Witch Finger Cookies Intro to Design Thinking

To start this project for the Halloween contest, I was moved into doing the witch finger cookies by past Halloween parties, I figured out that in the Halloween parties what the people most enjoy is eating appetizers.

So after completing an online form, I send it to many people and gained information about the best Halloweens. Some questions of the form included what does Halloween mean to them, what do they most enjoy about it, and what does their ideal Halloween include. These questions helped me develop my idea of creating a spooky and delightful appetizer.

Then, I brainstormed drivers and constraints. For the drivers, some things I brainstormed were that it is creative, fun and spooky, that it includes scary colors, and has a Halloween theme. For the constraints I brainstormed something that is not expensive, that is not difficult to do, and takes a short period of time.

After brainstorming, I started sketching some possible ideas that could be made. I sketched different things, so that then I would choose the best idea. I sketched costumes, types of food and props until I decided to do witch finger cookies. The interviews from the online form and the drivers and constraints helped me to decide on the witch finger cookies since they are easy to do, and do not require too much time. Also, I came up with the idea of doing the witch finger cookies because Halloween is all about spooky stuff and fun, and my interviews helped me decide that these cookies will represent the best Halloween.

Supplies

Th create the witch finger cookies you will need:

- Cookie dough

- One knife

- Strawberry Jam

- Grated almonds

- Oven

- Wax paper

Step 1: Set Up Your Materials

First to start your witch finger cookies you have to set up your materials to be organized and have as a result decent witch finger cookies. So make sure you have your cookie dough opened and placed in a plate. Also, make sure you have the oven ready and have a knife to cut your cookie dough. For your decorations meaning the grated almond and the strawberry jam you want to put them aside because that will be used until the end of creating your witch finger cookies.

Step 2: Cut Your Cookie Dough

Secondly to create your witch finger cookies you will need to grab the knife and make sure you have enough space to cut your cookie dough. Then start cutting your cookie dough into equal squares, the squares are going to be your cookies so cut the amount that you need. After cutting your cookie dough into squares put them in a separate plate where there is a lot of space, so that you can work better on the next step.

Step 3: Form the Shape of the Witch Finger

Now that you have your cookie dough chopped into squares, you can start forming the shape of the witch fingers. To do this, you will need your hands to form the shapes. Start rolling the cubes of cookie dough with your hands until obtaining the cookie fingers you want. Try making your fingers deformed so that it looks realistic as a witch finger. An important reminder is that you must make your fingers small and thin or when putting them into the oven they will become bigger and it will lose its formed size. So make your fingers small and thin.

Step 4: Decorate Your Witch Finger Cookies.

Now that you have formed the shape of your fingers you can start decorating them. To do this, you have to make a small hole, and then start placing the strawberry jam and the grated almond. I recommend placing the decoration before putting them into the oven. After you have placed the decorations, place each witch finger on the wax paper, to bake them. Make sure the cookies have enough space in between each other so that they can bake well.

Step 5: Bake Your Cookies

Now once you have all of you witch finger cookies in the wax paper put them inside the oven so that they bake, and wait the amount of time your cookie dough indicates. Be sure to put a timer, and wait the time required. When you are going to take your witch finger cookies out of the oven, check if your cookies are fully baked by inserting a toothpick and taking it out. The toothpick should not look raw. If your cookies seem to lose its shape try shrinking it by squeezing the cookies.

Step 6: Final Touches

Once your cookies are ready, meaning they are not raw take them out of the oven. Then, place them in a plate and decorate if you want. To decorate your cookies you can add a dip of strawberry jam, and make them look presentable.