Easy Spider Cracker Recipe for Kids + 7 Bonus Halloween Snack Ideas

I originally wrote this post in 2009, shortly after we took these spider cracker Halloween snacks for kids to preschool on snack day. They were a hit and have since been shared in magazines and multiple other online blogs.

These spider cracker snacks are so easy to make that my daughter and her friends assemble them year-round. Since then, we’ve added some healthy snacks and spider variations. Some of these are easy for school lunches or to make October road trip snacks a little extra festive. You’ll find all of it below.

Spider Crackers

The instructions for this healthy Halloween snack for kids are pretty self-explanatory, but I’ve illustrated the steps here.

It takes less well less than a minute to assemble a spider. And, they’re fun for Halloween parties and can even be made into suns by adding in just a few more pretzel sticks.

You can also use Wilton candy eyeballs instead of currants or dried blueberries for the eyes. And if you don’t want any whites to show, you can use a small dab of clear edible Wilton adhesive.

These are best when prepared and eaten right away.

Halloween Spider Cracker Snacks

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A fun easy Halloween or everyday snack that your kids can make.

Ingredients

• Round crackers such as Ritz
• Pretzel sticks
• Cream cheese (the tub version is easier to spread), unsalted peanut butter, almond butter or any spreadable nut butter
• Small dried fruit such as raisins, blueberries or cranberries (or even mini chocolate chips)

Instructions

1. Spread cream cheese, peanut or almond butter (make sure the butter isn’t runny otherwise it won’t hold) on two crackers so that it’s thick enough to secure the pretzels.
2. Break 4 pretzel sticks in half.
3. Place the 8 broken pieces around one cracker to look like spider legs.
4. Take the second cracker and sandwich the pretzel sticks in between the two crackers, without them moving.
5. Dip two raisins in cream cheese or nut butters and stick them to the top of one side of the spider for eyes.
6. Serve immediately or within a few hours at the most.
7. Tip: Use more pretzels to create a sun instead of a spider.

Try to serve these fairly immediately. Ritz crackers hold up pretty well for a long period of time, but they will get soggy if you serve them the following day.

I’d love more healthy Halloween snack ideas, so please share any of your favorites.

Spider Donut Pops & Oreo Cookies

Your supplies are simply crumb donuts, Oreos, candy eyeballs, pretzels, and perhaps peanut butter or some sticky edible substance that can bond the eyeballs to the donuts.

Stick the legs in the donut or Oreos, pop the eyeballs on using peanut butter, and you’re done. They are super cute on lollipop sticks if you happen to have them, but if not, they’re really fun arranged on a platter.

Tips: Break the pretzels in half if you want smaller spiders or if you’re running low on pretzels. Also, don’t assemble too far in advance, as the donuts will dry out. Store them in an airtight container.

Tangerine Jack-O-Lanterns

Seriously, how easy is this? Grab a black pen and draw a jack-o-lantern face on a mandarin or tangerine for an easy decoration or snack. Some people use Sharpies but food-safe markers will work (though the ink will not be as dark).

Pumpkin Tangerines

Another way to use more tangerines in the box is to peel them, stick a small slice of celery on top (add a celery leaf to act as pumpkin leaves) and voila, you have a cute little Halloween pumpkin snack.

Eyeballs on a Log

Put cream cheese or your favorite nut butter in a stick of celery. Top with candy eyeballs.

Alternatively, you could place a chocolate chip upside-down. Melt chocolate chips or brown candy melts in a plastic bag and pipe out little spider legs.

Peanut Butter and Jelly Spiders

So, now, it’s time to move on to something ever so slightly (slightly) different. Use a round cookie or sandwich cutter to shape the bread or just use mini bagels. Spread peanut butter and jelly on the inside (or make any other favorite sandwich).

Stick in eight pretzel legs (break pretzels in half for shorter legs). Use raisins, candy eyeballs, chocolate chips or another edible round food for eyeballs. You can stick them on with peanut butter.

Witch Broomsticks With String Cheese

You’ve probably seen these all over Pinterest already, but they really could not be simpler to assemble. Cut a string cheese into thirds. Use kitchen scissors to cut the end like a broomstick. Wrap a chive around the string cheese (this step is optional) to add a little more flourish.

What other fun Halloween snacks do you prepare for home, school and travel?