No Bake Chocolate and Coconut Cookies (Haystacks / Cow Plops / Spider Cookies)

Every Spring, my boys and I make bird nest cookies. They are filled with chocolate covered eggs, but the base of the cookies is what makes them so special. In fact, as a stand alone cookie, these "no bake" chocolate oatmeal cookies are a winner any time of year. They go by lots of names, but my family always called them "haystacks", "cow plops" or "spider cookies". Whatever you call them, they are delicious, and I'm sharing the recipe below.

The secret to these cookies is to have the dry ingredients ready, so when the chocolate mixture boils, the two mixtures can be combined and spooned out before the mixture starts to dry out.

To make these no bake chocolate coconut cookies:

1) Mix together the following dry ingredients, and set aside:
3 1/2 cups rolled oats
1 cup shredded sweetened coconut
1/4 tsp salt

2) Put the following ingredients in a saucepan, and bring to a boil:
2 cups white sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup butter
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

3) Remove from heat, and stir in dry ingredients.

4) Before the mixture starts to dry out, drop the mixture from heaping teaspoons onto wax paper, and allow to cool completely.

These cookies are easy to make, and they are packed a rich chocolate flavour. Have you ever had these yummy no bake chocolate and coconut cookies? What do you call them?

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)