Peanut Butter Haystacks
These four-ingredient peanut butter haystacks coat crispy chow mein noodles and salted peanuts in melted butterscotch and creamy peanut butter. Prep and melting take 15 minutes before chilling firm.
Equipment
- Cookie sheets
- Parchment or wax paper
- Double Boiler
Ingredients
- 2 cups Butterscotch Morsels (I prefer Ghirardelli; no artificial flavorings)
- 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
- 10 oz chow mein noodles
- 1 cup salted peanuts
Instructions
- Cover the cookie sheets with parchment or wax paper. The lining should lie flat so the soft clusters have an even surface to rest on.
- Warm the butterscotch morsels in the upper pan of a double boiler over hot, nonboiling water, stirring occasionally as they soften. Continue until stirring leaves a smooth mixture without firm pieces.
- Reduce the heat to low and blend in the creamy peanut butter. The coating should look glossy and fall from the spoon in a thick ribbon.
- Place the chow mein noodles and salted peanuts in a large bowl, add the warm coating, and fold gently from the bottom. Stop when the noodles and peanuts look evenly covered without large pockets of bare ingredients.
- Portion rounded tablespoonfuls onto the prepared sheets and refrigerate until firm. The finished clusters should hold their shape when lifted from the paper.
Notes
Ingredient tip: Use conventional stabilized creamy peanut butter rather than an oil-separated natural peanut butter, as loose oil can leave the clusters soft or greasy.
Melting tip: Stir the butterscotch morsels before applying extra heat because they can retain their shape even after softening, and excessive heat makes them thick or grainy.
Texture tip: Fold the mixture gently from the bottom of the bowl and use small kitchen tongs or two forks to portion cleanly so the delicate noodles do not break into crumbs.
Storage: Transfer completely set clusters into a tightly closed container with parchment or wax paper between the layers. Store at cool room temperature or refrigerate if your kitchen is warm.
Nutrition information is an estimate based on common ingredients and serving sizes. Values may vary depending on brands, portions, and substitutions.