This Halloween leave these gruesome Spider Infested Chocolate Chip Cookies for your guests to find. No one can resist these homemade festive treats, but trust me they will freak out every time.
Spiders have infested my chocolate chip cookies. Gross, right? Why would I do this to a perfectly innocent, thick and chewy cookie?
Well, the other day I came across a picture of a cookie that had images of spiders superimposed on it. It really looked like the spiders were in the cookie. It was just a bit of Photoshop magic, but I knew baking up a batch of chocolate chip arachnids would be as easy as waving a wizard’s wand.
I figured if I was going to infest any cookies with spiders, I would use my absolute favorite recipe from Cook’s Illustrated. It makes the biggest, thickest, chewiest cookies bursting with caramel and chocolate flavors.
My husband would love for me to make these every week and he was so happy to smell the fresh baked cookies when he got home from work.
He asked if he could have one. He always asks first. He knows better than to eat something before a photo shoot. I gave him permission and waited to see his reaction. He lifted the tin foil off the plate of cookies. He jumped a little. Of course, he tried to be cool about it and jumped even further just for effect, laughing as he imitated my reaction to being surprised by a spider.
Yes, I scream, every time.
A few years ago, surrounded by big furry stuffed spiders, a group of party guests were playing a game in our basement. Someone mentioned how lifelike our Halloween decorations had become. I turned to look at what he was pointing to and a live spider was dangling from a web right behind me. I let out a blood curdling scream.
Hilarious?
It was to everyone in the room. I stood, red faced, heart racing, palms sweating, as everyone watched. After all the years of having the creepiest Halloween decor on the block, I still haven’t been able to concur my fear of the 8 legged creatures lurking in my basement.
Thankfully my phobia hasn’t kept me from eating these cookies.
Spider Infested Chocolate Chip Cookies
(recipe adapted from Cook’s Illustrated, makes 18)
- 12 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar white sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 1/8 cup all purpose flour unbleached is best
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 12 ounces semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate chips divided
- 2 ounces for spiders, 10 ounces for in and on top of the cookies
- electric mixer
- baking sheets lined with parchment paper
- optional: #16 ice cream scoop
- squeezeit mold painter bottles or a disposable pastry bag or zip top bag
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Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
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Melt butter in a mixing bowl. Allow it to cool slightly.
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Add brown sugar and granulated sugar and beat on medium speed for about a minute until well blended.
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Add egg, egg yolk, and vanilla and beat until fully incorporated.
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Mix flour, salt, and baking soda together then incorporate it into the wet ingredients.
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Fold about 9 ounces (1 1/2 cups) of chips into the batter.
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Scoop out 18 cookies, about 1/4 cup of dough for each.
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Place some of the reserved chocolate chips on top of each cookie.
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Remember to keep about 2 ounces (1/3 cup) of the chips for the spiders.
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Bake cookies one tray at a time, for 14-18 minutes.
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Allow cookies to cool completely.
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Place the remaining 2 ounces of chocolate chips in a small microwave safe bowl.
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Heat for 20 seconds, stir, then for 15 seconds, stir.
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Allow the chocolate to sit for 1 minute, then stir again.
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If you need to, heat it for 10 more seconds, then repeat until melted.
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Pour into a squeeze-it mold painter bottle fitted with a #2 round pastry tip, or a disposable pastry bag or zip top bag with the tip snipped off.
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Pipe on spider heads and legs around some of the larger chocolate chips.
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Allow to dry.
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Serve with a glass of milk.
Supplies:
electric mixer
baking sheets lined with parchment paper
optional: #16 ice cream scoop
squeezeit mold painter bottles, or a disposable pastry bag or zip top bag
Instructions:
Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
Melt butter in a mixing bowl. Allow it to cool slightly. Add brown sugar and granulated sugar and beat on medium speed for about a minute until well blended. Add egg, egg yolk, and vanilla and beat until fully incorporated.
Mix flour, salt, and baking soda together then incorporate it into the wet ingredients. If using a hand held mixer, it probably wont be strong enough to mix this completely, so switch over to a spoon or spatula.
Fold about 9 ounces (1 1/2 cups) of chips into the batter.
Scoop out 18 cookies, about 1/4 cup of dough for each. I used a #16 ice cream scoop. Place cookies on a parchment paper lined baking sheet with plenty of room to spread. Place some of the reserved chocolate chips on top of each cookie just to be sure you have chips with which you can make your spiders.
Remember to keep about 2 ounces (1/3 cup) of the chips for the spiders.
