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
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
Directions
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
