Peanut Butter Spider Cookies Recipe
If you love peanut butter and a dash of spooky fun, then you are in for a real treat with this Peanut Butter Spider Cookies Recipe. These charmingly creepy, delightfully tasty cookies combine creamy peanut butter dough, crispy sugar coating, and a mini Reese’s peanut butter cup that transforms into a cute little spider body. With chocolate legs piped on and candy eyeballs stuck on top, they turn a simple cookie into a conversation piece perfect for parties, holidays, or any time you want to bring a smile to your loved ones’ faces. Let me take you through this cozy and playful baking adventure!
Ingredients You’ll Need
This recipe uses straightforward pantry staples that come together seamlessly to create a rich, buttery, and wonderfully textured cookie. Each ingredient brings something special to the table, from sweetness and saltiness to the perfect tender crumb and structural chew.
- Unsalted butter: Provides a creamy richness and helps the cookies stay soft.
- Brown sugar: Adds moistness and a deep caramel flavor.
- Granulated sugar: Offers a crispy edge and sweetness for balance.
- Creamy peanut butter: The heart of the cookie, giving that iconic nutty flavor and moist texture.
- Egg: Binds the ingredients together and boosts the cookie’s softness.
- Vanilla extract: Enhances all the flavors with its warm, aromatic notes.
- All-purpose flour: Provides structure so the cookies hold their shape perfectly.
- Baking soda and baking powder: Work in tandem to give a slight lift and tender crumb.
- Salt: Balances the sweetness and amplifies the peanut butter flavor.
- Extra granulated sugar: Used for rolling dough balls to add a delightful crackly sugar crust.
- Mini Reese’s peanut butter cups: Chilled and unwrapped to become the spider body centerpiece.
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips: Melted to pipe on spider legs with rich chocolate flavor.
- Candy eyeballs: Add personality and a fun, cheeky touch to your spider cookies.
How to Make Peanut Butter Spider Cookies Recipe
Step 1: Prep and Chill
Begin by unwrapping the mini Reese’s peanut butter cups and placing them in the freezer; chilling them ensures they won’t melt too quickly when pressed into the warm cookies later. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C), setting the perfect temperature for baking these tender, peanut buttery treats.
Step 2: Cream Butter and Sugars
In a large mixing bowl, beat together the room temperature butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until light, fluffy, and pale in color. This process is crucial because it incorporates air, resulting in cookies with a wonderfully tender texture and depth of flavor.
Step 3: Add Peanut Butter, Egg, and Vanilla
Mix in the creamy peanut butter, followed by the egg, and then the vanilla extract. Stir well until the mixture is silky smooth, creating a luscious base that embodies all the classic peanut butter cookie goodness you crave.
Step 4: Combine Dry Ingredients
In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add these dry ingredients to your wet mixture, stirring just until the dough comes together. Overmixing here can make the cookies tough, so be gentle and proud of your soft dough.
Step 5: Shape and Sugar-Coat the Dough Balls
Roll tablespoon-sized balls of dough between your palms to form neat spheres. Then, generously roll each ball in granulated sugar. This extra step is not just decorative; it gives your cookies a delightful sugary crunch on the outside that contrasts beautifully with the soft interior.
Step 6: Bake and Insert Reese’s
Place your sugared dough balls onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, then bake in the preheated oven for 8 to 11 minutes. The edges should just start to crack, signaling the perfect time to remove them. Immediately upon coming out of the oven, press a chilled mini Reese’s peanut butter cup into the center of each cookie. This step lets the warmth of the cookie gently melt the cup, creating a delicious bond.
Step 7: Cool and Add Spider Legs
Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 15 to 20 minutes, allowing them to firm up and the Reese’s to set solid. Meanwhile, melt the semi-sweet chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl, stirring every 30 seconds until silky smooth. Transfer the melted chocolate to a squeeze bottle or a zip-top bag with a small cut in one corner to pipe spider legs—four on each side of the Reese’s—giving your cookies a playful spider silhouette.
Step 8: Attach Candy Eyeballs
Use a tiny dab of melted chocolate as glue to stick candy eyeballs onto each Reese’s cup, turning your cookies into friendly little peanut butter spiders ready to enchant any gathering.
How to Serve Peanut Butter Spider Cookies Recipe
Garnishes
These cookies are charming all on their own, but if you want to elevate their look, try dusting a little powdered sugar over them for a ‘dew-covered’ effect. Alternatively, sprinkle some crushed peanuts around the serving plate for added texture and peanut flavor echoes.
Side Dishes
Pair these sweet and nutty cookies with a cold glass of milk or a cup of freshly brewed coffee to balance the richness. For festive occasions, a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a drizzle of caramel sauce adds decadence without overpowering the star peanut butter spider cookies.
Creative Ways to Present
Arrange your Peanut Butter Spider Cookies Recipe creations on a dark serving tray to make the chocolate legs pop visually. For Halloween or themed parties, place them amidst faux autumn leaves, small pumpkins, or spider web doilies for an irresistibly fun display that guests will love snapping photos of.
