Description

Spiderweb Chocolate Cookies are a fun, decorative baked treat combining rich chocolate flavor with a striking spiderweb icing design. Perfect for festive occasions like Halloween or anytime you want to impress with an easy-to-make and visually stunning cookie. This beginner-friendly recipe guides you through making tender, chocolaty cookies finished with an eye-catching spiderweb pattern.

Ingredients

Scale

Dry Ingredients

1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour (can substitute gluten-free flour blend)
¼ cup cocoa powder
½ teaspoon baking soda

Wet Ingredients

½ cup unsalted butter, softened (or plant-based butter for dairy-free)
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup brown sugar, packed
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Add-Ins

1 cup chocolate chips (dairy-free if desired)

Decoration

Powdered sugar
Water or milk (to mix with powdered sugar for icing)

Instructions

Preparing the Dough: Cream softened butter with both granulated and brown sugar until fluffy. Then add the egg and vanilla extract, mixing until fully combined. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, and baking soda. Gradually incorporate the dry ingredients into the wet mixture without overmixing to avoid tough cookies. Finally, fold in the chocolate chips for delicious bursts of melted chocolate in every bite.
Shaping and Baking: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Scoop the dough onto parchment-lined baking sheets using a cookie scoop or tablespoon, spacing them evenly. Flatten each round slightly with the palm of your hand or bottom of a glass to form a uniform base for the spiderweb design. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until the edges look set but the center remains soft. Let them cool fully on a wire rack before decorating.
Creating the Spiderweb Design: Mix powdered sugar with a small amount of water or milk to make a thick but pipeable icing. Transfer the icing to a piping bag with a small round tip or use a zip-lock bag with a pinched corner. Starting from the center of each cookie, pipe concentric circles outward covering the surface. Use a toothpick or skewer to drag lines from the center to the edge, pulling through the icing in straight lines to create the classic spiderweb effect.

Notes

Use room temperature butter for easy creaming and better dough texture.
Refrigerate dough for 30 minutes if it feels too soft, making shaping easier.
Use a scoop to ensure cookies are uniform size for even baking.
Adjust icing thickness with more liquid or powdered sugar for smooth piping and clean spiderweb lines.
If new to piping, practice the spiderweb design on parchment paper before decorating cookies.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Category: Appetizers
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 cookie
Calories: 150
Sugar: 12g
Sodium: 80mg
Fat: 8g
Saturated Fat: 5g
Unsaturated Fat: 2g
Trans Fat: 0g
Carbohydrates: 18g
Fiber: 2g
Protein: 2g
Cholesterol: 25mg

Keywords: chocolate cookies, spiderweb cookies, Halloween cookies, decorated cookies, easy chocolate cookies, gluten-free cookies, festive treats