How to Make Severed Finger Cookies for Halloween

Give your guests a case of the heebie jeebies at your next Halloween party. You'll definitely surprise them when they see a big plate of creepy severed finger cookies, which are actually delicious sugar cookies, creatively decorated. Kids will especially enjoy gruesome severed finger cookies.

Things You'll Need

• Electric mixer
• 1 cup butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 3 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• Knife
• Ungreased cookie sheet
• Wire rack
• Red cake decorator gel
• Slivered almonds

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Use an electric mixer to blend the butter, sugar and eggs until they're smooth and creamy. Stir in the flour gradually, then add the baking powder and pure vanilla extract. Mix well.

3. Chill the cookie batter for at least an hour to make it easier to handle.

4. Break off pieces of dough about the size of a golf ball, and roll them into a finger shape.

5. Make three cross-ways indentations with a knife to resemble a knuckle in middle of each finger. Use your finger to make a small indentation in the end of the cookie, where the fingernail will go.

6. Place the severed finger cookies on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake them until the edges begin to turn golden brown, about 8 to 10 minutes. Allow the severed finger cookies to cool on a wire rack.

7. Put some red gel on the indented end of each fingertip, and press a slivered almond fingernail into the gel. Put a bit of red gel at the severed end, if desired.