Easy & Adorable Peanut Butter Spider Cookies: Your Ultimate Halloween Recipe Guide
Get ready to weave some magic this Halloween with these incredibly fun and delicious peanut butter spider cookies! These adorable treats transform classic soft and chewy peanut butter cookies into festive, spooky spiders, complete with chocolate legs and candy eyes. They’re a guaranteed hit at any Halloween party or a fantastic baking project to enjoy with kids. Simple to assemble and utterly irresistible, these spider cookies are perfect for adding a touch of spooky sweetness to your holiday celebrations.
Why These Spider Cookies Are Your Go-To Halloween Treat
When it comes to Halloween baking, these spider cookies stand out for their charm and ease. Imagine the delight on faces as guests discover these cute, eight-legged confections! They are similar in concept to the beloved peanut butter blossom cookies, but instead of a simple chocolate kiss, a miniature peanut butter cup forms the spider’s body, adding an extra layer of peanut buttery goodness. Melted chocolate is cleverly drizzled to create the realistic spider legs, and whimsical candy eyes bring these edible arachnids to life. While there are a few extra steps compared to a plain cookie, the process is incredibly straightforward and yields impressive results every time. Plus, they can be made a few days in advance, staying perfectly soft and delicious, making them ideal for busy party preparations.
These cookies offer a delightful blend of textures and flavors: the tender, melt-in-your-mouth peanut butter cookie base, the rich and creamy peanut butter cup center, and the smooth snap of chocolate legs. They are not just a treat for the taste buds but also a feast for the eyes, embodying the playful spirit of Halloween. Whether you’re a seasoned baker or a beginner looking for a fun project, this recipe is designed for success, bringing smiles and spooky joy to everyone who tries them.
Essential Ingredients for Perfect Peanut Butter Spider Cookies
Crafting these adorable spider cookies requires a selection of common baking ingredients, with a few special items for decoration. Here’s a detailed look at what you’ll need and why each component is important:
- Peanut Butter: The star of the show! For the best results, use a creamy, no-stir peanut butter such as Jif or Skippy. Natural peanut butter, while often healthier, tends to separate its oils, which can make your cookies greasy and affect their texture. Stick to the classic, processed varieties for that perfect soft and chewy cookie.
- Sugars: This recipe calls for a combination of both brown sugar and granulated sugar. Brown sugar contributes to the cookies’ moisture, chewiness, and depth of flavor with its subtle molasses notes. Granulated sugar, on the other hand, provides additional sweetness and helps create those slightly crisp edges that are so characteristic of a great peanut butter cookie.
- All-Purpose Flour: This provides the essential structure for your cookies. Accuracy in measuring flour is crucial for optimal results. I highly recommend using the “spoon and level” method: gently spoon flour into your measuring cup until it’s overflowing, then level it off with the back of a knife. Never scoop flour directly from the bag, as this compacts it, leading to too much flour and dry, crumbly cookies. For a comprehensive guide, refer to my post on how to measure flour correctly.
- Unsalted Butter: Ensure your butter is softened to room temperature. This allows it to cream properly with the sugars, creating a light and fluffy base for your cookie dough. Using unsalted butter gives you control over the overall saltiness of the cookies.
- Large Egg: A single large egg, also at room temperature, acts as a binder, adds moisture, and contributes to the richness of the cookie. Room temperature eggs emulsify better with other ingredients, leading to a smoother, more consistent dough.
- Pure Vanilla Extract: A teaspoon of pure vanilla extract enhances all the other flavors, adding a warm, aromatic depth that complements the peanut butter beautifully.
- Baking Soda: This leavening agent helps the cookies rise and spread slightly, resulting in that signature soft and chewy texture. Ensure your baking soda is fresh for the best leavening power.
- Salt: Just a quarter teaspoon of salt is vital for balancing the sweetness and intensifying the peanut butter flavor. It elevates the overall taste profile of the cookies.
- Miniature Peanut Butter Cups: These are the perfect choice for the spider’s body. Their small size fits neatly into the center of each cookie, and their creamy filling adds another layer of peanut butter deliciousness. Make sure to choose miniature ones, not the full-sized varieties!
- Candy Eyeballs: These are what truly bring your spiders to life! You can typically find them in the baking aisle of most grocery stores, especially around Halloween. Craft stores like Michaels are also a great source if your local grocery store doesn’t carry them. They’re essential for that adorable, spooky look.
