Spider Cookies
Spider Cookies
Soft chocolate cookies rolled in sugar and topped with malted milk balls. Pipe on chocolate legs and tiny eyes for the cutest Halloween cookies.
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ¼ cup peanut butter
- ¾ cup brown sugar, packed
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ cup granulated sugar (for rolling)
- 24 malted milk balls (for spider bodies)
- For legs/eyes: ½ cup melted chocolate + white/black icing or sprinkles
Swap peanut butter for sunflower seed butter if nut-free.
Directions
- Prep: Heat oven to 350°F / 175°C. Line two baking sheets with parchment.
- Mix: In a bowl, whisk melted butter, cocoa, and peanut butter until smooth. Beat in brown sugar, then egg and vanilla.
- Dry: Stir in flour, baking soda, and salt just until combined.
- Shape: Scoop 1 Tbsp dough, roll into balls, and coat in granulated sugar. Place 2 inches apart.
- Bake: 8–10 minutes until set at edges but soft in centers. Cool 5 minutes on the sheet.
- Decorate: Press a malted milk ball onto each warm cookie. Pipe melted chocolate legs and add tiny eyes. Let set.
Piping tip: Transfer warm melted chocolate to a small zip-top bag; snip a tiny corner for easy legs.
Make Ahead
- Unbaked dough balls freeze up to 2 months. Bake from frozen +1–2 minutes.
- Baked cookies keep 3 days covered at room temp; add eyes day-of for best look.
Variations
- Double chocolate: Fold in mini chips before rolling.
- No-nut: Replace peanut butter with 2 Tbsp butter and a splash of milk.
Serving Info
| Yield | 24 cookies |
| Prep Time | 20 minutes |
| Bake Time | 8–10 minutes / batch |
| Category | Dessert · Halloween |
| Cuisine | American |