Surprise family and friends on Halloween with this Spooky Spider Taco Ring. It combines classic taco flavors with flaky crescent roll dough for an eye-catching appearance. This Spider Taco Ring is sure to be a hit with kids, young and old.
Jump to:
Ingredients – Here’s What You’ll Need
- Taco Meat: Use your favorite taco meat made with one pound of ground beef or ground turkey. I’ve included my recipe for taco meat below for those interested. I like to mix cheddar cheese and Monterey Jack cheese into my taco meat.
- The Spider Body: The spider body is made from store-bought refrigerated crescent roll dough.
- The Face: I used shredded lettuce, sour cream, and diced tomatoes to form the face. For the eyes, I used two sliced black olives.
Making the Taco Filling
I made my taco meat using one pound of ground beef (included in the recipe below).
After allowing the taco meat to come to room temperature, I transferred it to a medium bowl and added some shredded cheddar cheese and Monterey Jack cheese.
Then, I mixed the taco meat and cheese until they were well blended. Thatโs it for the filling!
Making the Taco Ring
- I started by unrolling two cans of crescent roll dough and separating each can into eight triangles for a total of 16 triangles. Then, I placed an inverted 5-inch bowl in the center of a parchment-lined pizza stone. I cut the parchment paper in half to easily remove it when the taco ring was done. Also, I placed some butter on the pizza stone to help hold the parchment paper in place.
- Next, I overlapped the long ends of the dough triangles around the bowl, with the pointed ends facing out, so they looked like a sun!
- After placing all the triangles, I removed the small bowl from the center. Then, I used a jumbo scoop to carefully place the taco/cheese mixture on the part of each triangle closest to the center. The scoop held about โ cup of the taco/cheese mixture. I used a small spatula to slightly flatten the filling mounds.
- I brought the long end of the triangles up over the filling and tucked them under the bottom layer of the dough.
- I baked the taco ring in a preheated 375ยฐF oven for about 25 minutes until golden brown. Then, I removed it from the oven and let it cool on a wire rack.
Making the Spider Legs
While the taco ring was taking, I formed the spider legs with the third can of crescent roll dough.
- After unrolling the dough, I separated it into eight triangles. I folded the pointed end of each triangle down about an inch. Then, starting at a long end, I rolled the dough into a seven-inch log.
- I formed each dough log into a “V” shape and placed it on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- I baked the spider’s legs in a preheated 375ยฐF oven for around 12 minutes until golden brown. I removed the legs from the oven and let them cool on a wire rack.
Putting the Spooky Spider Taco Ring Together
Once the taco ring and the spider legs were done, I let them cool somewhat. Then, I put the Spooky Spider Taco Ring together.
- I removed the parchment paper from under the taco ring.
- Then, I filled the center of the ring with shredded lettuce.
- Next, I used a piping bag to pipe some sour cream into the center of the ring over the lettuce. I then used a small offset spatula to smooth out the sour cream.
- I spooned some diced tomatoes next to the sour cream.
- I finished the spider’s face by adding two sliced black olives for the eyes.
- For the final step, I used a small knife to form a hole between the pieces of crescent dough large enough for one end of the spider’s leg to fit in. I then placed four legs on either side of the spider’s body.
The Spooky Spider Taco Ring was show-stoppingly impressive to look at and also delicious, with its classic taco flavors and flaky crescent roll dough.
So, whether you’re hosting a Halloween party or just want to add some fun to your dinner table, this festive treat will wow your family and friends. Yum!
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- I used my LeCreuset pizza stone for the taco ring to avoid transferring it to a cutting board later. I put some butter on the pizza stone and laid a piece of parchment paper cut in half over it. I used butter to help hold the parchment paper in place. I cut the parchment paper in half to make removing it easier once the taco ring was cooked. The one disadvantage of using the pizza stone was that it took longer to cool. In the past, I’ve used a half-sheet pan lined with a silicone mat, which works well.
- This dish is best eaten when made, because the filling used for the spider’s face doesn’t reheat well.
Other Spooky Halloween Treats
For other spooky Halloween treats, we have you covered:
Did you make this recipe? We’d love to know how it turned out! Leave a review below. Then, share a picture on Instagram and tag @pudgefactor so we can see it.
Don’t forget to follow us on TikTok, Pinterest, Facebook, YouTube, Flipboard, and Instagram.
Thank you so much for visiting PudgeFactor. We hope you’ll come back!
Recipe
Want to Save This Recipe?
