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Easy Spiderweb Sugar Cookie Bars – Perfect Halloween Dessert

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These Easy Spiderweb Sugar Cookie Bars are soft, buttery, and topped with a creamy vanilla frosting and a chocolate spiderweb. They’re the perfect no-fuss Halloween dessert that looks impressive but comes together quickly with simple pantry ingredients.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ cup (56g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1½ cups (180g) powdered sugar
  • 2–3 tablespoons heavy cream or milk
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¼ cup (45g) semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 1 teaspoon coconut oil or vegetable shortening

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9×9-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang on two sides. Lightly spray exposed pan sides with nonstick spray.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar together on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Scrape the bowl halfway through.
  3. Add the room temperature egg and vanilla extract. Beat on medium until fully combined, about 30 seconds.
  4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture in two additions, mixing on low speed after each. Stop as soon as the flour disappears.
  5. Transfer the dough to the prepared pan. Use a rubber spatula or lightly floured fingers to press it into an even layer, making sure to fill the corners.
  6. Bake for 18-22 minutes, until the edges are lightly golden and the center looks set but still soft. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out with a few moist crumbs. Let cool in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes, then lift out using the parchment overhang and cool completely.
  7. In a medium bowl, beat the softened butter until creamy. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla, and 2 tablespoons of heavy cream. Beat on low until combined, then increase to medium and beat for 1-2 minutes until fluffy. Add more cream if needed for spreadable consistency.
  8. Spread the frosting evenly over the completely cooled cookie base.
  9. Melt the chocolate chips and coconut oil together in a microwave-safe bowl in 20-second bursts, stirring between each, until smooth. Transfer to a piping bag or zip-top bag and snip a tiny corner.
  10. Pipe a small circle of chocolate in the center of the frosted bars. Pipe concentric circles around it, spacing them about 1 inch apart (4-5 circles total).
  11. Take a toothpick and gently drag it from the center circle outward through all the rings, like drawing spokes on a wheel. Repeat every inch or so around the circle. Then drag the toothpick from the outer edge back toward the center between each spoke. Wipe the toothpick clean between each drag.
  12. Let the chocolate set at room temperature for about 30 minutes, or refrigerate for 15 minutes. Use a sharp knife to slice into 16 squares, wiping the knife between each slice.

Notes

Don’t overbake—pull bars out when edges are just golden and center is still soft. Room temperature ingredients are important for proper creaming. Practice the spiderweb pattern on a plate first. Clean your toothpick between each drag for clean lines. Bars taste even better the next day.

Nutrition

Keywords: spiderweb sugar cookie bars, Halloween dessert, easy sugar cookie bars, spiderweb cookies, Halloween bars

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