Peanut Butter Spider Cookies (Printable)

Chewy peanut butter cookies topped with chocolate and candy eyes for a festive treat kids love.

# Components:

→ Cookies

01 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
02 - 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
03 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
04 - 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
05 - 1 large egg
06 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
07 - 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
08 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
09 - 1/4 teaspoon salt

→ Decoration

10 - 24 mini chocolate peanut butter cups or chocolate truffles
11 - 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips, melted
12 - 48 candy eyes

# Method:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
02 - In a large bowl, beat together unsalted butter, peanut butter, granulated sugar, and packed brown sugar until light and fluffy.
03 - Add egg and vanilla extract, mixing until well blended.
04 - In a separate bowl, whisk all-purpose flour with baking soda and salt. Gradually add dry mixture into wet ingredients, blending just until combined.
05 - Scoop tablespoon-sized balls of dough onto prepared sheets, spacing about 2 inches apart.
06 - Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until edges are set and lightly golden.
07 - While cookies are still warm, press a mini peanut butter cup into the center of each cookie. Let cookies cool on the sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.
08 - Once cookies are cool, pipe melted semisweet chocolate around each peanut butter cup to create 3 to 4 spider legs per side using a piping bag or zip-top bag.
09 - Use a small dot of melted chocolate to affix two candy eyes on each cup. Allow chocolate to set before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Easy and quick to prepare in less than an hour
  • Uses everyday pantry ingredients
  • Perfect for hands-on decorating with children
  • Soft, chewy texture with rich peanut butter flavor
02 -
  • Fun way to get kids involved in baking
  • Vegetarian friendly and easy to convert for allergies
  • Freeze or store well for advance holiday prep
03 -
  • Use a sturdy spatula when transferring cookies from sheet to rack as they are soft just after baking
  • For perfectly piped chocolate legs warm chocolate just enough to flow smoothly but not so hot that it runs Try decorating when cookies are completely cool so eyes and legs set neatly and do not melt If making with small children set up an assembly line for fun and less mess

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