Chocolate covered pretzels, peanut butter candies, sprinkles, and candy eyes give these Peanut Butter Cup Spider Cookies a fun look. This peanut butter cookie recipe is such a fun treat for Halloween parties.
The month of October I boycott dusting. My reasoning is that it is part of my "decorations". Skeletons and gravestones just look better with a layer of dust around them.
I mean have you ever seen a clean and shiny haunted house? No way! They are always musty and dirty because it just adds to the spookiness.
Of course, all this dust means that the spiders think it is ok to come live inside with us. Yesterday I was vacuuming and found a giant spider web behind one of the doors.
I didn't see any spiders on it, but instinct kicked in and I sucked that web up in a hurry.
Normally I am not a fan of spiders at all. When we lived in Texas we used to see black widows in the garage that freaked me out.
Thank goodness for bug exterminators who respond quickly and and sprayed around our house. Bye, bye spiders!
Now spiders with candy eyes and chocolate legs can stick around as long as they like. Well, stick around is a relative term because any cookie stuffed with peanut butter cups isn't going to last long around here. My kids love those candies just as much as I do.
Look how cute that little guy is. Did I seriously just call a spider cute? Maybe I inhaled too much dust recently?
A few years ago I made Chocolate Pumpkin Spider Donuts for a fun breakfast. The kids loved those fun chocolate critters so much, that I wanted to create another creepy crawly treat this year.
I started with the dough from these Peanut Butter Oreo Truffle Cookie Cups. It's my go to cookie recipe any time I want to make a peanut butter stuffed cookie.
Tips for making Peanut Butter Cup Spider Cookies:
- Make sure the dough is mixed together, so you can roll it into balls.
- Roll the dough balls in sugar. Extra sugar is never a bad idea.
- After the cookies bake, let them cool in the pan for a few minutes. Then press the candy into the top.
- Use a butter knife to loosen the edges of the cookies. Be careful that you do not mess up the chocolate.
- Place the cookies on wax paper. As soon as the candies on top are melted and shiny, start attaching the candy head and chocolate legs.
- Add sprinkles to the back of the spiders while the chocolate is still wet.
- Use a toothpick and some extra chocolate to attach the eyeballs.
- Stand back and look at your little spider buddies with pride...then grab one and devour him!!!
Spiders made of chocolate and peanut butter are the only ones that will ever be allowed to crawl on my hands!!!!
More fun treats for Halloween:
- Creepy Crawly Brownie Pizzas
- Peanut Butter Zombie Eyeballs
- No Bake Rice Krispies Owl Cookies
- Witch's Cauldron Brownie Cupcakes
- Ghost Cookies
- Halloween Oreos
Recipe
Peanut Butter Cup Spider Cookies
Chocolate covered pretzels, candy, eyes, and sprinkles give these Peanut Butter Cup Spider Cookies a fun look. Great Halloween treat for parties.
Ingredients
- ¼ cup creamy peanut butter
- ¼ cup vegetable shortening
- ¼ cup sugar + 2-3 Tablespoons
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 24 small peanut butter cups
- 24 mini peanut butter cups
- 48 candy eyes
- 1 bag chocolate covered pretzels
- chocolate jimmies
- red and orange ball sprinkles
- 1 Tablespoon chocolate melting wafers
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a mini muffin tin with nonstick spray.
- Beat the peanut butter, shortening, ¼ cup sugar, and brown sugar until creamy. Add the egg, and vanilla and beat again.
- Stir together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Slowly mix into the peanut butter mixture.
- Roll the dough into 24 even balls. Roll in the remaining 2 Tablespoons sugar.
- Place in prepared muffin tin. Bake for 8-9 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan for 2 minutes.
- Press a small peanut butter cup into the top of each cookie. Gently use a knife to remove the cookie from the pan and place on a wax paper lined tray.
- Break apart the pretzels. When the chocolate on the top of the cookies is melted and shiny, place a mini peanut butter cup on one side. Attach the pretzel pieces along the sides of the cookies making sure the pretzel is in the melted chocolate on top.
- Sprinkle the tops of the peanut butter cups with the sprinkles. Let set.
- Melt the chocolate wafers according to the package directions. Use a toothpick to attach the candy eyes to the front of the mini peanut butter cup. Let set. Store in a tightly sealed container. Makes 24 cookies.
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
-
Halloween Sprinkles - Bulk Sprinkles -16 Oz - Orange, Black, Purple and White Jimmies -
Wilton Nonstick Cooling Rack Grid
-
Assorted Candy Eyeballs Box
-
Ghirardelli Chocolate Dark Candy Melting Wafers, 30 Ounce
-
KitchenAid Stand Mixer with Pouring Shield, 5-Quart, Empire Red
-
Wilton Perfect Results Non-Stick Mini Muffin and Cupcake Pan, 24-Cup
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 24 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 245Total Fat: 11gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 10mgSodium: 138mgCarbohydrates: 35gFiber: 1gSugar: 23gProtein: 4g
Nutrition facts are an estimate and are not guaranteed to be accurate. If you need special diet advice, please see a registered dietician.
*The post for Peanut Butter Cup Spider Cookies was first published October 27, 2016. The post was updated and republished October 21, 2020.
Nicole Taggart
so totally cute. and i love all things peanut butter and chocolate!
Maria
These spider cookies are adorable! I've never seen them before and I love it!
Marye
Oh my gosh, these are adorable! They look so yummy!