These adorable Halloween Spider Cookies are almost too cute to eat! Sugar cookies are decorated with chocolate frosting, mini peanut butter cups, and candy eyeballs to create a fun and festive Halloween treat.

These cookies are perfect for Halloween parties or a fun baking activity with kids. Use homemade cookies and frosting or take a shortcut with store-bought ingredients!

Spider cookies (made from sugar cookies, chocolate frosting, and peanut butter cups) on parchment paper next to an orange napkin.

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Spider cookies: 4 parts

Sugar cookies: I start with my favorite sugar cookies for the base of this recipe. Feel free to use plain store bought sugar cookies for a shortcut. Peanut butter cookies would work too, as long as they’re large enough to hold the “spider”.

Chocolate frosting: Whip up a quick chocolate buttercream. This will be used to “glue” the spider body onto the cookie, as well as for piping the legs. Feel free to use store bought chocolate frosting for a shortcut.

Mini peanut butter cups: These make up the spider body. A small dab of frosting will help the peanut butter cup stick to the cookie.

Candy eyeballs: Store bought candy eyeballs get stuck onto the peanut butter cup as the finishing touch to these adorable spider cookies! I buy these at Target (during Halloween) or Michaels craft store (year round).

My recipe testing tips and notes

Take a shortcut with store bought ingredients: Feel free to use store bought sugar cookies and/or chocolate frosting or make the homemade versions in the recipe card.

Use the right frosting consistency: The chocolate frosting should be soft enough to pipe but thick enough to hold its shape. Add a little powdered sugar if it’s too thin or a splash of milk if it’s too thick.

Use a small piping tip: A small round piping tip makes it easy to create thin spider legs.

Make them your own: Swap the sugar cookies for peanut butter cookies or chocolate cookies. You can also use another small, round chocolate candy for the spider bodies, like whoppers.

More fall treats

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Recipe

Halloween Spider Cookies

Make adorable Halloween Spider Cookies with sugar cookies, chocolate frosting, peanut butter cups, and candy eyes. An easy, kid-friendly Halloween treat!

5 from 1 vote

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Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Dessert

Prep Time: 30

Cook Time: 10

Total Time: 40

Servings: 15

Calories: 164kcal

Author: Allison Mattina

Ingredients

▢ 15 baked and cooled sugar cookies, store bought or homemade
▢ 15 mini peanut butter cups
▢ 30 small candy eyeballs
▢ 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
▢ 1½ cups powdered sugar
▢ ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
▢ 2 tablespoons milk, half and half, or cream

Instructions

Begin by making the frosting: With a hand mixer or stand mixer, beat butter until smooth. Add powdered sugar and cocoa powder, and beat to combine. Add milk, then beat for a minute. Add more milk (to thin) or powdered sugar (to thicken) if you need to adjust the consistency.
Place the frosting in a piping bag. Using a small round pastry tip, pipe two small dots of frosting onto each peanut butter cup and press on the eyes. Place a small round of frosting on the center of each cookie (where the peanut butter cup will go), then pipe 8 legs. press the peanut butter cup onto the center of each cookie.