Halloween Spider Cookies Recipe: Step-by-Step Guide

These Spider Cookies are a playful and simple Halloween treat. Soft cake-mix cookies are topped with Reese’s peanut butter cups, candy eyes, and piped chocolate legs for an adorable and tasty result. They’re quick to make, easy to decorate, and great for parties, school treats, or a fun baking afternoon with kids.

“I love Halloween recipes that look like you spent a lot of time making them, but are actually really easy. The Reese’s cups make the perfect spider bodies, and starting with a box of cake mix makes these cookies quick enough for a Halloween party, classroom treat, or just a fun afternoon of baking.”

Becky

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

This recipe uses boxed cake mix to create an easy cookie dough with minimal ingredients and no chilling required. The dough mixes in minutes, bakes quickly, and becomes a soft, tender cookie that pairs perfectly with the chocolate and peanut butter of Reese’s cups. Kids enjoy helping to add the peanut butter cup bodies, attach candy eyes, and draw spider legs with black icing. A handful of toffee bits adds a pleasant crunch, but they’re optional—these cookies are flexible and forgiving, so they’re ideal for busy hosts or beginner bakers.

Ingredients You Will Need

• Butter yellow cake mix (13.25 oz): the base for quick cookie dough. Do not prepare it as cake batter.
• Vegetable oil: adds moisture and keeps cookies soft (use 1/3 cup for 13.25 oz mix; see tips if using a larger box).
• Eggs: 2 large eggs to bind the dough.
• Reese’s peanut butter cups: one cup per cookie becomes the spider body.
• Chocolate candy melts or chocolate chips: for attaching candy eyes.
• Candy eyes: two per spider.
• Black cookie icing: to pipe spider legs.

Optional: Heath English toffee bits, mini chocolate chips, or Halloween sprinkles for texture and flavor.

Variations

• Different cake mix: swap the butter yellow mix for chocolate or devil’s food to create chocolate cookies that pair beautifully with the peanut butter cups.
• Mix-ins: replace toffee bits with chopped nuts, mini chips, or festive sprinkles.
• Use other dough: store-bought or homemade cookie dough can be used instead of cake-mix dough—baking time may change.

How to Make Spider Cookies

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat. In a large bowl, stir together the cake mix, vegetable oil, and eggs until fully combined. If you like, fold in Heath toffee bits or another mix-in.

2. Use a small cookie scoop to portion dough onto the prepared sheet, spacing cookies about 2 inches apart so they have room to spread.

3. Bake for 9–11 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out mostly clean. Baking times vary with oven and dough thickness.

4. Let cookies cool on the sheet for about 5 minutes. While still warm, gently press a Reese’s peanut butter cup (top side down) into the center of each cookie. Leave the cup slightly raised so it resembles a spider body.

5. When cookies have cooled slightly, use black cookie icing to pipe four legs on each side of the Reese’s cup. Keep the lines simple—curved lines look most like spider legs and are easy for kids to draw.

6. Melt chocolate candy melts or chips in the microwave in 10-second bursts, stirring between intervals. Dab a small amount of melted chocolate on the back of two candy eyes and attach them to each Reese’s cup. Allow the cookies to set for about 30 minutes, or chill 10–15 minutes to speed firming of the chocolate and icing.

Tips

• Check cake mix size: This recipe uses a 13.25 oz box with 1/3 cup oil. If using a 15.25 oz box, increase oil to 1/2 cup.
• Don’t press too hard: Press Reese’s cups into warm cookies gently so they stay raised and retain the spider shape.
• Add Reese’s while warm: Placing the peanut butter cups on warm cookies softens the chocolate just enough to help them adhere as the cookies cool.
• Chill for thicker cookies: Chilling dough 20–30 minutes before baking reduces spread and yields thicker cookies, but chilling is optional.

FAQs

Storage

Store Spider Cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. If stacking, separate layers with parchment paper to protect decorations. For warmer climates or if you prefer firmer peanut butter cups, refrigerate the cookies; allow them to sit a few minutes at room temperature before serving so the texture softens slightly.