SIMPLY CREEPY WITCH'S FINGERS

SIMPLY CREEPY WITCH'S FINGERS

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup powdered sugar (confectionery)
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon Almond extract
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
• 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt (1/2 teaspoon salt if using salted butter)
• 3/4 cup whole blanched almonds
• green food coloring
• 1 tube red decorator gel

METHOD
In a bowl, beat together butter, sugar, egg, almond and vanilla extract; beat in flour, baking powder and salt.  Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Roll heaping tablespoons of dough into finger shape for each cookie.  Press almond firmly into one end for the nail.  Squeeze in center to create knuckle shape; using a paring knife or toothpick, make several places to form knuckle.

Place on lightly greased baking sheets or parchment lined baking sheets.  Bake in a 325 degree oven for 20-25 minutes or until pale golden.  Let cool for 3 minutes.  Lift up almond; squeeze red decorator gel onto nail bed and press almond back into place, so gel oozes out from underneath.  Let cool.  Makes about 28 large cigar size cookies.  If you only use 1 teaspoon of dough, you will get about 4 dozen cookies. Enjoy !

Spooky Witches' Fingers

Spooky Witches' Fingers
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 whole almonds
• 1 (.75 ounce) tube red decorating gel

Directions

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.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Lightly grease baking sheets.
Remove dough from refrigerator in small amounts. Scoop 1 heaping teaspoon at a time 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 long fingernail. Squeeze cookie near the tip and again near the center of each to give the impression of knuckles. You can also cut into the dough with a sharp knife at the same points to help give a more finger-like appearance. Arrange the shaped cookies on the baking sheets.
Bake in the preheated oven until the cookies are slightly golden in color, 20 to 25 minutes.
Remove the almond from the end of each cookie; squeeze a small amount of red decorating gel into the cavity; replace the almond to cause the gel to ooze out around the tip of the cookie. Enjoy !