Tarantula Cookies

So in one of my best Martha Stewart moments I decided to bake Halloween goods for the squadron party on Monday - and I brought in the remaining ones to work this morning. They turned out really cool. The pictures is of the cookies right out of the oven before getting chocolate and chocolate sprinkles all over them. I totally simplified the process by brushing the chocolate instead of dipping them in chocolate...

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ingredients ::
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup light brown sugaar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 bag (8 ounces) thin, short pretzel sticks
1 large bag (11 1/2 ounces) milk chocolate chips
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Chocolate sprinkles
Small red candies


preparation::
1. Preheat oven to 350°F.

2. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. Set aside.

3. In a large mixing bowl, beat together the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until well blended.

4. Gradually add the flour mixture and cocoa powder. Beat to form a smooth dough.

5. Roll a tablespoon-sized ball of dough, and place it on a baking sheet. Arrange eight pretzel sticks around the ball like spokes on a wheel. Press the tips of the pretzel sticks firmly into the dough ball. Continue with the rest of the pretzels and dough.

6. Bake until cookies start to brown around edges, about 7-10 minutes.

7. Lift the cookies from the baking sheets with a spatula, and place on wire cooling racks. Let cool completely. Place the racks on sheets of aluminium foil or waxed paper.

8. In a double boiler (or the microwave), melt the chocolate chips with vegetable oil.

9. Pour the melted chocolate over each cookie. Coat with chocolate sprinkles. Press in two red candy eyes on the front of the head. Eeek!

(Recipe from epicurious.com)