Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Spider Cookies
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Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Spider Cookies are a fun way to celebrate October and Halloween. These not-so-spooky treats are fun to make, and so, so yummy. The cookie base is a soft and chewy peanut butter chocolate chip cookie, and the spiders are made with classic trick-or-treat candies like mini peanut butter cups and Milk Duds!
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It’s early in the season, but it’s never too early to plan treats for the kids, co-workers, and neighbors! And these are easy, easy, easy.
It’s always cookie season at our house. And often, the requests vary from peanut butter cookies to chocolate chip cookies. Then, there are times when everyone is requesting both. And there is NOT a better combination than peanut butter and chocolate!
In fact, if I splurge on October 31st– it will always be with a chocolate peanut butter cup!
So these cute cookies combine both and are a fuss-free and fun way to celebrate the month!
Spider Cookies Ingredients
You will find ingredient measurements in the recipe card at the bottom of this post, but here’s what you need to make these oh-so-cute cookies:
- Butter: I prefer salted butter for flavor
- Brown Sugar
- Peanut butter: Both creamy and chunky peanut butter work in this recipe, but I prefer creamy peanut butter because these cookies already have a lot of texture.
- Large egg
- Vanilla extract
- All-purpose flour
- Baking soda and salt
- Mini chocolate chips: Regular-size chocolate chips will work too, but I’m using the minis because the cookies are bite-size.
Decorations for the Spiders
Now, for the fun part! All you need is some classic Halloween candy. Here’s what I used to make these not-so-spooky spiders, but be creative and see what you come up with. I’d LOVE to see!
- Mini peanut butter cups (like Reeses) for the spider body– one for each cookie.
- Milk Duds for the head– one for each cookie
- Mini candy eyes— you will want the small-sized candy eyes.
- Melted chocolate to draw spider legs and adhere the eyes to the Milk Dud head. You can melt chocolate chips or try chocolate hazelnut spread (like Nutella) for a quick fix that works well.
How to Make Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Spider Cookies
Step 1: Make the Cookies
Cream the butter with brown sugar and peanut butter until light and fluffy. Plan on doing this for about 2 minutes because it gives these cookies a sweet and soft texture instead of a cakey peanut butter cookie texture.
Then add the egg and a good splash of vanilla and combine. Then, add the dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, and a pinch of salt) and stir until combined. Finally, fold in the chocolate chips. As mentioned, I prefer mini chocolate chips because the cookies are small.
Step 2: Bake the Cookies
Scoop the dough with a small cookie scoop (affiliate link) (I’m using a 1-tablespoon cookie scoop (affiliate link)) and roll it into balls. There is zero need to chill the cookie dough before baking. Yay!
Depending on the size of your cookies, they will bake between 8 to 10 minutes or just until set around the edges but still soft in the middle. Do you see the soft crinkles around the edges of these cookies? I adore them! When you take the baking sheet out of the oven, all you have to do is tap it on the counter two or three times.
Step 3: Make the Spider Cookies
Now, for the fun part, let’s make the spiders. Immediately after removing the cookies from the oven, take a mini peanut butter cup, turn it upside down near the center of the cookie, and place a Milk Dud in front of it for the head. When the cookies are still warm, the candy will melt a little into the cookie, helping the spider stay in place!
Then, melt chocolate chips (or, for a quick fix, use a chocolate hazelnut spread) and add to a sandwich-size baggie with the corner snipped off. Place a dab on the back of the candy eyes and put them on top of the Milk Dud. Then, “draw” three legs on either side of the cookie. That’s it!
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Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Spider Cookies
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup salted butter at room temperature (1 stick)
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
Spider Decorations
- mini peanut butter cups
- Milk Duds
- mini candy eyes
- melted chocolate (or chocolate hazelnut spread)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350℉ and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a bowl, beat the butter, brown sugar, and peanut butter until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until creamy. Mix in the flour, baking soda, and salt until combined and fold in the chocolate chips.
- Scoop the dough into 1 tablespoon size balls and place on the prepared baking sheet about 2 inches apart.
- Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the cookies are just beginning to set on the edges, but are still soft on the inside.
- Top each cookie immediately with an upside-down peanut butter cup and 1 milk dud for the head. Let cool on the baking sheet.
Spider Cookies
- Add melted chocolate (or hazelnut chocolate spread) into a resealable sandwich bag and snip off the corner. Draw 3 legs on either side of the peanut butter cup. Dot the candy eyes with chocolate and then place on the Milk Dud. Let the cookies set until the chocoltae is firm.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.