Description
Witch Finger Cookies are spooky and delicious treats perfect for Halloween. These cookies feature buttery, almond-flavored dough colored green and shaped like creepy fingers, adorned with almond slices as fingernails and pistachio pieces for warts. A dollop of fruit jam oozes from under the almond nails, adding a sweet and slightly tart finish. Crunchy nuts and a soft crumb make these cookies a fun and festive dessert.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 1 1/4 cups (145 g) confectioners’ sugar
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp almond extract
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 5 to 6 drops green food coloring
- 2 3/4 cups (330 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 cup finely chopped pistachios (about 70 g), plus more for decorating
Decorations
- 3/4 cup sliced almonds (about 85 g)
- 1/2 cup (135 g) cherry, strawberry, or raspberry jam
Instructions
- Prepare the Butter and Sugar Mixture: In the large bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or in a large bowl using a handheld mixer), beat confectioners’ sugar and softened butter on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the egg and continue beating until fully incorporated and fluffy, about 1 minute more. Then add almond extract, vanilla extract, and green food coloring, beating until evenly combined.
- Mix in Dry Ingredients and Nuts: In a small bowl, whisk together the flour and kosher salt. Gradually add this mixture to the butter mixture and beat on low speed until just combined. Gently fold in the finely chopped pistachios. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate the dough for at least 30 minutes or up to 2 days to firm up.
- Shape the Fingers: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Remove one-quarter of the chilled dough and divide it into 12 to 13 portions of about 1 tablespoon each. Roll each portion between your palms into a finger shape approximately 3 inches long and 1/2 inch wide—slightly thinner than a pinky finger. Place the fingers on the prepared baking sheets. Press a sliced almond into the tip of each finger to resemble a nail. Pinch the dough just below the almond and midway down the finger to form knuckles. Using a sharp knife, carve horizontal lines of varying lengths into the knuckles to add detail. Add 1 or 2 pistachio pieces onto the surface of the finger to create wart-like textures. Repeat until all dough is shaped. Freeze the shaped cookies for 30 minutes before baking.
- Bake the Cookies: Bake the frozen cookies in the preheated oven for 7 to 9 minutes, rotating the trays front to back halfway through baking, until the edges are firm and the tops are dry. Remove from the oven and let the cookies cool slightly on the baking sheets.
- Add Jam and Final Touches: Carefully lift off the almond fingernail from each cookie. Dab a small amount of your chosen jam onto the tip of each finger, then press the almond nail back into place, gently squeezing to allow the jam to ooze out around the edges for a creepy effect. Spread additional jam onto the bottom of each finger as desired. Allow the cookies to cool completely before serving.
Notes
- Refrigerating or freezing the dough before shaping helps the cookies hold their finger shape and makes them easier to handle.
- Feel free to substitute the jam flavor to suit your taste or use any red-colored jelly to enhance the spooky appearance.
- For extra spooky detail, add a drop of red food coloring to the jam or paint thin lines on the fingers with melted chocolate.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for longer storage.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 110
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 55 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 3.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 12 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 20 mg
