Halloween Inspired Peanut Butter Blossom Spider Cookies

These Halloween inspired peanut butter blossom spider cookies couldn’t be any more adorable! Everyone loves the classic peanut butter blossom cookie around Christmas time, but take that cookie and swap the Hershey’s kiss for a Reese’s peanut butter cup and you’ll have a fun Halloween treat. Candy eyes are so fun and can make almost any treat into a spooky inspired one. Melted chocolate can easily turn into fun spider legs.

Highlights of these spider cookies and why you’ll love them:

• Easy to decorate: these are very simple to decorate, simply top with a Reese’s cup and add some melted chocolate legs. Candy eyes can be placed directly on the melty peanut butter cup and if desired, other designs can be added on with melted chocolate. Kids can help decorate their own cookies or serve as a craft for everyone to make their very own!
• Great for school events or parties: kids will love bringing these to their school Halloween party or bringing to a friends. They look difficult to make but are secretly so simple and will be the talk of the party!
• Budget friendly: all of these simple ingredients are inexpensive, therefore making this dessert simple and budget friendly. You don’t need any special Halloween candy – grab some candy eyes in the baking aisles or online, if you do not have candy eyes – melted white chocolate can be used.
• Simple ingredients: this cookie is made with mostly pantry ingredients you already have on hand like all-purpose flour, peanut butter, granulated sugar, salt, baking soda, and chocolate chips. Softened butter, eggs, and vanilla are also common ingredients.

I just love these peanut butter spider cookies, they are so fun and festive. Not to mention, surprisingly simple to make. These can be a fun way to involve kids in some holiday baking and they will love to indulge in these sweet Halloween treats.

Ingredient Notes & Ingredient Substitutions:

• Unsalted Butter: if using salted butter, omit adding more salt later in the recipe. Do not substitute margarine or oil.
• Peanut butter: classic, creamy peanut butter is best here. Jiff or Skippy brand peanut butter is my recommendation. If using a natural peanut butter or fresh ground peanut butter made with only peanuts, if will altar the texture of these cookies as natural peanut butter does not ‘melt’ in quite the same. That said, natural peanut butter can still be used it will just chanhge the texture.
• Granulated white sugar: I do not recommend swapping any other type of sugar for this recipe. Other sugars can impact the dough differently and change how the cookie bakes and rises.
• Whole eggs: I like fresh pasture raised farm eggs if available, but any kind will work for this cookie. Let your eggs come to room temperature for this recipe, this helps the eggs incorporate better.
• Pure vanilla extract: use homemade or store-bought vanilla extract, almond extract can be added for additional flavor is desired.
• All-purpose flour: no substitution here, other types of flour will change the texture and affect baking differently.
• Baking soda: do not substitute baking powder and make sure your baking soda is fresh and not expired, after a couple months it will start to lose it’s potency.
• Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups: you’ll want the miniature peanut butter cups for this recipes, it can help to chill the cups so they don’t melt too much on the warm cookie.
• Candy eyes: find these at any local craft store, in the baking aisle of your local grocery store, or order a bag online. These edible eyeballs stay good for what feels like forever and can add a fun holiday spin to any dessert or treat.
• Chocolate: use semi-sweet chocolate chips for the legs. Use a small piping bag or sandwich baggie to draw on legs. Alternatively, black gel icing could be an option, it just might not set up as well as chocolate.

How to make Halloween Inspired Peanut Butter Blossom Spider Cookies (with step by step instructions):

Let’s talk a little about how to make this spooky cookie (The printable instructions are in the recipe card below.)

Quick overview:

• Cream butter and sugar. Add in peanut butter.
• Mix in eggs and vanilla.
• Add dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.
• Scoop and chill dough. Roll cookie dough in sugar.
• Bake, cool, top with peanut butter cups and candy eyes.
• Draw on spider legs with melted chocolate.

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add in peanut butter and mix to combine,
2. Mix in eggs and vanilla extract. To the wet ingredients, add in the dry mixture. Mix on low until fully incorporated.

