Bird Nest Cookies

These Bird Nest Cookies take just 5 minutes and 4 ingredients. Filled with cute chocolate eggs, it’s a favorite no-bake Easter treat recipe.

Why You’ll Love These Bird Nest Cookies

Salty and sweet; with white chocolate and peanut butter, these little bird nest cookies are all crunch and yummy flavor, and you’re going to love them.
They come together quickly and they’re totally no bake – you don’t need any oven time. What a win!
Made with 4 simple ingredients. 
A kid-friendly and fun activity for little Easter Bunnies.
They will look super cute on your Easter party table or as a little Easter dessert.

Ingredients For Bird Nest Cookies

White Chocolate Chips: You can also dark or milk chocolate chips if you prefer but they will come out darker. I’ve seen recipes using butterscotch chips as well.

Smooth Peanut Butter: As much as I love the all-natural peanut butters, the good ol’ shelf-stable brands that don’t separate out are best for this recipe.

Chow mein noodles: Yup, chow mein noodles. The fried (or steam fried) kind that are crunchy and do not require cooking. (This is what the right chow mein noodles look like on Amazon US and this is what the chow mein noodles look like on Amazon Canada). These provide the “twigs” for your nests.

Chocolate mini eggs: I go with Cadbury mini eggs. The pastel eggs look really pretty in their little nests but go with whatever you like best.

How To Make No Bake Bird Nest Cookies 

First, spray 14 standard muffin cups with nonstick spray. (Do 2 batches if you only have one muffin pan, or use a couple of ramekins).
Next, combine the chocolate and peanut butter in a large microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on 50% power for 2 minutes, stir, and repeat in 30 second intervals until chips are 80% melted. Stir to finish melting.
Add chow mein noodles and stir gently to combine. Divide mixture among muffin cups and gently use a spoon to make a nest shape. Press 3 chocolate Easter eggs into each nest. Freeze until firm, about 20 minutes. Use a butter knife to pop the nests out gently. Store in the fridge for up to a week. 

Make Ahead Instructions 

You make these cookies up to a week in advance, so long as you store them in a cool, dry place and in a sealed, airtight container.

Storage Instructions 

You can store your bird’s nest cookies in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for around 1 week.

Alternatively, you can freeze for up to a month. Pack them neatly in a container and layer pieces of parchment paper between them. You want to make sure they aren’t crashing into one another. Thaw them out in the fridge before serving.

Variations 

Switch out the chow mein noodles for another crunchy ingredient like cereal or little pretzel sticks. 
You can make these with a different kind of chocolate or divide the recipe into three and make milk, dark, and white chocolate varieties.
Change up the mini eggs for M&Ms, or try jelly beans as an alternative.
Add other crunchy and tasty elements to your nests like nuts or toasted coconut.

Can I Leave The Peanut Butter Out Of Bird’s Nest Cookies?

You can choose to use alternative nut butter in this recipe if there’s a peanut allergy concern.

If you don’t want to use nut butter at all, you can replace it with extra chocolate. 

What Can I Use Instead Of Chow Mein Noodles?

If you can’t find or don’t want to use chow mein noodles, you can pick up a box of Rice Crispies (the Cocoa Rice Crispies will do too). Little pretzel sticks or any shredded wheat cereal are great options.

You want a cereal that will give you a good crunch, and that isn’t overly sweet.

FAQs

Pro Tips And Tricks 

When melting the peanut butter and chocolate together, make sure the bowl is clean and not wet at all, as water does not mix with chocolate and can cause it to seize.
Ensure you give the melting chocolate, and peanut butter mix a break and stir the mix through as you melt it in the microwave. 
Take your time removing the bird’s nests from the muffin pans or ramekins, as this they are relatively delicate.

Other Recipes You Won’t Want To Miss

I love a little Easter treat and if you do too, checkout this “light and whippy” no-bake Easter Cheesecake  that you can make up in a jiffy. 

If you’re planning an Easter party: bake a batch of these deeply chocolatey Easter Brownies or have these chocolate Easter cookies on hand to serve post-Easter egg hunting.

As you can tell, I love a little Easter-themed treat – these mini-egg cookies are no exception (last one, I couldn’t help myself). 

Last Updated on March 27, 2023 by Jennifer Pallian BSc, RD