I'm not a fan of spiders. I'll admit it. They don't freak me out (like mice do), but they do give me a degree of the willies.
Although I'm not a fan of the real eight-legged critters, in the spirit of the spooky season my kids and I couldn't help but succumb to the desire to create a friendly and tasty spider to wow our friends. Now you can, too! Enjoy!
Ingredients
10 Tablespoons butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
2 C flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp baking soda
2-1/2 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
Pretzel sticks
Chocolate chips (semi-sweet)
Chocolate sprinkles
Small, red candies for eyes (we used red hots)
Directions
1. Combine butter and two sugars until light and fluffy, then add egg and vanilla.
2. Mix flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda, and cocoa powder into butter mixture.
3. Roll dough for spider 'body' and place on cookie sheet. Poke four pretzel sticks into each side of the body for legs (1/2 a pretzel stick for each leg works best).
4. Bake 10 minutes at 350 degrees.
5. Cool them on a baker's rack over parchment or waxed paper.
6. Melt the chocolate chips (24 oz. bag) and 2 Tbsp vegetable oil.
7. Pour melted chocolate over each spider. Cover with sprinkles, and place two candies for eyes.
8. Let set before eating or bagging for gifts. Place in freezer briefly to harden if needed.
P.S. One of my smarty-pants kids said they look like an octopus. Not exactly a compliment, but it sparked a possible variation for the recipe that you could make for a nautical/marine theme sometime. Place the legs differently, and use white chocolate chips instead! I'll have to try it next summer. :)
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