Halloween Witch Fingers Shortbread Cookies are buttery shortbread cookie, almond fingernail witches fingers, perfect addition for Halloween parties.
Who Doesn’t Want To Eat Witch Fingers For Halloween?
I grew up in the 60’s with Bewitched, the classic show with Elizabeth Montgomery, a witch-turned housewife whose magic made life… interesting, fun and humorous!
For sure there are plenty fun books for kids about witches.
We all know that Disney certainly gave us our share of fairytale witches, but it was Bette Midler, in Hocus Pocus, that fast became my all time favorite.
Do you love to laugh during ‘spooky season’?
Humor is my most favorite emotion! Is it an emotion?
Actually, it is said to be an ‘auditory expression of a number of positive emotional states;’ Positive, being the operative word for me.
I love laughter and Hocus Pocus and so the idea of spooky witch finger cookies, for me, were just plain fun!
Witch Fingers vs. Ladyfingers
What’s the difference, you ask? Eggs!
Proper ladies (ladyfingers), are whipped.
Witch fingers are whisked…. with a magic wand, of course!
Henceforth you will want to know; ladies are soft, witches have stability!
Shortbread Cookies
Nonetheless, witches in Scotland suffered a horrid demise, back in the 1700’s, Scotland’s shortbread cookies certainly gave us all a sweet taste to erase the horror of their history.
You will want to know that shortbread cookies hold together beautifully for pressing into shapes with a cookie cutter or shaping by hand to make cute designs.
My shortbread cookies have an extra measure of lusciousness to hold them together, they are made with both butter and mascarpone. Yummmmmy!
How To Make Witch Finger Shortbread Cookies
My food processor is the most used equipment in my kitchen.
I toss all the room temperature ingredients into the food processor, whisk like crazy, roll out and start shaping, or fridge for a later day.
Firstly, once rolled to about half inch thickness (no need to be precise, remember these aren’t fussy ladies), cut into strips 1/2 inch wide by 4 inches long.
Then we will shape into fat little cylinders, lay your own finger across each and press, round off the top and bottom and press a whole raw almond in the top for the fingernail.
Baking Or Freezing Shortbread Cookies
Finally, the cookies can be baked once shaped, and are ready to serve, wrap as gifts or freeze extras for a later date.
However, they can also be stored in the fridge until ready to bake and freeze.
Simply save the witch fingernail (whole almond), application for when you’re ready to bake them.
They thaw quickly and bake in only about 15- 18 minutes, and they are ready for the Halloween party!
Halloween Treats
Who doesn’t love Halloween treats? I don’t mean the store bought kind, but rather a fun array of homemade Halloween treats for kids and adults. Here are just a few of my other favorited Scary Yummy Treats:
- Halloween Cornbread Skulls – my grandchildren loves these every year!
- Boos and Booze Halloween Dinner Party – totally an adult yummy dinner party!
- Let’s Talk Pumpkin – oh how we want to love pumpkin, even though it has little flavor, and so we created a pumpkin spice blend that now lets pumpkin think it’s the star!
- Caramel Popcorn Balls – Two ways to make caramel popcorn balls; traditional homemade caramel popcorn balls, or store bought caramel and popcorn.
Ingredients Needed
- Butter
- Mascarpone
- Sugar
- Flour
- Salt
- Whole Almonds
Equipment Needed
- Baking sheet pan
- Parchment paper
- Rolling pin
- Pastry knife
- Food Processor or Mixer
- Oven
Halloween Witch Fingers Shortbread Cookie Recipe
Equipment
- Cookie sheets
- Parchment paper
- Small butter knife
Ingredients
- 16 oz Unsalted Butter softened
- 8 oz Mascarpone soft
- 3/4 cup Sugar
- 3 1/2 cup All Purpose Flour extra for dusting
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1/4 tsp Almond extract for a hint of almond
- 12-24 Raw whole almonds 1-per cookie
Instructions
- In a food processor or stand up mixer, place the softened butter, mascarpone, sugar, extract and salt and whisk until creamy.
- Add the dry ingredients and whisk until the dough forms a ball.
- Add a little more flour at a time until the dough forms and ball and is not sticking to the fingers.
- Roll out the dough between 2 pieces of parchment paper, to about 1/2 inch thickness. Chill for 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350.
- Place parchment paper onto cookie sheets.
- With a sharp knife cut the dough into strips about 4 inches long by 1/2 inch wide. It helps to dip the knife into cold water after a few slices to keep the slices clean.
- Gently roll each strip into cylinders, resembling a finger, shaping the ends to a rounded edge.
- Place each finger on a prepared baking sheet.
- With raw, still brown almonds, at the end of the finger, press almond at the top to resemble a fingernail.
- With a butter knife or round toothpick, press wrinkles into the fingers.
- Bake 15-18 minutes, until golden brown in color.
- Cool and enjoy or store in an airtight container in the fridge until ready to serve. Allow to sit out to room temperature just before serving.
Notes
I believe the table... that place that draws people to gather, is the most powerful symbol of togetherness. All that happens before the table is set, the planning, the gathering, the preparing, are all an intricate part of the dance that create the mood of celebration to share with friends and loved ones.