Estimated reading time: 7 minutes

Witch Finger Cookies are one of our longtime Halloween favourites: buttery shortbread-style cookies shaped into creepy fingers, finished with whole-almond fingernails and red decorating gel.

They are inexpensive to make, easy to shape by hand, and a fun choice for Halloween parties, family gatherings, bake sales or a spooky dessert table.

The most important baking tip is not to wait for the tops to brown. Check the bottoms at about 7 minutes; once they are lightly browned, move the cookies to a rack so they stay tender instead of becoming hard.

Because the original recipe uses both whole almonds and almond extract, check allergy policies before bringing the cookies to a school, daycare, workplace or other nut-restricted setting.

We have made this Halloween cookie recipe for years, and the creepy shape is always the part everyone notices first.

Whole blanched almonds become the fingernails, while a small amount of red decorating gel under each nail gives the finished cookies their spooky Halloween look.

For the easiest shaping, work with a small portion of chilled dough at a time and keep the rest cool until you need it.

Score the knuckle lines lightly with a knife so the fingers look realistic without cutting too deeply into the dough.

These cookies work especially well on a Halloween dessert table because the almond nails and scored knuckles are recognizable even before you add the red gel.

Homemade Scary Witch Finger Cookies Are Easy

Can you make witch finger cookies without the almond fingernail? Yes.

You can replace the whole almond with another decorative candy, but that does not automatically make the recipe nut-free because the original dough also contains almond extract. For an allergy-sensitive setting, check every ingredient and the facility’s rules before serving.

The dough is easy to shape after chilling, and each finger can look a little different. Slightly uneven knuckles and crooked almond nails make the finished platter look even creepier.

The recipe uses basic baking ingredients, but ingredient prices vary, so I no longer list a fixed batch cost here.

One batch makes about 36 witch finger cookies, enough for a generous Halloween platter.

Shaping the dough is part of the fun because no two fingers need to look exactly alike.

Why These Witch Finger Cookies Work

The dough is rich and buttery, with both vanilla and almond extract for flavour. Chilling it for 30 minutes makes the dough easier to roll and shape without sticking.

For the classic look, use blanched almonds and red decorator gel.

This witch finger cookies recipe has been part of our Halloween baking for years, which is why I want to keep the original recipe intact while making the instructions easier to follow.

Once the cookies are cool, arrange them with the almond nails facing outward so the finger shape is easy to see on the serving tray.

Serve the cookies once completely cooled, or add them to a Halloween dessert tray with other easy seasonal treats.

Shortbread Cookies Transform To Witch Finger Cookies

My mum would make similar cookies but not for Halloween, just everyday shortbread butter cookies.

You can change the look without changing the base dough. A drop or two of green food colouring gives the fingers a classic witchy colour, while the original pale dough looks more like eerie severed fingers.

We use both almond and vanilla extract because that combination gives the cookies their familiar flavour. If you prefer a different flavour profile, use the variation ideas below rather than changing the tested flour, butter, egg or leavening amounts.

For a citrus version, add finely grated orange, lemon or lime zest. You can also add a chocolate chip ‘wart’ to some fingers before baking for extra texture and character.

Shaping tip: Roll the fingers a little thinner than you want them to look after baking because the dough puffs as it cooks.

The tested version uses both almond and vanilla extract. If you experiment with another extract for flavour, keep the rest of the base recipe unchanged.

After the flour goes in, mix only until the dough comes together. Overmixing can make the finished cookies tougher.

Line the baking sheet with parchment paper so the shaped fingers lift cleanly after baking.

How to Make Spooky Halloween Witch Finger Cookies

Witch Finger Cookies Recipe Details

Note: The printable version of this recipe is below.

Recipe Yield: 36

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Chill Time: 30 minutes

Bake Time: 7-10 minutes at 350°F

TIP: Cook for 7 minutes, then check the bottom. If the base has browned, pull them and move them to a rack to cool.

If you over-cook these cookies, they will get too hard and not taste the best.

Witch Finger Cookies Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon Almond Extract
• 1.5 tablespoons of Vanilla Extract
• 1 cup confectioners sugar (icing sugar), plus about 1/3 cup for the work surface
• 1 cup of butter (softened)
• 2 2/3 cups of all-purpose flour
• 1 large egg
• 1 tablespoon of baking powder
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• 1 tube of red decorator gel
• About 45 blanched whole almonds

Instructions To Make Witch Finger Cookies

• In a mixing bowl or stand mixer add butter and icing sugar and mix until fluffy (2 mins).
• Add in both extracts and mix
• Add in the egg, then mix for 1 minute until blended
• Slowly add in your flour, salt, and baking powder and mix until it is all blended
• Put in a bowl, wrap with cling wrap, and put in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to chill (this makes it easy to handle)
• Sugar your surface with icing sugar, then take a chunk of the dough in your hands

• Roll the dough into a snake-like figure that is nice and even

• Cut the first finger about 1.5 inches long and use this as your guide for the rest.
• Ensure you roll them thinner, or they will turn out chubby as some of mine did.
• Once you cut your fingers, squeeze the top of the finger so the sides come in, then press in a blanched almond.
• In the middle of the finger, squeeze again to form the knuckle, then using a knife, cut in knuckle lines.
• Place on a greased baking sheet or like I did on parchment paper.

• Bake for 7-10 minutes, but I check at the 7-minute mark.
• If the cookie is lightly browned underneath, pull it out. Don’t wait for the top to brown or the cookie will become too hard.

• Remove cookies to a cooling rack for 5 minutes

• Remove the almond and with red decorator gel, squeeze some into the nail bed, and then replace the almond.

How To Make Witch Finger Cookies

Happy Halloween from our home to yours!

Mr. and Mrs. CBB

Ding Dong the Witch is Dead!

There you go, enjoy your Scary Witch Finger Cookies!

P.S. If you want to make them even scarier, you can add green colouring to the cookie dough.

Discussion: What other ways have you dressed up your scary witch fingers?

Please share your comments below.

Mr.CBB

More Halloween Recipes From CBB

• Mr.CBB’s Mum’s British Lemon Fridge Cake
• Mr.CBB’s Pumpkin Spice Pound Cake With Brown Butter Buttercream
• Pumpkin Biscotti with Pumpkin Spice Icing
• Halloween Oreo Rice Krispie Squares
• 10 Last-Minute Frugal Halloween Recipes
• Easy Vanilla Mummy Cupcakes
• 35+ Best Pumpkin Recipes for Fall