Peanut Butter Spider Cookies
40 min
|
easy
Recipe by Eunice
Introduction
These peanut butter spider cookies are chewy, salty-sweet peanut butter rounds crowned with mini peanut butter cups and pretzel-stick legs, basically PB blossoms with a Halloween glow-up.
Perfect for Halloween parties, school treat boxes, or a bake sale, they are easy to assemble, kid-approved, and give you that crunchy-chewy bite without any fussy piping.
Ingredients (24 servings)
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For the Cookies:
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened unsalted butter 4 oz
- ½ cup granulated sugar granulated sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar, packed brown sugar 3.43 oz
- 1 large egg large egg 1 ct
- ¾ cup creamy peanut butter creamy peanut butter 6.82 oz
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract pure vanilla extract 1 tsp
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour all-purpose flour 0.41 lb
- ½ tsp baking soda baking soda 0.08 oz
- ¼ tsp salt salt
For Spider Assembly
- 1 bag pretzel sticks pretzel sticks 1 bag
- 1 bag miniature peanut butter cups miniature peanut butter cups 1 bag
How to Make Peanut Butter Spider Cookies
-
Preheat and prep pans
Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment for easy release and even browning.
-
Cream butter and sugars
In a large bowl, beat softened butter with granulated and brown sugars until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes for that soft-chewy texture we want.
-
Add egg, peanut butter, and vanilla
Beat in the egg, peanut butter, and vanilla until smooth and glossy, scraping the bowl so nothing hides on the sides.
-
Combine dry ingredients
Whisk flour, baking soda, and salt in a separate bowl, then add to the wet mixture and mix on low just until the flour disappears to avoid tough cookies.
-
Scoop and space
Scoop 1 tablespoon portions, roll into balls for tidy edges, and space them 2 inches apart on the prepared sheets so they bake evenly.
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Bake
Bake for 9 to 11 minutes until the edges look set and the centers are still slightly puffy because they will finish setting on the sheet.
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Create a seat for the spider body
Let cookies rest 2 minutes, then use the back of a teaspoon to make a shallow indent in the center so the candy sits securely.
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Attach peanut butter cup bodies
Press a mini peanut butter cup upside down into each warm indent so the chocolate softens and adheres without melting into a puddle.
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Insert pretzel legs
Snap pretzel sticks into short pieces and gently push four pieces per side into the warm cookie near the candy body for eight legs total.
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Set and cool
Let cookies cool on the sheet 5 minutes to lock the legs in place, then transfer to a rack to cool completely so the spiders travel safely.
Substitutions
- Peanut butter -> Sunflower seed butter
- For a nut-free option with a similar beige color and body, use creamy sunflower seed butter, which bakes up soft and slightly roasty without losing that classic chew.
- Mini peanut butter cups -> Mini Rolos or dark chocolate caramels
- Swap to similarly dark brown candies so the spider body reads the same, giving a fudgy caramel center and a clean silhouette that holds up on warm cookies.
- All-purpose flour -> 1:1 gluten-free baking flour
- Use a cup-for-cup gluten-free blend and pair with gluten-free pretzel sticks to keep the same look, yielding a tender crumb that benefits from a 10 minute dough rest before scooping.
Tips
- Chill the candy
- Pop the mini peanut butter cups in the fridge while you bake so they keep sharp edges when pressed onto warm cookies.
- Make clean pretzel legs
- Use a sharp knife to cut pretzels at a slight angle for pointy ends that slide into the cookie without cracking it.
- Measure flour right
- Spoon and level the flour or use 180 g, since overpacking flour is the fastest way to dry, cakey cookies.
- Underbake slightly
- Pull the cookies when the edges are set but the centers look a touch soft so they stay chewy after cooling.
- Create pilot holes
- If your kitchen runs cool, use a skewer to poke leg holes the moment the tray comes out so insertion is effortless.
- Work in batches
- Assemble spiders 6 cookies at a time so they are warm enough to grip the candy and legs without rushing.
Nutrition Facts *
| Energy | 210 | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 5 | g |
| Total Fat | 10 | g |
| Carbohydrates | 27 | g |
| Dietary Fiber | 1 | g |
* Approximate, per serving.
Data source: USDA FoodData Central.
FAQ
- My cookies spread too much, what happened?
- The butter was likely too warm or the dough was overmixed; chill the scooped dough 15 minutes, bake on cool sheets, and if needed add 1 to 2 tablespoons flour to the next batch.
- The dough is crumbly and dry, how do I fix it?
- You probably added too much flour, so mix in 1 tablespoon peanut butter or 1 to 2 teaspoons milk until it clumps and rolls smoothly.
- The pretzel legs keep falling out, how do I secure them?
- Insert legs while the cookies are still warm, angle them slightly upward into the crumb, and make tiny pilot holes with a skewer if the surface has cooled.
- Can I make these ahead or freeze them?
- Freeze dough balls on a sheet, then bag and bake from frozen adding 1 to 2 minutes; assemble spiders after baking because pretzels soften in the freezer.
- Can I use crunchy peanut butter?
- Yes, but reduce the flour by 1 tablespoon to offset the nut pieces and mix just until combined so the texture stays tender.
- How do I keep the cookies soft for days?
- Store airtight at room temperature with a small piece of sandwich bread in the container, swapping the bread daily to maintain moisture.
Serving Suggestions
Serve these with cold milk for the kids and a cappuccino for the grown-ups, because that salty-sweet peanut vibe loves a creamy sip.
If you want extra drama, dust a little cocoa around the edges for a spooky shadow and plate them on a dark slate so those spider bodies pop like a Broadway headliner.
More pairings:
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