Peanut Butter Spider Cookies are a spooktacular treat perfect for Halloween! These soft, chewy peanut butter cookies are topped with chocolate truffles to create adorable spider bodies, complete with candy eyes and chocolate legs. Fun to make and even more fun to eat, they’re a hit with kids and adults alike.
Whether you’re hosting a Halloween party or just looking for a festive baking activity, these cookies are sure to delight.
Kitchen Equipment Needed
- Mixing bowls
- Hand or stand mixer
- Baking sheet
- Parchment paper
- Cooling rack
- Piping bag or zip-top bag
Ingredients
For the Cookies:
- 1/2 cup (115g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup (130g) creamy peanut butter
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (100g) brown sugar, packed
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 cups (160g) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
For Decoration:
- 24 chocolate truffles (e.g., Lindor, Ferrero Rocher, or similar)
- 48 candy eyes
- 1/2 cup (90g) semi-sweet chocolate chips (for legs)
Directions
- Preheat the Oven:
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. - Make the Cookie Dough:
In a mixing bowl, cream together the butter, peanut butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla extract. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until combined. - Shape and Bake:
Roll the dough into 1-inch balls and place them 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet. Flatten each ball slightly with a fork in a crisscross pattern. Bake for 8–10 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden. - Add the Spider Bodies:
Remove the cookies from the oven and immediately press a chocolate truffle into the center of each cookie to create the spider body. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack. - Create the Legs and Eyes:
Melt the chocolate chips in the microwave in 20-second intervals, stirring between each interval, until smooth. Transfer the melted chocolate to a piping bag or zip-top bag with a small corner snipped off. Pipe 8 legs around each truffle and use the melted chocolate to attach the candy eyes to the truffle. - Let Set:
Allow the cookies to cool completely and the chocolate to set before serving.
Prep Time
15 minutes
Cook Time
10 minutes
Total Time
25 minutes
Nutrition (Per Cookie, Makes 24)
- Calories: 160
- Protein: 3g
- Carbohydrates: 16g
- Fat: 10g
- Fiber: 1g
Expert Tips
- Candy Eyes: If you can’t find candy eyes, use white chocolate chips and a dot of melted chocolate for a DIY version.
- Legs: For extra definition, use a fine-tip piping nozzle for the spider legs.
- Storage: Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
FAQs
Can I use crunchy peanut butter?
Yes, but the cookies may have a slightly different texture.
Can I freeze these cookies?
Yes! Freeze the undecorated cookies and add the truffles, legs, and eyes after thawing.
Can I make these without peanut butter?
For a nut-free version, substitute sunflower seed butter or cookie butter.
Storing & Reheating
- Storage: Keep cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- Freezing: Freeze undecorated cookies for up to 3 months. Thaw and decorate before serving.
Substitutions & Variations
- Chocolate Options: Substitute truffles with chocolate peanut butter cups for a different look.
- Gluten-Free: Use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend.
- Nut-Free: Replace peanut butter with a nut-free alternative like sunflower seed butter.
Peanut Butter Spider Cookies
Peanut Butter Spider Cookies are a spooktacular treat perfect for Halloween! These soft, chewy peanut butter cookies are topped with chocolate truffles to create adorable spider bodies, complete with candy eyes and chocolate legs.
Equipment
- Mixing bowls
- - Hand or stand mixer
- - Baking sheet
- Parchment paper
- - Cooling rack
- - Piping bag or zip-top bag
Ingredients
- #### For the Cookies:
- - 1/2 cup 115g unsalted butter, softened
- - 1/2 cup 130g creamy peanut butter
- - 1/2 cup 100g granulated sugar
- - 1/2 cup 100g brown sugar, packed
- - 1 large egg
- - 1 tsp vanilla extract
- - 1 1/4 cups 160g all-purpose flour
- - 1/2 tsp baking soda
- - 1/4 tsp salt
- #### For Decoration:
- - 24 chocolate truffles e.g., Lindor, Ferrero Rocher, or similar
- - 48 candy eyes
- - 1/2 cup 90g semi-sweet chocolate chips (for legs)
Instructions
- **Preheat the Oven:**
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- **Make the Cookie Dough:**
- In a mixing bowl, cream together the butter, peanut butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla extract. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until combined.
- **Shape and Bake:**
- Roll the dough into 1-inch balls and place them 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet. Flatten each ball slightly with a fork in a crisscross pattern. Bake for 8–10 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden.
- **Add the Spider Bodies:**
- Remove the cookies from the oven and immediately press a chocolate truffle into the center of each cookie to create the spider body. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack.
- **Create the Legs and Eyes:**
- Melt the chocolate chips in the microwave in 20-second intervals, stirring between each interval, until smooth. Transfer the melted chocolate to a piping bag or zip-top bag with a small corner snipped off. Pipe 8 legs around each truffle and use the melted chocolate to attach the candy eyes to the truffle.
- **Let Set:**
- Allow the cookies to cool completely and the chocolate to set before serving.
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