Description
Peanut Butter Spider Cookies combine classic peanut butter cookie dough with whimsical Halloween decorations. Featuring a delicious peanut butter cookie base topped with large and small Whopper candies to resemble spider bodies and heads, these cookies are finished with piped melted chocolate legs and candy eyes for a spooky, fun treat perfect for Halloween celebrations.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
Wet Ingredients and Mix-ins
- ½ cup salted butter, softened
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar, packed
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup creamy peanut butter (not natural)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Decorations and Toppings
- 44 Whoppers (22 large, 22 small)
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (6 ounces)
- 1 small tube of white cake decorating gel
- ¼ cup granulated sugar (for rolling)
- Black nonpareil sprinkles (optional, for the spider eyes)
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Baking Sheets: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats to prevent sticking and ensure even baking.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and baking powder. Set this mixture aside for later incorporation.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened salted butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and creamy peanut butter until the mixture is light and fluffy. Then, beat in the egg and vanilla extract until fully combined.
- Combine Dry and Wet Ingredients: Gradually add the dry flour mixture into the wet ingredients, stirring gently until a thick, well-formed dough comes together.
- Shape and Sugar-Coat Dough Balls: Using a 2-tablespoon scoop, form dough balls. Roll each ball in granulated sugar to give a slight crunch and a sweet coating, then space them evenly on the prepared baking sheets.
- Bake the Cookies: Bake for 8-10 minutes until the edges turn golden and the cookies feel firm to touch. Remove the baking sheets from the oven carefully.
- Add Whopper Spider Bodies: While the cookies are still warm, press one large Whopper candy (for the spider’s body) and one small Whopper (for the head) onto the top center of each cookie to form the spider shape.
- Cool Cookies: Place the decorated cookies in the fridge for a few minutes to cool until they are firm and cool to the touch, making them easier to decorate further.
- Melt Chocolate for Legs: Microwave the semi-sweet chocolate chips in 30-second increments, stirring between each, until completely melted and smooth. Let the chocolate cool slightly before transferring it into a piping bag for decorating.
- Pipe Spider Legs: Use the melted chocolate to pipe eight legs onto each spider cookie. Form each leg in a “V” shape, placing four legs on each side of the large Whopper body to imitate spider legs.
- Create Spider Eyes: Using the white cake decorating gel, add two small dots on the smaller Whopper head to represent eyes. Optionally, add a small black nonpareil sprinkle in the center of each white dot for more realistic eyes.
- Set the Decorations: Let the cookies sit until the chocolate and gel decorations set completely. For quicker setting, refrigerate the cookies again for a few minutes before serving.
Notes
- Use creamy peanut butter instead of natural to ensure the right texture and sweetness.
- Rolling the cookie dough balls in sugar before baking adds an appealing crunch and sparkle.
- Make sure the chocolate is cool but still meltable before piping to avoid melting the candy decorations.
- Refrigerate cookies after assembling decorations to help them set firmly and maintain shape.
- Black nonpareil sprinkles are optional but add a cute and spooky touch to the spider eyes.
- Store these cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for up to a week.
