Peanut Butter Chocolate Spider Bars

Serve up a creepy-cute treat at the Halloween party with these Peanut Butter Chocolate Spider Bars!

Funny story. My two-year-old has a weird fascination with spiders. I discovered it a few weeks ago while we were outside playing together. I turned my back for a second and, next thing I know, he’s in my face showing me a spider he had caught between his thumb and pointer finger. He proudly smiled and said, “Hold spider!”

I think it’s a game to him. If he’s quick enough to catch a bug, it deserves to be held hostage. 🙂 Since then, every time we go out, he looks for spiders and is always successful at catching one or two.

Since moving to the mountains, I’ve become quite accustomed to the sight of spiders in my house, in my bed, outside my house, on my arm, etc. In fact, I’ve started to not even scream (although I still shudder a little) as I walk into a room and am greeted by the big, black four legged critter on my wall. My husband says he’s proud of me for “man-ning up”. Ha!

The other day I posted this pic on Facebook, asking all my spider expert friends what type this big guy was. He’s made his home outside our tennis court shed door for the last month or so. Everyone said it was a harmless Cat Face.

I’d never heard of it before, but then I’m no spider guru and never hope to be. I’m just happy to hear it’s not poisonous. I get the heebie jeebies just looking at him, though. This is one way to get the kids to put away their rackets and run inside the house really fast when we’re done with practice. 🙂 Haha!

Although I’ve become used to them, I will never “like” spiders or welcome them into my home, unless they take on the form of chocolate, as they did with today’s peanut butter bars. These adorable little fellows are super friendly and even more yummy, I promise!

They sit on the best, thick and soft peanut butter oatmeal bars that will ever enter your mouth.  And, I know for a fact that all the kids and adults at the Halloween party will think this dessert is spookily delicious!

I made the spiders using some chocolate malt balls for the body, my favorite chocolate butter cream frosting for the legs, and black gel icing for the eyes. This is a slam dunk treat that is also fun to look at!

My spider-loving son had fun picking off each of the spiders and eating them, one by one. I was sure to make it a teachable moment, letting him know that these ones can be eaten, but the ones we may find outside or crawling around our house cannot. 🙂

Something I wish I’d thought of before, but I’ll surely pass on to you, is to cut the bars first before putting the chocolate spiders on. That way, the spiders will be strategically placed and you won’t have to be cutting around them, like I did, to keep them intact. It is best to add the spiders while the bars are warm so the balls can be easily pushed into the top and will stay put.

Don’t forget, spiders have eight legs! I had to remind myself of that one. 🙂

Peanut Butter Chocolate Spider Bars

Christine

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Ingredients

  

• 1 c butter softened to room temperature
• 1/2 c granulated sugar
• 1 c brown sugar packed
• 2 eggs
• 1 c peanut butter
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 c flour
• 2 c oatmeal
• 3/4 c. chocolate chips
• Chocolate-covered malted milk balls
• black gel icing for eyes
• brown frosting from the tube or chocolate buttercream frosting for legs

Instructions

 

• In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream butter and sugars. Add eggs, peanut butter, and vanilla. Add dry ingredients and chocolate chips. Mix until combined. Spread/press into a lightly greased 9×13 cake pan. Bake 350 degrees for 14-17 min.
• Allow them to cool for a few minutes, then carefully cut into squares and press malted milk balls into the top of the bars. Allow them to cool all the way, then add on black gel icing eyes and chocolate frosting legs.

Notes

I added the spiders before cutting the dessert into squares, but realized that it would be much easier to cut the bars first. Pressing in the chocolate candy balls works so much better when the bars are nice and warm. Do your best to cut them while warm, then press in the candy balls, so you won't have to mess the spiders up while cutting the bars.

I’ve always said peanut butter and chocolate are a match made in heaven, and these bars really bolster that sentiment. I hope these get to make an appearance at your Halloween bash!

They won’t even send chills down anyone’s spine! On the contrary, the guests will be begging for more and more!