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These Birds Nest Cookies are the ultimate no-bake Easter treat that’s as fun to make as it is to eat. Made with crunchy chow mein noodles and rich melted chocolate, these Easter haystacks take less than 15 minutes of prep time. Whether you’re looking for a kid-friendly project or a festive centerpiece for your spring dessert table, this easy recipe is a holiday classic for a reason!
These adorable no bake birds nest cookies are a variation of classic no-bake haystack cookies all dressed up for Easter! It’s one of my favorite recipes to make because they’re super easy and no-bake. These aren’t those baked thumb print cookies rolled in coconut – they’re more like a crunchy candy.
The secret to the best birds nest cookies is achieving the perfect ratio of twigs to mud. We use chocolate candy melts to create a stable, delicious base that holds its shape without being too hard to bite. Unlike traditional cookies that require baking, these nests set up in the fridge, making them the perfect make-ahead treat that stays crunchy for up to two weeks!
How do you make birds nest cookies? Melt 12oz chocolate chips and ½ cup peanut butter until smooth. Gently fold in 4-5 cups of chow mein noodles until coated. Scoop heaping spoonfuls onto parchment paper, create a divot in the center, and top with 3 candy eggs. Chill for 15 minutes to set.
Ingredients for No-Bake Easter Nests
- We are using candy melts because they’re made for melting so you can aovid the stress of seizing an scorching chocolate. Melts are much easier to melt in the microwave, don’t melt as easy in your hands when eating, and they’re a bit softer than baking chocolate, so they are easier to eat. I recommend Ghiradelli Melts, Candiquik, or Almond bark. While you can use milk chocolate chips, semi-sweet chocolate chips or dark chocolate chips, I recommend buying the melts as they won’t melt in your hands as easily.
- Chow Mein Noodles are crunchy noodles that come in a bag or a can in the Asian foods aisle of the grocery store.
- Candy Eggs to make them look more like nests! Cadbury Mini Eggs are great, but you can also use jelly beans, Robins’ Eggs, or M&Ms.
- I purposely created this recipe for Birds Nests without peanut butter, however you can add 1/4 cup of cream shelf-stable (not natural) peanut butter when melting the chocolate. This adds more flavor, but is optional.
Substitutions for Chow Mein Noodles
In place of the noodles, you can use lightly crushed pretzel sticks or twists or cornflakes or puffed rice cereal (Rice Krispies).
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Click to see the recipe card below for full ingredients & instructions. See below the recipe card for even more information: process shots, variations, FAQ and more.
Expert Tips
- For the best birds nest cookies, use good-quality candy melts. Ghiradelli is best, but Candiquick and almond bark are also good. I would avoid the kind you can get at craft stores because they don’t taste as good.
- Use white chocolate, dark, or milk chocolate candy – your choice!
- Chocolate is the enemy of moisture. Ensure your bowl, spatula, and even the chow mein noodles are completely dry before you begin. Even a single drop of water can cause your chocolate to seize, turning it from silky smooth to a clumpy, gritty mess.
- When adding your noodles to the melted chocolate, use a wide rubber spatula and a folding motion rather than stirring vigorously. This prevents the noodles from breaking, ensuring your nests look like realistic twigs rather than a pile of crumbs.
- Use a cookie scoop to form the nests and place the eggs before the candy melts set.
- Store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
Easter Birds Nest Cookies
Recipe Video
Ingredients
- 10 ounces candy melts see note
- 2 cups (134 g) chow mein noodles
- Candy eggs see note
Instructions
- Line a cookie sheet with wax or parchment paper.
- Melt candy melts in a microwave safe bowl in 30 second increments on 50% power, stirring after each interval.
- Once the candy is melted and smooth, stir in chow mein noodles. Scoop mounds of the chocolate noodle mixture onto the cookie sheet. Top with 3-4 candy eggs.
- Chill to set. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
Recipe Notes
- Candy Melts: You can find these in the baking aisle. I recommend, in order of taste, Ghiradelli Melts, Candiquik, or Almond Bark. You can also buy them in colors at the craft store but they don’t taste very good.
- Flavor: Use chocolate or vanilla or a combination of both!
- Candy eggs: We love using Mini Cadbury Eggs but you can also use jelly beans, Robins eggs, or M&M eggs.
Recipe Nutrition
How to Make Birds Nest Cookies
- Place the candy melts in a large microwave-safe bowl. Warm them in 30-second increments on 50% powder, stirring between each increment until smooth.
- Add the chow mein noodles to the melted candy melts and stir.
- Drop scoops of the mixture onto a prepared baking sheet. Top each nest with three to four candy eggs.
- Chill the Easter haystacks until they are set.
FAQs
You can make white chocolate egg nests with white chocolate candy melts. Just follow the instructions on the package for melting them.
Bird’s nest cookies should be stored in an airtight container. They will keep well in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
You can freeze Easter bird nests, but they keep for two weeks in the fridge, so I don’t usually freeze them.
You can substitute with pretzel sticks (broken in half), cornflakes, or even shredded coconut for a more “tropical” nest texture.
This usually happens if there wasn’t enough chocolate to bind the noodles. Ensure you measure your noodles by weight or “scant” cups to keep the ratio perfect.
Yes! While Cadbury Mini Eggs are the gold standard for taste, jelly beans or Robin Eggs are great colorful alternatives.
History of Birds Nest Cookies
The tradition of Easter Nests dates back to 16th century Germany, where children would build “Oschter Has” (Easter Bunny) nests out of hats or baskets, hoping the bunny would leave colorful eggs.
These cookies are a modern evolution of “Ting-A-Lings” which are a popular candy made out of butterscotch, peanuts, and chow mein noodles.
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