Witch Fingers: an easy creepy cookie recipe to make for your Halloween party

No Halloween party is complete without a few scary treats to serve guests. With their strawberry jam blood and sliced almond fingernail, witch fingers are the perfect spooky sweet for your All Hallow's Eve bash. These creepy cookies are made with a buttery shortbread cookie which has that classic shortbread-sable cookie texture.

They're wonderfully light and delicate, and the strawberry jam “blood” complements the butteriness of the cookies to perfection. Witch fingers are easy to make and can even be made ahead of time to make your Halloween party preparations a breeze.

Witch Finger Ingredients

Witch fingers are made from enriched shortbread cookie dough. Use room temperature ingredients to make your cookies. The ingredients will come together better, and you're less likely to overwork the dough.

You'll need softened butter, powdered sugar, and flour for the cookie base.

Egg binds the ingredients and will help your cookies keep their shape while baking powder leavens the cookies slightly.

Vanilla extract brings a subtle flavor to the cookies, while a pinch of salt balances the sweetness.

These witch finger cookies are made without food coloring. Strawberry jam serves as the “blood” instead. You'll also need almond slices for the nail of the finger.

How to Make Witch Fingers

Making these witch finger cookies is easy and enjoyable. You can get older kids involved in this fun Halloween baking project. Line a few baking trays with parchment paper. Next, beat butter and powdered sugar in a bowl until creamy. You want to make sure the sugar and butter are well combined, then beat in the egg and vanilla.

Grab another bowl and sift the flour, baking powder, and salt, then whisk to combine. Gradually beat the flour mixture into the butter mixture. Scoop 1 tablespoon of dough out. Mold the dough into a cylinder about 3-inches in size. Form an indentation for the nail and place an almond slice on the nail bed. Pinch around the middle of the dough to form a knuckle. Make indents on the knuckle and below the nail with a flat edge. Tear off a little piece from the bottom of the cylinder, so it resembles a severed finger. Set the shaped dough onto the baking tray. Repeat with remaining dough. Pop the trays into your fridge for 20 minutes.

In the meantime, heat your oven to 350F. Bake your witch fingers for 20 minutes. Take the cookies out of the oven, and let them cool on the baking sheet for several minutes, then set them on a rack to cool to room temperature. Heat jam in a microwave for 15 to 20 seconds. Brush the jam along the nail bed with a pastry brush. Dip the severed end into the jam. Repeat with remaining cookies. There you have it! These spooky witch finger cookies are sure to frighten your Halloween guests.

Tips for Making Witch Finger Cookies

Cream the butter and sugar together well. This will help prevent you from overworking the dough when adding the flour.

Don't overwork the dough.

Don't forget to chill the dough before baking your cookies. This will help them keep their shape and prevent spreading.

Homemade strawberry jam is the best choice, but you can use store-bought jam instead. No strawberry jam? Cherry or raspberry will work, too. Alternatively, use red gel food coloring.

Can You Make Witch Fingers Ahead of Time?

If you're hosting a Halloween party, it helps to make dishes in advance. You can make your witch finger cookies up to three days in advance. Store them in an airtight container in the fridge.

Can You Use Other Cookie Dough Recipes For Witch Fingers?

You can use any cookie dough you like to make your witch fingers. Whatever you use, don't forget to chill the dough before baking your cookies!

Witch Finger Variation Ideas

Add a little green food coloring to make green witch fingers.

Use almond flour, coconut flour, or your favorite gluten-free flour for gluten-free witch finger cookies.

Swap out the egg and butter for flax egg or silken tofu and margarine to make vegan-friendly witch fingers.

If you have a kitchen torch, you can lightly scorch the cookies to make them look burnt. You can broil the cookies for a minute or so if you don't have a kitchen torch or dust them with cocoa powder or cinnamon sugar.

Add a flavored essence to your cookie dough to enhance the taste of the cookies. Almond, orange, and lemon all work beautifully with a shortbread cookie.

Drizzle a little icing over the cookies to make mummy witch fingers.

How to Store Witch Finger Cookies

Decorated witch fingers will last 3 days in the fridge when kept in an airtight container. You can freeze witch fingers for up to 3 months.

More Halloween Recipes You'll Like

• Pumpkin whoopie pies
• Halloween zebra cake
• Puffed rice pumpkins

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350F. Line a baking tray with parchment paper.

Beat butter and powdered sugar in a bowl until creamy.

Beat in the egg and vanilla extract.

In a separate bowl, combine flour, salt, and baking powder.

Gradually beat the flour mixture into the butter mixture.

Scoop out 1 tablespoon of dough.

Shape the dough into a cylinder.

Make an indent for the nail.

Pinch the dough to form a knuckle.

Place an almond slice on the nail bed.

Make indents on the knuckle and below the nail with a flat edge. Remove a small piece from the bottom of the cylinder, so it resembles a severed finger.

Repeat with remaining dough.

Refrigerate the dough for 20 minutes. Place the finger dough on the baking tray. Bake for 20 minutes, then remove from oven. Leave the cookies to cool for 5 to 7 minutes on the tray, then set them on a rack to cool completely.

Heat jam in a microwave for 15 to 20 seconds. Dip the severed end into the jam.

Using a kitchen torch, lightly scorch the cookies to make them look burnt.

Brush the jam along the nail bed. Repeat with remaining cookies.

Serve and enjoy!