Halloween Haystacks combine crunchy chow mein noodles, salty peanuts, chewy candy corn, and sweet white chocolate in a fun and tasty treat that’s perfect for spooky season!
First things first: are you a candy corn fan?? It’s probably one of the most polarizing candies out there… and every Halloween, the controversy is reignited!
I want to say you either love it or hate it, but I’m not sure that’s always true. As for me, I love it in small doses… with other flavors to balance out the sweetness.
Specifically, I love it paired with anything crunchy and salty. Which is exactly why these Halloween Haystacks work SO well! They combine the sweetness of candy corn with the saltiness of dry roasted peanuts and the crunchiness of chow mein noodles.
Cover it all in white chocolate… and the end result is a crunchy, chewy, salty, sweet Halloween treat I can definitely get behind.
What You’ll Need For This Recipe
Chow mein noodles – Chow mein noodles provide the crunchy base for this recipe. I used about 3 1/2 cups.
Peanuts – Peanuts add additional crunch, along with salty, peanuty flavor. I used about 2 1/2 cups salted, dry roasted peanuts. Salted cocktail peanuts would also be a good option. I would not recommend unsalted.
Candy Corn – Candy corn adds chewy texture and the sweet, unmistakable flavor it’s known for. I added about 1 cup of candy corn (add more or less to taste.)
White chocolate – I used melted white chocolate as a coating for these haystacks. *Another delicious option would be to use half white chocolate and half peanut butter chips!
Sprinkles – I added Halloween colored sprinkles as a festive finishing touch.
How To Make Halloween Haystacks
Combine the chow mein noodles, peanuts & candy corn. Combine in a large mixing bowl. You’ll want one that’s big enough to stir in the white chocolate!
Melt the chocolate & combine. Slowly melt the white chocolate in a saucepan or the microwave, stirring regularly to prevent burning. Pour the melted chocolate over the chow mein mixture and mix until evenly coated.
Drop by the spoonful. Drop by the spoonful onto parchment or wax paper.
Decorate. Decorate with candy sprinkles as desired.
Dry & store. Set aside to dry completely, then store in an airtight container at room temperature.
Pro Tips
Use salted peanuts. These haystacks need something salty, and salted peanuts are the way to go! I used dry roasted, but salted cocktail would also work well.
Melt the chocolate slowly. White chocolate burns easily, so be sure to melt it slowly, stirring often.
Avoid liquid. Be careful to avoid any liquid touching the white chocolate since liquid will make it seize and clump.
Work in batches. If you’re working alone, consider working in batches. In other words, split the chow mein noodle mixture into two bowls and melt half of the white chocolate, then form the haystacks from that half before melting the rest of the white chocolate. This helps keep the chocolate from hardening on you while you’re working.
Halloween Haystacks
Ingredients
- 3 1/2 cups crispy chow mein noodles
- 2 1/2 cups dry roasted peanuts salted
- 1 cup candy corn or more, to taste
- 24 ounces white chocolate I used Candiquik
- Halloween – themed candy sprinkles
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the chow mein noodles, salted peanuts, and candy corn.
- Slowly melt the white chocolate in a saucepan or the microwave, stirring regularly to prevent burning. Pour the melted chocolate over the chow mein mixture and mix until evenly coated.
- Drop by the spoonful onto parchment or wax paper.
- Decorate with candy sprinkles as desired. Dry completely at room temperature before storing.