I asked our Food Guides to share their best recipes for a spider-themed party, and they delivered these 6 delicious cookies, cakes, and candies. Most are easy to make with kids, too, so get your children involved in the party planning. And if you're a teacher, you can use these recipes for a classroom Halloween party, or even a celebration of E.B. White's book, Charlotte's Web.
If you're an elementary teacher doing a science unit on spiders, why not make some spider treats with your students? You can reinforce students' understanding of basic spider anatomy by having them create a spider cookie or cupcake with the correct number of legs, body parts, and eyes.
Spider Truffles
(c) 2011 Elizabeth LaBau, licensed to About.com, Inc.
Our Guide to Candy, Elizabeth LaBau, offers a recipe for rich chocolate spider truffles! They're both delicious and beautiful, and the perfect treat for a spider-themed celebration.
Candy Spiders
(c) 2007 Elizabeth LaBau, licensed to About.com, Inc.
Elizabeth says these candy spiders are easy for kids to make. They're made with crisped rice cereal, miniature marshmallows, and chocolate, and decorated with miniature candy eyes and licorice legs.
Candy Spider Webs
(c) 2008 Elizabeth LaBau, licensed to About.com, Inc.
These candy spiders webs are sweet and salty, all in one delicious snack. The spokes of the web are made from pretzel sticks, and the spiral strands are white chocolate. Elizabeth also tells you how to draw a spider in the web, using melted chocolate. Cool!
Spider Cupcakes
Photo: Stephanie Gallagher
Stephanie Gallagher, our Guide to Cooking for Kids, offers a step-by-step tutorial on decorating cupcakes to look like spiders. She uses licorice, Hershey kisses, and Junior Mints to make the spider.
Spider Cookies
Image courtesy of California Raisin Marketing Board
Stephanie shares a recipe from the California Raisins Marketing Board for delicious cookies that look like spiders. This is a great activity for kids to practice measuring and following directions, too. The yummy cookies are made with raisins, honey, peanut butter, rice crisp cereal, and chocolate, and decorated with licorice and miniature candies.
More Spider Cookies
Photo: Linda Larsen
Linda Larsen, our Guide to Busy Cooks, completes the list of spider-themed treats with another tasty spider cookie recipe. She uses cream-filled cookies and chow mein noodles to build the spider's body, then covers them in melted chocolate.
