Description
Peanut Butter Spider Cookies are a fun and festive treat perfect for Halloween or any playful occasion. Creamy peanut butter cookie dough is rolled in sugar, baked until crackly and golden, then topped with a mini Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup to create the spider body. Melted chocolate is piped on to form spider legs, and candy eyeballs complete the spooky look. These cookies are easy to make and delightful for kids and adults alike.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- ½ cup (107g) brown sugar
- ⅓ cup (66g) granulated sugar
- ¾ cup (201g) creamy peanut butter, not natural
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups (180g) all purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- Granulated sugar, for rolling the cookies
Toppings and Decoration
- Mini Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups (about 24)
- ½ cup (85g) semi-sweet chocolate chips, for melting
- Candy eye balls
Instructions
- Prepare Reese’s Cups: Unwrap about 24 mini Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups and place them in a bowl. Put the bowl in the freezer to firm up the candies so they maintain their shape when added to the hot cookies later.
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350ºF (177ºC) and line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper.
- Mix Butter and Sugars: In a mixing bowl, combine the room temperature unsalted butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Beat using an electric mixer for 1 minute until the mixture is smooth and fluffy.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Add the creamy peanut butter, large egg, and vanilla extract to the sugar mixture. Beat again for less than 1 minute until well incorporated.
- Add Dry Ingredients: Stir in the all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Mix on low speed or fold in with a spatula just until combined. Avoid over mixing to keep the cookies tender.
- Form and Sugar Roll Cookies: Use a small cookie scoop or tablespoon to portion out tablespoon-sized balls of dough. Roll each ball between your hands to create a smooth sphere, then roll it in granulated sugar to coat evenly.
- Bake Cookies: Place the sugared dough balls 2-3 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet. Bake in the preheated oven for 11 minutes or until the cookie edges crack and turn golden brown.
- Add Reese’s Cups: Remove cookies from the oven and immediately press a frozen mini Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup into the center of each cookie gently. This forms the spider’s body.
- Cool Cookies: Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 15-20 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack. This prevents the Reese’s cups from sinking and losing shape.
- Melt Chocolate: Place the semi-sweet chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on 50% power for 3 minutes, stirring every minute until fully melted and smooth.
- Create Spider Legs: Transfer the melted chocolate to a squeeze bottle or a plastic sandwich bag with a small corner cut off. Pipe four legs on each side of the Reese’s cups on every cookie to resemble spider legs.
- Attach Eyes: Using a small dab of melted chocolate, attach candy eyeballs to the Reese’s cups. Let the chocolate set completely so the eyes stay in place.
- Serve and Enjoy: Once the chocolate has hardened, arrange your peanut butter spider cookies on a serving platter and enjoy your spooky, delicious treat!
Notes
- Freezing the mini Reese’s cups before use helps them keep their shape when pressed into warm cookies.
- Use creamy peanut butter rather than natural for better texture and flavor in the cookies.
- Don’t over mix the dough after adding flour to avoid tough cookies.
- Cookies can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days at room temperature.
- For a dairy-free version, substitute butter with a plant-based alternative and check for vegan chocolate chips and candy eyes.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 180 kcal
- Sugar: 15 g
- Sodium: 120 mg
- Fat: 11 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 18 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 25 mg
