These Halloween spider cookies start with an easy three-ingredient peanut butter cookie base. Topped with Reese’s cups, candy eyes and chocolate legs, they’re a fun party treat!

More spooky cute cookies include Halloween sugar cookies, Halloween witch hat cookies and mummy cookies!

Halloween spider cookies displayed on a black stand with candy eyes and chocolate legs for a spooky party treat.

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Key Takeaways: Halloween Spider Cookies Recipe

  • Easy cookie base. These Halloween spider cookies start with just three ingredients: peanut butter, sugar and an egg.
  • Simple decorations. Reese’s peanut butter cups, candy eyes and melted chocolate turn each cookie into a cute spider.
  • Fun for Halloween. A festive party treat that kids can help decorate once the cookies have cooled.

Why I Love This Recipe

Every Halloween, I love making these peanut butter spider cookies, and they always disappear fast at parties! The base is my go-to 3-ingredient peanut butter cookies, which are soft, chewy and made without flour.

Reese’s cups, chocolate legs and candy eyes make these Halloween cookies as fun to decorate as they are to eat.

Serve them alongside mummy hot dogs and my Halloween dirt cake recipe, strawberry ghosts or haunted Halloween gingerbread house for a fun themed spread!

XO - Jamielyn

Peanut Butter Spider Cookies Ingredients

  • Peanut butter: Use a creamy peanut butter (like Jif or Skippy).
  • Sugar: I prefer granulated sugar, however you could use brown sugar.
  • Eggs: This is what helps bind the cookies together.
  • Chocolate: I prefer to use chocolate wafers (they melt easier), however you can also use chocolate chips.
  • Reese’s cup: A miniature Reese’s peanut butter cup is the perfect size to make the body of the spider on top of each cookie.
  • Candy eyes: You can find these at most grocery stores in the baking aisle or seasonal items.

How to Make Halloween Spider Cookies

Simple 3-ingredient peanut butter cookie dough mixture for spider cookies.

Step 1: Mix together the peanut butter, sugar and egg in a medium bowl. If the dough is too sticky, refrigerate for 10-20 minutes.

Peanut butter cookie dough ball rolled in sugar before baking.

Step 2: Roll dough into 12 (1″) balls (I like to use a medium cookie scoop). Roll in sugar.

Baked peanut butter cookies ready to be decorated like spiders.

Step 3: Place onto prepared baking sheet. If you would like you can press down with a fork to create a cross. Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until very lightly browned on the bottoms

A peanut butter cup on top of a peanut butter cookie to represent the spider base.

Step 4: Remove from oven and let rest on pan for 2 minutes. Place peanut butter cups on top of the cookies while they’re still warm.

Soft peanut butter spider cookie decorated with chocolate candy eyes and Reese’s cup for Halloween.

Step 5: Once cookies have cooled, melt chocolate in a microwave safe bowl. Cook in 30 second increments then place in a zip top bag to decorate. Snip off the edge and place two dots on top of the Reese’s. Then attach the eyes. Next draw 4 legs on each side of the Reese’s. Allow chocolate to harden.

Variations

  • You could also use this dough from my peanut butter blossoms. It requires a few more ingredients, but is super delicious.
  • A whopper or Lindt truffle would also work as the base of the spider.
  • Instead of melted chocolate, black decorating gel could be used to pipe on the spider’s legs. You could also use white gel to make the eyes, instead of candy eyeballs.
  • While I love the Halloween decorations, you can also keep these cookies plain (without the chocolate and candy eyes) to serve as classic peanut butter cup cookies.

Tips for the Best Spider Cookies

  • Let the cookies rest. Wait about 2 minutes after baking before gently pressing in the peanut butter cups. The cookies should be warm, but not piping hot.
  • Cool before decorating. Let the cookies and peanut butter cups cool completely before adding the eyes and chocolate legs.
  • Snip a small opening. Cut just a tiny corner off your piping bag or zip-top bag for better control when drawing the legs.
  • Let the chocolate set. Allow the eyes and legs to firm up before stacking or storing the cookies.

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Close-up of Halloween spider cookies topped with Reese’s peanut butter cups, chocolate legs, and candy eyes on a black plate.

More Halloween recipes to try: Halloween candy popcorn, Halloween Brownies pumpkin shaped cookies and Halloween Oreo balls.

More Halloween Recipes

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Halloween spider cookies made with peanut butter cookies on black plate.

Spider Cookies

5 from 4 votes
Recipe by: Jamielyn Nye
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 9 minutes
Total Time: 19 minutes
Servings: 12
These peanut butter spider cookies are the perfect Halloween cookie! Made with peanut butter cookies, a REESE'S peanut butter cup, candy eyes and a drizzle of chocolate.
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Ingredients 

  • 1 cup creamy peanut butter
  • ½ cup granulated sugar , plus more for rolling
  • 1 egg
  • ¼ cup chocolate melting wafers
  • 12 miniature Reese's peanut butter cups
  • 24 mini candy eyes

Instructions

  • Make cookie dough. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line one baking sheet with parchment paper or a baking mat and set aside. Mix together 1 cup peanut butter, 1/2 cup sugar and egg in a medium bowl. If the dough is too sticky, you can refrigerate for 10-20 minutes.
  • Roll in sugar. Roll dough into 12 (1″) balls (I like to use a medium cookie scoop) and drop into the sugar. Roll in sugar and then place onto prepared baking sheet. Press down with a fork creating a cross.
  • Bake. Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until very lightly browned on the bottoms. Remove from oven and let rest on pan for 2 minutes.
  • Place peanut butter cups. Place the peanut butter cups on top of the cookies while they're still warm. Then allow cookies to cool on a cooling rack.
  • Decorate like spiders. Once cookies have cooled, melt the chocolate in a microwave safe bowl. Cook in 30 second increments, stirring in between until melted. Then place in a zip top bag to decorate. Snip off the edge and place two dots on top of the Reese's. Then attach the eyes. Next draw 4 legs on each side of the Reese's. Allow chocolate to harden.

Last step: Please leave a comment and rating after you make the recipe.

Notes

Storage: Store leftover cookies in a covered container for up to 3 days. 
Alternatives:
  • While I prefer the mini Reese’s for the base of the spider, you can also use a whopper or Lindt truffle.
  • While I prefer chocolate, you could also use black decorating gel.

Nutrition

Calories: 273kcal, Carbohydrates: 26g, Protein: 8g, Fat: 17g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g, Monounsaturated Fat: 8g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 15mg, Sodium: 199mg, Potassium: 213mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 20g, Vitamin A: 30IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 26mg, Iron: 1mg

Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.