Witches’ Fingers (Scary Halloween Cookies)
Witches’ fingers are truly scary Halloween cookies that look terrible, but taste really good! Give them a try this Halloween and see how many people are brave enough to take a bite!
Yes, I know, these witches’ fingers are absolutely horrifying, but isn’t that the point?
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
I’ve been told off by neighbors and friends (jokingly of course) for making these, and they definitely cause a lot of double takes!
If you are planning on going to a Halloween party, have a Halloween event to attend, or are taking cookies to your kids’ school, these will be the highlight of the event.
Want more Halloween cookie ideas? I’ve got you covered!
Have your kids help you make these, they’ll have so much fun! I added a little green food coloring for an even creepier cookie!
The best part is that these cookies are delicious (if you can get past how they look!) and are similar to a shortbread cookie!
I’ve also added a recipe for trolls’ toes cookies!
You really can’t mess these up.
Witches fingers cookies are perfect to throw into a little treat bag for Halloween trick or treaters, too!
Fill and close with a twist tie. Add a ribbon for a professional touch! These are what my neighbor children received.
Witches’ Fingers Halloween Cookies
(Witches’ Digits)
Recipe inspired by Huffington Post recipe by D. Reinhold Makes about 30 fingers
FULL PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW
Here’s what I did differently: I used raspberry jam instead of gel. I personally love jam with shortbread type cookies. I also dislike almond extract, so I omitted it for a plain cookie.
Ingredients
- butter
- confectioner’s sugar
- egg
- vanilla extract
- flour
- baking powder
- salt
- almond slices
- raspberry jam
Directions
Cream butter and sugar until smooth.
Add the egg and vanilla and mix well.
Gradually add flour, baking powder and salt to the mixture.
Refrigerate the dough for about half an hour, so it’s not too soft to handle.
Now, begin making the cookies by taking pieces of dough and rolling into a thin “finger” shape. They can be long and thin or fat and short, they all look great in the end. Make them a little crooked for a more authentic “witch” look.
Use your own fingers to help you with the knuckle marks.
Make the nail bed with the tip of a butter knife.
Here’s a tray full of fingers ready for the oven–freaky!
Before and after baking another batch. If you don’t want them to spread too much, or if it’s warm in your kitchen, refrigerate the shaped cookies for 15 minutes before baking.
Adding the jam and almond slice is easy and fun!
This is my original photo from 2012. Eeek! Now that’s scary! 😱 (Photos updated Oct. 2018 and 2025)
Happy Halloween!
Don’t miss another recipe or travel post, sign up for my free subscription!
Witches’ Fingers – Scary Halloween Cookies
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- ¾ cup confectioner's sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 ⅓ cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ tsp baking powder
- ⅛ tsp salt
- ¼ cup raspberry jam or strawberry jam (even better as it's more red) as needed
- 30 almond slices pick out the ones that aren't broken
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325℉ (160℃).
- Cream butter and sugar until smooth.
- Add the egg and vanilla and mix well.
- Gradually add flour, baking powder and salt to the mixture.
- Refrigerate the dough for about half an hour, so it's not too soft to handle.
- Begin by taking pieces of dough and rolling into a thin "finger" shape. They can be long and thin or fat and short, they all look great in the end. Make them a little crooked for a more authentic "witch" look.
- Use a knife to make the knuckle marks and then an indentation for the fingernail.
- Place on silicone sheet lined baking tray about 2" apart. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until just beginning to brown. Cool on rack.
- Put a little jam on the nail bed and add an almond slice. Store in tin.
Notes
- Use your own fingers to help you with the knuckle marks.
- Make the nail bed with the tip of a butter knife.
- If you don’t want them to spread too much, or if it’s warm in your kitchen, refrigerate the shaped cookies for 15 minutes before baking.
- Make the night before or early in the day so jam has time to set/dry a little before serving or packaging.
Nutrition
Want a less scary cookie treat? Try these peanut butter cup cookie spiders from my pal Cynthia at What a Girl Eats.
Leave a note if you make these, I’d love to hear from you!
Christina’s Cucina is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.
I am in New York – plan to make these to send to my niece
and family in South Carolina – hope they stay together!
I am almost 80 and VERY happy that your recipes are in cups
and so-easy to follow directions. Thank you.
Hi Freda, they will definitely stay together, especially if you package them so they can’t shift and move. Maybe bunch up some aluminum foil to stick inside the cookie box if they’re loose. What a lovely aunt you are! Thank you!
Thanks for the recipe, they turned out great and won second prize in my daughter’s scariest treats contest yesterday.
I soaked the almond slices in diluted green food colouring for an hour or so before applying them to the jam for some extra colour.
Good for her! Give her my congratulations on a job well done! :)
These are for sure getting dunked in an espresso from a Bialetti Mocha Pot in 2024! yum! I love all your fun food recipes Christina!
I love this recipe but is there anything i can substitute the almond with for the nail? For an allergy?
Hi Natalie, my daughter is allergic to all tree nuts, but almonds are not tree nuts (check it out yourself as most people don’t believe me) so she’s okay with these. HOWEVER, that said, some people are ALSO allergic to almonds, so better safe than sorry. Off the top of my head, I’d say you can roll out some of the dough really thinly, cut into nail shapes and bake separately (they will need much less time in the oven). Let me know if you give it a try!
that was a great idea and maybe even dying the dough a different color for the nails too thanks.
Yes! Or make a light sugar glaze with confectioner’s sugar and milk with color, too.