Spooky Witch’s Fingers Cookies
Spooky Witches’ Fingers
Tender almond-vanilla cookies shaped like witch fingers, finished with almond “nails” and a swipe of red gel for a deliciously spooky effect.
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
- 1 egg
- ½ tsp almond extract
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ cup whole almonds (about 24)
- Red decorating gel (for the “bloody” look)
Optional: tint a tablespoon of dough with green gel coloring for a ghoulish cast and marble it in lightly.
Directions
- Prep: Heat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment. Have almonds and red gel ready.
- Cream: In a large bowl, beat butter and confectioners’ sugar together 2–3 minutes until pale and fluffy, scraping the bowl once.
- Egg & flavor: Beat in the egg, then the almond and vanilla extracts until smooth.
- Dry mix: In another bowl whisk flour, baking powder, and salt. Add to the wet ingredients on low speed just until a soft dough forms—do not overmix.
- Chill (helps shaping): If the dough is very soft, chill 15–20 minutes so it’s easy to roll.
- Shape fingers: Scoop ~1 Tbsp dough (20–22 g). Roll into a 3½–4 inch log. Taper one end slightly to form a fingertip. Place 2 inches apart on the sheet.
- Knuckles & nails: Use a small knife to score 3 shallow lines where the knuckles would be. Press a whole almond firmly into the tapered end for the nail (it will rise slightly as it bakes).
- Bake: Bake 12–14 minutes, rotating pans once, until the bottoms are lightly golden and the edges look set but not browned.
- Finish: Cool 5 minutes on the sheet. Carefully lift the almond, add a thin swipe of red gel under the “nail,” and press the almond back on. Add extra gel at the cuticles or knuckles for dramatic effect. Transfer to a rack to cool completely.
- Serve & store: Keep airtight at room temp up to 4 days or freeze undecorated cookies up to 2 months.
If any cookies spread, gently squeeze the sides in with a spatula while still warm to refine the finger shape.
Make Ahead
- Dough logs can be wrapped and refrigerated up to 2 days; soften 10 minutes before shaping.
- Shaped, unbaked fingers freeze solid on a tray, then bag up to 1 month; bake from frozen, adding 1–2 minutes.
Shaping Tips
- Roll slightly thinner than you want—the cookies puff a bit in the oven.
- For extra definition, pinch the knuckle areas before baking and re-score lines after 5 minutes of bake time.
Serving Info
| Yield | About 24 cookies |
| Active Time | ~30 minutes |
| Bake Time | 12–14 minutes per sheet @ 350°F |
| Category | Dessert · Halloween |
| Cuisine | American |