If you’re looking for a fun, festive, and absolutely adorable treat this season, you’ve got to try this Spider Peanut Butter Cookies with Reese’s and Candy Eyes Recipe. I absolutely love how these cookies turn out — soft, peanut butter-y bases topped with miniature Reese’s, spooky candy eyes, and chocolaty spider legs. They’re perfect for Halloween parties or when you just want to impress your family with something playful yet delicious. Trust me, once you make these, they’ll quickly become a go-to for festive baking.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Super Easy to Make: Just three main ingredients for the dough and a few fun decorations—no complicated steps here.
- Kid-Friendly Fun: Decorating with candy eyes and chocolate legs turns baking into a mini craft project everyone will enjoy.
- Perfect for Halloween: These spider cookies capture the spooky vibe without being scary, making them a great party hit.
- Deliciously Peanut Buttery: If you love peanut butter, these cookies deliver rich flavor that’s balanced by sweet chocolate.
Ingredients You’ll Need
These ingredients come together in a wonderfully simple way that highlights peanut butter’s richness, enhanced by the sweet crunch and chocolate accents. When shopping, grab quality peanut butter and those mini Reese’s for best flavor and size balance.
- Creamy Peanut Butter: Smooth works best here to create a tender cookie texture.
- Granulated Sugar: I use just half a cup plus extra for rolling to add a little crunch on the outside.
- Egg: Acts as the binding agent to hold everything together perfectly.
- Chocolate Melting Wafers: Easy to melt and use for your spider legs and eyes attachment.
- Miniature Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups: The star topping — these add peanut butter-chocolate magic.
- Mini Candy Eyes: These adorable eyes bring the spider character to life.
Variations
One of the things I love about this Spider Peanut Butter Cookies with Reese’s and Candy Eyes Recipe is how easy it is to customize. You can easily tweak it based on dietary needs or flavor preferences, making it your own spooky little creation!
- Nut-Free Variation: I’ve swapped peanut butter for sunflower seed butter when I had guests with allergies — it still tastes fantastic and keeps the texture just right.
- Chocolate Lovers’ Twist: For an extra boost, try mixing mini chocolate chips into the dough before baking.
- Spicy Kick: If you’re adventurous, add a pinch of cinnamon or cayenne pepper to the dough to give a subtle warmth that pairs surprisingly well with peanut butter.
- Vegan Adjustment: Use flaxseed “egg” and dairy-free chocolate wafers for a plant-based spooky treat.
How to Make Spider Peanut Butter Cookies with Reese’s and Candy Eyes Recipe
Step 1: Whip up your peanut butter cookie dough
Start by preheating your oven to 350°F and lining a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat—trust me, this makes cleanup so much easier. In a medium bowl, mix together the creamy peanut butter, granulated sugar, and egg until the dough is smooth and uniform. If you notice it’s a bit sticky, just pop it in the fridge for 10 to 20 minutes—that trick really helps make rolling the dough balls easier!
Step 2: Shape, roll, and prepare your cookies for baking
Using a medium cookie scoop (or your hands, if you prefer), portion out about 1-inch dough balls. Roll each ball in extra granulated sugar — this adds a pleasant, slightly crunchy coating. Place them spaced out on the baking sheet, then gently press down with a fork in a crisscross pattern to create that classic peanut butter cookie look. This step also helps the cookies bake evenly.
Step 3: Bake and add your Reese’s topping
Bake your cookies for 8 to 10 minutes, watching closely for a very light golden color on the bottoms — you want them soft, not crispy. Once they come out of the oven, wait a couple of minutes (about 2) before pressing a miniature Reese’s peanut butter cup onto each warm cookie. This little moment melts the bottom of the cup slightly, helping it stick perfectly and taste extra indulgent.
Step 4: Decorate into adorable (and spooky!) spiders
While the cookies cool on a rack, melt your chocolate wafers in 30-second intervals, stirring between each – patience here prevents burning. Pour the melted chocolate into a zip-top bag, snip a tiny hole, and pipe two dots on the Reese’s for the spider’s eyes. Quickly press on the mini candy eyes while the chocolate is still wet, then draw four spider legs on each side. Allow the chocolate to harden at room temperature—your little peanut butter spiders are ready to creep and crawl onto any plate!
Pro Tips for Making Spider Peanut Butter Cookies with Reese’s and Candy Eyes Recipe
- Chill Your Dough: Refrigerate the dough if it feels sticky; this makes rolling easier and keeps the cookies from spreading out too much.
- Gentle Press for Fork Marks: Press lightly when making the fork crosshatch—too much force can flatten your cookies excessively.
- Use a Piping Bag or Zip Bag: To draw spider legs with melted chocolate, a small tip works better for neat lines; if you don’t have one, a zip-top bag works perfectly.
- Don’t Skip Cooling Time: Let cookies cool completely before decorating to prevent messy chocolate smudges and to ensure the legs harden properly.
