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Peanut Butter Spider Cookies with Chocolate Legs

Peanut butter spider cookies are soft, golden peanut butter cookies topped with mini peanut butter cups, chocolate legs, and candy eyes. Bake two sheets at 350°F, then decorate each cookie to make a playful Halloween treat.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Cooling and setting time 25 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 2 minutes
Servings: 24 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 195
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the cookies
  • 0.5 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 0.5 cup creamy peanut butter
  • 0.5 cup granulated sugar
  • 0.5 cup light brown sugar packed
  • 1 egg large, at room temperature
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1.25 cup all-purpose flour
  • 0.5 tsp baking soda
  • 0.25 tsp fine salt
For the spiders
  • 24 peanut butter cups mini, unwrapped
  • 0.5 cup semisweet chocolate chips
  • 48 candy eyes

Equipment

  • 2 rimmed baking sheets
  • 1 electric mixer
  • 1 microwave

Method
 

Make and bake the cookies
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
  2. Line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
  3. In a large bowl, beat the softened butter, peanut butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
  4. Beat in the egg and vanilla until combined.
  5. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt.
  6. Mix the flour mixture into the peanut butter mixture on low speed just until no dry streaks remain.
  7. Scoop the dough into 24 rounded tablespoon portions.
  8. Roll each portion into a ball.
  9. Arrange 12 dough balls on each baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
  10. Bake both sheets for 10–12 minutes, swapping their rack positions and rotating them front to back halfway through, until the edges are lightly golden and the tops look set.
  11. Press one peanut butter cup upright into the center of each warm cookie.
  12. Cool the cookies on the baking sheets for 5 minutes.
  13. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack.
  14. Cool the cookies completely.
Decorate the spiders
  1. Microwave the chocolate chips in a small microwave-safe bowl at 50% power in 20-second bursts, stirring between bursts, until smooth.
  2. Transfer the melted chocolate to a small zip-top bag.
  3. Snip a tiny corner from the bag.
  4. Pipe four legs on each side of each peanut butter cup, extending onto the cookie.
  5. Pipe two small dots on the front of each cup.
  6. Press on two candy eyes.
  7. Let the chocolate set for about 20 minutes.

Notes

For clean decorations, let the cookies cool completely before piping the chocolate. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days; freezing is suitable for up to 2 months. For a peanut-free variation, use sunflower seed butter and sunflower-butter cups.