Copycat Dunkin’ Spider Donut Recipe

There’s something oddly comforting about Halloween morning when you’re still groggy, wrapped in a blanket, and staring at the plastic pumpkin bowl on the counter wondering if it’s too early to sneak a Reese’s. For me, those mornings always had a sugary sidekick: the Dunkin’ Spider Donut. I still remember the first time I saw it, bright orange icing, a little chocolate “spider” perched on top, legs curled like he had somewhere to be. I was hooked before the first bite.

This copycat Dunkin’ Spider Donut recipe captures that same nostalgic joy. It’s light, airy, and fried to golden perfection, with a colored glaze that makes it pop and a little spider buddy made from a glazed chocolate donut hole. It’s cute, goofy, and surprisingly satisfying to eat. Whether you’re making them for a Halloween party, trick-or-treat breakfast, or just want to bring a little October magic into your kitchen, this one’s worth the effort.

How to Make Copycat Dunkin’ Spider Donut

Start with a soft, yeast-raised dough that fries up golden and airy, light enough to tear apart with your fingers, but rich enough to feel like a treat. While the donuts proof and puff, whip up a shiny glaze in classic Halloween purple or pumpkin orange, using powdered sugar, milk, vanilla, and a splash of corn syrup for that glossy, candy-shop sheen.

Next, fry up tiny chocolate donut holes to be the spider bodies, cakey, deep cocoa, and fully glazed in chocolate icing. Pipe on wiggly chocolate legs and dot the eyes with a speck of white icing. Set each little spider on its glazed donut ring like it just wandered out of a candy-colored dream.

Let everything set till the glaze firms, then bite in. It’s Halloween in donut form cute, weird, nostalgic, and way too easy to eat two without thinking.

Nutrition Estimate (per donut):

Calories: ~330
Fat: 14 g
Carbs: 44 g
Sugar: 24 g
Protein: 5 g

Ingredients (Makes 12 Spider Donuts)

Prep Time: 1 hour 45 minutes (includes proofing and shaping)
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Decorating Time: 20–30 minutes
Total Time: About 2 hours 30 minutes

For the yeast donuts:

• 1 cup whole milk, warm (not hot)
• 2¼ tsp instant yeast
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 3 tbsp unsalted butter, very soft
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tbsp dry milk powder (optional but helps texture)
• 1 tsp salt
• Oil for frying (canola or vegetable)

For the glaze (choose purple or orange):

• 3 cups powdered sugar
• ¼ cup milk (adjust as needed)
• 2 tbsp corn syrup (for shine)
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• Gel food coloring: purple or orange

For the spider bodies (chocolate donut holes):

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 tbsp cocoa powder
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp baking soda
• ¼ tsp salt
• ½ cup sugar
• ½ cup buttermilk
• 1 egg
• 2 tbsp oil
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• Oil for frying

For chocolate glaze (legs + spider glaze):

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 3 tbsp cocoa powder
• 2 tbsp milk
• 1 tbsp corn syrup
• 1 tbsp melted butter
• Pinch salt

For white icing (eyes):

• ½ cup powdered sugar
• 1–2 tsp milk
• Toothpick or piping bag with small round tip

Tools You’ll Need

• Stand mixer with dough hook (or knead by hand)
• Rolling pin + donut cutter
• Frying thermometer
• 2 medium pots for frying
• Cooling rack + parchment
• 2 piping bags (or zip bags with tips cut off)
• Small offset spatula or butter knife

Instructions

Step 1: Make the donut dough

1. In a mixing bowl, combine warm milk, yeast, and sugar. Let it sit 5 minutes.
2. Add egg, butter, flour, milk powder, and salt. Mix with a dough hook or knead by hand for about 8 minutes, until smooth and elastic.
3. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour.

Step 2: Roll and cut

1. On a floured surface, roll dough to about ½ inch thick.
2. Cut into 3-inch donuts with a 1-inch center hole. Re-roll scraps if needed.
3. Let the cut donuts rest on parchment squares, covered loosely with plastic or a towel, for 30–45 minutes until puffy.

Step 3: Fry the donuts

1. Heat oil to 350°F (175°C). Fry donuts 2–3 at a time, about 45 seconds per side.
2. Drain on a wire rack. Cool slightly before glazing.

Step 4: Make the glaze

1. Whisk powdered sugar, milk, corn syrup, vanilla, and coloring until smooth and shiny.
2. Dip the top half of each donut in glaze and let dry on a rack.

Step 5: Make the spider bodies

1. In a bowl, whisk flour, cocoa, baking powder, soda, salt, and sugar.
2. In another bowl, whisk buttermilk, egg, oil, and vanilla. Combine wet and dry.
3. Heat oil to 350°F and fry small scoops (teaspoon-sized) until cooked through, about 2–3 minutes. Drain and let cool.
4. Dip each in chocolate glaze and place on wax paper to set.

