Description
These Spider Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies are a festive and delicious treat perfect for Halloween or autumn celebrations. Soft, chewy pumpkin-spiced cookies are studded with rich dark chocolate wafers and decorated with candy eyes and piped chocolate spider legs, creating a fun and spooky snack that kids and adults will love.
Ingredients
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted brown butter (room temperature)
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg (room temperature)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup pumpkin puree
Dry Ingredients
- 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Add-ins and Decoration
- 1 cup dark chocolate wafers
- 1/2 cup dark chocolate wafers (for decorating)
- Candy eyes (for decorating)
Instructions
- Cream the Butter and Sugars: Using a stand or hand mixer, cream together the brown butter, light brown sugar, and granulated sugar until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
- Add Egg, Vanilla, and Pumpkin: Beat in the egg and vanilla extract until light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes. Then add the pumpkin puree and mix until combined.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: Stir in the flour, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, and kosher salt until fully incorporated. The dough should be wet and sticky.
- Fold in Chocolate Wafers: Gently fold in 1 cup of dark chocolate wafers using a spoon or spatula, ensuring even distribution.
- Chill the Dough: Scoop out generous 3-tablespoon portions of dough and roll into balls. Cover and refrigerate overnight, or at least 2 hours for best results.
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Sheet: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a light-colored baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Arrange Dough Balls: Place the dough balls 2-3 inches apart on the baking sheet to allow spreading. Only fit about 5 cookies per half sheet pan.
- Bake Cookies: Bake for 9-11 minutes until edges are set but centers remain soft.
- Add Decorations: Immediately after removing from oven, press a couple of dark chocolate wafers onto the top of each warm cookie, then press candy eyes onto the wafers.
- Cool Cookies: Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a cooling rack to reach room temperature.
- Pipe Spider Legs: Melt the leftover chocolate wafers and transfer to a piping bag with a small round tip or a cut sandwich bag. Pipe chocolate spider legs onto each decorated cookie to complete the spider look.
Notes
- Brown butter can be made by gently melting and browning unsalted butter on the stove until fragrant and lightly browned; allow it to cool to room temperature before use.
- Chilling the dough overnight enhances flavor and controls cookie spread for a better shape.
- Use light-colored baking sheets to prevent excessive browning on cookie bottoms.
- For a dairy-free option, substitute brown butter with a suitable vegan butter alternative.
- The cookie centers should remain soft when baked, so avoid overbaking to keep a chewy texture.
- To melt chocolate wafers easily, use a microwave in short bursts with stirring in between or a double boiler.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