Enter your email & Iโll send it to your inbox.ย Plus, enjoy weekly doses of culinary inspiration as a bonus!
By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from Pudge Factor.
Spooky Spider Taco Ring
Equipment
- Pizza stone or half-sheet pan
- Parchment paper or silicone mat
Ingredients
Taco Meat that I Used (See Tip 1)
- 1 pound (16 ounces) ground beef (93% lean)
- 1 (1 ounce) package taco seasoning
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- ยฝ teaspoon ground cumin
- ยฝ teaspoon dried oregano
- 10 ounce can Original Rotel diced tomatoes with green chilies
- ยฝ cup water
- 1 cup (4 ounces) Velveeta Cheese, cubed
- 1 Tablespoon corn meal for thickening (optional)
Spooky Spider Taco Ring
- Your favorite taco meat made with one pound of ground beef or use the recipe above
- ยผ cup (1 ounce) shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese
- ยผ cup (1 ounce) shredded Monterey Jack Cheese
- 3 8-ounce cans of refrigerated Crescent Roll Dough
- 2 ยฝ cups shredded lettuce
- ยฝ cup light sour cream
- โ cup diced tomatoes
- 2 sliced black olives (for the eyes)
Instructions
Taco Meat that I Used
- Brown and crumble ground beef in a large skillet over medium heat until no longer pink. Drain in a colander and rinse under hot water to remove as much of the fat as possible. (See Tip 2)
- Return cooked ground beef to the same skillet. Add taco seasoning, chili powder, cumin, oregano, Rotel tomatoes, and water. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally over medium heat. Lower heat; cover and cook for 30 minutes or until most of the liquid has evaporated.
- Remove the cover. Add Velveeta cheese. Replace the cover for several minutes until the cheese has melted. Stir to combine. If desired, add corn meal to thicken the taco meat. Allow to come to room temperature. May be prepared in advance. Cover and refrigerate for a day or two.
Spooky Spider Taco Ring
- Preheat oven to 375ยฐF.
- Combine taco meat with ยผ cup of shredded cheese and ยผ cup of Monterey Jack cheese.
- Open two cans of crescent roll dough; separate into 16 triangles. Place a 5-inch inverted bowl in the center of a parchment-lined pizza stone or silicone-lined baking sheet. Arrange the overlapping triangles with long ends against the bowl and pointed ends facing out. The ring should look like a sun.ย (See Tip 3)
- Remove the bowl. Place the taco/cheese mixture around the center of the ring using a jumbo scoop or spoon. Bring each dough triangle up over the filling, tucking the dough under to secure it. Repeat around the ring until the entire filling is enclosed. Bake in preheated 375ยฐF oven for 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown.
- While the taco ring is baking, make the spider legs. Open the remaining can of crescent roll dough. Separate into eight triangles. Fold the tip of each triangle down about one inch. Then, starting at a long end, roll into a 7-inch log. Form each log into a V-shape and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake at 375ยฐF for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven.
- Allow the taco ring and spider legs to cool for about 30 minutes. Then fill the center of the taco ring with shredded lettuce. Pipe the sour cream at one end of the center over the lettuce and smooth with an offset spatula or spoon. Spoon the diced tomatoes next to the sour cream. Place the two black olive slices on the sour cream for the spider's eyes.
- Using a small paring knife, make small holes about halfway from the edge of the taco ring to the center between the crescent roll dough. Place one end of the spider's leg into the hole with the other end facing out. Repeat with remaining legs.
- Yield: 8 servings. (See Tip 4)
Video
Tips/Notes
- I’m including the recipe for the taco meat I used for anyone interested. Alternatively, you can use your favorite taco meat made with one pound of ground beef or ground turkey.
- Some object to my rinsing the cooked ground beef because it removes flavor. If you’re one of those, then ignore that step. I’ve consistently found that the real flavor comes from the ingredients added to the cooked ground beef.
- I used my LeCreuset pizza stone for the taco ring to avoid transferring it to a cutting board later. I put some butter on the pizza stone and laid a piece of parchment paper cut in half over it. I used butter to help hold the parchment paper in place. I cut the parchment paper in half to make removing it easier once the taco ring was cooked. The one disadvantage of using the pizza stone was that it took longer to cool. ย In the past, I’ve used a half-sheet pan lined with a silicone mat, which works well.
- This dish is best eaten when made, because the filling used for the spider’s face, doesn’t reheat well.ย
Leave a Reply