Frightening Fingers

Total Time:Prep: 25 min. + chilling Bake: 20 min.

By Taste Of Home Editorial Team

Recipe by Natalie Hyde

Tested by Taste of Home Test Kitchen

Updated on Oct. 14, 2022

These cookies have become somewhat famous at the school our children attend. One year, I made more than 150 of these "fingers" for their classroom Halloween parties.—Natalie Hyde, Cambridge, Ontario

TEST KITCHEN APPROVED

Frightening Fingers

Yield:about 5 dozen cookies
Prep:25 min
Cook:20 min

Ingredients

  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 1 cup confectioners' sugar
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon almond extract
  • 2-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • Red decorating gel
  • 1/2 cup sliced almonds
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Directions

  1. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar. Beat in the egg and extracts. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; gradually add to the creamed mixture. Divide dough into fourths. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes or until easy to handle.
  2. Working with 1 piece of dough at a time, roll into 1-in. balls. Shape balls into 3x1/2-in. fingers. Using the flat tip of a table knife, make an indentation on 1 end of each for fingernail. With a knife, make 3 slashes in the middle of each finger for knuckle.
  3. Place 2 in. apart on lightly greased baking sheets. Bake at 325° until lightly browned, 20-25 minutes. Cool for 3 minutes. Squeeze a small amount of red gel on nail bed; press a sliced almond over gel for nail, allowing gel to ooze around nail. Remove to wire racks to cool.