witch finger cookiesThese Witch Finger Cookies are so grisly-looking, you almost wonder if they're too gruesome to serve at a party. But isn't that the whole point of Halloween -- to scare the pants off your guests?

The good news is that these cookies don't just look festive, they're tasty, too: It's flaky shortbread and blood bright berry jam to hold the silvered almond "fingernails" in place. Another idea? You could also tint the dough green to make these witch fingers even more "realistic."

Witch Finger Cookies adapted from AllRecipes

Ingredients

  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 1 cup confectioners' sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon almond extract
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup slivered almonds
  • Strawberry or raspberry jam/jelly

Instructions

1. Combine the butter, sugar, egg, almond extract, and vanilla extract in a mixing bowl. Beat together with an electric mixer; gradually add the flour, baking powder, and salt, continually beating; refrigerate 20 to 30 minutes.

2. One at a time, scoop 1 heaping teaspoon of dough onto a piece of waxed paper. Use the waxed paper to roll the dough into a thin finger-shaped cookie. Press one almond into one end of each cookie to give the appearance of a fingernail. Squeeze cookie near the tip and again near the center of each to give the impression of knuckles. Cut into the dough with a sharp knife at the same points to help give a more finger-like appearance. Continue until all dough has been used up.

3. Arrange the shaped cookies onto greased baking sheets. Bake in preheated oven at 325 until the cookies are slightly golden in color -- about 20 to 25 minutes.

4. Carefully remove the almond from the end of each cookie. Spoon a small amount of jam into the cavity. Replace the almond to cause the jam to ooze out around the tip of the cookie.

 

Image via akpoff/Flickr