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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
Bird’s nest cookies are made of cereal or noodles, peanut butter, chocolate, and are often filled with little egg candies.
Yes, they will 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.
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).
Bird Nest Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 ⅓ cups white chocolate chips
- 9 tbsp smooth peanut butter
- 4 cups chow mein noodles fried or steam fried
- 42 chocolate mini eggs
Instructions
- Spray 14 standard muffin cups with nonstick spray. (Do 2 batches if you only have one muffin pan or use a couple ramekins).
- Combine the chocolate and peanut butter in a large microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on 50% power for 2 minutes, stir, and repeat for 30 seconds or until chips are 80% melted. Stir to finish melting.
- Add chow mein noodles and stir gently to combine. Divide mixture among muffin cups and use a spoon to gently make a nest shape. Press 3 chocolate eggs into each nest. Freeze until firm, about 20 minutes. Use a butter knife to gently pop the nests out. Store in the fridge for up to a week.
Video
Notes
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- 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.
Nutrition
Last Updated on March 27, 2023 by Jennifer Pallian BSc, RD
These bird nest cookies are a true delight! They’re perfectly balanced and make for the perfect afternoon snack. They’re unique, tasty, and so easy to make. I highly recommend them to anyone who loves a good cookie. A must try recipe. Amazing!
So adorable!! I love how easy these are to make!
Such cute little nest cookies! You had me at just 5 minutes and four ingredients. So perfect for springtime.
How cute are these cookies? Perfect for easter. Thanks for sharing.
These little treats not only look pretty but are yummy! What a great idea!