Looking for a spooky, silly, and seriously easy snack for your Halloween party? These mini spider pizzas take just 20 minutes and use only five ingredients you already have. Kids love assembling their own creepy spiders, and they taste amazing too!
Why You’ll Love This Spider Pizza Recipe
- Insanely Easy: Perfect for last-minute party prep when you realize Halloween is tomorrow and you haven’t made anything yet (been there!).
- Kid-Friendly Fun: Kids love to help assemble their own spider, and it keeps them entertained while you handle the actual cooking.
- Only 5 Simple Ingredients: Nothing fancy required—no specialty stores or obscure ingredients needed.
- The Perfect Party Food: Easy to make in big batches and grab-and-go, which means more time enjoying the party and less time stuck in the kitchen.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- 6 English muffins, split in half
- 1 cup pizza sauce or marinara
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 24 large black olives (pitted, jumbo or colossal size)
- Fresh basil or parsley for garnish (optional)
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
The Base: We love English muffins for their perfect size and texture, but mini bagels, pre-baked pizza crusts, or even flour tortillas work great! If you’re feeling adventurous, crescent roll dough cut into circles makes an impressive homemade base.
The Olives: Pitted jumbo or colossal black olives give you the most room to work with for the spider body. Trust me, those tiny canned olives are frustrating to slice and don’t create the same dramatic effect. Look for them in the canned vegetable aisle.
The Sauce: Use your favorite jarred pizza sauce, marinara, or even make a simple homemade version with crushed tomatoes and Italian seasoning. I keep a jar in the pantry specifically for quick recipes like this.
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Prep Your Station: Toast the English muffins lightly in your toaster or under the broiler for 1-2 minutes. This prevents them from getting soggy when you add the sauce. Nobody wants a mushy spider pizza!
2. Assemble the Base: Spoon about a tablespoon of pizza sauce onto each muffin half—remember, less is more here. Follow with a generous sprinkle of mozzarella cheese, making sure to cover the entire surface. The cheese acts as glue for your spider legs.
3. Bake the Pizzas: Place your mini pizzas on a baking sheet and bake at 375°F (190°C) for 5-7 minutes until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and just starting to turn golden. Keep an eye on them—they go from perfect to overdone quickly!
4. Create the Spiders: While the pizzas bake, prepare your olives. Cut one olive in half lengthwise for the body. Slice another olive into thin, crescent-shaped pieces for the legs—you’ll need 8 per spider. I like to prep all my spiders at once assembly-line style.
5. Build Your Spiders!: Remove the pizzas from the oven and let them cool for just 30 seconds. Place one olive half in the center for the body, then arrange 4 “leg” slices on each side, pressing them gently into the melted cheese so they stick. The warm cheese will hold everything in place as it cools.
6. Serve: Serve immediately while warm and watch them disappear! These spider pizzas are best enjoyed fresh from the oven when the cheese is still gooey and the English muffin has that perfect crispy-chewy texture.
Pro Tips for the Best Halloween Pizzas
Don’t Over-Sauce: Too much sauce will make the muffins soggy and cause your spider to slide right off. A thin layer—about a tablespoon per muffin—is all you need. You can always serve extra sauce on the side for dipping.
Toast First: A quick toast of the English muffins is the secret to a crisp base that holds up beautifully. This single step transforms these from good to absolutely amazing.
Get the Kids Involved: Set up an assembly line and let the kids place their own spider legs. It’s a great party activity that doubles as entertainment! I’ve seen kids as young as four successfully create their own spooky spiders.
Work Quickly with Warm Cheese: The spider legs stick best when the cheese is still warm and slightly melty. If the pizzas cool too much, pop them back in the oven for 30 seconds.
Fun Variations to Try
Spiderweb Pizzas
For a different look, use a squeeze bottle or a small piping bag to create a spiderweb design with sour cream or ranch dressing on top of the melted cheese before adding the spider. Start with a spiral in the center, then drag a toothpick from the center outward to create the classic web pattern.
