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As far as Halloween treats go, you can't find easier or cuter than these Spider Cookies. They're approachable for any age, and require no special equipment or ingredients.
I love making Halloween recipes each year, like Halloween Brownies, Witch Hat Cupcakes, Halloween Pizzas, Halloween Cupcakes, or Pumpkin Cupcakes!
Spider Cookies are the creepiest, yet cutest, treats on the block!
Spider Cookies are the creepiest, yet cutest, treats on the block!These Halloween Spider cookies are on my MUST make list every Halloween season! They are such cute Halloween cookies and always a crowd pleaser – who can resist a classic chocolate chip cookie? Skip the store and don't worry about buying any fancy kitchen gadgets or cut outs, you don't need any special equipment for these! I love how they are ready for any party or gathering in just 30 minutes!
How to make Spider Cookies:
Make chocolate chip cookie dough: Bake chocolate chip cookies, and immediately after pulling the hot cookies out of the oven, place 3-4 chocolate chips on each cookie with the point facing up. Melt additional chocolate chips in a double boiler or a glass bowl in the microwave heating on low, stirring every 30 seconds until melted.
Draw Spider legs: Pour melted chocolate into a small ziplock bag and cut off a tiny bit on the corner to make a very small hole. Pipe the spider legs on both sides of each chocolate chip to make easy spider cookies.
Make Ahead and Freezing Instructions:
To Make Ahead: Keep any leftover spider cookies at room temperature in an airtight container for 1-2 days or freeze in a freezer safe bag or container.
To Freeze: Let cookies cool completely then place in an airtight container or bag safe for the freezer and freeze for up to 3 months.
More Fall Recipes:
- Pumpkin Mug Cake
- Bananas Foster
- Caramel Apples
- Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Butterbeer
- Caramel Popcorn
- Pumpkin Spice Eggnog
- Dinner in a Pumpkin
Spider Cookies
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups + 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 12 Tablespoons butter, , melted and cooled until warm
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 large egg yolk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips, , divided
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Make Cooking Dough: In a medium bowl mix together flour, salt, and baking soda. In a separate large mixing bowl beat the butter and sugars together with an electric mixer until well blended. Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla. Stir in the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Gently stir in ¾ cup chocolate chips. The dough will be soft.
- Bake: Scoop dough into balls and place on a parchment lined cookie sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes.
- Add chocolate chips on top: Remove from oven and place 3-4 chocolate chips into the tops of each cookie, point side up.
- Melt Chocolate: Add remaining chocolate chips to a microwave safe bowl and microwave, on low power, stirring every 30 seconds, until melted.
- Draw Spider legs: Spoon the melted chocolate into a ziplock bag. Use scissors to cut the smallest slit from one of the corners (you want the hole to be very small to make your spider legs). Squeeze the melted chocolate through the small hole, next to the chocolate chips on top of the cookie, to make 8 spider legs.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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I originally shared this recipe October 2015. Updated October 2022 and October 2024.
I am making these right now and they are not rising or cooking. I think there should be some baking powder in the recipe as well. Needless to say, I wasted a LOT of butter, chocolate chips and dry goods trying to make these and it basically turned into a cookie cake that was crisp on the outside and uncooked on the inside.
Hi Cindy,
I’m sorry for your troubles! The recipe has baking soda (baking powder has soda in it-it’s like a less powerful version of baking soda). I can’t be exactly sure what went wrong but am wondering if perhaps your baking soda isn’t fresh?
I made these yesterday. After ten minutes is a 325 degree oven they weren’t even close to being done. The temperature seems a little low so I had to turn it up to 375 which most of my cookie recipes require. I’m wondering if the 325 degrees is a typo.
I used the chocolate cake frosting in a tube for the legs because it was so much easier. It worked out fine. The cookies are cute and I know my grandson will love them.
I had the same issue at baked at 350. They are soooo yummy
I made these today and they were horrible. They spread out very thin on the cookie sheet and never rose. I agree with Joanna above that the temp seemed off, however I also increased the temp to 375 and it still didn’t help much. This recipe is trying to mimic the original toll house recipe but the butter and flour mixture is different. I believe that’s the issue, as my cookies were very greasy and not edible. I not only wasted an afternoon, but also a TON of ingredients which are not cheap. Pretty frustrated to say the least. Picture looks really cute, but that’s about it.
Hi Sally,
This is a Cooks Illustrated Recipe that was well test. You can read details here.
I’m sorry you had trouble with the recipe. The post gives explanations that may help explain why they didn’t turn out!
What a great idea! Can’t wait to make these this season!
I’m confused by the butter–is it 12 Tbsp PLUS 1.5 sticks? Or use 12 Tbsp (which equals 1.5 sticks)?
Sorry for the confusion. It is just 12 tablespoons of butter
I love the spider cookies, too cute!
These are so nice! Really cute with the spider design 🙂 I’ll definitely try this out, hopefully I can get them as neat as yours! 😀
so, you can’t just melt chocolate chips in the microwave! After melting problems looked it up and it is much more complicated than just putting it in the microwave – also – should say that you want the medium scoop to spread out the spiders –
very disappointed – thiis isn’t going to work for me – anyone interested should do a trial run
Hi Susan, I melt my chocolate chips in the microwave 95% of the time. It’s very easy, you just need your microwave on half power and to stir it often so it doesn’t sieze. If you cook it to hot or too fast, you would encounter problems, but as long as the chocolate your’re melting is good quality and you stir often, on low power, there shouldn’t be a problem.
I melt chocolate in the microwave all the time. Just go low and slow.
Love these cookies.
I don’t like adding extra sugary and artificially colored decorations.
Oh my goodness! These are adorable! Do you know about how many cookies this recipe would yield? I’m going to try these for a large Halloween party so I’d need maybe 40-50? If I doubled it do you think that would be good enough?
Thanks for such a cute idea! So glad I came across it!!
Hi Courtney, this recipe will make about 2 dozen regular size cookies, so you could be perfect to double it! Have fun!
Those are stinking adorable! I LOVE your website.
Thanks so much Jenny! What a nice compliment 🙂
These are so cute. I’m sure they would make anyone look twice.
What a great twist for Halloween for cookies.