These cute spider Halloween cookies are made with a basic peanut butter cookie recipe and decorated with mini Reese’s cups and melted chocolate. Your kids will love making these peanut butter spider cookies, and they’ll love eating them even more!
Baking Halloween treats together is one of our favorite family traditions – actually my sweet tooth daughters and I look for any excuse to whip up some cute desserts! Not only do we love sneaking a cookie mid-day, but we also love the togetherness time in the kitchen, mixing up the dough and decorating our cookies, cupcakes, or other confections.
In the past for Halloween, we’ve made ghost brownies, spider web cake mix cookies, and these cute no-bake Reese’s bats. But I was in the mood for a classic, so we decided to take our favorite basic peanut butter cookie recipe and give it a Halloween-themed makeover.
These adorable (and just the right amount of spooky) cookies are made with rich, peanut buttery goodness and topped with chocolate “spiders” that make them almost too cute to eat.
What You Need to Make these Spider Cookies
- creamy peanut butter
- mini Reese’s cups – You will need the “ultra” mini ones, NOT the Reese’s miniatures that come individually wrapped in the signature gold foil. Look for the peanut butter cups that come unwrapped in a zip-top bag.
- sugar
- egg
- vanilla extract
- baking soda
- salt
- candy eyeballs – You’ll need the standard sized candy eyeballs from Wilton.
- semi-sweet chocolate chips – Melt these down for the “glue” to hold your candy spider decorations on the cookie, and also for the spider legs.
How to Make Peanut Butter Spider Cookies
To make these peanut butter spider cookies, you’ll need a little bit of patience to bring the spiders to life! Here’s how to whip up these tasty, spooky treats:
- Make the peanut butter cookie dough. Mix all cookie ingredients in a large bowl until well combined.
- Shape the cookies. Roll the dough into small balls and place them on the baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Gently press down on each ball to flatten slightly.
- Bake the peanut butter cookies. Bake for 10-12 minutes at 350°F, or until the cookies are golden and slightly set.
- Add the spider decorations. Once the cookies are completely cool, it’s time to add the “legs” and “eyes.” Use melted chocolate in a piping bag or a resealable plastic bag with a small corner snipped off. Add a few dots of chocolate to the top of two mini Reese’s cups and place them in the middle of each cookie. Pipe on eight legs extending from the Reese’s cups to the edges of each cookie. Then add two candy eyes to each Reese’s cup.
Let the chocolate harden for a few minutes, and then you have adorable peanut butter spider cookies that are as fun to look at as they are to eat!
Recipe Tips:
- Use a cookie scoop for easy even portions – I LOVE using a quick-release cookie scoop for portioning out cookie dough. You’ll need a 2 tablespoon size scoop for this recipe.
- Let the chocolate decorations set – Let the chocolate fully set before stacking or storing the cookies to prevent smudging the spider legs.
- Chill the dough (optional) – If your dough is too sticky or soft, refrigerate it for 15-20 minutes before rolling into balls. This makes shaping the cookies easier and helps them hold their shape while baking.
- Try with one single Reese’s miniature – If you can’t find the mini unwrapped Reese’s in the zip-top bag, then you can substitute one wrapped Reese’s miniature peanut butter cup.
Other Halloween Cookies to Try
If you loved these adorable spider cookies with Reese’s cups, then be sure to check out some of my other Halloween cookie ideas to make with your little goblins:
- Spider Web Cake Mix Cookies – These beautiful spider web cookies are made with boxed cake mix and chocolate ganache webs. Delicious and spooky!
- No-Bake Ghost Milano Cookies – If you want some Halloween treats that are even easier to make, grab a bag of Pepperidge Farm Milano cookies for these easy ghost treats!
- 25+ Spooky and Easy Halloween Cookies – The ultimate round-up of Halloween cookie ideas to inspire you! Spooky cute treats that your kids will absolutely adore!
Peanut Butter Spider Cookies
Ingredients
For the Cookies:
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
For the Spider Decorations:
- 32 mini peanut butter cups you’ll need two for each cookie
- 32 candy eyes one to two per cookie
- ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F.
- Combine the peanut butter, sugar, egg, vanilla extract, baking soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Mix until well combined.
- Scoop 2 tablespoon-sized amounts of dough and roll them into balls. Place them directly on a baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Gently press down on each ball to flatten slightly.
- Bake in the oven for 10-12 minutes or until the edges are slightly golden.
- Remove from the oven and allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for about a minute.
- Melt the chocolate chips in the microwave, heating in 30-second intervals and stirring in between until smooth. If you have a piping bag, transfer the melted chocolate to the bag fitted with a small round tip. If not, transfer it to a plastic baggie and snip the corner.
- Add a small dot of melted chocolate to the center of each cookie. Place two mini peanut butter cups on top of each cookie, pressing them slightly into the melted chocolate.
- Place a dab of melted chocolate on the back of each candy eye and press them onto the peanut butter cups.
- Squeeze the melted chocolate onto the cookies to create spider legs.
- Allow the chocolate to set before serving. Enjoy your spooky treats!
Notes
- Storage – Store the cookies in an airtight container to keep them fresh. They can be kept at room temperature for up to a week. Make sure the container is in a cool, dry place to prevent the cookies from becoming soggy.
- Freezing – If you want to keep them longer, you can freeze the cookies. Place them in a single layer in a freezer-safe container, separating layers with parchment paper. They should last up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
- Chill the Dough (Optional) – If your dough is too soft or sticky, refrigerate it for 15-20 minutes before rolling. This makes shaping the cookies easier and helps them hold their shape while baking.
- Prevent Over-baking – Keep an eye on the cookies as they bake. Once the edges are golden, remove them from the oven—even if they still look soft in the center. They’ll firm up as they cool.
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