Bake cookies one tray at a time, for 14-18 minutes. The cookies should begin to set around the edges, be light golden brown, yet still be soft in the center.
Allow cookies to cool completely.
Place the remaining 2 ounces of chocolate chips in a small microwave safe bowl. Heat for 20 seconds, stir, then for 15 seconds, stir. Allow the chocolate to sit for 1 minute, then stir again. If you need to, heat it for 10 more seconds, then repeat until melted. Pour into a squeeze-it mold painter bottle fitted with a #2 round pastry tip, or a disposable pastry bag or zip top bag with the tip snipped off.
Pipe on spider heads and legs around some of the larger chocolate chips. Allow to dry.
Serve with a glass of milk. Keep stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days. These can be frozen for up to a few months, but should be thawed in the refrigerator overnight, before being exposed to room temperature air.
Spider Infested Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
If you prefer oatmeal raisin cookies over chocolate chip cookies, check out my tutorial to add raisin spiders to your cookies.
Items used to create this project that are available on Amazon.com (commission earned for sales)
Be sure to check out all the Halloween recipes here on Hungry Happenings.
More ghoulish and creepy Halloween edible craft ideas from Hungry Happenings
Cake Ball Brains Oozing Cherry Blood
Cookies ‘n Cream Tombstones with clever epitaphs
Super Sized Chocolate Cake Ball Spider
White Chocolate Popcorn Infested with Milk Chocolate Roaches
Cookie Crumble Cheesecake Caterpillars
Hand-Burger Dripping in Blood (excerpt from Hungry Halloween).
Thanks so much for this wonderful yet creepy idea!!
You are welcome:) I'm glad you like them.
These are awesome, but I don't know if I could bring myself to make them, I hate spiders and they look a little too real! Fun idea 🙂
Stopping by from the Home Work Party, Dawn from I Think We Could Be Friends.com
It's funny, as I am soooooooooo afraid of spiders myself, but it didn't stop me from chowing down on several of these cookies. I know you can do it too:)
This is such a great idea Beth…I love this!
Thanks, Jill:)
These are so simple, but so festive! You have so many amazing ideas for Halloween. Love 'em!
Thanks, Aida. I've been challenging myself to come up with some simple projects that are equally festive. I'm so glad you like the cookies!
It's so easy to just pin these great ideas and be on your way, but these cookies are so awesome, so I wanted to leave you a quick note to say just how much I love them! I'll be making these this year for sure!
I wonder if you can make the legs by using a toothpick and reshaping the chips while still hot? Will have to try…:)
I wonder if you can make the legs by using a toothpick and reshaping the chips while still hot? Will have to try…:)
Hi Natalie, I did actually try that and it worked alright, but the legs weren't as defined as I wanted them to be. I thought piping on the chocolate took much less time and looked better. If you make them and use the toothpick, let me know what you think. I'd love to share a picture of your cookies too. Thanks:)
Such a cute idea! Pinning!
This looks so fun..and yummy! I might even go make them right now! I'm pinning on my (CarlaINHouston) Halloween board–thanks for sharing!!
Thanks, Carla. Be sure to snap some pictures to share with me if you do make them. I'd love to see you cookies. Thanks for the pin!
This is a great idea! How unique!
What do you mean by the largr egg?:0
In our grocery stores, we can buy small, medium, large, extra large, and jumbo eggs. They sort them by size. So, most baking recipes will call for large eggs.
These are ADORABLE!! LOVE LOVE LOVE them!
I features this at TGIF today (http://www.123homeschool4me.com/2013/10/tgif-linky-party-99.html) Thanks for linking up and sharing your creativity with the rest of us! I hope to see you linked up again later today!
Have a GREAT weekend,
Beth =)
They are very delicious
These are adorable and so "do-able", even for those of us who are less talented in the baking department! I shared with my readers here: http://seektobemerry.blogspot.com/2013/10/this-is-beginning.html Thanks for the inspiration!!!
Thanks so much for sharing!
Thank you so much for sharing this BRILLIANT idea, Beth! So simple, yet so awesome! I made some and blogged them here: http://www.wingitvegan.com/2013/10/spider-infested-chocolate-chip-cookies_30.html
I'm so glad you like them and made some for Halloween. Thanks for linking back to my site. I'll share your cookies in my Reader's Gallery!
Thanks, Beth!
You are an evil genius!! I am obsessed with this idea, it is so awesome!!
These are super cute! I bet they were delicious!
I made them for my classmates they loved them, may I say best cookies I've ever tasted!