Bird’s Nest Cookies

These no-bake Bird’s Nest Cookies are a great choice if you’re looking for an easy and fun cookie!

Cute and colorful, these cookies are the perfect treat for Easter or any springtime party. Using just 5 ingredients and a little imagination, you’ll quickly have a treat that will impress your family and friends!

What are bird’s nest cookies?

Versions of the Bird’s Nest Cookies have been around for years. Just like chocolate chip cookies and my almond flour peanut butter cookies, these cookies are popular favorites that endure and never go out of style. I’ve been making these for years because they’re easy to make and ideal for parties and family gatherings where both young and old love them.

While these are a common favorite during the Easter holiday, Bird’s Nest Cookies can be decorated for any occasion using the appropriate candy. Make these nests for a baby shower using blue or pink candy. Another name for these cookies is “haystack cookies,” in which the mixture is piled up instead of forming a nest.

Why you’ll love these cookies

• They’re the perfect combination of sweet and salty flavors, thanks to the combination of chocolate with fried noodles.
• These cookies are made to resemble bird nests with pretty candy eggs that make them the ideal Easter dessert, just like my marshmallow bunnies and Italian Easter Bread.
• You can customize these cookies to suit your taste and your imagination using different chocolate, candies, and decorations.
• If you’re looking for more Easter dessert recipes to make with children, this recipe is the one! Bird’s Nest Cookies don’t involve any difficult or time-consuming steps. Plus, children love to decorate with candies!
• This recipe is perfectly suitable for children to make on their own. Depending on how old the children are, an adult may need to melt the chocolate.

For complete ingredient quantities and full instructions, please scroll to the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page.

Ingredients

• Chocolate Chips – I use dark chocolate, but choose white, semi-sweet, or milk chocolate chips if you prefer. Use chocolate that is labeled for melting. You’ll easily find these in supermarkets
• Fried Noodles – Also known as chow mein noodles or crunchy noodles. These are usually in the Asian food section of the supermarket.
• Hazelnuts – Purchasing blanched and roasted hazelnuts will make this recipe (and your life) easier.
• Nutella – I like Nutella Hazelnut spread, but you can use any chocolate hazelnut spread that you prefer.
• Candy Eggs – For this recipe, I’ve used multi-colored eggs that are popular at Easter. Any mini chocolate eggs, like Cadbury mini chocolate eggs, would work for this recipe. Make these fun mini egg cookie bars if you’ve got leftover eggs.

See recipe card for quantities.

Instructions

Line two baking sheets with nonstick parchment paper.

Then, place the baking sheet in the fridge for at least 10-20 minutes to allow the chocolate to set.

Marcellina’s Hint: Bird’s Nest Cookies can also be set in oiled muffin tins. Just scoop the chocolate mixture into the muffin tins, then use a spoon to make the indentation. Decorate and set as recommended in the recipe.

Substitutions

• Chocolate Chips – Use peanut butter chips or butterscotch chips for a different flavor.
• Fried Noodles – Substitute shredded wheat cereal if you can’t find the fried noodles.
• Nutella – Instead of Nutella, use creamy peanut butter.

Variations

• Salty Preztel – Add a handful of broken, salted pretzels instead of the hazelnuts
• Coconut – Add shredded, toasted coconut instead of hazelnuts
• Candy Eggs – Instead of Cadbury mini eggs, use any seasonal candy, like peanut butter eggs or malted milk eggs. You could use mini eggs wrapped in colored foil, but add these after the bird’s nest cookies have set so that they can be removed before eating.
• Colorful – scatter colored sprinkles on the chocolate before it sets for an even more colorful treat!

How you decorate your bird’s nest cookies is only limited to your imagination!

Equipment

These Bird’s Nest Cookies only need a heatproof bowl and a spoon to prepare. You don’t even really need a baking sheet. Use parchment-lined plates if you don’t have baking sheets.

Storage

These no-bake cookies will keep well in the fridge for up to two weeks in an airtight container. It’s a good idea to place a sheet of parchment paper in between the layers, but it isn’t completely necessary. I like to do that so the mini eggs aren’t marked with chocolate.

Top tip

• Use chocolate chips that are labeled for melting. Some chocolate will seize when mixed with ingredients like fried noodles and nuts, but chocolate chips or buttons used for drizzling or melting will work.
• If the chocolate starts to set before you’ve finished scooping and shaping the nests, simply set the bowl over the pan of warm water again, stirring until the chocolate melts.
• Be sure to arrange the mini eggs before the chocolate has set so that they stick. The same goes for any other decorations you want to add to your Bird’s Nest Cookies.

FAQ

Serving Suggestions

Follow Italian Easter favorites like Pizza Gaina and Torta Pasqualina with delicious sweet treats that all the family will love. These Bird’s Nest Cookies are a crowd-pleaser and a welcome addition to the Easter dessert table, along with Pastiera, Crostoli, and Baci di Dama. 

For springtime parties, serve these along with Lemon Macarons and savoiardi.

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