Posted: · Updated: · By Chrysa
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These fun and silly Halloween Spider Cookies feature miniature Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups for a soft, chewy cookie base topped with delicious chocolate peanut butter flavor. These spider cookies will easily be the star of any Halloween party!
When it comes to Halloween candy my number one favorite has been Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups ever since I was a little girl.
So, it’s not a far stretch to say that my favorite Halloween cookie recipe is now this Silly Halloween Spider Cookies Recipe because it features the Reese’s right on top!!
That coupled with the peanut butter sugar cookie base makes for a cookie you can’t refuse.
Not only are they made with my favorite Halloween candy, but they look super cute too!
Jump to:
- ⭐ Why You’ll Love this Recipe ⭐
- 🧾 Ingredients Needed
- 🔁 Variations
- 🥣 How to Make
- ⭐ Pro Tips ⭐
- 📝 Recipe FAQs
- More Fun Halloween Recipes to Try
- 📖 Recipe
- Silly Halloween Spider Cookies
⭐ Why You’ll Love this Recipe ⭐
Pantry Staples – Besides the Reese’s, these Halloween cookies use only basic pantry staples to come together.
Classic Flavor – All the comfort of a classic peanut butter sugar cookie with your favorite chocolate peanut butter on top.
Make Ahead – These cookies are easy to make in advance and bring to your Halloween party.
Easy To Make – The cookies are much easier than they look. The eyes pop right on and the legs are made by just melting chocolate chips.
Edible – Everything on these cookies right down to the spider eyes can be eaten making it ultra-fun for kids.
🧾 Ingredients Needed
Shortening – allow your shortening to come to room temperature so that it’s easiest to mix.
Sugars – you’ll need a blend of brown sugar and classic sugar to make the Spider Cookies.
Peanut butter – any peanut butter will work but if you’re using a natural one let it come to room temperature before mixing.
Flour – sift the flour beforehand so that the cookie batter is even.
Baking basics – you’ll need classic ingredients like egg, milk, vanilla, salt, and baking soda.
Miniature Reese’s cups – unwrap each up and freeze them before you make the cookies. This way, when you set them on top they don’t melt.
Chocolate chips – you’ll be melting these in a plastic baggie to make the spider legs. You can use classic milk chocolate or dark chocolate.Candy Eyes – Always fun to have on hand around Halloween these complete the spider look on the cookies!
📌 Be sure to see the recipe card below for the full ingredients list with quantities and step-by-step instructions!
🔁 Variations
Though these Halloween cookies are really fun the way they’re made, there’s a couple of swaps you can make to vary the flavor and finished product!
Butterscotch legs – in place of chocolate spider legs, melt butterscotch chips instead for a fun swap.
Add-ons – if you let kids decorate their own cookies (this is a fun party idea!) you could have them add on mini sprinkles or candied skulls.
🥣 How to Make
STEP 1: Beat together the shortening, peanut butter, egg, sugar, brown sugar, vanilla and milk.
STEP 2: In another bowl mix the dry ingredients and add the wet to the dry to create a sticky dough.
STEP 3: Roll the dough into 1″ balls and bake until golden.
STEP 4: Press an upside-down Peanut Butter Cup on top and add the candy eyes and let the cookies cool before decorating further. Place in the fridge 10 minutes to set.
STEP 5: Place chocolate chips in the corner of a zip-top sandwich bag. Microwave for 20 seconds, knead and repeat until chocolate is melted.
STEP 6: Clip very small piece off of corner of bag to allow for piping and draw 8 legs on each spider cookie.
⭐ Pro Tips ⭐
- The peanut butter cookies expand so, make sure to place them a couple inches apart on the cookie sheet.
- You want to cool the cookies before decorating the chocolate legs so that the chocolate peanut butter cup doesn’t melt fully and so the chocolate hardens as you pipe it on.
- When piping on the legs keep the hole you cut in the plastic baggie pretty small! The thicker the legs the more chance they’ll blend together on the cookie.
- You can make your spider eyes with white and chocolate frosting. However, candy eyes make it much easier.
