Peanut Butter Cup Spider Cookies Recipe
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 24 miniature peanut butter cups, unwrapped
- 48 candy eyes
- 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (melted for the legs)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats to prevent the cookies from sticking and to ensure even browning.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter, creamy peanut butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy. This usually takes about 2 to 3 minutes with an electric mixer.
- Beat in the egg and the vanilla extract. Scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure everything is well incorporated before moving on to the dry ingredients.
- In a separate small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add this dry mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until a soft dough forms.
- Roll the dough into 1-inch balls and place them about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the edges are just lightly golden. Do not overbake, as they need to be soft for the next step.
- Immediately after removing the cookies from the oven, use the back of a small spoon to press a circular indentation into the center of each cookie. Let them cool for about 5 minutes, then press an upside-down miniature peanut butter cup into the center of each cookie. The residual heat will help it stick without melting it completely.
- Once the cookies have cooled almost completely, melt the chocolate chips in the microwave in 30-second intervals. Transfer the melted chocolate to a piping bag or a plastic bag with the corner snipped off. Pipe four legs on each side of the peanut butter cup. Finally, use a tiny dot of melted chocolate to “glue” two candy eyes onto the front of each peanut butter cup.