These peanut butter spider cookies are the perfect Halloween cookie! Made with peanut butter cookies, a REESE’S peanut butter cup, candy eyes and a drizzle of chocolate.
Looking for more Halloween recipes? Try this Halloween dirt cake recipe, make strawberry ghosts or make a haunted Halloween gingerbread house!
Table of Contents
Easy Halloween Spider Cookies
These spider cookies are the perfect Halloween cookies recipe for any seasonal party. Only 6 ingredients and 20 minutes to make! They’re soft, chewy and the Reese’s peanut butter cups add the perfect touch.
They start out with your basic peanut butter cookie dough (aka my favorite cookie dough because it’s only 3 ingredients). There’s no flour in these cookies, which makes them a great gluten free treat if you need one.
The spiders are topped with a chocolate candy and the candy eyes add the perfect touch. Kids and adults all love them! They are the perfect Halloween dessert and look great served alongside some spooky Halloween punch and mummy hot dogs!
Halloween Peanut Butter Spider Cookie Ingredients
- Peanut butter – Use a creamy peanut butter (like Jif or Skippy).
- Sugar – I prefer granulated sugar, however you could use brown sugar.
- Eggs – This is what helps bind the cookies together.
- Chocolate – I prefer to use chocolate wafers (they melt easier), however you can also use chocolate chips.
- Reese’s cup – A miniature Reese’s peanut butter cup is the perfect size to make the body of the spider on top of each cookie.
- Candy eyes – You can find these at more grocery stores or craft stores in the baking aisle.
How to Make Halloween Spider Cookies
Mix together the peanut butter, sugar and egg in a medium bowl. If the dough is too sticky, refrigerate for 10-20 minutes.
Roll dough into 12 (1″) balls (I like to use a medium cookie scoop). Roll in sugar and then place onto prepared baking sheet. Press down with a fork creating a cross.
Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until very lightly browned on the bottoms. Remove from oven and let rest on pan for 2 minutes. Place peanut butter cups on top of the cookies while they’re still warm.
Once cookies have cooled, melt chocolate in a microwave safe bowl. Cook in 30 second increments then place in a zip top bag to decorate. Snip off the edge and place two dots on top of the Reese’s. Then attach the eyes. Next draw 4 legs on each side of the Reese’s. Allow chocolate to harden.
Variations
- You could also use this dough from my peanut butter blossoms. It requires a few more ingredients, but is super delicious.
- A whopper or Lindt truffle would also work as the base of the spider.
- Instead of melted chocolate, black decorating gel could be used to pipe on the spider’s legs. You could also use white gel to make the eyes, instead of candy eyeballs.
- While I love the Halloween decorations, you can also keep these cookies plain (without the chocolate and candy eyes) to serve as classic peanut butter cup cookies.
- Serve this easy Halloween recipe with my mummy cookies recipe, halloween Oreo balls, pumpkin shaped cookies and Halloween sugar cookies.
How to Store Spider Cookies
Store any leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature. They will stay fresh for up to 3 days.
More Halloween recipes to try: Halloween witch hat cookies, Halloween candy popcorn, healthy Halloween veggie tray and Halloween deviled eggs.
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Spider Cookies
Video
Ingredients
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- ½ cup granulated sugar , plus more for rolling
- 1 egg
- ¼ cup chocolate melting wafers
- 12 miniature Reese's peanut butter cups
- 24 mini candy eyes
Instructions
- Make cookie dough. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line one baking sheet with parchment paper or a baking mat and set aside. Mix together 1 cup peanut butter, 1/2 cup sugar and egg in a medium bowl. If the dough is too sticky, you can refrigerate for 10-20 minutes.
- Roll in sugar. Roll dough into 12 (1″) balls (I like to use a medium cookie scoop) and drop into the sugar. Roll in sugar and then place onto prepared baking sheet. Press down with a fork creating a cross.
- Bake. Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until very lightly browned on the bottoms. Remove from oven and let rest on pan for 2 minutes.
- Place peanut butter cups. Place the peanut butter cups on top of the cookies while they're still warm. Then allow cookies to cool on a cooling rack.
- Decorate like spiders. Once cookies have cooled, melt the chocolate in a microwave safe bowl. Cook in 30 second increments, stirring in between until melted. Then place in a zip top bag to decorate. Snip off the edge and place two dots on top of the Reese's. Then attach the eyes. Next draw 4 legs on each side of the Reese's. Allow chocolate to harden.
Notes
- While I prefer the mini Reese’s for the base of the spider, you can also use a whopper or Lindt truffle.
- While I prefer chocolate, you could also use black decorating gel.
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
Categorized as: 5 Ingredients Or Less, American, Chocolate, Cookies, Desserts, Gluten-Free, Halloween, Holiday Cookies, Kid-Friendly, Vegetarian
Jamielyn Nye is the founder and recipe creator at I Heart Naptime. She is the author of the I Heart Naptime Cookbook and shares easy family-friendly recipes and desserts for every occasion.
Easy and quick without decorating. Family loved the flavor. Trying another batch today and decorating for Halloween. Thank you for a great recipe, only 3 ingredients that I always have on hand!
So happy you love the recipe! These are a Halloween favorite of ours too :)
These turned out great! Added a nice theme to the season with a delicious taste!
So happy to hear that! Thanks for your comment and review :)
Easy, yummy, and so so cute! Thank you!
You are so welcome!
Thanks a lot for sharing this amazing and super easy to make spider cookies recipe! It tasted so delicious and flavorful! Loved it, will surely have this again! Highly recommended!
These are super cute!
These are super cute, and I know my kids would love them!
These are adorable and would definitely be a hit at my daughter’s Halloween party!
I LOVE these so much! They are adorable!
This is such a crazy cute idea! :)
These are so cute!!
These are super cute! A treat my daughter would have no issues eating (even though spiders are not welcome here, haha.)
I made this a couple weeks ago and much to my surprise it was even better the next day!