Witch Finger Cookies with Almond Nails, the Halloween Treat
Shortbread cookies shaped like knobbly fingers, with scored knuckles, an almond for a fingernail and a smear of red jam: the most theatrical Halloween treat on the table.
Looking for a Halloween treat that really makes people stop and stare, but that you can make with everyday ingredients?
Then witch finger cookies are exactly what you need. I will show you step by step how to turn a simple shortbread dough into cookies that look like bony fingers, with scored knuckles, an almond for a fingernail and a smear of red jam that instantly says horror film.
The beauty of this recipe is that it needs no fiddly decorating and nothing hard to find: flour, butter, sugar, an egg and a handful of almonds. The whole effect comes from the shape, and that is work you do with your hands.
It has at least three advantages: kids love it and can help you shape the fingers, you can make it ahead because the cookies keep for days, and it costs very little even when you need a whole platter for a party.
The most important trick is keeping things cold. The dough needs to rest in the fridge before you shape it, and again for a few minutes once the fingers are on the tray: that way they do not spread in the oven and the knuckles stay sharp.
Add the jam only at the end, once the cookies have cooled, by lifting the almond slightly. If you put it on before baking, it dries out and loses its glossy red colour.
Ready? Let’s get started on these witch finger cookies.
Steps
- Quickly rub the flour and cold butter together until the mixture looks like sand, then add the icing sugar, egg, baking powder, vanilla and salt and knead just long enough to bring the dough together.
- Wrap the dough in cling film and chill it in the fridge for 30 minutes: cold dough is easier to shape and holds its form in the oven.
- Pinch off pieces of dough of about 15 g and roll them into logs 8-10 cm long, slightly thinner at one end.
- Squeeze each log in two places to form the knuckles, then score a few creases across them with the back of a knife.
- Press an almond onto the tip of each finger, arrange them on a baking tray lined with parchment and return them to the fridge for 15 minutes.
- Bake in a preheated conventional oven at 180°C (350°F) for 12-15 minutes, until the cookies are just golden at the edges.
- Let them cool, then gently lift each almond, spread a little jam underneath and press it back into place.
Helpful tips
Do not let the dough get too warm in your hands: if it softens, put it back in the fridge for a few minutes before shaping.
For an even more gruesome look, brush a little jam over the knuckles too with a fine pastry brush.
Witch fingers keep for 5-6 days in a tightly closed cookie tin.
Swap half the icing sugar for light brown sugar if you want a more amber, aged-looking finger.
Average nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 86 kcal
- Carbohydrates
- 10.5 g
- Sugars
- 4.3 g
- Protein
- 1.3 g
- Fat
- 4.2 g
- Saturated fat
- 2.2 g
- Fiber
- 0.4 g
- Sodium
- 20 mg
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