HALLOWEEN FINGER COOKIES

For the past two weeks, I’ve had appointments with a hand therapist to make new splints for my fingers. I wear them at night to rest my fingers and to slow down the arthritis that’s been bugging me for 9-10 years.

I was looking for a way to show my appreciation of his talent and hard work. I thought of a cake with a hand coming out of it, but after researching the Internet, I settled on Finger Cookies.

Aren’t they the greatest thing! And since it’s almost Halloween, it’s a perfect time for them. The hand therapist will be getting some, as will my hair stylist, a group at a meeting I’m attending tomorrow and my little grandsons for Halloween treats. Also plan to take a handful to the Halloween lunch at the Senior Center for a door prize.

I want to give credit to forum contributor 1OIDA at CakeCentral.com for this excellent recipe. There are other recipes to be found on the Internet, but this is the one I used and it worked beautifully. I also love the fact that it calls for “1” of everything except the flour. Makes it so simple.




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FINGER COOKIES (makes about 4 dozen)

Ingredients...
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract (1OIDA experimented with coconut extract and since I had some in the house, I did too)
2-3/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
red decorating gel (I used Wilton colorless gel and added Wilton No-Taste Red coloring)
sliced almonds

Directions...
1. Cream butter and sugar.

2. Beat in egg and extracts.
3. Combine flour, baking powder and salt.

4. Add gradually to sugar mixture.

5. Cover and refrigerate for at least thirty minutes.
6. Meantime, tint the gel and sort through the almonds to find the largest fingernail shapes.

7. Preheat oven to 325-degrees Fahrenheit.
8. Lightly grease cookie sheets or line them with parchment paper, which is what I like to do.
9. Roll all the cookie dough into 1-inch balls, then with the palm of your hand roll each into an elongated shape, 3-inches x 1/2-inch.
10. Using a butter knife, make an indentation on one end of each for the fingernail bed. With the knife edge, make 3 slashes in the middle of the finger for the knuckle. ~
I made two sets of three slashes each.

11. Place cookies 2” apart on the cookie sheet. Bake for 18-20” until very lightly browned.
12. Cool three minutes.

13. Place a small bit of gel on the nail bed; press an almond over the gel, allowing gel to ooze around the “nail”.
14. Cool completely on wire racks.



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