- Chocolate Chips: These are melted and used to create the spider legs. Semi-sweet chocolate chips are a popular choice, providing a balanced chocolate flavor that isn’t overly sweet. However, feel free to use milk chocolate chips for a sweeter touch or dark chocolate chips for a more intense cocoa flavor.
- Shortening (Optional): While optional, adding a small amount of shortening to your melted chocolate helps it achieve a shinier finish and prevents it from softening too quickly at room temperature. This is especially helpful if your Halloween party is in a warmer environment. As an alternative, coconut oil can be used, though the chocolate may not firm up quite as much.
Step-by-Step Guide: How To Make Peanut Butter Spider Cookies
Making these Halloween spider cookies is a fun and rewarding process. Follow these detailed steps to create your adorable, spooky treats:
- Prepare Your Workspace and Ingredients: Before you even start on the cookie dough, it’s crucial to prepare your miniature peanut butter cups. Unwrap all 24 of them, place them on a small baking sheet lined with parchment paper, and pop them into the freezer. This step is vital as it prevents them from melting too quickly when pressed into the warm cookies. Preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C) and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or using a large mixing bowl and a handheld mixer), beat the softened unsalted butter until it’s light and smooth. This usually takes about 1-2 minutes. Then, add both the light brown sugar and granulated sugar. Cream them together with the butter for another 1-2 minutes, or until the mixture is light, fluffy, and well combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed to ensure everything is incorporated.
- Incorporate Wet Ingredients: Add the creamy peanut butter, the room-temperature large egg, and the pure vanilla extract to the creamed butter and sugar mixture. Mix until everything is fully combined and smooth, again pausing to scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure no dry spots are left behind.
- Add Dry Ingredients: Sift together or whisk the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt in a separate bowl. Gradually add these dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing on low speed until just combined. Be careful not to overmix the dough, as this can lead to tough cookies. Mix only until no streaks of flour remain.
- Scoop and Sugar Coat the Dough: Pour the extra ¼ cup (50 grams) of granulated sugar into a small, shallow bowl for rolling. Using a 1.5-tablespoon cookie scoop (this helps ensure uniform cookie size and baking), scoop out portions of the cookie dough. Roll each portion into a smooth ball between your palms, then gently roll it in the granulated sugar until it’s evenly coated. Place the sugared cookie dough balls onto your prepared baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches of space between each cookie to allow for spreading.
- Bake the Cookies: Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden and the tops of the cookies are just set. The centers might still look a little soft, but they will continue to firm up as they cool. Do not overbake, as this will result in dry cookies.
- Add Peanut Butter Cups: As soon as the cookies come out of the oven, immediately remove the frozen miniature peanut butter cups from the freezer. Gently press one peanut butter cup, upside down, into the center of each warm cookie. Don’t press too hard; just enough so that it adheres firmly to the cookie. The warmth of the cookie will help it settle without fully melting.
- Cool the Cookies Completely: This step is critical for perfectly set spider cookies. Allow the cookies to cool completely on the baking sheets at room temperature for at least 30 minutes. Resist the urge to transfer them to a cooling rack prematurely, as the warm peanut butter cups can slide off, ruining the appearance of your spiders.
- Chill for Firmness: Once the cookies have fully cooled to room temperature, carefully transfer the baking sheets (with the cookies still on them) to the refrigerator. Chill them for an additional 20 to 30 minutes, or until the peanut butter cups have fully firmed up again. Ensure the baking sheets remain completely flat during chilling to prevent any sliding.
- Melt the Chocolate for Legs: Once the cookies are thoroughly chilled and the peanut butter cups are firm, remove them from the fridge. In a large microwave-safe bowl or measuring cup, combine the semi-sweet chocolate chips and shortening (if using). Microwave at 50% power in 30-second intervals, stirring well after each, until the chocolate is completely melted and smooth. Allow the melted chocolate to cool slightly for about 10 minutes to prevent it from being too runny. Pour the cooled melted chocolate into a piping bag fitted with a small round tip, or into a squeeze bottle, or even a sandwich-size zip-top bag with a tiny corner snipped off.
- Pipe the Spider Legs: Using your piping bag or squeeze bottle, carefully pipe four thin lines (legs) onto each side of the peanut butter cup, extending slightly onto the cookie itself. Aim for a total of eight legs per cookie, creating the classic spider silhouette. Repeat this process for all remaining cookies.
- Attach the Candy Eyes: Working one cookie at a time, pipe a tiny dot of melted chocolate onto the back of two candy eyeballs. Gently press these onto the front side of the miniature peanut butter cup to create the spider’s face. The melted chocolate acts as edible glue. Repeat with all cookies.
