Halloween Cookies

I make these two cookie recipes every Halloween.



Kind of Scary - Finger Cookies
(original recipe from Canadian Living)

1 cup butter softened

1 cup icing sugar

1 egg

1 tsp almond extract

1 tsp vanilla

2 ¾ cup all purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

½ tsp salt (I cut this to 1/4 tsp)

¾ cup whole blanched almonds (or ½ cup sliced almonds)

1 tube red decorator gel

• In a bowl, beat together butter, sugar, egg, almond extract and vanilla. Beat in flour, baking powder and salt. Mix in food coloring if desired. (For a flesh color add about 2 drops red, 1 drop yellow and just a trace of green. It’s also fun to make the fingers green).
• Cover dough and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Heat the oven to 325. Lightly grease baking sheets.
• Working with 1 quarter of the dough at a time, roll a heaping teaspoon into a finger shape. Press almond firmly into 1 end for a nail. Press in center to create a knuckle shape. Make slashes to form knuckle (the tip of a peeler works well).
• Bake 20-25 minutes or until they just start to brown. Let cool for 3 minutes.
• Lift up almond, squeeze red decorator gel unto nail bed and press almond back into place, so gel oozes out from underneath. Let cool on racks.
• Makes about 60 cookies.

Peppery Ginger Spiderwebs (be brave - these taste fabulous)

(original recipe from Martha Stewart)

6 cups flour

1 tsp soda

½ tsp baking soda

½ lb butter

4 tsp ginger

4 tsp cinnamon

1 cup brown sugar

1 ½ tsp cloves

1 tsp pepper

½ tsp salt

2 lg eggs

1 ½ cups molasses

Whisk together flour, soda, and baking soda. Mix butter and sugar until fluffy. Mix in ginger, cinnamon, cloves, pepper, and salt. Beat in eggs and molasses. Add flour and mix to combine. Chill 1 hour. Roll ¼ inch think. Bake 350 for 8-10 minutes.  Decorate as desired.

To make Halloween spiderwebs pipe white frosting in a spiral then pull a toothpick through the frosting from center out to edge 5 times like 5 spokes on a wheel.