Haunted Haystack Pops are an easy no-bake Halloween treat made with chocolate and butterscotch chips, chow mein noodles, peanuts, and candy eyes. These fun pops are perfect for parties, trick-or-treating, or gifting in festive bags tied with ribbon.
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Why You'll Love this Recipe
- Quick & Easy: No baking required; the microwave does all the work.
- Kid-Friendly: Your little ones will love helping to assemble the pops and adding candy eyes.
- Perfect for Gifting: Package in cellophane bags tied with black raffia or curling ribbon for party favors.
- Halloween-Ready: Crunchy, chocolatey pops with a spooky name and playful look.
Ingredients - Here's What You'll Need
- The Chips: I used a combination of semi-sweet chocolate chips and butterscotch chips.
- The Haystack: Crunchy Chow Mein Noodles created the haystack effect.
- The Peanuts: Who can resist the combination of peanuts and chocolate?
- The Eyes: When I first made these pops, I used colored M&Ms. This time, I decided to use candy eyes for a more spooky effect.
- The Sticks: I used standard store-bought 6-inch lolipop sticks to hold the Hauhted Haystack Pops.
Making the Haunted Haystack Pops: Step-by-Step
- Melt the Chips: In a microwave-safe bowl, combine the chocolate and butterscotch chips. Microwave on 50% power in 30-second intervals, stirring after each interval. With my 1200W microwave, this took about 2 minutes.
- Mix In Crunch: Stir in peanuts and chow mein noodles until fully coated.
- Form the Pops: Position lollipop sticks on parchment paper. Using a 1¾-inch scoop, drop mounds of the mixture over the sticks and flatten slightly.
- Add the Eyes: Press two candy eyes onto each pop before the chocolate sets.
- Chill: Refrigerate for approximately 20 minutes, or until the mixture is firm.
Gifting and Packaging Tips
- Place each pop in a clear cellophane treat bag.
- Tie with black raffia for a rustic, spider-leg look or use purple/green curling ribbon for a playful touch.
- Attach a small tag reading Haunted Haystack Pops for a polished finish.
- Arrange several pops upright in a Halloween pail, wrap with cellophane, and tie with ribbon for a festive look.
Haunted Haystack Pops are festive, crunchy, and chocolatey Halloween pops that come together in minutes. Whether you're making them for a classroom party, neighborhood gathering, or edible gifts, they'll be a hit with kids and adults alike. Yum!
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, but allow them to return to room temperature before packaging to prevent condensation.
Candy eyes give the best spooky look, but M&M's, white chocolate chips dotted with dark chocolate, or even raisins can work.
You can make them up to 5 days ahead and store them in an airtight container. For gifting, package the day of or the day before for best freshness.
Recipe Tips and Serving Suggestions
- Melting chocolate: Always use 50% microwave power to prevent scorching.
- Set time: Pops firm up fastest if chilled briefly, but let them return to room temperature before packaging to avoid condensation on the packaging.
- Nut-Free: Skip the peanuts and add more noodles or broken mini pretzels.
- Colorful Drizzle: Melt orange or purple candy melts and drizzle over the tops for a Halloween pop of color.
- Party Tray: Serve on a black slate board with gauzy web décor and mini pumpkins for a spooky display.
Other Halloween-Themed Sweets
If you would like some more Halloween sweets, you should try these amazing recipes:
I first made these 10 years ago and decided it was time to update the recipe, the photographs, and the post, as well as add a video. In updating the post, I thought that rather than Spookie Spider Pops, Haunted Haystack Pops was a better name.
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Recipe
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Haunted Haystack Pops
Equipment
- Medium microwave-safe bowl
- Silicone or wooden spoon
- 1 ¾-inch ice cream scoop
- 24 lolipop sticks
- 24 4 x 6-inch clear cellophane bags if packaging
- Black raffia for the ribbon if packaging
Ingredients
- 1 cup (6 ounces) semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup (6 ounces) butterscotch chips
- 1 cup (4 ounces) unsalted peanuts (See Tip 1)
- 2 cups (4 ounces) chow mein noodles
- 48 candy eyes (See Tip 2)
- 24 lollipop sticks
Instructions
- Melt the chocolate chips and butterscotch chips in a microwave-safe bowl at 50% power in 30-second increments. Stir well after each 30 seconds. (See Tip 3)
- Add peanuts and chow mein noodles; stir well to coat them evenly.
- Position lollipop sticks on parchment paper or wax paper. Using 1-¾ inch ice cream scoop, drop chow mein mixture onto top part of lollipop sticks; flatten slightly.
- Top with 2 candy eyes.
- Refrigerate until hard, about 20 minutes. (See Tip 4)
- Yield: 24 Haunted Haystack Pops.
Video
Tips/Notes
- May substitute more chow mein noodles or broken mini pretzels for the peanuts.
- May substitute M&Ms for the candy eyes.
- In my 1200-watt microwave, this took 2 minutes. Be sure not to overheat the chips.
- The back of the pop may show the lollipop stick exposed, depending on how you drop the chocolate mixture. To ensure that the lollipop stick is firmly seated, spread some melted candy melts.
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