Halloween Peanut Butter Spider Cookies

From Halloween muddy buddies to savory mummy dogs, I'm having so much fun incorporating this spooky season into my recipes. These peanut butter cup spider cookies are so cute that I almost don't want to eat them.

The classic chocolate peanut butter flavor combination on top of a soft and chewy cookie is always too hard to resist.

🥘 Ingredients

• Sugar - Granulated white sugar is used for the cookie dough, plus additional sugar is used to roll the dough balls in before baking.
• Brown Sugar - Packed light brown sugar or use dark brown sugar for more of a molasses flavor.
• Butter - Butter that is softened at room temperature, not melted.
• Peanut Butter - Creamy peanut butter. I recommend sticking to standard peanut butter and not using the natural kind for these cookies.
• Egg - A room-temperature egg to bind the cookie dough.
• Vanilla - I always suggest using pure vanilla extract for the very best flavor.
• Baking Soda - This cookie recipe uses both baking soda and baking powder as leavening agents.
• Baking Powder - You will use less baking powder than baking soda.
• Flour - Use the spoon and level method to measure your all-purpose flour rather than scooping directly from the bag.
• Mini Peanut Butter Cups - You should be able to find these on the candy aisle of most grocery stores (or up by the checkout lanes).
• Candy Eyes - You'll find these on the baking aisle, next to the sprinkles.
• Chocolate Chips - Semi-sweet chocolate chips for melting and making the spider's legs. You could also use cookie icing, but I like the flavor and look of using melted chocolate better.

🔪 How To Make Halloween Peanut Butter Spider Cookies

Making these cookies is just as easy as making typical peanut butter cookies, then simply decorating them to look like spiders. You'll need a baking sheet, a large mixing bowl or stand mixer, a silicone spatula, and your measuring utensils.

This recipe will make 36 spider cookies, so they are perfect for any Halloween parties you may be hosting.

Prepare the Cookie Dough

Step 1: Preheat. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat and preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C/Gas Mark 5).

Step 2: Cream. In the bowl of your stand mixer or a large mixing bowl, cream add ½ cup (100 grams) of sugar, ½ cup (110 grams) of light brown sugar, and ½ cup (113.5 grams) of softened butter (photo 1) then cream the mixture until smooth.

Add ½ cup (129 grams) of creamy peanut butter (photo 2) and mix until thoroughly combined.

Step 3: Mix. Add 1 large egg, 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, ¾ teaspoon of baking soda, and ½ teaspoon of baking powder (photo 3).

Mix until combined, then add 1½ cups (187.5 grams) of all-purpose flour (photo 4) and continue mixing until your cookie dough forms (photo 5).

Portion & Bake

Step 4: Roll. Pour the additional ⅓ cup of sugar into a shallow dish and set aside. Roll out your dough into 36 1-inch balls, and roll each ball in the sugar until fully coated (photo 6).

Then, place the cookie dough balls on your prepared baking sheet (photo 7), leaving at least 2 inches between each cookie.

Step 5: Bake. Bake at 375°F (190°C/Gas Mark 5) until the cookie dough is puffy and no longer appears wet. The bottom of the cookies should also just start to turn lightly golden brown, about 8-10 minutes (photo 8).

Assemble, Decorate & Serve

Step 6: Top with peanut butter cups. Remove the cookies from the oven and immediately place one of the unwrapped 36 mini peanut butter cups in the center of each cookie (photo 9).

Once they have melted slightly, press 2 of the 72 candy eyes into the front of each peanut butter cup (photo 10).

Step 7: Melt and decorate. Meanwhile, add ½ cup (90 grams) of semi-sweet chocolate chips to a microwave-safe bowl and microwave in 30-second increments to melt. Pour the chocolate into a zip-top storage bag and snip a small piece of the corner off.

Use this to pipe on the spider’s legs, 4 on each side of the peanut butter cups (photo 11).

Step 8: Chill and serve. Transfer your cookies to the fridge to chill for 15 minutes or until the chocolate sets, then serve.

💭 Angela's Pro Tips & Recipe Notes

• Unwrap the peanut butter cups first. Unwrapping all of your peanut butter cups ahead of time (or buying the package of the unwrapped cups) will help you out when you are trying to place them on top of all of the cookies. 
• Warm cookies help the candy stick. Add the candy eyes while the Reese's peanut butter cups are still warm. The melted chocolate will act like glue to keep the eyes stuck in place!
• Don't press too hard. Place the peanut butter cups onto the cookies as soon as they come out of the oven, but be careful not to press too hard down on the tops of them as they will melt really quickly down into the cookie.

🥄 Make Ahead Options

You can easily prepare these cookies the night before you need them, allow them to cool, and store them in an airtight container. When ready, transfer them to your preferred serving tray.

Freezing Cookies

If you want to freeze your baked cookies, simply place them into a container with paper towels separating each layer of cookies. Store them in the freezer for up to 1 month.

When ready, place them on the kitchen counter to thaw. The paper towels will help to absorb any excess moisture.

You can also freeze the unbaked dough. Go ahead and roll your cookie dough into balls, but hold off on rolling them in sugar.

Instead, freeze them on a baking sheet until solid (not touching) and then place them into a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 3 months. When ready, let them thaw slightly before rolling in sugar and baking. 

🥡 Storing

Keep any leftover Halloween spider cookies stored at room temperature in a sealed container for up to 5 days. However, they have the best texture if enjoyed within the first 3 days.

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