Need an easy food gift idea? These White Chocolate Haystacks couldn’t be easier and I’ve yet to meet anyone who doesn’t love them. White chocolate mixed with peanuts and pretzels – a delicious combination of sweet and salty! YUM!
I learned how to make haystacks from my good friend, Fran. She would make these every year at Christmas time for co-workers. I don’t know what everyone else did with their gift, but I would eat them almost immediately. Haystacks for breakfast – DELICIOUS! 🙂
Making White Chocolate Haystacks
A caution about white chocolate: Be sure to use fresh white chocolate. If a package is close to the expiration date or has been opened for a while, it might not melt as well as a fresher package. Also, if water gets into the chocolate, it may not melt smooth. Either scenario can make the chocolate kind of clumpy instead of nice and smooth.
To get started, melt the chocolate in a double boiler. If you do not have a double boiler, create your own by placing a bowl over a pot with water in it. You only want about an inch of water in the pot. The bowl should not be sitting in the water.
Put the pan on low to medium heat. Place the chocolate in the bowl and allow to melt. Stir occasionally and continue to heat gently until the chocolate is all melted. Alternatively, the chocolate can be melted in a microwave. Follow the package instructions for how to melt the white chocolate in the microwave.
Once the white chocolate is melted, stir in the nuts and pretzels.
Mix well to make sure all of the peanuts and pretzels are coated in the white chocolate.
Place a piece of wax paper on a cookie sheet. Drop spoonfuls of the haystack mixture onto the cookie sheet. These don’t have to be fancy – just place a spoonful on the cookie sheet, any size you like.
Allow to cool. This doesn’t take too long, maybe 10-15 minutes to completely cool.
Package in cellophane bags or other cute packaging to give as gifts.
Be sure to make extra for snacking – it can be addicting. 🙂
White Chocolate Haystacks
Ingredients
- 1 pound 16 oz. white chocolate
- 1 cup dry roasted peanuts
- 2 cups pretzel sticks broken in half or smaller pieces
Instructions
- In a double boiler (bowl over pot of water), over low-medium heat, melt the white chocolate. Be careful not to get the chocolate wet or it will clump.
- When chocolate is melted, remove from heat and stir in pretzels and peanuts.
- Mix well, making sure the nuts and pretzels are coated with the chocolate.
- Drop by spoonful onto a cookie sheet lined with wax paper.
- Chill until firm. Store in a tightly covered container or bag.
Check out some of our other great kitchen gift ideas:
Ginger Spiced Pecans – a sweet and spicy treat!
Giant Brownie Bars – Chocolate!
Cinnamon Ornaments – these make the whole house smell like wonderful!