📝 Recipe FAQs
Can I use butter in place of shortening?
Unfortunately no. For spider cookies you need to use shortening. If you replace it with butter the cookies have a tendency to crumble. You want the firm enough to press the peanut butter cup into.
Why are my spider cookies dry?
Spider cookies are a classic peanut butter cookie which means that they don’t need long to cook. They should come out of the oven looking slightly underdone which is what will result in the next texture.
More Fun Halloween Recipes to Try
- Breakable Candy Mummy – Make a Fun Halloween Treat!
- Jack Skellington Cookies Recipe
- Halloween Ice Cream Treats Recipe
- Orange Fruit Jack-O-Lantern – Directions for a Fun, Healthy Halloween
If you tried this Halloween Spider Cookies Recipeor any other recipe on my site, please please leave a 🌟star ratingand let me know how it turned out in the 📝commentsbelow. I love hearing about your results and thoughts!
📖 Recipe
Silly Halloween Spider Cookies
Chrysa
This fun and silly Halloween Spider Cookies Recipe features miniature Reese's Peanut Butter Cups for a yummy cookie ready to be the star of any Halloween party!
4.60 from 25 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 30 minutes mins
Cook Time 12 minutes mins
Additional Time 10 minutes mins
Total Time 52 minutes mins
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 48 Cookies
Calories 120 kcal
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup Shortening
- 1/2 cup Peanut Butter
- 1/2 cup Brown Sugar
- 1/2 cup Sugar
- 1 Egg
- 2 tbsp Milk
- 1 tsp Vanilla
- 1 3/4 cup Flour
- 1 tsp Baking Soda
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1/4 cup Sugar For rolling
- 48 miniature Reese’s cups unwrapped and frozen
- 96 Candy Eyes
- 1/2 cup Chocolate Chips
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375.
In a large bowl, beat together shortening, peanut butter, egg, sugar, brown sugar, vanilla and milk.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and salt.
Gradually add dry mixture to wet mixture and beat until blended.
Form dough into 1 inch balls.
Roll each ball in sugar and place a couple of inches apart on an ungreased baking sheet.
Bake 10-12 minutes or until golden.
Immediately, gently press an upside down frozen peanut butter cup on top of each cookie and move to wire rack to cool.
After placing and moving all of the cookies on the wire rack. put in place the candy eyes while chocolate is still slightly soft.
Place in refrigerator for 10 minutes to allow cookies to firm.
Place chocolate chips in the corner of a zip-top sandwich bag.
Microwave for 20 seconds, knead and repeat until chocolate is melted.
Clip very small piece off of corner of bag to allow for piping and draw 8 legs on each spider cookie.
Place in refrigerator for 10 minutes to allow legs to set.
Notes
- The peanut butter cookies expand so, make sure to place them a couple inches apart on the cookie sheet.
- You want to cool the cookies before decorating the chocolate legs so that the chocolate peanut butter cup doesn’t melt fully and so the chocolate hardens as you pipe it on.
- When piping on the legs keep the hole you cut in the plastic baggie pretty small! The thicker the legs the more chance they’ll blend together on the cookie.
- You can make your spider eyes with white and chocolate frosting. However, candy eyes make it much easier.
- Store the cookies in the fridge in an airtight container. When ready o serve, let them come to room temperature.
Nutrition
Serving: 1gCalories: 120kcalCarbohydrates: 15gProtein: 2gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 4mgSodium: 86mgPotassium: 55mgFiber: 1gSugar: 10gVitamin A: 10IUVitamin C: 0.02mgCalcium: 12mgIron: 0.4mg
I am not a nutritionist. These values were calculated automatically with the Spoonacular Food API.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
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ABOUT CHRYSA + THRIFTY JINXY
Thrifty Jinxy helps you live a fabulous life on a frugal budget. By spending less on the boring everyday stuff, you can have more money to splurge on the things you REALLY want! We feature recipes, DIY ideas, money-saving tips, great on-line deals, and more! Read more...
