Print

Quick Witch’s Finger Cookies Easy Homemade Halloween Treat

witch finger cookies - featured image
Print Recipe

These creepy but delicious witch finger cookies are made with buttery shortbread dough and almond ‘nails,’ perfect for Halloween. Quick to prepare and guaranteed to be a hit at any spooky gathering.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon almond extract
  • 2 ½ cups (312g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • About 30 whole blanched almonds or slivered almonds
  • Red jam or jelly (strawberry or raspberry)
  • Green food coloring (optional, but recommended)

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
  2. In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar together until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes with an electric mixer on medium speed.
  3. Beat in the egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract until fully combined.
  4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add this to the wet mixture, mixing on low speed until just combined.
  5. If using green food coloring, add a few drops of gel food coloring to the dough and mix until the color is even.
  6. Take about 1 tablespoon of dough and roll it into a log shape roughly the size and thickness of your index finger. Place on the prepared baking sheet. Taper one end to look like a fingertip and make the other end slightly wider. Repeat with remaining dough, spacing cookies about 2 inches apart.
  7. Use the back of a butter knife or small offset spatula to gently press lines into each ‘finger’ at the knuckle joints, making 2-3 lines per finger.
  8. Press one slivered almond into the tapered end of each finger, with the pointed tip sticking out slightly.
  9. Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until the cookies are set and just barely golden on the bottom. Rotate the pans halfway through.
  10. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack. While still slightly warm, dab a tiny bit of red jam at the base of each almond ‘nail’ to create the bloody cuticle effect. Let cool completely before serving.

Notes

Don’t overwork the dough to keep cookies tender. Chill your hands if dough gets sticky. Vary finger sizes for realism. Use gel food coloring for vibrant green without thinning dough. Cookies can be made ahead; dough keeps 3 days in fridge, baked cookies (without jam) store 5 days at room temperature, or freeze undecorated for up to 3 months. Add jam just before serving.

Nutrition

Keywords: Halloween cookies, witch finger cookies, shortbread cookies, almond cookies, spooky treats, easy Halloween recipe

Find it online: https://flurpchef.com/quick-witchs-finger-cookies-easy-homemade-halloween-treat/