Frightening Finger Cookies

Some fun cookies for your Halloween party but even more fun for your taste buds!


Witch Fingers

1 cup butter (no substitutes), softened
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 egg
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 slide almonds

In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Beat in the egg and extracts. Combine flour, baking powder and salt; gradually add to the creamed mixture. Divide dough into fourths. Cover and refridgerate for 30 minutes or until easy to handle. Working with one piece of dough at a time, roll into 1-in. balls. Shape balls into 3-in. x 1/2-in. fingers. Using the flat tip of a table knife, make an indention on one end of each for fingernail. With a knife, make three slashes in the middle of each finger for knuckle. Place 2-in. apart on lightly greased baking sheets. Bake at 325° for 20-25 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool for 3 minutes. Squeeze a small amount of red gel on nail bed; press a sliced almond over gel for nail, allow gel to ooze around nail. Remove to wire racks to cool. Yield: about 5 dozen cookies.

Hints
The more broken and jagged the almond the better the nails look. Also, you might opt to add just a little green food coloring to the dough to give these witch fingers a special green-skinned hue!