Chocolate Chip Spider Cookies

I have seen several different versions of these spider cookies on Pinterest this fall. I don't know where the idea first came from, but it is definitely creative and caught my attention. After seeing them again two weekends ago, I finally decided to make them myself. I have actually made these cookies twice in the past two weeks. First I bought a piece of black licorice rope from a local candy store and cut it into pieces to form the spider legs. Although the cookies were cute, I wasn't completely happy with the results. Basically I didn't love how the spider bodies were a different color than the legs. I am such a perfectionist that I had to try again. Next I bought a brown frosting pen to draw legs onto the spider cookies. Much better! 

Feel free to use your favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe, however I highly recommend the recipe  below. It results in soft and chewy chocolate chip cookies, just how I love them. It also results in perfectly round cookies every single time out of the oven. Again the perfectionist in me loves round cookies. Also to note, I stuck a few mini Hershey's kisses on top of the cookie dough balls just before baking. I decided to use the mini kisses instead of regular chocolate chips in order to make the spiders a little bigger in size. I love those mini kisses. As my boyfriend would say, they are perfect for all those times when a chocolate chip is too small, but a regular Hershey's kiss is too big!

Chocolate Chip Spider Cookies
Recipe from Hungry Happenings (originally adapted from Cook's Illustrated)

12 tbsp (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter
1 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/8 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips, divided
Brown frosting pen

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

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

In a small bowl, melt the butter in the microwave. Allow to cool slightly. Add the butter to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the light brown sugar and granulated sugar. Mix until light and creamy, about 1-2 minutes. Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract. Mix until combined. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Mix until just combined. Turn off the mixer. Add the chocolate chips (retaining about 1/4 cup) and gently fold into the batter with a rubber spatula.

Scoop out the cookie dough onto the prepared baking sheets. Place the remaining chocolate chips on top of each cookie dough ball. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until edges are set and cookies are golden brown in color. Allow the cookies to cool completely on a wire cooling rack.

Draw 8 legs on select chocolate chips with the brown frosting pen.