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Finger Cookies
Makes about 30 cookies, give or take

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1 egg
1 tsp almond extract
1 tsp vanilla
2 2/3 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup whole blanched almonds
raspberry jelly

In a bowl, beat butter, sugar, egg, almond extract and vanilla together. Add the powdered sugar and mix until just combined. Stir dry ingredients together, then add to butter mixture and mix thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate for about 30 minutes.

Roll a tablespoon full of dough into a thin log shape about 4" long for each cookie. Squeeze close to the center and close to one end to create knuckle shapes. Press the almond firmly into the end of the cookie for a nail. Using a knife, make slashes in several places to form the knuckle. You want them thin, since they'll puff a little when you bake them. (If you are baking just one pan at a time, keep the remaining dough or pre-shaped cookies in the refrigerate until ready to bake.)

Heat oven to 325 degrees. Place on lightly greased baking sheets (or use my new favorite thing, nonstick aluminum foil). Bake for 20-25 minutes or until just golden. Let them cool for a few minutes.

Meanwhile, melt jelly over low heat in a small saucepan.

Carefully lift an almond off of each finger, spoon a tiny amount of jelly onto the nail bed and press the almond back in place so the jelly oozes out from underneath. You can also make slashes in the finger and fill them with "blood.

You can also form toes -- just make the cookies shorter and a bit wider and only add one joint instead of two. I used deformed almonds for these, since toes are usually pretty disgusting.

Blanching almonds: Place almonds in a shallow bowl. Boil water in a saucepan, then pour onto the almonds until they are just covered. Let sit for 1-2 minutes, then drain and rinse immediately with cold water. The skins should peel right off. If not, repeat the process for 30 seconds or so.