Make Ahead and Storage
Storing Leftovers
You can keep these cookies fresh by storing them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to five days. Placing a slice of bread inside the container helps keep them soft thanks to the moisture exchange.
Freezing
If you want to make these ahead for a party or holiday, freeze the fully baked and decorated cookies in a single layer on a baking sheet first, then transfer them to a freezer-safe bag or container. They keep well for up to three months. Thaw at room temperature before serving for the best texture.
Reheating
To lightly warm and refresh your cookies, pop them in the microwave for about 10-15 seconds or in a low oven (300°F) for about 5 minutes. This brings back the gooey peanut butter cup center and melds all the flavors wonderfully.
FAQs
Can I use natural peanut butter for this recipe?
Natural peanut butter tends to be less creamy and more oily, which might affect the cookie texture. It’s best to stick with creamy, processed peanut butter as specified for the best dough consistency and flavor.
What if I don’t have candy eyeballs?
No worries! You can use small dots of white and dark chocolate or icing to create eyes. Even tiny dots of sprinkles or edible marker pens work well for that spider look.
Can these cookies be made gluten-free?
Absolutely, try substituting the all-purpose flour with a gluten-free flour blend designed for baking. Just be sure the blend contains xanthan gum or another binder for best results, as it helps the dough hold together.
Is there a substitute for Reese’s peanut butter cups?
While mini Reese’s add the perfect size and flavor, you can use any similar peanut butter candy cup or even a small dollop of peanut butter and chocolate chip as a center, but the authentic candy really elevates the visual and taste impact.
How do I make the chocolate legs neat and defined?
Use a small squeeze bottle or a zip-top bag with a very tiny hole cut in the corner. Practice piping on parchment paper before decorating the cookies to get the perfect spider leg shape and thickness.
Final Thoughts
I absolutely adore this Peanut Butter Spider Cookies Recipe because it’s not only delicious but also fun to make and decorate, making it perfect for sharing with friends and family. Whether you’re baking for a seasonal celebration or just craving a nostalgic peanut butter treat, these cookies will bring smiles and a bit of playful spookiness to your table. Grab your ingredients, roll up your sleeves, and let the baking magic begin!
Print
Peanut Butter Spider Cookies Recipe
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 24 cookies 1x
Description
These Peanut Butter Spider Cookies are a fun and festive treat perfect for Halloween or any spooky-themed occasion. Soft and chewy peanut butter cookies topped with chilled mini Reese’s peanut butter cups create the spider body, while melted chocolate chips are piped on to form spider legs and candy eyeballs complete the creepy-cute look. Easy to make and irresistibly delicious, these cookies combine classic peanut butter flavor with creative decoration for a delightful dessert.
Ingredients
Cookie Dough
- 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, room temperature
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- ¾ cup creamy peanut butter (not natural)
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- Extra granulated sugar (for rolling dough balls)
Decorations
- 24 mini Reese’s peanut butter cups, unwrapped and chilled
- ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (for spider legs)
- Candy eyeballs
Instructions
- Freeze Reese’s Cups and Preheat Oven: Unwrap the mini Reese’s peanut butter cups and place them in the freezer to chill. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) to prepare for baking the cookies.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: In a large bowl, beat together the room temperature butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy, which helps create a tender texture in the cookies.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Mix in the creamy peanut butter, egg, and vanilla extract until fully combined and smooth, ensuring an even flavor throughout the dough.
- Incorporate Dry Ingredients: Gradually stir in the all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt until the cookie dough just comes together, being careful not to overmix to keep the cookies soft.
- Shape and Sugar Coat Cookies: Roll tablespoon-sized portions of dough into balls, then roll each ball in extra granulated sugar to add a slight crunch and sparkle to the cookie exterior. Place the coated dough balls evenly spaced on a baking sheet.
- Bake Cookies: Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 8-11 minutes or until the edges begin to crack slightly, indicating they are set but still chewy inside.
- Add Reese’s Cups: Immediately after removing the cookies from the oven, press a chilled mini Reese’s peanut butter cup into the center of each cookie while they are still warm, helping them adhere properly.
- Cool Cookies: Allow the cookies to cool completely on the baking sheet for 15-20 minutes so they set perfectly with the peanut butter cup in place.
- Melt Chocolate: Melt the semi-sweet chocolate chips in the microwave, stirring every 30 seconds to prevent burning until smooth and glossy.
- Pipe Spider Legs: Transfer the melted chocolate to a squeeze bottle or a zip-top bag with a small corner cut off. Pipe four legs on each side of the Reese’s cup to create the spider’s legs, making a total of eight legs per cookie.
- Attach Candy Eyeballs: Use a small dab of melted chocolate as glue to attach candy eyeballs onto the Reese’s peanut butter cup body, giving your spider cookies a fun and spooky personality.
Notes
- Use creamy peanut butter instead of natural for the best texture and flavor.
- Keep mini Reese’s cups chilled before pressing them into the warm cookies to prevent melting.
- Be careful not to overbake to maintain chewy cookie centers.
- If you don’t have a squeeze bottle, piping chocolate using a zip-top bag with a small cut corner works well.
- Let the chocolate set completely before storing the cookies to avoid smudging.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
