Recipe(tried): Frightening Fingers (cookies)

I made these for a party this weekend. They were a hit and a 10 on the gross-out scale. They spread a bit, I think I mixed them too much and didn't let them chill enough or didn't add enough flour or something, so we called them Severed Monster Fingers.

FRIGHTENING FINGERS

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon almond extract (I omitted this)
2 3/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
Red decorating gel
1/2 cup sliced almonds

In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Beat in egg, vanilla and almond extracts.

Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; gradually add to the creamed mixture. Divide dough into fourths. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes or until easy to handle.

Working with one piece of dough at a time, roll the pieces into 1-inch balls. Shape the balls into 3x1/2-inch fingers. Using the flat tip of a table knife, make an indentation on one end of each finger for the fingernail. With a sharp knife, make three slashes in the middle of each finger for the knuckle. Place 2 inches apart on lightly greased baking sheets. (Some of them I bent a bit to look more realistic)

Bake at 325 for 20-25 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool for 3 minutes.

Squeeze a small amount of red gel on nail bed; press a sliced almond over gel for nail, allowing gel to ooze around nail. Remove to wire racks to cool.

Yield: about 5 dozen cookies.