There’s no need to miss out on your favorite Halloween treats just because you can’t have gluten! These gluten free Halloween cookies look like witches’ fingers, with knobbly knuckles, pointed nails, and even (raspberry) blood. They’re the perfect Halloween treat!
Made with gluten free sugar cookie dough, these creepy cookies are tender and slightly chewy with a distinct buttery flavor. They’re also one of the most fun Halloween cookies to decorate since you get to shape the dough and add bloody fingernails! They’re gross but in all the right ways.
This easy witch finger cookie recipe is a great way to make Halloween a little more exciting for kids with celiac disease or food allergies (or adults of all ages). Plus, these non-dairy butter cookies are ready in less than an hour, so it’s a great recipe for a last-minute Halloween party!
Looking for more gluten-free Halloween options? Find the best Gluten Free Halloween Candy or try my Spiced Gluten Free Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies.
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Ingredients & Substitutions in Gluten Free Halloween Cookies
- King Arthur Measure for Measure Gluten Free Flour Blend: This recipe is formulated specifically with this flour mixture, and I do not recommend using a different blend.
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Vegan butter: The butter must be fully softened to get the right texture. Regular unsalted butter works, too, if you can tolerate dairy.
- Powdered sugar
- Egg: Room temperature is best.
- Vanilla extract: Choose a gluten-free vanilla extract. For an extra nutty flavor, try almond extract.
- Green food coloring: To tint the cookie dough. You can use either liquid or gel food coloring.
- Sliced almonds
- Seedless raspberry jam: This is to imitate blood. You can make the cookies without the blood to make them a little less gruesome, or try making your own jam at home.
- Red food coloring (optional)
Measurements for each ingredient, along with instructions for making the gluten free witch finger cookies are in the recipe card below.
How To Make Gluten Free Witch Fingers
Step one: In a medium bowl, add the gluten-free flour mix, baking powder, and salt. Mix well. Set aside.
Step two: In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the vegan butter and powdered sugar. Mix using the paddle attachment for 15 seconds on low speed. Stop the machine and scrape down the sides. Mix on low speeds for another 15 seconds until combined.
Step three: Add the egg and vanilla extract to the butter mixture. Mix for 15 seconds on low speed. Stop the machine and scrape down the sides. Mix for another 30 seconds until mostly combined.
Step four: Add 1-2 long squirts (or about 5 drops) of green food coloring to the butter mixture. Mix until combined. Add more as desired.
Step five: Add 2 heaping spoonfuls of flour mix to the creamed mixture. Mix on low speed until combined.
Step six: Add 2 more spoonfuls of the dry ingredients and mix again until combined. Add the remaining flour mix and mix until completely combined.
Step seven: Preheat oven to 350F. Place one sheet of parchment paper each on two baking pans. Using a 1.5 Tablespoon cookie scoop, portion 24 balls of batter onto a cookie sheet (these can be placed randomly). Take one ball of dough and roll it in your palm to make a 4.5 inch long ‘finger.’ Place each finger on the other cookie sheet, about 1-2 inches apart. Repeat with the remaining batter.
Step eight: After all fingers have been formed, place a sliced almond on the top of each one, pointy side out, so it looks like a fingernail. Press down slightly. Use a butter knife and make lines in the fingers to resemble knuckles. Bake the cookies for 10 minutes. Let them cool on the baking sheets for 2 minutes.
Step nine: If desired, add 1 drop of red food coloring to the raspberry jam to enhance the red color. Gently remove each sliced almond, dip it in the raspberry jam, and place it back in the same spot on the finger. Repeat with each cookie. This can be done on the baking sheet.
Step ten: Once the cookies have cooled completely, take the end of each one and dip it into the remaining raspberry jam. Place them on a serving platter and serve.
Storing Gluten Free Halloween Cookies
The cookies store very well covered or in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 day. If they have not been dipped into the raspberry jam, 3 days.
💭Pro Tips for Making Gluten Free Witch Fingers
1. Shape like a pro
Make the cookie fingers about 4.5 inches long otherwise the cookies will puff while baking and not resemble fingers when baked. Also, each finger does not need to be smooth. Bumps and curves are great.
