Witch Finger Cookies
These witch finger cookies are buttery almond shortbread shaped into spooky fingers with a toasted almond nail and red jam blood for Halloween baking.
Servings: 24 cookies
Calories: 90kcal
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened (2 sticks) the base of a rich, tender shortbread crumb
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar just enough sweetness so the almond flavor leads
- 1 large egg binds the dough so the fingers don't crack
- 1 tsp almond extract the key to that real bakery shortbread flavor
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 24 whole almonds pressed into the tip of each finger as the "nail"
- 2 tbsp strawberry jam or red gel food coloring for the "blood" at the base of the nail
Instructions
- Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
- Beat in the egg, almond extract, and vanilla extract until smooth.
- Mix in the flour and salt on low speed just until a soft dough forms. Cover and chill 30 minutes.
- Roll small pieces of dough into 3-inch finger shapes, tapering one end, and score 2-3 knuckle lines into each with a paring knife.
- Press a whole almond firmly into the tapered tip for the nail.
- Dab a small amount of jam or red food coloring at the base of the almond so it looks like it's bleeding.
- Bake at 325°F for 12-14 minutes, until set but still pale — you don't want any golden color.
- Cool on the pan 5 minutes, then move to a wire rack and add an extra dab of jam once cooled for more "blood."
Notes
Store in an airtight container at room temperature up to 5 days. Dough can be made ahead and refrigerated up to 2 days, or the shaped, unbaked fingers can be frozen up to 3 months — bake straight from frozen, adding 1-2 minutes to the bake time.