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Best Witch Finger Cookies with Almond Nails for Halloween

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These creepy but delicious witch finger cookies are made with a buttery almond shortbread dough and topped with almond ‘nails’. Perfect for Halloween parties, they’re easy to make and guaranteed to be a conversation starter.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon almond extract
  • 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup almond flour
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • About 40 whole blanched almonds
  • Red food coloring (gel works best)
  • Green food coloring
  • A small paintbrush

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 325°F (160°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and powdered sugar together until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes with a hand mixer on medium speed.
  3. Beat in the egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract until well combined.
  4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, almond flour, and salt. Gradually add this dry mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until a soft dough forms.
  5. Scoop out about a tablespoon of dough and roll it into a log shape, about 3 inches long and ¾ inch thick. Gently taper one end to form the ‘wrist’ and make the other end slightly wider to form the ‘fingertip’. Place on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough, spacing fingers about 2 inches apart. You should get about 35-40 cookies.
  6. Using the back of a small knife or a chopstick, gently press three indentations into each finger to create the knuckles.
  7. Press one whole blanched almond firmly into the wider end of each finger to create the ‘nail’, pressing it in about halfway.
  8. Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until the cookies are just set and the edges are very lightly golden. The bottoms should be a pale golden brown.
  9. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then carefully transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
  10. Once completely cool, mix a drop of green food coloring with a teaspoon of water to create a wash. Lightly brush the wash over the cookies. Then, dip the tip of your brush in red food coloring and dab a small amount around the base of each almond ‘nail’ to look like blood. Let the food coloring dry for about 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

The dough temperature is crucial—if it gets too warm, the cookies will spread. Chill the shaped cookies for 10-15 minutes before baking if needed. Do not overbake; the cookies should remain pale for a realistic witch skin tone. For best results, use gel food coloring for the ‘blood’ effect. Store undecorated cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days; add food coloring just before serving.

Nutrition

Keywords: witch finger cookies, Halloween cookies, almond shortbread, spooky cookies, Halloween dessert, creepy cookies, almond nail cookies

Find it online: https://freshforkful.com/best-witch-finger-cookies-with-almond-nails-for-halloween/