Witch Finger Sugar Cookies Recipe
- Cook Time: 40 minutes (plus 30 minutes chilling)
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup whole blanched almonds
- 1/4 cup red jam (raspberry or strawberry)
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, beat together the softened butter and granulated sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy. This usually takes about 2 to 3 minutes using an electric mixer. Add the egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract, beating again until well combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet butter mixture, stirring until a stiff dough forms. Cover the dough and refrigerate it for at least 30 minutes to make it easier to handle.
- Preheat your oven to 325°F (165°C). Take a tablespoon of dough and roll it into a thin finger shape, about 3 to 4 inches long. Remember that the dough will expand slightly in the oven, so make the fingers a bit thinner than you want the final result to be.
- Press a whole blanched almond firmly into one end of each dough strip to create the “fingernail.” Use a butter knife to make small horizontal slashes in the middle of the finger to create the appearance of knuckles. Squeeze the dough slightly around the slashes to make the knuckle area look prominent.
- Place the fingers on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, leaving about 2 inches of space between each. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the cookies are a very pale golden color. Do not overbake; you want them to look “pale” like skin.
- Let the cookies cool for a few minutes. Carefully lift the almond “nail” off each cookie. Smear a small amount of red jam into the indentation and press the almond back into place so the jam oozes out around the edges. For an extra creepy look, add more jam to the “severed” end of the finger.