- Set the Chocolate: Allow the chocolate legs and eye glue to harden completely at room temperature. If you’re short on time or prefer a firmer set, you can carefully place the cookies back in the refrigerator for about 10-15 minutes until the chocolate is fully firm.
Get Creative! Fun Variations and Customizations
One of the best parts about these Halloween spider cookies is how easily they can be customized! Here are some creative ideas to make them uniquely yours:
- Experiment with Different Nut Butters: While peanut butter is classic, feel free to substitute it with other creamy, no-stir nut or seed butters. Cashew butter, almond butter, or sunflower seed butter (for nut-free options) would work wonderfully, provided they have a similar thick, creamy consistency. Just be mindful of potential allergen concerns if serving to a group.
- Try Various Miniature Candy Centers: Don’t limit yourself to just peanut butter cups! The market is full of miniature candies that could make excellent spider bodies. Think mini chocolate bars, Rolo candies, or even small truffles. For a chocolate overload, mini Oreos or other round sandwich cookies could also be fun.
- Alternative “Eyes”: If you can’t find candy eyeballs or want to try something different, there are several creative alternatives. You can pipe small dots of white icing or melted white chocolate, then add a tiny black sprinkle or a smaller dot of melted dark chocolate for the pupil. Alternatively, small M&M’s or sprinkles could also be used for a more abstract eye look.
- Skip the Sugar Coating: The recipe suggests rolling the peanut butter cookie dough balls in granulated sugar before baking for extra sweetness and a subtle crunch. This step is entirely optional. If you prefer a less sweet cookie or a simpler aesthetic, feel free to skip the sugar coating. The cookies will still be delicious!
- Chocolate Drizzle Variations: Instead of just plain chocolate, try using white chocolate, dark chocolate, or even colored candy melts for the spider legs. You could make bright green or purple spider legs for an extra festive touch. You can also vary the thickness of the legs – thin for delicate spiders, thick for more cartoonish ones.
- Cookie Base Swaps: While the peanut butter cookie base is fantastic, consider using a different cookie recipe if you have a favorite. A simple sugar cookie, a chocolate cookie, or even an oatmeal cookie base could also be adorned with the spider elements for a unique twist.
Expert Baking Tips for Success
Achieving perfect peanut butter spider cookies is easy with a few key tips:
- Freeze Those Peanut Butter Cups! This is perhaps the most important tip. Ensure your miniature peanut butter cups are well-chilled, ideally frozen, before you press them into the warm cookies. This prevents them from melting and becoming a gooey mess, ensuring they hold their shape perfectly.
- Don’t Move Warm Cookies: Once you’ve pressed the peanut butter cups into the freshly baked cookies, resist the urge to move the baking sheet or transfer the cookies too early. The cookies are delicate when warm, and the peanut butter cups can easily slide around, affecting the final appearance. Let them cool completely on the baking sheet at room temperature.
- Chill for Firmness: After the cookies have cooled for about 30 minutes on the baking sheet, transfer the entire baking sheet to the fridge. This additional chilling time allows the peanut butter cups to firm up completely, ensuring they are stable before you add the chocolate legs and eyes. A flat surface is crucial during chilling to prevent any shifting.
- DIY Piping Bag: No fancy piping bag or squeeze bottle? No problem! Simply pour your melted chocolate mixture into a clean, sandwich-sized zip-top bag. Snip a tiny corner off the bag with scissors to create a makeshift piping bag. This works just as well for creating those delicate spider legs.
- Avoid Overmixing: When making the cookie dough, mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients only until just combined. Overmixing can develop the gluten in the flour, leading to tougher, less tender cookies.
- Room Temperature Ingredients: Ensure your butter and egg are at room temperature. This allows them to emulsify properly with the other ingredients, creating a smoother, more uniform cookie dough texture.
- Cookie Scoop for Consistency: Using a cookie scoop helps to create uniformly sized cookies, which means they will bake evenly and look consistent for your spider creations.
- Store Properly: Once decorated and set, store your spider cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week to maintain their softness and freshness.
Spider Cookies
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Soft and chewy peanut butter cookies are transformed into adorable spiders! These spider cookies are easy to assemble and would be perfect for any upcoming Halloween parties.
