Halloween Peanut Butter Spider Cookies Recipe

Introduction

These Halloween Peanut Butter Spider Cookies are a fun and festive treat perfect for spooky celebrations. With a soft peanut butter base topped with mini peanut butter cups and candy eyes, they’re sure to delight kids and adults alike.

Ingredients

• ⅔ cup flour
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ cup butter
• 2 tablespoons white sugar, plus extra for rolling
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• ⅓ cup peanut butter
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 18 mini Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups
• ¼ cup chocolate chips
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 36 candy eyes

Instructions

1. Step 1: Preheat your oven to 350ºF (175ºC). In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt.
2. Step 2: In a larger bowl, beat the butter, brown sugar, and white sugar together until well blended.
3. Step 3: Add the peanut butter to the butter and sugar mixture and beat again. Then add the egg and vanilla, beating until fully combined.
4. Step 4: Stir the flour mixture into the wet ingredients until just incorporated.
5. Step 5: Divide the dough into 18 equal portions and roll each into a ball. Roll each ball in granulated sugar for a slight crunch.
6. Step 6: Arrange the dough balls on a cookie sheet, spacing them at least 2 inches apart. Bake in the center of the oven for 10 minutes.
7. Step 7: Remove the cookies and press an indentation into the center of each, large enough to hold a mini peanut butter cup.
8. Step 8: Let the cookies cool completely before decorating.
9. Step 9 (To Decorate): Melt the chocolate chips and 1 tablespoon of butter together in a microwave-safe bowl using 10-second intervals, stirring until smooth. Transfer the melted chocolate to a squeeze bottle, decorating bag, or a small zip-lock bag with a tiny corner cut off.
10. Step 10: Unwrap the mini peanut butter cups and place one top-down on each cookie, using a small dollop of melted chocolate to glue it in place.
11. Step 11: Pipe eight chocolate “legs” out from each peanut butter cup onto the cookie.
12. Step 12: Attach two candy eyes to each cookie using small drops of melted chocolate as glue.
13. Step 13: Allow the chocolate to cool and harden before serving.

Tips & Variations

• For extra flavor, add a pinch of cinnamon or a drop of almond extract to the dough.
• Substitute the peanut butter cups with mini chocolate chips or other favorite candies if peanut allergy is a concern.
• Use different colored candy eyes or edible markers to create unique spider faces.
• If you don’t have a decorating bag, a clean squeeze bottle or a zip-lock bag works well to pipe the chocolate legs.

Storage

Store these cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Keep them away from heat and humidity to prevent the chocolate from melting. If needed, you can refrigerate them, but let cookies come to room temperature before serving for best texture.

How to Serve

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I make these cookies gluten-free?

Yes, you can substitute the all-purpose flour with a gluten-free flour blend. Make sure it’s a blend suitable for baking to maintain texture.

Can I prepare these cookies ahead of time?

Absolutely! You can bake the cookies a day in advance and store them. Decorate just before serving to keep the chocolate and candy eyes fresh.

Halloween Peanut Butter Spider Cookies Recipe

Print Recipe

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These Halloween Peanut Butter Spider Cookies are a fun and festive treat perfect for spooky celebrations. Soft peanut butter cookies topped with mini Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups become creepy-crawly spiders with chocolate legs and candy eyes, making them a delightful and festive dessert for all ages.

• Author: zara
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 10 minutes
• Total Time: 25 minutes
• Yield: 18 cookies 1x
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American
• Diet: Halal

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Dry Ingredients

• ⅔ cup all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt

Wet Ingredients

• ¼ cup unsalted butter, softened
• 2 tablespoons white sugar, plus extra for rolling
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• ⅓ cup peanut butter
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Decorations

• 18 mini Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups
• ¼ cup chocolate chips
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 36 candy eyes

Instructions

1. Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 350ºF (175ºC) to ensure it’s ready when your cookies are shaped and on the baking tray.
2. Mix Dry Ingredients: In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt thoroughly to evenly distribute the leavening agent and salt.
3. Cream Butter and Sugars: In a larger bowl, beat the softened butter with the brown sugar and white sugar until the mixture is smooth, creamy, and well combined.
4. Add Peanut Butter, Egg, and Vanilla: Beat in the peanut butter until incorporated, then add the egg and vanilla extract, mixing well to combine all ingredients.
5. Combine Dry and Wet Mixtures: Stir the flour mixture into the wet ingredients until just combined, forming the cookie dough.
6. Shape and Sugar Coat Cookies: Divide the dough into 18 equal portions and roll each into balls. Then roll each ball in granulated sugar to coat the outside for a slightly crunchy texture.
7. Bake the Cookies: Place dough balls on a cookie sheet spaced at least 2 inches apart. Bake in the center of the oven for 10 minutes until edges are lightly golden.
8. Create Peanut Butter Cup Indentations: Remove cookies from the oven and immediately press an indentation in the center of each cookie to hold the mini Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup later.
9. Cool the Cookies: Allow the cookies to cool completely on a wire rack to ensure they hold their shape during decorating.
10. Melt Chocolate and Butter: Place chocolate chips and 1 tablespoon butter in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 10-second intervals, stirring between, until the mixture is fully melted and smooth.
11. Prepare Chocolate for Decorating: Transfer the melted chocolate to a condiment squeeze bottle, decorating bag, or a small zip-lock bag with a tiny corner snipped off for piping.
12. Assemble Spiders: Unwrap the mini Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups and place one upside down into each cookie indentation, securing with a dollop of melted chocolate as glue.
13. Pipe Spider Legs: Use the chocolate to pipe eight “legs” extending from the peanut butter cup onto the cookie surface, mimicking spider legs.
14. Attach Candy Eyes: Use small dollops of melted chocolate to attach two candy eyes to each peanut butter cup, creating cute spider faces.
15. Let Set and Serve: Allow the chocolate to cool and harden completely at room temperature before serving your festive spider cookies.

Notes

• Make sure the butter is softened to room temperature for easier mixing.
• If you don’t have a condiment bottle, a zip-lock bag with a small cut corner works well for piping chocolate.
• Spacing cookies at least 2 inches apart prevents them from spreading into each other.
• Let cookies cool completely before decorating to prevent melted chocolate from sliding off.
• Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Keywords: Halloween cookies, peanut butter cookies, Reese’s peanut butter cups, spider cookies, festive treats, Halloween dessert