny. Some folks say bring the mixture to a rolling boil and then count to 60, while others swear by counting to 90.
We do not recommend baking our Bite-Sized Edible Cookie Dough [flavor/products]. It does not contain eggs or leavening agents, which are key ingredients in developing texture and lift in baked cookies. (If needed) Exposure to high oven temperatures will cause the product to liquefy and possibly burn.
A brookie is a combination of brownie and a cookie, or a cookie brownie recipe. You take two batters - a brownie batter and a cookie batter, and blob them into a pan, then pop the whole thing into the oven.
Stir oats, chocolate chips, coconut, and almonds together in a large bowl. Whisk sugar, milk, butter, and salt together in a saucepan; bring mixture to a boil, add vanilla, and remove from heat. Pour milk mixture over chocolate chips mixture; stir until well-combined.
What gives haystack cookies their signature crunch? Crunchy packaged chow mein noodles are the signature ingredient in haystack cookies that give them a crunchy texture and sweet and salty flavor.
In the United States, a haystack is a dish composed of a starchy food (Fritos, tortilla chips) topped by a protein (beans, grated cheddar cheese, taco-seasoned meat or meat alternative), in combination with fresh vegetables (shredded lettuce, tomatoes, olives, peppers), and garnished with various condiments (guacamole, ...
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