Sourdough Peanut Butter Spider Cookies
These sourdough peanut butter spider cookies are soft, chewy, and fun to make, the perfect spooky-sweet Halloween treat.
Equipment
- Large baking sheet
- Parchment paper
- Food scale & measuring cups and spoons
- Stand mixer or hand mixer
- Squeeze Bottle or piping bag
Ingredients
For the Amish friendship sourdough starter (optional)
- 20 grams active sourdough starter
- 20 grams sugar
- 100 grams milk
- 100 grams all-purpose flour
For the peanut butter cookies (wet ingredients)
- 200 grams (1 cup) Amish friendship sourdough starter (or regular sourdough discard see notes)
- 180 grams (3/4 cup) creamy or chunky peanut butter (see notes)
- 113 grams (1/2 cup) unsalted butter (room temperature )
- 200 grams (1 cup) light brown sugar
- 1 large egg (room temperature )
- 5 grams (1 teaspoon) vanilla extract
Dry Ingredients
- 250 grams (2 cups) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 100 grams granulated sugar (for rolling the cookies )
- 1/2 cup melted chocolate for the spider legs (I use dark chocolate )
- 24 peanut butter cups
- candy eyes for decorating
- coarse sugar for topping (optional)
Instructions
Make the Amish friendship starter
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The evening before you make the cookies, mix the Amish starter ingredients (sourdough starter, milk, sugar, & flour) in a glass jar. It will be thicker in texture. Cover it loosely and allow it to rest overnight for 8-10 hours. It will double in size by the morning and be light and fluffy in texture.
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The following morning
*If using regular sourdough discard see notes below for adjustments on ingredients *
Begin by creaming the softened butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Beat together until light and fluffy.
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Next, mix in the peanut butter and egg until fully Incorporated. Then stir in the Amish friendship sourdough starter (or regular sourdough discard) and vanilla extract until combined.
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In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
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Gradually mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until fully combined. If the dough seems too sticky add a little more flour.
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Cover the dough and place it into the fridge for 30-60 minutes. Sourdough peanut butter cookie dough can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours.
How to bake & assemble sourdough peanut butter spider cookies
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Tip: place the peanut butter cups in the freezer to avoid from melting later.
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When ready to shape and bake the peanut butter cookies line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
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Portion and weigh the dough so each cookie is 40 grams. Roll each into a ball and then roll in the granulated sugar and place on the lined baking sheet. Ensure each cookie is spaced 1 to 2 inches apart on the baking sheet for even baking.
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Bake the cookies for 15 minutes If making smaller cookies, adjust the time accordingly (they may only need 8-10 minutes).
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Remove the cookies from the oven and firmly tap the tray on the counter to create those signature bakery-style cracks. This step is optional, but it adds a beautiful finish to the cookies.
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Place the cookies back in the oven for 2-4 more minutes to ensure they are done baking. Every oven is different, so yours might only need the initial 15 minutes.
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Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before assembling them.
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Once the cookies have cooled just slightly (still a bit warm to the touch), press a mini peanut butter cup upside down into the center of each cookie. Gently press so it sticks but doesn’t sink too deep.
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Transfer the cookies to the freezer for 5–10 minutes to help the chocolate firm up and prevent melting while decorating.
If your peanut butter cup starts to melt, just let the cookies cool completely and use a little melted chocolate to “glue” it back on, it works perfectly!
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Fill a squeeze bottle or piping bag with melted chocolate and pipe 8 legs total, four on each side of the peanut butter cup. Short, slightly curved lines look most natural.
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Use a tiny dab of melted chocolate as “glue” to attach two candy eyes to the front of each peanut butter cup, as if the spider is peeking out from the cookie.
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Allow the chocolate to set completely before serving or storing- you can pop them in the fridge for a few minutes to speed it up and enjoy!
How to store sourdough peanut butter spider cookies
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Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. If your kitchen is warm or humid, keep them in the refrigerator to prevent the chocolate decorations from softening.
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For longer storage, you can freeze the cookies (without the candy eyes) for up to 2 months, just thaw at room temperature before serving.
Notes
Baker’s schedule: Make the Amish friendship starter (milk starter) the evening before you make the cookies. If using discard this step can be skipped. Use a discard that is no more than a week old to avoid a sour taste.
Peanut Butter: A natural peanut butter can be used but because it has a more liquid-like consistency, some additional flour will need to be added to the dough.
Yields 24 large cookies. though the final count may vary depending on how big you make each cookie.
Using regular sourdough discard? No problem! Keep the recipe the same, but increase the flour to 270 grams and substitute 100 grams (1/2 cup) of brown sugar with white sugar to balance the extra moisture.