How to Serve Spider Peanut Butter Cookies with Reese’s and Candy Eyes Recipe
Garnishes
I typically keep the garnishing simple since the peanut butter cups and candy eyes do all the work for me visually. But, if you want to add a festive touch, sprinkle a little edible glitter or orange sanding sugar before baking to give the cookies a fun shimmer that catches the light—my kids love this extra sparkle!
Side Dishes
These cookies are perfect on their own with a glass of cold milk (I like almond milk for a nice nutty complement), but I also enjoy pairing them with a warm cup of hot chocolate or a pumpkin spice latte when serving at a party or as an afternoon snack.
Creative Ways to Present
For Halloween gatherings, I like to place the spider cookies on a black slate tray with edible spiderweb liners underneath—totally creepy yet classy. Sometimes, I arrange the cookies on a tiered dessert stand with little plastic spiders crawling around to amp up the fun factor. It’s always a conversation starter and looks so cute!
Make Ahead and Storage
Storing Leftovers
I store these peanut butter spider cookies in an airtight container at room temperature, and they stay fresh and chewy for up to 5 days. One thing I learned is to keep them away from heat to avoid melting the chocolate decorations.
Freezing
These cookies freeze beautifully! After decorating, I like to flash freeze them on a tray for about an hour, then transfer them to a freezer-safe container or bag. When properly wrapped, they’ll keep well for up to 3 months with minimal texture loss.
Reheating
To enjoy leftovers, just bring them to room temperature—if you like them warm, a quick 10-15 second zap in the microwave does the trick without melting the chocolate too much. This revives that fresh-baked softness I love so much.
FAQs
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Can I use crunchy peanut butter instead of creamy in this recipe?
Crunchy peanut butter will add a nice texture variation, but keep in mind it might make the dough a bit drier or harder to shape. If you use crunchy, consider slightly reducing sugar or chilling the dough longer to make rolling easier.
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What can I substitute for candy eyes if I can’t find them?
If candy eyes aren’t available, you can use small white chocolate chips with a dab of melted chocolate for the pupil or simply skip the eyes and focus on the spider legs for decoration.
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Why do you recommend chilling the dough before baking?
Chilling helps firm up the dough, so the cookies hold their shape better and don’t spread too much while baking. It also makes rolling and coating in sugar easier and less messy.
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Can I make these cookies ahead for a Halloween party?
Absolutely! You can bake the cookies and decorate them a day or two ahead. Just store them in an airtight container at room temperature to keep them fresh and the chocolate decorations intact.
Final Thoughts
Honestly, this Spider Peanut Butter Cookies with Reese’s and Candy Eyes Recipe holds a special place in my heart—it’s a delightful blend of nostalgia and creativity. Whether you’re baking with kids or just want a fun, festive treat to share, these cookies bring smiles and satisfied cravings every time. Give them a try—you’ll enjoy the playful look and unbeatable peanut butter and chocolate combo as much as I do.
Print
Spider Peanut Butter Cookies with Reese’s and Candy Eyes Recipe
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 9 minutes
- Total Time: 19 minutes
- Yield: 12 cookies
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
These delightful Spider Cookies are a fun and festive treat perfect for Halloween. Made with creamy peanut butter, sugar, and egg, these cookies are rolled in sugar and baked until lightly golden. Each cookie is topped with a miniature Reese’s peanut butter cup and decorated with candy eyes and melty chocolate to create adorable spider designs.
Ingredients
Cookie Dough
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar, plus more for rolling
- 1 egg
Decoration
- 1/4 cup chocolate melting wafers
- 12 miniature Reese’s peanut butter cups
- 24 mini candy eyes
Instructions
- Make cookie dough: Preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a baking mat and set aside. In a medium bowl, mix together the peanut butter, sugar, and egg until well combined. If the dough feels too sticky, refrigerate it for 10-20 minutes to firm up.
- Roll in sugar: Use a medium cookie scoop or your hands to form 12 balls of dough, about 1 inch in diameter. Roll each ball in granulated sugar until fully coated, then place them spaced on the prepared baking sheet. Press each ball down gently with a fork to create a cross pattern on top.
- Bake: Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven and bake the cookies for 8-10 minutes, or until they are very lightly browned on the bottoms. Remove from the oven and let the cookies rest on the pan for 2 minutes.
- Place peanut butter cups: While the cookies are still warm, place one miniature Reese’s peanut butter cup on top of each cookie. Allow the cookies to cool completely on a wire rack.
- Decorate like spiders: Melt the chocolate melting wafers in a microwave-safe bowl in 30-second increments, stirring in between until smooth. Transfer the melted chocolate into a zip-top bag and snip off a small edge for piping. Pipe two dots of chocolate on top of each Reese’s to act as glue, then attach two candy eyes onto each. Next, use the melted chocolate to draw four spider legs on each side of the peanut butter cup. Let the chocolate harden before serving.
Notes
- These peanut butter spider cookies are perfect for Halloween parties or themed gatherings.
- You can refrigerate the dough if it’s too sticky to handle easily.
- Use candy eyes and melting chocolate for the best decorative effect.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 273 kcal
- Sugar: 20 g
- Sodium: 199 mg
- Fat: 17 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 26 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 8 g
- Cholesterol: 15 mg