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Ingredients
- 24 miniature peanut butter cups, unwrapped
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened (115 grams; 1 stick)
- ½ cup packed light brown sugar (100 grams)
- ¼ cup granulated sugar (50 grams)
- ¾ cup creamy peanut butter (190 grams)
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled (190 grams)
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup granulated sugar (50 grams, optional, for rolling)
- ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (90 grams)
- 2 teaspoons shortening (8 grams, optional)
- 48 candy eyeballs
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Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats and set aside.
- Line a separate small baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the unwrapped miniature peanut butter cups on the baking sheet, then place the baking sheet in the freezer.
- To make the cookie dough: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large mixing bowl using a handheld mixer, beat the butter until smooth. Add the brown sugar and granulated sugar and mix together for 1 to 2 minutes or until well combined.
- Add the peanut butter, egg, and vanilla extract and continue mixing until fully combined, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Add the flour, baking soda, and salt and mix until just combined.
- Place the ¼ cup (50 grams) of granulated sugar in a small bowl. Using a 1.5 tablespoon cookie scoop, scoop the cookie dough, roll into a ball, and coat in the granulated sugar. Place each ball of cookie dough onto the prepared baking sheets, making sure to leave a little room between each one.
- Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until the tops of the cookies are set.
- Remove from the oven and remove the peanut butter cups from the freezer.
- To assemble the cookies: Gently press a miniature peanut butter cup upside down onto the center of each cookie. Don’t press it all the way down, just enough to stick!
- Allow to cool completely on the baking sheets for about 30 minutes. Do not try to transfer the cookies to a cooling rack, this will cause the melty peanut butter cups to slide and they won’t turn out very pretty!
- Once the cookies have cooled completely, carefully transfer the baking sheet with the cookies to the fridge and chill for 20 to 30 minutes or until the peanut butter cups have fully hardened. Make sure to keep the baking sheet completely flat, you don’t want the peanut butter cups to slide around on top of the cookies.
- Once the peanut butter cups have fully firmed up, remove the cookies from the fridge and set aside.
- Place the chocolate chips and shortening in a large microwave-safe bowl or measuring cup. Microwave at 50% power in 30-second increments, stirring well after each increment, until the chocolate is completely melted and smooth. Allow to cool for 10 minutes, then pour the melted chocolate into a piping bag or squeeze bottle.
- Use the melted chocolate to pipe or squeeze four lines (legs) onto each side of the cookie (a total of eight per cookie). Repeat with the remaining cookies.
- Carefully pipe or squeeze a small drop onto the back of two candy eyeballs, then gently place the eyeballs onto the side of the peanut butter cup to help them stick. Repeat with the remaining cookies.
- Allow the chocolate to harden at room temperature or refrigerate until firm.
Notes
Storage Instructions: Cookies may be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.
Freezing Instructions: Cookies will freeze well for 2 to 3 months. Thaw to room temperature before serving.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Can I make these spider cookies in advance?
Absolutely! These cookies are perfect for making ahead of time. You can prepare the cookie dough and bake the cookies a few days in advance, then store them in an airtight container at room temperature. Complete the decoration steps (adding peanut butter cups, chocolate legs, and eyes) closer to when you plan to serve them for the freshest look, or even complete them entirely and store. They stay soft for days!
Why did my peanut butter cups melt when I pressed them into the cookies?
This is a common issue if the peanut butter cups aren’t cold enough. Ensuring they are frozen solid before pressing them into the warm cookies is crucial. The warmth of the cookie will soften them slightly to adhere, but being frozen prevents them from completely melting into a puddle. Also, make sure your cookies aren’t excessively hot; a minute or two out of the oven before pressing can also help.
My cookies spread too much. What went wrong?
Several factors can cause cookies to spread excessively. Using natural peanut butter (which has more oil separation), butter that is too soft or melted, overmixing the dough, or using too little flour can all contribute. Ensure your butter is just softened (not greasy), measure your flour accurately using the spoon and level method, and avoid overmixing the dough.
Can I use a different type of chocolate for the spider legs?
Yes! While semi-sweet chocolate chips are recommended for their balanced flavor and good melting consistency, you can certainly experiment. Milk chocolate will give you a sweeter leg, while dark chocolate will provide a more intense cocoa flavor. You could also use colored candy melts for a more vibrant, whimsical look, which can be especially fun for kids.
Are these cookies suitable for a school party?
Given that peanut butter is a common allergen, always check with the school or event organizers before bringing peanut butter treats. If nut allergies are a concern, you can adapt this recipe by using sunflower seed butter (SunButter) and sunflower seed butter cups, or another nut-free alternative for the cookie base and center. Always clearly label your treats with all ingredients if there’s any doubt.