Gluten-Free Spider Pizzas
Simply use your favorite gluten-free English muffins or pizza base. I’ve tested these with several brands and they work perfectly—no recipe modifications needed!
Ghost Pizzas
Use a ghost-shaped cookie cutter on a slice of provolone or mozzarella cheese and place it on top for a spooky friend! Add two small pieces of black olive for eyes and you’ve got an adorable ghostly companion for your spiders.
What to Serve with Mini Spider Pizzas
These spider pizzas pair beautifully with other Halloween-themed treats. I love serving them alongside Witch’s Brew Punch (a vibrant green sherbet punch that kids go crazy for), classic Mummy Dogs wrapped in crescent roll strips, or a Mandarin Orange Pumpkin Platter arranged to look like jack-o’-lanterns. Together, they create a complete Halloween spread that looks impressive but requires minimal effort.
Make-Ahead & Storage Instructions
To Make Ahead: You can assemble the pizzas with sauce and cheese up to 4 hours in advance. Store them on a baking sheet covered with plastic wrap in the fridge, then bake and add the olive spiders just before serving. This is a lifesaver when you’re hosting a party!
To Store Leftovers: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. I separate layers with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
To Reheat: For the best results, reheat in an oven or air fryer at 350°F (175°C) for 3-5 minutes until crisp. Microwaving works in a pinch, but you’ll lose that satisfying crunch on the bottom.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Can I use real pizza dough? Yes! Just use a round cookie cutter to make mini crusts about 3 inches in diameter. You’ll need to pre-bake them at 400°F for about 5 minutes before adding toppings to ensure they cook through properly.
What are the best olives for the spiders? Canned, pitted, jumbo or colossal black olives work best. They’re easier to slice and create more dramatic-looking spiders. Avoid pre-sliced olives—they’re too thin and don’t have the right texture.
Can I freeze these? Yes! Assemble and bake the pizzas without the spiders. Let them cool completely, then freeze on a baking sheet before transferring to a freezer bag for up to 2 months. Reheat from frozen at 375°F and add the olive spiders after reheating.
My spiders keep falling off. What am I doing wrong? The cheese needs to be melty when you add the spiders. If it’s cooled too much, pop the pizzas back in the oven for 30 seconds to re-melt the cheese, then add your spiders immediately.
Can I make these dairy-free? Absolutely! Use your favorite dairy-free mozzarella shred. I’ve had great success with both cashew-based and coconut-based varieties.
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Mini Spider Pizzas
- Total Time: 17 minutes
- Yield: 12 mini pizzas
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Fun and spooky Mini Spider Pizzas made with English muffins, pizza sauce, cheese, and black olives—perfect for Halloween parties or kid-friendly snacks.
Ingredients
6 English muffins, split in half
1 cup pizza sauce or marinara
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
24 large black olives (pitted, jumbo or colossal size)
Fresh basil or parsley for garnish (optional)
Instructions
1. Toast the English muffins lightly in your toaster or under the broiler for 1-2 minutes to prevent sogginess.
2. Spoon about a tablespoon of pizza sauce onto each muffin half and sprinkle generously with mozzarella cheese, covering the surface.
3. Place the pizzas on a baking sheet and bake at 375°F (190°C) for 5-7 minutes until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and lightly golden.
4. While baking, prepare the olives: cut one olive in half lengthwise for the body and slice another olive into 8 thin legs.
5. Remove pizzas from the oven and cool for 30 seconds, then place one olive half in the center and arrange 8 olive slices as legs.
6. Serve warm and enjoy these gooey, crispy-chewy mini spider pizzas fresh from the oven.
Notes
The Base: English muffins are ideal, but you can substitute with mini bagels, pre-baked pizza crusts, or flour tortillas. Crescent roll dough cut into circles also works well.
The Olives: Jumbo or colossal pitted black olives are best for spider bodies and legs. Smaller canned olives are harder to work with.
The Sauce: Any pizza sauce, marinara, or a simple homemade crushed tomato sauce works great. Keep a jar in the pantry for quick recipes.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 7 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American