These Peanut Butter Spider Cookies are so cute and completely delicious! Perfect for your Halloween party or fun project with the kids. There's a gluten free option too.
Looking for more spooky Halloween recipes? Try Slice 'N' Bake Halloween Cookies, Eyeball OREO Truffles, Spider Donuts and the cutest Pumpkin Cupcakes.
Why I love these Spooky Spider Cookies
• The recipe is based on The Classic Peanut Butter Blossoms which made its first appearance as an entry in the 9th Pillsbury Bake-Off Contest in 1957.
• An easy Halloween cookie to make and so adorable!
• The kids will love making these soft peanut butter cookies! Perfect for Halloween parties!
• The candy googly eyes are so much fun!
What you need
Ingredient notes
Butter or vegetable shortening - You can use either in this recipe. Same amount whether you use butter or shortening.
Peanut butter - This recipe works best if you use creamy peanut butter (not crunchy peanut butter). Use your favorite brand such as Jif or Skippy. I used the generic grocery store brand. I wouldn't recommend using the natural kind that has the oil separated.
Sugar - The cookie dough contains granulated sugar AND brown sugar. Then you'll dip the cookie balls in granulated sugar, not powdered or confectioner's sugar.
Candy eyeballs - They carry these at most grocery stores around the Halloween holiday. If you can't find them, they're available online.
How to make Spooky Halloween Spider Cookies
- Prepare the peanut butter cookie dough in a large bowl. They mix up quickly using a hand mixer. Shape dough into 1-inch balls.
- Roll cookie dough balls in granulated sugar and place onto a parchment paper lined half sheet pan or baking sheet. Bake at 375°F for 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned on edges. Remove hot cookies from oven and immediately press an unwrapped peanut butter cup on top of each cookie. Be careful because the cookies will be hot. Let cool on a cooling rack.
- Melt ¼ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips and place in a pastry bag or small ziploc bag. Cut a tiny corner and pipe the chocolate legs onto the cooled cookies. Four legs on each side of the spider's body.
- For the spider eyes, pipe a little more melted chocolate and stick the candy eyeballs onto peanut butter cup. Let the chocolate set before serving your adorable peanut butter spider cookies.
Expert Tips
• Make sure you have all your ingredients before you start mixing your cookie dough.
• For best results, use room temperature ingredients.
• Unwrap all of the chocolate peanut butter cups BEFORE baking your cookies as you need to press them into the baked cookies as soon as they come out of the oven.
• If you are sensitive to dairy, use shortening instead of butter and use almond milk instead of regular milk in this recipe. Use dairy free peanut butter cups and dairy free chocolate chips for the decoration.
• This cookie dough freezes well. Place in an airtight container and freeze until ready to use (up to 1 month). Let thaw completely before baking.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this recipe gluten free? Yes. If you can't have gluten, this recipe is perfect for you. Simply follow the recipe below using gluten free flour.
Do I have to make the cookies gluten free? Of course not. For those of you that CAN have gluten, feel free to use the same exact recipe but substitute all-purpose flour. Substituting all-purpose flour for the gluten free flour will give you the traditional Peanut Butter Blossom cookie.
Does the gluten free version taste different? Honestly, there's not much difference in taste. I think they're both equally delicious.
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Peanut Butter Spider Cookies
Ingredients
- ¾ cup creamy peanut butter
- ½ cup unsalted butter (softened) or vegetable shortening
- â…“ cup light brown sugar, packed
- â…“ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 2 tablespoons milk I used almond milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cup gluten free flour or regular all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
For the spider decoration
- 36 peanut butter cups (unwrapped) such as Reese's or use dairy free peanut butter cups, if desired
- ¼ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted use dairy free, if desired
- 72 candy eyes
Instructions
- Heat oven to 375°F. Remove wrappers from chocolates. Line 3 half sheet pans with parchment paper or silicone mat. Set aside.
- Beat peanut butter and butter (or shortening) with electric mixer on medium speed in large bowl until well blended. Add â…“ cup granulated sugar and brown sugar; beat well. Add the egg, milk and vanilla. Stir to combine. Stir together flour, baking soda and salt; gradually beat into peanut butter mixture.
- Shape dough into 1-inch balls. roll in additional granulated sugar; place on prepared sheet pans. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Immediately press a peanut butter cup into center of each cookie; cookies will crack around edges. Remove to wire racks and cool completely.
- Place melted chocolate in small ziploc bag or pastry bag. Cut a tiny corner and pipe spider legs, then stick on the candy eyes with some melted chocolate. Let set before serving. Store covered for 3 days at room temperature or up to a week in refrigerator.
Leslie Anne Tarabella says
My favorite peanut butter flavor on my favorite kind of arachnid - edible!