Spider Peanut Butter Cookies
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These Spider Peanut Butter Cookies start with a yellow cake mix and are packed with creamy peanut butter. Each cookie is topped with a mini Reese’s cup decorated like a spider for a Halloween treat that’s both cute and easy.
Easy Halloween Spider Cookies
I absolutely love Halloween! It’s my favorite holiday, but I’m definitely more of a cute Halloween kind of girl than a creepy one. That’s why these peanut butter spider cookies are such a favorite for me, they’re so cute! Like so many of my peanut butter cookies, they start with my classic Peanut Butter Cake Mix Cookie base.
These spider cookies are similar to my Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies, but with a fun Halloween twist. Instead of using a chocolate kiss, I topped each cookie with a mini Reese’s and decorated it to look like a little spider using chocolate and candy eyes. I’m completely obsessed with how cute they are. If you’re a Reese’s fan, you’re going to love them!
Ingredients
- Creamy peanut butter – Adds rich flavor and creates a soft, chewy texture.
- Eggs – Bind the dough and help give the cookies structure.
- Vegetable or canola oil – Keeps the cookies moist and tender.
- Yellow cake mix – Acts as the base for the cookie dough. I used Duncan Hines.
- Granulated sugar – Gives the outside a bit of sparkle and adds sweetness when the dough is rolled.
- Miniature Reese’s peanut butter cups – Pressed into each cookie to form the body of the spider.
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips – Melted and piped to make the spider legs.
- Candy eyeballs – The finishing touch to bring the little spiders to life.
How to Make the Spider Cookies
- Prep – Preheat the oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Mix the dough – In a large bowl, stir together the peanut butter, eggs, oil, and cake mix until a thick dough forms.
- Scoop and roll – Use a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop to portion the dough. Roll each ball in granulated sugar and place them on the prepared baking sheets, spaced about 2 inches apart.
- Bake – Bake for 9 to 11 minutes, or until the edges are set and the tops look dry. Do not overbake.
- Add the Reese’s – Immediately press one mini Reese’s peanut butter cup into the center of each warm cookie. Let the cookies cool completely on the tray before decorating.
- Decorate – Melt the chocolate chips and transfer to a piping bag or zip-top bag with the corner snipped off. Pipe 4 legs on each side of the Reese’s cup. Dab a small amount of the melted chocolate onto the back of each candy eyeball to help them stick, then press them gently onto the Reese’s.
Variations and Substitutions
- Use chocolate cake mix – Swap the yellow cake mix for chocolate (like in my Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies) to make a double-chocolate version with a darker, spookier cookie base.
- Try crunchy peanut butter – For a bit of texture, use a no-stir crunchy peanut butter instead of creamy.
- Different candies for the spider body – Swap the mini Reese’s for Rolos, chocolate truffles, or chocolate-covered caramels.
- Use gel instead of melted chocolate – If you don’t want to melt chocolate, black decorating gel can be used to draw the legs.
- Make them mini – Use a 1-tablespoon scoop and mini Reese’s “unwrapped” snack size for a smaller cookie that’s great for party trays.
Tips for Success
- Unwrap the Reese’s cups before baking – Have all 28 miniature Reese’s unwrapped and ready to go before the cookies go in the oven. You’ll need to press them into the cookies right when they come out.
- Cool completely on the tray – Don’t move the cookies until they’ve cooled completely on the baking sheet. This keeps the Reese’s cups from melting or shifting out of place.
- Use the right piping tools – For neat chocolate legs, I prefer using a piping bag fitted with a small round tip like a Wilton #3. A zip-top bag with the corner snipped off works too if you don’t have piping tips.
- Adjust for cake mix size – If you’re using a 13.25-ounce box of cake mix instead of the 15.25-ounce size, reduce the oil to 1/3 cup and use 3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon of peanut butter for the right dough consistency.
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More Cute Halloween Treats to Try
Here are a few more of my favorite not-so-spooky recipes.
Did you love these Halloween spider cookies? Please leave a star rating and share your thoughts in the comments below.
Halloween Spider Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter use a no-stir variety like Jif or Skippy
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup vegetable or canola oil
- 1 (15.25-ounce) box yellow cake mix (I used Duncan Hines)
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 28 miniature Reese’s peanut butter cups unwrapped
- 1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 56 candy eyeballs
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, stir together the peanut butter, eggs, oil, and cake mix until a thick dough forms.
- Scoop dough using a 2-tablespoon scoop, roll in granulated sugar, and place on the baking sheets about 2 inches apart.
- Bake for 9 to 11 minutes, until the edges are set and the tops look dry.
- Immediately press one mini Reese’s into the center of each cookie.
- Let cookies cool completely on the baking sheet without moving them.
- Melt the chocolate chips and transfer to a piping bag fitted with a small round tip, or use a zip-top bag with the corner cut off.
- Pipe 4 legs on each side of the Reese’s cup.
- Dab a small amount of melted chocolate on the back of each candy eyeball and press two onto the top of each Reese’s.
- Let the chocolate set before storing or serving.
Notes
- Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Place a piece of parchment or wax paper between layers to protect the decorations.
- The cookies can be frozen for up to 3 months. Let them cool completely, then freeze in a single layer until firm. Transfer to a freezer-safe container with parchment between layers. For best results, add the candy eyeballs after thawing, as freezing can cause them to absorb moisture and weep.
- If you’re using a 13.25-ounce box of cake mix instead of the 15.25-ounce size, reduce the oil to 1/3 cup and use 3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon of peanut butter for the right dough consistency.
Nutrition
Disclaimer: Nutrition information is estimated based on automated calculations and should be considered as an approximation. These estimates are provided as a courtesy. Please use your own brand’s nutritional values to verify accuracy.