Spooky Baked Spider Cookies

Instructions

1. 1

   Preheat oven to 375°F. In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, eggs, and 1/2 cup water; beat on low speed for 30 seconds, then beat on medium for 2 minutes.

2. 2

   Drop the batter by rounded tablespoonfuls, 3 inches apart, onto greased baking sheets. Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the edges begin to brown. Cool the cookies on the baking sheets for 2 minutes before transferring them to wire racks to cool completely.

3. 3

   In a large heavy saucepan, combine 2/3 cup water and the corn syrup; bring just to a boil over medium heat. Remove from the heat and whisk in the confectioners' sugar and vanilla until smooth.

4. 4

   In a small microwave-safe bowl, melt the chocolate. Stir in 1 cup of the vanilla icing and 1 tablespoon of warm water until smooth. (The icings will thicken as they stand, so stir in additional warm water, 1 teaspoon at a time, to thin if necessary.)

5. 5

   Spoon the chocolate icing over half of each cookie, spreading it evenly. Spoon the vanilla icing over the remaining half of the cookies, spreading it evenly. Let the icing stand until set.

6. 6

   Cut a small hole in the corner of a pastry or plastic bag and insert a #2 round pastry tip. Fill the bag with the remaining vanilla icing and pipe a spider web onto the chocolate half of each cookie.

7. 7

   Using another bag, pipe spiders onto the cookies with the remaining chocolate icing. Let the decorations stand until set. Store the cookies in an airtight container.