Sugar Free Halloween Witches’ Finger Cookies {Gluten Free}

Brenda Bennett — Wed, 01 Oct 2014 11:50:04 +0000

Sugar Free Halloween Witches’ Finger Cookies made without sugar or gluten or nuts!

You might be surprised, but this is my very first Halloween type recipe for the blog. I may be a sugar-free mom, but I’m not a fanatic when it comes to my kids. I don’t make them think sugar is evil and that they shouldn’t ever eat it nor do I withhold Halloween candy from them, which comes only once a year.

The choice to be sugar-free is completely my own. My children understand why I can’t have sugar in my own life and why I want them to enjoy all things in moderation. They love what I make and eat everything I make them. Do they still like candy on occasion? Of course they do.

Telling my children they can’t have candy on Halloween that they see others having, is ridiculous in my opinion. I will never do that. They would only want it more, don’t you think?

I do believe I’m changing their taste buds to prefer my healthier treats over store bought junk. I do believe making treats look as good as sugar laden ones proves to the kids that healthy is just as tasty. I do believe that if we can as mother’s help reduce the amount of sugar our kids eat on Halloween we have accomplished much, in my humble opinion.

Having a Halloween recipe without sugar or gluten is the perfect allergy friendly treat for kids. My 8 year old says these are hideous looking, which he loves so much, and he wants me to make them for the cubscout Halloween pack party!

My goal is always to show my kids that you can really make anything healthier and without sugar and that still tastes great. Did they see me struggle with this recipe and make it three times before I liked the final result? You bet they did! And what does that show them? Persistence! They love how these fingers turned out, green color and all, all natural too!

The first attempt at these green finger cookies, I used an all natural food coloring I found at Whole Foods made with ingredients like tumeric and beet juice, etc. Once I mixed the yellow and blue to get green and added it to the dough, it looked awesome! Once baked though they lightened and looked more yellow. Also a strong tumeric flavor was present and my kids weren’t fond of it in the cookies.

The second time I used liquid chlorophyll at Whole Foods which is naturally green. It was a big bottle for such a little used in the recipe but since chlorophyll is what gives plants its green color and we should eat many green leafy vegetables to obtain it, no harm in adding some chlorophyll to a green smoothie every day. It’s an anti oxidant, it’s a germ fighter, anti carcinogenic, helps with bad breath and many more benefits. Long story short, the bottle will be used in my house or I will just make more green desserts, lol!

The third time I remade these was because I wanted a softer, not so crumbly, shortbread type cookie texture and 3rd time is always a charm as they say!

Brenda’s Notes:

When purchasing liquid chlorophyll, be cautious that some contain mint flavoring and some don’t. I went with the no mint flavor for my kids. My bottle cost $7.99 at Whole Foods.
Obviously you can just use green food coloring if your family has no allergies to dyes.

Halloween Witches’ Finger Cookies {Gluten & Sugar-Free}

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 30

Total Time 50

Servings cookie fingers

Calories 36kcal

Author Brenda Bennett | Sugar-Free Mom

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter softened
1/2 cup Swerve granulated sweetener
3 Tablespoons heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon vanilla liquid stevia
1 teaspoon liquid chlorophyll or green food coloring
1.25 cup gluten free flour I used King Arthurs
48 pumpkin seeds salted, shells on

Instructions

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
In a stand mixer add butter, erythritol and blend until smooth.
Pour in cream, vanilla extract, stevia and chlorophyll and blend until combined well.
Slowly add in flour until incorporated.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Roll dough into one inch balls or about 1 teaspoon of batter each.
Roll each ball between your fingers where your knuckles join, about 2 1/2 inches in length for each finger.
Use a toothpick to makes lines at each knuckle indent on finger cookie.
Press a pumpkin seed on the tip for the nail.
Bake cookies for 30 minutes.
Let cool 15 minutes and keep in an airtight container to store.
Approximately 4 dozen cookies.

Notes

1 cookie finger is 4 total carbs or 3.6 net carbs

This recipe was published in October of 2014 and I used gluten free flour from King Arthur’s brand. I have not tested this with almond flour or any other flours.

Nutrition