Shortbread Finger Cookies.

Halloween is approaching and one of my favorite things about this spooky day is the gruesome grub that only looks gross. (Because I don’t care how authentic it is, I’m not eating brains and crackers at any party.) I love peeled grapes for eye balls. Red blood punch. Monster faces on cupcakes.

For some party invitations that I made, I included some shortbread finger cookies. This recipe is passed down from my husband’s great-grandmother, and of course, wasn’t originally used as inspiration for an October celebration. Hopefully she doesn’t mind that I’ve turn this Scottish sweet into an edible finger.

The shortbread is so simple to make, it only takes three ingredients. I love how buttery this cookie is. It packs a rich punch for a small bite, so finger-sized shapes are perfect. If you are turning these cookies into knobbly little fingers, adding a fourth ingredient of sliced almonds stands in to create the fingernail. I’ve seen other recipes for finger cookies use whole almonds, but I prefer the sliced ones. They are more brittle and thin, and in my opinion, resemble more of a yucky yellow fingernail. When the sliced almonds toast slightly in the oven, oh man. It’s the crustiest looking fingernail ever. Sorry great-grandma, but your shortbread recipe makes one awesome finger.

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Shortbread Finger Cookies
adapted from Granny’s Scottish Shortbread
makes approximately 3 dozen

1 cup butter
1 cup confectioners sugar
2 cups flour
sliced almonds

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

In a bowl attached with a standing mixer, cream butter. Gradually add in the confectioners sugar. Next, slowly add the flour and mix until all the ingredients are incorporated, about 1 minute.

Remove the cookie dough and press together, kneading in the loose crumbs in gently.

To shape into fingers, take a couple tablespoons of dough (no exact measurement here, it all depends on how large you want the cookies to be) and roll into bumpy logs. I try to leave as many cracks and imperfections in these cookies, I think they add more character to the gnarled-looking finger. You can also take a butter knife and cut in wrinkles. Because the cookies will lose some of it’s form when baking, I like to exaggerate the crooked features.

For the fingernails, place one sliced almond on the tips of the finger cookie. Press gently, if the almond cracks or is already chipped, no problem. These blemishes make the finger look even better.

Place the fingers on the baking pan, leaving about an inch in between the cookies. They will expand slightly in the oven. Bake for 18-20 minutes, just until golden brown.