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Peanut Butter Spider Cookies (With Peanut Free Alternative)

Soft and chewy peanut butter cookies topped with Reese's, melted chocolate, and candy eyes, these peanut butter spider cookies are both easy and fun to make. The perfect Halloween dessert for your next party! With Peanut Free Alternative.
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword Baking, Dessert, easy, Halloween, Sweet Treat
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 11 minutes
Total Time 26 minutes
Servings 24 Cookies
Author Beth

Equipment

  • 1 Glass mixing bowl
  • 1 Spatula
  • 1 Cookie Sheet
  • 1 Stand/hand electric mixer

Ingredients

  • 1/2 Cup Unsalted butter 1 stick, room temperature
  • 1/2 Cup Brown sugar
  • 1/3 Cup Granulated sugar
  • 3/4 Cup Creamy peanut butter (NOT natural)
  • 1 Large Egg
  • 1 tsp Vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 Cups All-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp Baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp Baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp Salt
  • Granulated sugar For rolling the cookies
  • 1 Bag Mini Reese's Peanut Butter cups (~10 oz) For the spider's body
  • 1/2 tsp Vegetable oil for melting
  • Candy eyeballs Optional
  • Chocolate sprinkles for the spider legs

Instructions

Have a Peanut Allergy, but still want to make spider cookies, no fear:

  • Use Rolo's instead of Mini Reeses
  • Remove the peanut butter, and replace with an equal amount of Unsalted Butter (3/4 cup); use 1 and 3/4 cup of flour instead, to help with the density lost from not using the peanut butter

Ingredient Prep:

  • Unwrap (if not unwrapped) about 24 mini Reese's cups, place in a bowl and put in the freezer. This helps them to maintain their shape once added to the hot cookies.
  • Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
  • In a mixing bowl, combine the butter, brown sugar, and sugar. Beat with an electric mixer for 1 minute, until smooth and fluffy.
  • Add in the peanut butter, egg, and vanilla extract, beat again, less than 1 minute.
  • Add in the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt, mixing on low or with a spatula just until combined.
    • Be careful not to over mix.
  • Use a small cookie scoop or tablespoon to form tablespoon sized balls from the dough. Roll the dough between your hands to form a uniform ball, then roll in granulated sugar.

Baking:

  • Place the cookies 2-3 inches apart on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 8-11 minutes or until the edges of the cookies begin to crack and turn golden in color.

Cooling:

  • Remove the cookies from the oven and press a mini Reese’s cup into the center of each cookie.
  • Allow the cookies to cool for 15-20 minutes before moving to cooling rack.
  • Moving the cookies while they are still warm can cause the Reese’s cup to sink, losing its shape.

Finishing Touches:

  • Place the chocolate sprinkles around the Reese's to resemble legs
  • Place the candy eyes on the Reese's to bring the spider to life!