Gluten-free Shortbread Witches' Fingers Recipe

Gluten-free shortbread witches' fingers recipe - the perfect spooky Halloween biscuit bake that's Coeliac-friendly and easy to make.

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 20

Servings biscuits

Calories 129kcal

125 g butter softened
65 g caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
200 g gluten-free plain flour
50 g cornflour (corn starch)
1/4 tsp xanthan gum
green food colouring gel (see FAQ section above for important note about gel food colouring)
strawberry or raspberry jam
15 flaked almonds

Preheat your oven to 150C fan / 170C and prepare a baking tray with non stick baking paper.
In a large bowl mix together the softened butter and sugar to combine. Then add the vanilla and a drop or two of the green food colouring gel. Mix once more – do this with a spatula, not a mixer.
Add the plain flour, cornflour and xanthan gum and mix once more with your spatula. It will be super crumbly, but once combined get your hands in to start bringing it together to form a ball of dough. It takes time, and you’ll think ‘it’s not coming together, it’s too dry’ – ignore that thought, just keep going for a few minutes.
Portion the mixture out into about 15 pieces.
Roll each portion into a finger-like shape. I press a nut into the end to create a nail bed (don’t leave the nut in, it just helps with the shaping). Use a sharp knife to carve in some of the lines we have on our fingers!
Place on the baking tray and place in the oven for 18-20 minutes. Once cooked remove and allow to cool a little before placing on a cooling rack to finish cooling.
Once cooled, place a tiny amount of jam in the ‘nail bed’ area. Then finish with a flaked almond which then looks like a nail.