Can You Eat Honeycomb?

Have You Ever Eaten a Wasp? If You Eat Figs, the Answer Could Be Yes

14 Creepy 'Finger' Foods for Your Halloween Party

Can You Eat Shrimp Tails?

41 Sweet and Spooky Halloween Desserts

32 Unusual Desserts That Rely on a Shocking Ingredient

The Best Dia de Los Muertos (Day of the Dead) Foods for Your Celebration

Can You Eat Crab Apples?

12 Edible Flowers That Are Our New Favorite Garnish for Everything

50 Adorable Foods For the Cute-Food Challenged

47 Halloween Food Ideas You Have to Try

15 Ladyfinger Desserts

19 Fun Food Ideas

Are You Choosing the Right Type of Shrimp for Your Recipes?

24 Cute (and Creepy!) Halloween Appetizers

10 Natural Mosquito Repellents for When You're Eating Outdoors

Top 10 Halloween Recipes

24 Allergy-Friendly Cookies

11 Products to Keep Bugs Away from Your Outdoor Eats

TEST KITCHEN APPROVED

Edible Arachnids

Name: Edible Arachnids
Prep time: 60 min
Total time: 60 min
Yield: 16 servings
Ingredients: 1 package chocolate cake mix (regular size); 3 tablespoons butter, softened; 6 tablespoons baking cocoa; 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract; 1-1/3 cups confectioners' sugar; 3 tablespoons 2% milk; 64 pretzel sticks, halved; 4-1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips; 3 tablespoons shortening; 32 red M&M's minis

TEST KITCHEN APPROVED

1 Reviews

Total Time:Prep: 1 hour + freezing

By Taste Of Home Editorial Team

Recipe by Nicole Rae Paoli, Newark, Delaware

Tested by Taste of Home Test Kitchen

Taste of Home's Editorial Process

Updated on Apr. 24, 2022

I bring cake pops to my church group when we have movie nights. This year for Halloween, I used my go-to recipe to make these not-so-scary spiders. —Nicole Rae Paoli, Newark, Delaware

Test Kitchen Tips

Trust us: Don't skip the freezing step. Freezing helps keep these little cuties intact when you dip them in chocolate.

Adding shortening helps prevent chocolate from cracking when it hardens.

Chocolate is notoriously finicky. To prevent it from becoming granular (or "seizing," as it's sometimes called), be sure your bowls and tools are completely dry. Heat can also cause chocolate to seize, so microwave for 10 seconds at a time, then stir.

Watch How to Make Edible Arachnids

TEST KITCHEN APPROVED

Edible Arachnids

Contest Winner

1 Reviews Add your review

Yield:16 servings

Prep:1 hour

Save Saved Saving email print

Ingredients

1 package chocolate cake mix (regular size)
3 tablespoons butter, softened
6 tablespoons baking cocoa
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-1/3 cups confectioners' sugar
3 tablespoons 2% milk
64 pretzel sticks, halved
4-1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
3 tablespoons shortening
32 red M&M's minis

Text Ingredients

Shop Recipe

Directions

1
Prepare and bake cake mix according to package directions, using a greased 13x9-in. baking pan. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack. Crumble cake into a large bowl to measure 7 cups.

2
In a large bowl, beat butter, cocoa and vanilla until creamy. Beat in confectioners’ sugar alternately with milk until smooth. Add cake crumbs; mix well. Shape into sixteen 1-1/2-in. balls and sixteen 3/4-in. balls.
3
To assemble spiders, insert a wooden or metal skewer through one small cake ball and then halfway through one large cake ball; repeat with remaining balls. Place on waxed paper-lined baking sheets; insert eight pretzel halves into each large ball to form legs. Freeze 2 hours or until firm.
4
In a microwave, melt chocolate chips and shortening; stir until smooth. Dip each spider in chocolate, allowing excess to drip off. Place on waxed paper-lined baking sheets.
5
Remove skewers and attach M&M's for eyes. Refrigerate until set.