Out with the scary…

… and in with the cute!

That should be my motto for today.  Especially because my daughter is dressing up as the cutest little Minnie Mouse (biased much?), we carved a Moana pumpkin, and then there are these.

These adorable little Halloween-themed peanut butter blossoms.

Yup, you definitely aren’t going to find scary in this house.

A couple of weeks ago, I made the decision that each Friday night I was going to make a Halloween-themed treat and we were going to have a family-movie night watching some of my favorite Halloween films from when I was younger: Witches and Hocus Pocus, anyone?

Unfortunately, all of my plans fail because I run out of time (like that time I also decided I was going to build my daughter a wagon to pull her around in on Halloween night… and it’s Halloween and the wagon is in pieces in the garage).  Anyway, we ended up only experiencing two movie nights: It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown with some pumpkin patch dirt cups and Monster House with these cookies.

But I’m complaining!

Just a few extra ingredients takes standard peanut butter blossoms to an entirely different level.  And surely to win some extra “mom points” for that fun Halloween party you let your children have.  And if there’s not a Halloween party?  Or no kids?  Just make them for yourself.

And eat every last one.

Like I did.

Okay, to be completely honest – Audrey ate the peanut butter cup from the top.  And then handed me her half-eaten cookie to finish.

But I may or may not have obliged.  Each and every time.

But who could fault me?  I mean, it is chocolate + peanut butter.

Halloween-themed Peanut Butter Blossoms 

makes 30

• 1 3/4 c. flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 c. shortening
• 1/2 c. peanut butter
• 1/2 c. brown sugar
• 3/4 c. granulated sugar, divided
• 1 egg
• 2 tbsp. milk
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 30 miniature Reese’s cups, unwrapped and frozen
• 1/2 c. chocolate chips
• 60 candy eyes

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt.  Set aside.

In the bowl to your stand mixer, beat together the shortening, peanut butter, brown sugar, 1/2 c. granulated sugar, egg, milk, and vanilla extract until light and fluffy.

Gradually add the dry ingredients into your wet mixture and beat until blended.

Form the dough into 1″ balls and then roll around in sugar.  Place a couple inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until golden.

Immediately after removing from the oven, place a frozen peanut butter cup, upside down, onto the top of each cookie.  Remove cookies from cookie sheet and place on a wire rack to cool completely.

When cookies are cooled completely (and the Reese’s cups have hardened again), put the chocolate chips into the corner of a zippered sandwich bag.  Microwave for 20 seconds, knead, and repeat until all the chocolate has melted.

Clip off a tiny piece of the corner of the bag to allow for piping.  Pipe a small bit of chocolate onto each candy eye and place the eyes on the Reese’s cups.  Then, draw eight legs on each spider cookie.

Place cookies in the refrigerator until the chocolate legs are set.

 

 

 

Now that I’ve gotten my peanut butter blossom fix, a new slot has just opened up in my holiday baking lineup!  I wonder what I’ll replace them with!?!