These witches finger cookies are super cute, delicious and the perfect spooky addition to your next Halloween party! Homemade spooky treats elevate any Halloween gathering and these edible witches finger cookies are sure to wow your crowd.
I always love coming up with fun and spooky desserts each Halloween. Last year we made spider chocolate chip cookies and they were a hit. This year I wanted to take up the creepy factor just a bit since my boys are getting older and love it. Edible witches finger cookies complete with red painted “fingernails” seemed like a great way to go. Can I just say, the boys LOVED them!
The best part about these cookies is that perfection goes out the window so they are great for kids to help with. Each witches finger cookie should look unique just like real fingers do. It’s so fun for the kids to roll the dough and essentially play with it like playdough to create these creepy little cookies.
These cookies are surprisingly easy to make and they couldn’t be cuter on a Halloween tablescape. They are only slightly sweet like regular sugar cookies which I think is nice considering all the candy we eat on Halloween. However, if you like them a bit sweeter, I have a secret for you. They are really yummy dipped in hot cocoa but don’t tell anyone I told you…
While you can likely use any gluten-free all-purpose flour, we used Glutino brand here. It is super easy to work with, tastes mild (no yucky bean flour tastes) and produces great results like regular flour does. I personally love that it can be used as a 1 to 1 replacement to traditional flour making it so easy to transform your favorite non gluten-free recipes to gluten-free.
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Edible Witches Finger Cookies {Gluten-Free}
Ingredients
- 1 C butter softened
- 1/2 C sugar
- 1/2 C powdered sugar
- 2 tsp. gluten-free vanilla
- 1 egg
- 1 C sour cream
- 4 1/2 cups gluten-free all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp. baking powder
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 1-2 T green food coloring or chlorophyll
- Raw almonds about 36-48
- Red food coloring OR red koolaide mixed with just a touch of water to make a paste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees
- Beat the butter then add sugars and mix well
- Add egg, vanilla and green food coloring or chlorophyll and continue mixing
- Stir in the sour cream
- In another bowl, combine flour, baking powder and baking soda
- Slowly add flour mixture to butter mixture and mix, adding more a little at a time and mixing
- Knead dough until pliable and easy to break pieces off to work with
- Break off 1-2 inch balls and roll between hands to make a long finger shape (make them skinnier than you'd think as they expand a bit)
- Add knots where needed and indent where the "nail" will go with your pinky or an almond
- Using a knife, slice three times just under where the nail will go and in the middle of the cookie.
- Place on a silicone mat lined baking sheet then refrigerate for 30 minutes
- Remove from fridge and bake at 350° for 9-11 minutes or until the bottom is golden brown.
- Meanwhile, "paint" the almond nails using red food coloring or red koolaide mixed just slightly with water OR add them to a bowl and cover with red coloring then remove with a spoon to a paper towel lined plate to dry
- Once removed from the oven, use frosting as an adhesive and add a small dot to the cookie and lay almond "nail" on top
May says
Hi there! I appreciate your gluten free witches fingers recipe, however, in your ingredients you list 1 cup of sour cream, but don’t say when to add. I didn’t notice until I was forming my dough so I tried to mix it in. After baking, I found that they were a little dry with a sour cream taste. Where did I go wrong? 🤷🏻♀️
Look forward to your reply
May
Chandice says
Yes, the sour cream is necessary in the dough. I added the instruction to put it in with the wet ingredients. I apologize for that over sight. I hope you will try them again…
May says
Thank you for clarifying. I will definitely try them again!
All the best,
May
Cynthia Robson says
I’ve been making the non GF version for years and now have to do GF. For the nails, I place the almond on the finger and bake with it on. Then I lift the almond, place a bit of red gel at the cuticle and replace the almond. Works very well for consistent shape and nail placement.
Chandice says
That is such a great idea! Thanks 🙂
Ellen says
Do you really preheat the oven, make and refrigerate the dough overnight, and *then* use the preheated oven to bake the cookies? 🙂
Chandice says
Haha no that was a typo 😉
Celeste says
Oooooooh, my kids will LOVE this!
Chandice says
Hey Celeste, yes they totally will! It’s like playing with playdough shaping them but the fun of eating them is even better 🙂
KC @ G-Free Foodie says
Oh my lord Chandice, those look REAL! Fabulous!
Chandice says
Thanks girl!! The kids were tickled pink…or green! 😉
Heather says
these are SO much fun!!
Chandice says
Thanks Heather! They are so fun to serve at a Halloween party and see the reaction on peoples faces when they come in. 😉
Chrystal @ Gluten-Free Palate says
Those are the best witch fingers I’ve seen!! Can’t wait to make these with my girls.
Chandice says
Thanks Chrystal, I hope your little gals love them as much as my kiddos did!! <3
Amanda Kanashiro says
How fun are these! They definitely have the spooky Halloween factor!
Chandice says
Thanks girl! Yeah, the kids love serving them up for a Halloween gathering 🙂
jules says
So fun! I make Witches’ Fingers Bread Sticks every year (they’re not green, though!). It’s always a hit – bet yours are, too! 🙂 So creative! xoxox
~jules
Chandice says
Thanks Jules, yes the kids LOVED them!! Since they don’t have to be perfect, it was fun to them to help shape and be involved. Love your breadsticks too!