3. Use a portion scoop to scoop even sized scoops of cookie dough. Roll in your palms to smooth out then roll each cookie in granulated sugar. Unwrap the Reese’s before baking so they are ready to go when needed (or do this while the cookies bake).

4. Arrange cookies about 2″ apart on sheet pan and bake at 350 degrees for 9-12 minutes or until the cookies are golden brown, they will still be a bit soft.

5. After baking cookies, let cool on the sheet pan for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Let cookies sit for 5-10 minutes before topping with the Reese’s peanut butter cup, if you do not wait, the cookie will be too warm and melt the peanut butter cup.

6. Once each cookie has a peanut butter cup, add two candy eyes. The chocolate should be melty enough that they eyes stick, if not use a dot of melted chocolate to secure the eyes on.

7. Repeat with the all of the cookies until they have all been baked and have a peanut butter cup and candy eyes. Transfer melted chocolate to a small piping bag or sandwich bag and pipe tiny chocolate legs onto each cookies. I did 8, but you can do as many as preferred or switch it up on each cookie.

8. Let cookies cool completely and enjoy! Store leftover cookies at room temperature for 4-5 days in an airtight container.

If you like these Halloween Inspired Peanut Butter Blossom Spider Cookies, try these other easy recipes…

Chocolate Peanut Butter Blondies

Easy Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies

Old-fashioned Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge Recipe

The Best Chewy Peanut Butter Blondies

Chocolate Snacking Cake with Peanut Butter Buttercream

Thick & Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies

Peanut & Pretzel Chocolate Chip Cookies

Other easy Halloween dessert recipes could be candy corn pudding cups, Halloween rocky road slices, chocolate bark, Halloween dirt cake, or monster popcorn balls! All of these cute Halloween treats can be made the night ahead and taken to classroom parties or served on trick-or-treat night.

More Droll-Worthy No Bake Halloween Recipes:

Looking for something that is no-bake but doesn’t skimp on taste or presentation? Try these other simple treat, perfect for Halloween that don’t require baking:

Easy Spooky Halloween Pudding Dirt Cups Recipe – candy eyes are added to peanut butter cups for a cute design.

Fun & Easy Halloween Scotcharoos – topped with simple white chocolate ghosts!

Tools I used for these peanut butter cookies:

• USA Pan Half Sheet Pan – my go-to sheet pans, these are truly non-stick and clean up nicely.
• Rubber Spatula – a must have! I like these because they don’t come apart so I don’t have to worry about water getting inside the spatula and causing mold.
• Pyrex Mixing Bowl Set – I love this set of nesting bowls. I use them for everything, Pyrex glass does not break easily so you can trust on these bowls for years, plus they come in 3 useful sizes and can be stacked!
• Portion Scoops – my go to for getting even sized cookies that bake perfectly each time!

Tips for fail-proof spider cookies:

Read these tips before trying these cookies at home, they are tips that I have found to be helpful after making these myself:

• Let cookies chill this helps the fat set up so cookies don’t spread more than desired.
• Roll cookie dough in your hands after scooping so the cookies bake more smooth.
• Coat cookies in sugar before baking for that nostalgic peanut butter blossom look.
• Let cookies cool after baking before adding the Reese’s cups. This stops the peanut butter cups from melting down to much. If you add them straight out of the oven, they become to flat are don’t look as good as spider. Stick cups in the freezer for a few minutes so they harden up a little.
• Stick candy eyes on while the Reese’s cups are melty so they stick on effortlessly.
• Use a small sandwich bag to help make the spider legs.

Recipe FAQs:

Do I need to chill my cookie dough?

Yes, chilling cookie dough allows the fat to set up so the cookie doesn’t spread too thin. This dough only needs to chill for a half an hour, if you do not chill this dough – the cookies could spread to thin.

What type of peanut butter is best in a cookie?

Classic peanut butter like Jiff or Skippy is best in baked goods. Natural peanut butter or fresh ground peanut butter that only contains peanuts can be a little bit more difficult to mix in to cookie dough, which can result in a dry cookies or a change in texture.

What is the best way to store leftover peanut butter cookies?

Leftover cookies can be cooled completely, transferred to a airtight zip top bag or glass container and kept at room temperature for 4-5 days.