Bloody Vegan Witches Finger Cookies
Halloween is that one time a year where the skies the limit. You can go completely over the top with everything from costumes, decorations, pranks, and even our food. While planning those fun and special items, its great to be creative and turn our everyday treats into enjoyable Halloween themed sweets. Witches are one of the ultimate Halloween characters and a lot of fun to play around with and create treats around them. This recipe shows you how to take your everyday sugar cookie and turn it into a vegan witch themed dessert. With these "bloody" cookies, you will be sure to make anyone (young or old) smile with the magic that is Halloween. A great after dinner dessert before going trick or treating, perfect for Halloween parties, and even great to send into school for a fun Halloween dessert. Make the experience even more fun by including the family in making and decorating the cookies. Nothing will make your Halloween more enjoyable than the fun that comes with creating festive dishes to go along with it. Store the cookies in a cold location in Tupperware or plastic bags, they can also be frozen for later use. Serve with your Halloween punch or a big glass of vegan milk for that comforting and spooky treat. Enjoy!
Bloody Vegan Witches Finger Cookies
(Yields: 45-50 Cookies)
*For a smaller batch, half the recipe to suit your needs.
Ingredients
1 cup vegan butter, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon The Vegg with 1/2 cup got water
1 Tablespoon pure vanilla extract (other extracts can be used)
5 1/2 cup all purpose flour
2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
-Green Food Coloring, to desired color (Optional)
Optional
1/2 cup almond slices (Decoration)
Frosting Recipe Below
Directions
Dough
Using a stand mixer, cream the vegan butter and the powdered sugar together. Add the extract and The Vegg to the butter mixture and whisk in to combine.
In a separate bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Once your butter mixture is combined, Add the food coloring (optional) and then the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix until smooth.
Remove the now cookie dough and place into 2 Ziplock Bags or plastic wrap. Place the dough in the refrigerate for 30 minutes. This helps the dough hold together and firm for later molding. You also don't want your butter to melt in your hands when working, cold butter in the dough makes for a perfect cookie.
*At this point you can store the dough in the fridge over night or for later use, place in the freezer. Great to make ahead for parties or treats later on.
When you dough has chilled and your ready to bake, heat your oven to 325 Degrees
Baking
When you are ready to bake, you will need to mold the cookies. (You can either free style the mold by hand or find a mold to help the process. I was able to find molds at the Dollar Store or local party supply stores. Great find, sometimes comes in silicone for easier molding.)
With your hands, roll a heaping tablespoon of dough into a finger shape or press into the molds (for each cookie) to create a finger-like shape.
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| Mold I found & used for the Cookies |
Shape and thicken the middle of the cookie to form a knuckle. You can also add lines and a divot for the nails to the cookie to show more detail in the cookie.
*Keep cookie dough fingers a little on the medium-thin side as the cookie will puff and grow slightly while baking. You can use your own finger as a guide, same length and thickness (obviously a easy way...get it finger/finger cookies)
If dough gets sticky or warm and hard to work with, place back in the refrigerator for a little while. I took one bag out at a time and left the other in the fridge while I molded the dough. Again, you don't want the dough to get warm.
Place fingers on a baking sheet, either plain or lined with parchment paper or silicone baking mat.
Bake 20-25 minutes, until fingers are slightly golden on the bottom and its edges. When the cookies are cooked, remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack or lined table for 8 to 10 minutes to cool slightly.
Decorating
When cookies have completely cooled. You can go the edge step and decorate the cookies by adding a "nail". Do this by either placing jam or frosting underneath an almond and applying to the tip of the finger. As seen in the recipe, I created a severed edge or "blood" by using red frosting and sprinkling with red crystal sprinkles. Once done decorating, place on cooling rack to dry. The frosting will harden over time.
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| Vegan Red Sprinkles (Crystal) |
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| Homemade Red Frosting (Recipe Below) |
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| Dip "severed" edges & Sprinkle with Crystals |
*The almonds are optional, if nut allergies are a problem, leave out. You could always use another item to sub in for the "nail". Fruit leathers (cut into small triangles) is a great substitute as well.
Once the cookies are decorated and the frosting has hardened, serve. These cookies are great for Halloween, parties, events, or just a fun treat for the kids. A great recipe for them to help with and be creative, a great use of family time. Enjoy!
"Bloody" Vegan Frosting
Ingredients
1/3 cup vegan butter or vegan shortening at room temperature
2 cup powdered sugar
1 1/2 to 2 Tablespoons vegan milk
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract\
Red Food Coloring, to desired color
Directions
In the stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the vegan butter and the extract on medium-high speed until fluffy, about 1 minutes, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Turn the mixer to low (stir setting), add the powdered sugar, mix until incorporated. Increase the speed to medium high and beat until fluffy while adding in the vegan milk, about 2 to 3 minutes, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Once the frosting has combined, switch the mixer to low, gradually add in the food coloring. You can add as much or as little to get to the desired color that you want. Beat on on medium high until the frosting is airy and thoroughly mixed (stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed). Once the frosting is mixed, you are ready to decorate. Enjoy!
