Snacks, Specials

Spider Cookies Recipe for Halloween!

Ratings: 4.8/5 from 130 reviews

Servings: Makes about 20 cookies

Preparation Time: 20 minutes

Cooking Time: 12-15 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

These spider cookies are almost too spooky to eat but once you get them fresh out of the oven, trust us, you will want to sink your scary fangs into them for sure. If you are looking for something cute, but eerie, these adorable little spider cookies will strike the perfect balance for your aesthetic and cravings. Also, they will surely be a huge hit at your Halloween bash this year, or maybe just send your kids’ lunch to school.

This spider cookies recipe will feel like a fancy arts and crafts project that you can eat. Also, it won’t truly be the Halloween spirit if you cannot turn something sweet and innocent like cookies into something that looks like they could crawl out of the plate any second. These spider cookies are perfect to make the kids and grown-ups scream – with the delight of course!

Invention of Spider Cookies Recipe for Halloween

Origin – The tradition of having themed baked goodies for Halloween can be traced back to how early European settlers used to celebrate Harvest festivals. They symbolized their abundance right before the winter months by using sweets as well as cakes and pastries to celebrate. However, the concept of making them scary and playful originated in the United States as soon as Halloween debuted as a child-focused holiday. Decorative baking gave rise to spider-themed treats because let’s face it, spiders are pretty scary. The whole thing fits perfectly for Halloween.

Inspiration – Spider cookies are considered one of the playful elements of Halloween. It forces people to be creative with their designs and cookie projects making it a fun family activity to do during the holidays. The main goal is to twist the normal cookies so they look eerie but fun. The inspiration truly lies in the spooky essence of Halloween and how best we can portray our aesthetic.

Popularity – I feel like social media has played a significant role in popularizing the spider cookies for us. You can find images of people making these on Instagram and Pinterest all the time. They are pretty easy to make and everyone loves them at Halloween parties thus making them a perfect snack for the holiday. On that note, we have also seen a variety of bakeries offering these cookies with options such as gluten-free, dairy-free as well as vegan options. Spider cookies can also be seen as a part of baking challenges. The main reason for its popularity lies not only in its visual appeal but also in the way that it engages people with the holiday spirit.

Ingredients for Spider Cookies Recipe

1 cup unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 and 1/2 cups all–purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
20 small round chocolates (like Ferrero Rocher or chocolate truffles)
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips (for eyes)
1/2 cup melted chocolate (for attaching eyes and legs)

Also Read: Decadent And Crunchy Caramel Apple Cider Cookies

Spider Cookies Recipe for Halloween — Spider Cookies Recipe Ingredients

Instructions

Step 1: Preparing the Dough
Before you get on with dough preps, make sure to preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C) and also line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Now, add softened butter to a large bowl along with brown and granulated sugar. Crack the eggs as well as add vanilla extract. Cream them until the mixture is soft and fluffy. The best way to make sure it is done is by trying to make peaks and if they hold, your mixture is truly done.

Step 2: Combine the dry ingredients
Take a second bowl and add flour, baking soda, and salt. Whisk them together until the mixture is uniform. Now, gradually start adding the dry mixture to the wet one making sure that you are mixing them at all times.

Step 3: Shape
Now roll the dough into small balls about 1.5 inches in diameter and put them right onto the baking sheet. Make sure to leave enough space between two balls because as they bake, they will spread.

Step 4: Bake
Put the tray back into your preheated oven for 12-15 minutes. Keep checking to see if the edges are lightly golden. Once done, take them out and place them on a sheet to cool down.

Step 5: Add the Spider’s Body
As the cookies are cooling down but still a bit warm, gently press a round chocolate such as a truffle into the center of each cookie to ensure that your spider has a body to it. Now let them rest and cool completely before the next step.

Step 6: Add Decorations
Melt some chocolate and use it to attach mini chocolate chips as the eyes of the spider to its body. Now with a piping bag, make sure you have a very thin cut at the top, pipe 8 thin chocolate legs around each spider’s body. You can then put it in the fridge to cool down or let it sit at room temperature for a while.