Ingredients:                          
2 sticks (8 oz) butter, soft
1 cup sugar
1 whole egg, plus 1 egg yolk
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
 

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light and creamy.
2. Add the egg yolk and beat well.  Reserve the white for the icing.
3. Next, add the whole egg and vanilla and continue beating.
4. Using a wooden spoon, gradually mix in the flour until flour is just mixed in.  Do not over mix.
5. Divide into two discs and wrap each in plastic wrap.
6. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
7. Lightly flour work surface, roll out one of the discs to 1/8 - 1/4 inch thick, keeping remaining dough refrigerated. Keep moving the dough while rolling to prevent sticking.
8. Cut into Halloween shapes and place them 1/2 inch apart onto parchment lined cookie sheets.
9. Bake until golden brown for 6 to 8 minutes.
10. Transfer immediately to cooling racks and allow to cool.
11. Continue to roll, cut and bake remaining dough.
12. When cookies have cooled to room temperature, frost with royal icing.
    
    Royal Icing
    Ingredients:
    1 large egg white, room temperature
    3/4 - 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
    Food coloring, optional
    
    Directions:
13. In a bowl using an electric mixer, beat egg white until just frothy.
14. Add powdered sugar. Beat on low until sugar is incorporated
    into the egg white.  Add food coloring one drop at a time if desired.
15. Beat at high speed until the icing is shiny and stiff, about 5 -7 minutes.  Cover with plastic wrap to keep
    it from hardening.
16. Using a large clean paint brush, "paint" the icing onto the tops of each cookie.  Leave to harden.
17. Decorate using edible food color pens, colored icing in piping bags and candies.

Witches Finger Cookies
Roll the sugar dough into long fingers.  Not too fat because the dough will spread in the oven.  Paint blanched* (without skin) almonds with red food coloring and insert to look like fingernails!   Bake.