Witches Finger Cookies

1 cup Butter, softened

1 Egg

1 teaspoon Almond extract

1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
2 2/3 cups Flour

1 teaspoon Salt

3/4 cup whole Almonds, blanched
2 squares semi-sweet chocolate, melted

1 tube red decorator gel-optional

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Cream the sugar, egg, butter, almond extract, and vanilla in a bowl. Mix in the flour, and salt. Cover and refrigerate the dough for about 30 minutes, or until it’s firm.
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When you’re ready to shape the cookies, only take out about 1/4 of the dough at a time. Shape the cookies into fingers by rolling and working with your hands. Score the top of the cookie with a knife or spatula to make it look like the wrinkles in your knuckle. Press an imprint into the tip of the cookie with your finger to make a spot for the almond finger nail. Press an almond into the tip of each finger to look like a fingernail.
Placed on a cooking sheet lightly coated with no-stick cooking spray and bake at 325` for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the cookies are a very light golden brown. Let the cookies cool on rack.

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Melt chocolate and use to go around the outside of the almond nail. Put melted chocolate in a disposable icing piping bag,or a large zip top freezer bag, and cut a very small hole in the tip. Pipe chocolate around the nail. Dip a toothpick about 1/3 of the way up in the melted chocolate and use to make small strips of chocolate for a hairy knuckle look.
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If you use the red decorator gel you can make small drops of blood or pipe aound the outside of the nail as instructed above for chocolate for a different look.
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Yield: 5 dozen