Witch finger cookies

Ingredients

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup powdered sugar, plus extra for dusting
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp almond extract
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp fine salt
• 1/2 cup whole blanched almonds
• 1/2 tsp green gel food coloring (optional, for ghoulish tint)

Steps

1. 1

   1. Beat the softened butter and powdered sugar together until light and fluffy, then mix in the egg, almond extract, and vanilla extract until fully combined.

2. 2

   2. Stir in the flour, baking powder, and salt until a smooth, firm dough forms; if using food coloring, knead it in now. Wrap the dough and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

3. 3

   3. Preheat the oven to 325°F (165°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

4. 4

   4. Pinch off a tablespoon of dough, roll it into a roughly 4-inch log, then pinch and squeeze sections along the length to create knuckle-like bumps and a gnarled shape. Press a blanched almond firmly into one end as the fingernail.

5. 5

   5. Arrange the fingers on the prepared baking sheets and bake for 20–25 minutes until set and deeply golden at the edges; do not let them brown too quickly or they'll lose the pale, bony look.

6. 6

   6. Cool completely on a wire rack, then dust generously with powdered sugar so it settles into the creases and makes the shadows dramatic.