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Easy Halloween Spider Web Cookies decorated with royal icing

Easy Halloween Spider Web Cookies

Delicious and spooky cookies decorated with a royal icing spider web design, perfect for Halloween treats.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 12 cookies
Course: Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: American, Halloween
Calories: 150
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the cookies
  • 12 pieces Sugar cookies baked and fully cooled Round cookies are recommended for easier web designs.
For the royal icing
  • 1 cup Royal icing in white (or tinted light gray for a moodier web) Ensure the icing has both flood and detail consistencies.
For the spiders
  • 1 cup Black candy melts or thick black royal icing Use candy melts to simplify or royal icing for detailed spiders.
  • 12 pieces Mini chocolate candies or chocolate chips Optional for adding cartoonish spider bodies.
Tools
  • 2 pieces Piping bags or squeeze bottles For applying royal icing.
  • 1 piece Small round piping tip Or snip a tiny hole in the piping bag.
  • 1 piece Toothpick For pulling the web lines.
  • 1 piece Parchment paper or a tray For drying the decorated cookies.

Method
 

Preparation of Cookies
  1. Outline the cookie with flood icing, then fill it in. Use a toothpick to nudge icing into any gaps.
  2. While the flood layer is still wet, pipe a spiral or several circles on top using thicker icing.
  3. Use a clean toothpick to drag lines from the center to the edge of the cookie.
  4. Lightly tap the cookie on the counter to help the icing settle smoothly.
Making the Spiders
  1. For candy melt spiders, melt the candy, pipe blobs, and pull out legs using a toothpick.
  2. For royal icing spiders, pipe a circle for the head, an oval for the body, and add legs.
  3. For a shortcut, use a chocolate candy body with piped legs around it.
  4. Add tiny white dots for eyes if desired.
Drying Decorated Cookies
  1. Let the cookies sit at room temperature, uncovered on parchment.
  2. After an hour, check if the surface feels dry to the touch.
  3. Allow cookies to dry for 6 to 12 hours for better packaging safety.
  4. For stacking, ensure they dry fully for 18 to 24 hours.
Optional Fuzzy Spiders
  1. Pipe or place spider bodies on cookies, then sprinkle black sanding sugar or nonpareils on the legs.
  2. Avoid sprinkling over the entire cookie to prevent a speckled web.

Notes

Make ahead 1 to 3 days, store in airtight container with parchment layers. Avoid covering with plastic wrap while wet to prevent condensation.