Creepy Witch Finger Cookies (Printable)
Spooky almond cookies shaped like witch fingers with creepy red fingernails. A Halloween party favorite.
# What You'll Need:
→ Cookie Dough
01 - 1 cup (225 g) unsalted butter, softened
02 - 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
03 - 1 large egg
04 - 1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
05 - ½ teaspoon almond extract
06 - 2 ¾ cups (350 g) all-purpose flour
07 - 1 teaspoon baking powder
08 - ½ teaspoon salt
→ Decoration
09 - 24 whole blanched almonds
10 - Red gel food coloring or strawberry jam for blood effect
# Directions:
01 - Preheat the oven to 325°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
02 - In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy using an electric mixer.
03 - Beat in the egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract until well combined.
04 - In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
05 - Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing just until a dough forms.
06 - Scoop about 1 tablespoon of dough and roll between your hands into a finger shape, approximately 3–4 inches long. Use a knife to create knuckle lines and gently press a blanched almond at one end to create a fingernail.
07 - Place shaped fingers on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Bake for 18–20 minutes until lightly golden.
08 - Remove the almonds from the baked cookies, apply red food coloring or jam to the fingernail bed for a bloody effect, and press the almonds back into place.
09 - Allow cookies to cool completely on a wire rack before serving.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- They look genuinely creepy but taste buttery and sweet, like a classic almond cookie
- The shaping process is surprisingly therapeutic and perfect for getting creative in the kitchen
02 -
- Working with chilled dough makes it much easier to shape realistic looking fingers
- The knuckle details should be shallow or they will disappear when the cookies bake
03 -
- Work quickly when shaping since the warmth from your hands can make the dough sticky
- If the almonds fall off too easily, dab a tiny bit of jam on the dough before pressing them in