Diana’s Halloween Gluten Free Witches Fingers

Yield 60 to 80 according to the size of the fingers

(You can cut recipe in half to make less)

Bake 325 about 18 to 20 minutes

Ingredients:

1 cup of butter softened (2 sticks)

1 1/4 cup of confectioners’ sugar (IF USING REGULAR FLOUR  1 - CUP OF CONFECTIONERS SUGAR )

2 eggs (IF USING REGULAR FLOUR - 1 EGG)

1 teaspoon pure almond extract

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 2/3 cups of Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1 to 1 Baking Flour AND additional gluten free flour for rolling (IF USING REGULAR FLOUR - USE SAME AMOUNT 2 2/3 CUP)

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 small jar of raspberry jam or strawberry jam 

3/4 cup sliced almonds, pick out the best slices for the “nails”

Directions:

In a large bowl: 

(I do it by hand with a fork and wooden spoon but you can use a mixer.)

Cream softened butter…add sugar, eggs, almond extract, vanilla extract….set aside.

In another bowl add all dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, salt and stir to mix.  Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture stirring well after each addition and scrapping the bottom of the bowl.  When well mixed the dough will be thick but sticky.  Put bowl in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes for the dough to harden so you can roll logs.

Roll out logs on a floured surface (keep adding a small amount of flour, as needed, to prevent sticking as you roll the logs)   Cut about 3” long.  Do not make too fat as cookie will grow during baking.  Arrange logs on cookie sheet. Gently push a sliced almond on the tip of each finger.  Then remove the almond and put a tiny amount of the raspberry jam at the bottom, to look like blood.  (I use a teaspoon and toothpick.) Place the almond into the red jam on the finger so it oozes around the “nail.”  With a knife put the “lines for the knuckles” on each one.  Bake 325, until lightly brown, about 18 to 20 minutes.  Be careful they will brown quickly at the end.  Remove to rack and cool.   ENJOY!!!!