Halloween is coming up and we like to go all out getting dressed up every year.  I don’t know who enjoys it more, the kids or the parents, but a group of families always get together and head a “pilgrimage” to a house in our neighborhood where every year the owner dresses up as a witch and decorates the front of her house as a haunted village with a graveyard, cauldron and sound effects.  It’s the highlight of the year!  Our kids always ask when we go by that house if the “good witch”  really lives there all year long. She is originally from the US mainland but has lived in Puerto Rico for many years and we are grateful she does this every year for all of us to enjoy.  So, in honor of my neighborhood’s Witch, I made Witch Fingers Cookies with my Almond Mantecaditos recipe.  Keep in mind not to over mix the batter and the butter should be at room temperature but not too soft or the cookies will spread. I place the shaped cookies on the baking tray in the fridge a few minutes before putting in the oven.

They might not look appetizing, but they are truly delicious and easy to make.  My kids help me by placing the almonds and putting the red gel that simulates the blood.  It’s fun for the whole family!

Enjoy!

Note:  always ask parents if children are not allergic to nuts before offering these treats to your guests.

Witch Fingers Cookies

Ingredients

Almond Mantecaditos recipe

about 36 extra almonds to make “nails”

red cake decorating gel (optional)

Procedure

1.  Preheat oven 350ºF.  Make Almond Mantecaditos recipe and shape into approximately 3 inch sticks by rolling between your hands (a little less than 1 tbsp each).  Place them in un-greased cookie baking sheet.

2.  Press inwards with your two fingers to simulate knuckles and cut with a sharp knife to simulate skin creases in knuckles.  Place almond on tip to simulate nails and refrigerate for about 15 minutes.  Then bake for 15 minutes until bottom is lightly golden.

3.  Let cook completely in cooling rack.

4.  Carefully remove almond and fill with a little red decorating gel, then press with almond to allow some red gel to be squeezed out along the “cuticle” area to simulate blood or you can just decorate with some red gel around de “cuticle”.