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Easy Spooky Witch Finger Cookies Recipe

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These Spooky Witch Finger Cookies are a happy accident turned Halloween tradition. Buttery, slightly crisp shortbread-style cookies shaped like creepy fingers with almond fingernails, perfect for parties and guaranteed to get a reaction.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
  • 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg, at room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon almond extract
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 ½ cups (312g) all-purpose flour
  • 48 whole almonds (about ½ cup), unroasted and unsalted
  • Red food coloring (gel or liquid)
  • Seedless raspberry jam (optional, for ‘blood’)

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar together on medium speed for about 2-3 minutes, until light, fluffy, and pale yellow.
  3. Add the room-temperature egg and almond extract. Beat on medium speed until fully combined, about 30 seconds.
  4. In a separate small bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients. Mix just until the dough comes together and no streaks of flour remain.
  5. Scoop out about 1 tablespoon of dough (roughly 20-25 grams). Roll it between your palms into a log shape about 3 inches long and ½ inch thick. Place on the prepared baking sheet. Shape one end slightly thicker (knuckle area) and taper the other end slightly (fingertip). Leave about 1½ inches between each finger.
  6. Using a small paring knife, gently press 2-3 shallow lines across each finger to create knuckle creases. Make a few tiny, shallow cuts near the fingertip for wrinkles. Squeeze the sides slightly to make them look less uniform.
  7. Take a whole almond and press it firmly onto the tapered tip of each finger, embedding about ½ of the almond in the dough.
  8. Bake for 12-15 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through. Cookies are done when bottoms are just barely golden and edges look set; tops should still be pale.
  9. Let cookies cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool completely before decorating.
  10. For the ‘blood’ effect, use a toothpick to dab a tiny amount of red gel food coloring or seedless raspberry jam into the knuckle creases and around the cuticle area.

Notes

Use softened butter, not melted, to prevent spreading. Don’t skip the egg—it provides structure. For realistic knuckles, gently pinch the dough on either side of the knife line. Bake one sheet at a time if your oven has hot spots. For best ‘blood’ effect, use seedless raspberry jam. Store undecorated cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.

Nutrition

Keywords: Halloween cookies, witch finger cookies, spooky cookies, sugar cookies, almond cookies, easy Halloween recipe

Find it online: https://lumalunch.com/easy-spooky-witch-finger-cookies-recipe/