These creepy witch finger cookies have a buttery delicate cookie base that's decorated with strawberry jam and sliced almonds. They're one heck of a tasty Halloween treat that are surprisingly easy to make!
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and set aside.
In a large bowl cream together the butter and powdered sugar until evenly mixed with an electric mixer on medium speed.
Add the egg and vanilla and mix to combine on medium speed.
Whisk together the flour, salt, and baking powder in a medium bowl and mix into the batter in 3 additions.
When the cookie dough is combined use a small cookie scoop to scoop 1 tablespoon of cookie dough into a ball.
Next, shape the ball into a 3-inch cylinder.
Make a small pinch right beneath where the nail would be on the cookie. Then make another small pinch where the knuckle would be.
Using your index finger make an indent for the nail bed. Place a sliced almond as a nail in the cookie.
Next, using the bottom of a piping tip create indents under the nail bed and on the knuckle of the cookie.
Finally, break off a small portion of the bottom of the finger so that it appears severed. Repeat steps 6-11 with the remaining cookie dough and place fingers on the prepared cookie sheet 1 inch apart.
Chill cookies for 15-20 minutes to prevent spreading in the oven.
Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 12 minutes. If they are not yet slightly golden bake for 2 minutes more until the desired color is reached.
Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
If desired, use a kitchen torch to create slight burn marks on the fingers around the knuckles.
In a small microwave safe bowl warm the strawberry jam for 20 seconds. Use a fine tip paint brush to paint strawberry jam around the nail bed. dip the severed end of the finger in the strawberry jam and transfer to a serving plate. Continue with remaining cookies.
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Notes
If you do not have a kitchen torch and would like some burn marks on your cookies, place them under the broiler for a few seconds keeping a very close eye on them. Alternately, when cool they can be dusted around the knuckles and wrinkles with cocoa powder.
If you don’t have a piping tip to create the intents on the fingers simply use a pairing knife.
These cookies can be prepared in advance and frozen for up to a month (without jam) defrosted, and then decorated when ready to serve.
Decorated cookies and be stored for 2-3 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Undecorated they will keep in an airtight container on the kitchen counter for 1 week.