Step 6: Add the spiders

1. Place one chocolate donut hole (the spider body) off-center on each glazed donut.
2. Use remaining chocolate glaze in a piping bag to draw four legs on each side.
3. Use the white icing to dot two tiny eyes on each spider body. Let set completely.

Tips

• Use food gel instead of liquid coloring for deeper hues without thinning the glaze.
• Don’t overcrowd the oil: temperature drops fast and gives you greasy donuts.
• Let the glaze set before adding spiders so they don’t slide off.
• Want a shortcut? Use store-bought yeast donuts and just decorate them!

What to Serve With

Fun Halloween pairings:

• Hot apple cider – The spice and warmth contrast beautifully with the sweet glaze and chocolate spider.
• Salted popcorn – For a movie night, the salty crunch helps break up all that sweet.
• Roasted pumpkin seeds – A toasty, nutty crunch makes these donuts feel a little more grown-up when served with something earthy.

Kid-friendly ideas:

• Chocolate milk or strawberry milk – Matches the playful spirit of the Spider Donut without overpowering it.
• Fruit skewers with grapes and melon – A spooky “eyeball” vibe if you slice grapes just right!
• Mini grilled cheese fingers – For a Halloween breakfast platter, the savory-to-sweet combo is a winner.

Grown-up balance bites:

• Espresso or cold brew – Cuts through the sugar and keeps you awake for pumpkin carving.
• Maple-glazed bacon strips – The ultimate sweet-savory indulgence if you’re going full autumn brunch.
• Plain Greek yogurt with honey – Scoop a bite between donut halves for a cooler, tangy balance.

Variations

Mini Spider Donuts
Use a smaller cutter and donut hole pan for bite-sized treats perfect for kids’ parties or lunchboxes.

Color Swap
Go classic with orange glaze, or eerie with green or black cocoa glaze. Swap leg colors too, try purple or red gel icing pens.

Baked Instead of Fried
You can bake the yeast donuts at 375°F for 10–12 minutes, though they’ll be less airy. Same goes for donut holes, use a mini muffin tin or cake pop pan.

Chocolate Base
Add 2 tablespoons cocoa to the yeast dough for chocolate donuts all around.

Marshmallow Legs
Use thin strips of marshmallow rope or licorice instead of piped legs if kids are helping decorate. They’ll love sticking them on.

Spider Egg Nest
Sprinkle the glaze with white nonpareils or coconut before placing the spider to give the look of an eerie web or “egg sac.”

Ingredient Substitutes

Milk in the Dough
Original: Whole milk
Substitutes: Oat milk, almond milk, soy milk, or ½ cup evaporated milk + ½ cup water for richness

Yeast
Original: Instant yeast
Substitutes: Active dry yeast (just bloom it longer), or sourdough discard (adjust recipe slightly)

Dry Milk Powder
Original: Nonfat dry milk
Substitutes: Omit it or replace with 1 extra tablespoon of all-purpose flour

Purple or Orange Food Coloring
Original: Gel food color
Substitutes: Beet powder for purple, turmeric + carrot juice for orange, though they won’t be as bright

Chocolate Donut Holes
Original: Homemade fried cake holes
Substitutes: Store-bought chocolate donut holes, baked mini brownies rolled into balls, or chocolate truffles for an upscale twist

Chocolate Glaze
Original: Powdered sugar + cocoa + corn syrup
Substitutes: Melted chocolate + cream for ganache-style, or Nutella thinned with milk

White Icing for Eyes
Original: Powdered sugar + milk
Substitutes: Store-bought white icing pen, melted white chocolate, or mini candy eyeballs

Honest Review

After a few batches, tweaks, and a minor powdered sugar explosion in my kitchen, I can honestly say this version brings the Dunkin’ Spider Donut vibes home in a big way. The donut itself is soft and pillowy, just like the original, light enough to inhale, rich enough to feel indulgent. The glaze sets to that perfect shiny shell without going crunchy, and the little chocolate spider on top? It’s a dead ringer for the Munchkin. Maybe even cuter.

Would I say it’s a carbon copy of the store-bought version? Not quite. Dunkin’ has their donut texture dialed in with commercial fryers and stabilizers, and the original has that super-consistent look. Mine were a little more rustic, but in the best way. More personality.

Still, the flavor, the look, the sheer joy of building tiny chocolate spiders on glossy Halloween donuts… that part? Nailed it. If you’re looking for a fun weekend project, something festive for the kids, or just want a little sugary nostalgia with your coffee, these donuts absolutely deliver.