Chocolate Sugar Cookie Spiders

By srumbel

The perfect treat for your next Fall or Halloween Party! Made with chocolate sugar cookies, pretzel legs and candy eyes, they're scary delicious!
from delightfulemade.com

Ingredients

• Frosting:
• 2 1/2 c. flour
• 1/2 c. unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 c. butter, room temperature
• 1 c. sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 3 1/2 c. powdered sugar
• 1/2 c. butter, room temperature
• 2 oz. dark chocolate, melted and cooled
• 3-4 Tbsp. milk
• 1 tsp. vanilla

Preparation

Step 1

In a mixing bowl sift together the flour, cocoa and salt. Set aside. With a stand or hand mixer, combine the butter and sugar and cream together until fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla continue to beat with the mixer. Gradually add the dry ingredients until completely combined. Batter will be stiff. Lay out two large pieces of plastic wrap, and divide the batter into two portions and flatten into disks. Refrigerate for at least two hours or over night.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Take the dough out of the refrigerator. Sprinkle the surface with baking cocoa and roll out the dough with a rolling pin to about 1 cm in thickness. Using a round cookie cutter, cut the circles of dough. Place 6 cookies on an baking sheet, and bake for 12 minutes. Cool cookies on cooling rack, and let cool completely before frosting.
For frosting: Using a hand or stand mixer, beat the butter. Add one cup of powdered sugar, and beat until combined. Add the cooled, melted chocolate and beat until combined. Add 2 Tbsp. milk and vanilla and gradually add the rest of powdered sugar. Add additional milk if necessary for a medium-stiff piping consistency.
Using a frosting knife, frost the cookies with a dollop of frosting for a base. Then, using a #233 (Grass) piping tip, press and pull up to create the appearance of the spider hair on the cookie. Add broken pretzel pieces for legs (6 per cookie) and two edible candy eyes.

Serves: 18 medium cookies