Crispy Spiced Pumpkin Spider Web Cookies
These crispy spiced pumpkin spider web cookies are a quick, no-chill Halloween treat featuring two-toned dough swirled together and decorated with a fork-dragged web pattern. They are thin, crunchy, and packed with warm autumn spices.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Total Time: 32 minutes
- Yield: 12-15 cookies 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 ½ cups (315g) All-Purpose Flour
- ½ cup (115g) Unsalted Butter, softened to room temperature
- ¾ cup (150g) Granulated Sugar
- 2 tablespoons (30g) Pumpkin Puree
- 1 large Egg Yolk
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 1 ½ teaspoons Pumpkin Pie Spice
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- Orange food coloring (optional, for half the dough)
- White Chocolate Chips or White Icing (for the web pattern)
Instructions
- Cream the softened butter and granulated sugar together in a large bowl using a mixer on medium speed until pale and fluffy (about 3-5 minutes).
- Add the egg yolk, pumpkin puree, vanilla extract, and salt. Mix on low speed until just combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl.
- Add the flour and pumpkin pie spice. Mix on low speed or by hand until the flour disappears. Do not overmix.
- Divide the dough in half. Add orange food coloring to one half and mix until uniform. Leave the other half plain white.
- Chill both bowls of dough in the refrigerator for 15 minutes to firm up.
- Roll small portions of orange and white dough into thin 6-inch ropes. Place them side-by-side and twist them together gently to create a spiral.
- Slice the twisted logs into ¼-inch thick rounds and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, leaving space between them.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Bake cookies for 10-12 minutes until edges are golden brown but centers still look slightly soft.
- While cookies are warm or cooling, place a small dot of melted white chocolate or icing in the center of each cookie.
- Drag the tines of a fork from the center dot outward toward the edge, rotating the cookie slightly between drags to create a concentric web pattern.
- Allow the web to set before serving.
Notes
Ensure butter is softened but not melted to prevent excessive spreading. Do not overbake; cookies will crisp up as they cool. For a gluten-free version, use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend with xanthan gum. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Add a piece of bread to the container if in a humid climate to maintain crispness.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 130
- Sugar: 10
- Sodium: 120
- Fat: 6
- Saturated Fat: 3.5
- Carbohydrates: 18
- Fiber: 0.5
- Protein: 1.5
Keywords: Halloween cookies, pumpkin cookies, spider web cookies, crispy cookies, fall baking, easy Halloween treats, spiced pumpkin cookies