2. Don’t overwork
While you are rolling this dough, try not to handle it any more than necessary, otherwise the fingers may crack when baked – this does not impact the flavor or taste at all though!
Plus, these gluten free cookies have quite a bit of butter. If they get too warm, they’ll lose their definition in the oven.
3. Freeze for later
If you have extra dough, roll it into a ball, wrap it in plastic wrap, and pop it in the freezer! When you’re ready to bake, thaw out the dough in the fridge, then shape and bake like normal for a quick Halloween dessert.
4. Change the shape
This gluten free sugar cookie dough is easy to make and very pliable, which makes it wonderful for turning into thumbprint cookies, shaping into spiders or little pumpkins, and more.
FAQs about Gluten-Free Halloween Sugar Cookies
Yep! This popular Halloween treat can easily be made without gluten using a gluten free flour blend. This recipe is formulated to use King Arthur’s Measure of Measure flour blend, which is a 1:1 swap for all purpose flour in your favorite recipes. It’s my go-to flour blend for gluten-free baking.
This recipe is almost vegan, apart from the egg. In this situation, you can try using a flax egg or your favorite vegan egg substitute.
No, this gluten free sugar cookie recipe is formulated to be baked at room temperature. The cookies will plump up slightly in the oven, mostly retaining their shape.
More Gluten Free Cookie Recipes
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Recipe
Gluten Free Witch Finger Halloween Cookies
Spooky yet fun, these gluten free witch finger Halloween cookies are just what your Halloween platter needs – the cookies are easy to make and easy to decorate!
Servings: 24 cookies
Calories: 97kcal
Instructions
-
In a medium bowl, add the gluten-free flour mix, baking powder, and salt. Mix well. Set aside.
-
In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the vegan butter and powdered sugar. Mix for 15 seconds on low speed. Stop the machine and scrape down the sides. Mix on low speeds for another 15 seconds until combined.
-
Add the egg and vanilla extract to the butter mixture. Mix for 15 seconds on low speed. Stop the machine and scrape down the sides. Mix for another 30 seconds until mostly combined.
-
Add 1-2 long squirts (or about 5 drops) of green food coloring to the butter mixture. Mix until combined. Add more as desired.
-
Add 2 heaping spoonfuls of flour mix to the creamed mixture. Mix on low speed until combined.
-
Add 2 more spoonfuls and mix again until combined.
-
Add the remaining flour mix and mix until completed combined.
-
Preheat oven to 350F. Place one sheet of parchment paper each on two baking pans.
-
Using a 1.5 Tablespoon cookie scoop, portion 24 balls of batter onto a cookie sheet (these can be placed randomly).
-
Take one ball of dough and roll it in your palm to make a 4.5 inch long ‘finger.’ Place each finger on the other cookie sheet, about 1-2 inches apart. Repeat with the remaining batter.
-
After all fingers have been formed, place a sliced almond on the top of each one, pointy side out, so it looks like a fingernail. Press down slightly.
-
Use a butter knife and make lines in the fingers to resemble knuckles.
-
Bake the cookies for 10 minutes. Let them cool on the baking sheets for 2 minutes.
-
If desired, add 1 drop of red food coloring to the raspberry jam to enhance the red color.
-
Gently remove each sliced almond, dip it in the raspberry jam, and place it back in the same spot on the finger. Repeat with each cookie. This can be done on the baking sheet.
-
Once the cookies have cooled completely, take the end of each one and dip it into the remaining raspberry jam. Place them on a serving platter and serve.
Notes
- Use room temperature ingredients.
- Measure by weight where weight is given.
- Green food coloring or gel coloring may be used.
- Make the cookie fingers about 4.5 inches long otherwise the cookies will puff while baking and not resemble fingers when baked.
- Each finger does not need to be smooth, instead bumps and curves are great.
- While you are rolling this dough, try not to handle it any more than necessary, otherwise the fingers may crack when baked – this does not impact the flavor or taste at all though!
- The cookies store very well covered at room temperature for 1 day. If they have not been dipped into the raspberry jam, 3 days.
- The cookie batter can be frozen and then defrosted.
Nutrition
Calories: 97kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 8mg | Sodium: 73mg | Potassium: 28mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 279IU | Calcium: 17mg | Iron: 0.4mg
