Witch Finger Pretzels are a fun snack to make for Halloween or a spooky movie night. Soft pretzels are shaped into fingers and topped with a sliced almond for an easy fingernail. They are a hit with both kids and adults!
Instead of reaching for food coloring or green candy melts, let’s assume not all witches have green skin, shall we? This easy Halloween snack has a spooky look, without any artificial food dye.
Serve with nacho cheese or any other dip you love. They are so much fun to eat!
If you prefer a green finger, try my Witch Finger Cookies which are made with matcha for a naturally green hue.
How to Make Witch Finger Pretzels
This recipe starts with my gluten-free soft pretzel dough. If you have another soft pretzel recipe you already love, feel free to prepare the dough as directed and then follow this tutorial for shaping.
Once you have the dough prepared, divide it into 4 equal parts to make shaping it easier. Working with one section of dough at a time, roll it into a long rope, about a 1/2-inch thick.
You may want to break the dough in half and roll it into 2 long ropes, depending on the size of your work surface. Use a knife to cut the rope into pieces that are roughly 3 inches long, or about the size of your own index finger. (Don’t make the fingers too long, or they could break in half during the boiling step.)
Arrange the pretzel “fingers” on a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Use your finger to press an indentation where the knuckles should be, and you can use a knife to add wrinkles if you like. Then set those aside to repeat the process with the remaining pretzel dough.
You should end up with 60 witch fingers in total. (This means you’ll need to use two baking sheets to bake them all at once, or bake the pretzels in 2 separate batches.)
Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat on the stove, and once it’s boiling add 2 teaspoons of baking soda to the water. (It will instantly bubble when you add it.)
Use a slotted spoon to carefully place the pretzel dough into the boiling water. Within 30 seconds, they should float to the top and then you can use the slotted spoon to remove them and place them back on the parchment lined sheet pan. (Don’t be surprised if one or two pretzels break in half when you remove them; these can just turn into shorter fingers.)
Repeat with the remaining pretzels, until all of them have been briefly boiled. This will give the soft pretzels the classic golden color and flavor you love.
Press a sliced almond into the end of each boiled pretzel to create a nail. Then sprinkle the tops generously with flaky salt and bake in an oven preheated to 400ºF. Soft pretzels normally bake for 12 minutes, but since these are a little thinner than usual, they may be done in 9 to 10 minutes.
Be sure to watch the pretzels closely towards the end of the bake time. Once they look golden, they should be done!
Serve these pretzel witch fingers with your favorite dip, and watch them magically disappear! If you have any leftovers, they can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.
Frequently Asked Questions
Pretzels get their classic brown outsides thanks to the baking soda bath, which changes the PH of the dough. This causes the outside to brown quickly in the oven, which retaining and soft and chewy center.
Pretzels pair well with both sweet and savory dips. Try serving them with peanut butter, hummus, chocolate hummus, jalapeno ranch, or honey mustard. You could even serve them with melted chocolate (or white chocolate) for dipping.
Looking for more fun Halloween recipes? Check out my collection of easy Halloween treats, including Mummy Granola Bars, Monster Smoothie Jars, Halloween dips, and more.
Witch Finger Pretzels
Ingredients
- 1 (¼ oz.) package active dry yeast
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- ¼ cup warm water , plus more for mixing
- 1 ½ cups gluten-free 1:1 flour (like Bob's Red Mill brand)
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2 teaspoons baking soda (for boiling)
- 60 sliced almonds
- flaky sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF and line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. In a small bowl, combine the active dry yeast, maple syrup, and warm water. Stir well and let it rest for 5 minutes. It should develop a foam on top; if it doesn't try using another package to make sure the yeast is active.
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, egg, olive oil, and fine sea salt. Add in the yeast mixture and 3 more tablespoons of very warm water. Stir well until the dough looks uniform. You can add 1 more tablespoon of water if the dough looks too dry, then let it rest in the bowl for 10 minutes.
- Divide the pretzel dough into 4 equal parts for easy handling. Working with 1 part at a time, use your hands to roll the dough into a long rope about a ½-inch thick. Then use a knife to cut the rope into 3-inch sections, or about the length of a "finger." Repeat with the remaining dough, transferring the finished pieces to the parchment-lined baking sheets.
- Press your finger into each piece twice where the "knuckles" of a finger should be. Then fill a medium saucepan halfway full of water and bring it to a boil.
- Add the 2 teaspoons of baking soda to the boiling water, then carefully use a slotted spoon to lower each pretzel piece into the baking soda bath. Work with just a few pieces at a time, because when the pieces float to the top they will need to be placed back on the parchment lined baking sheet. Each piece should be boiled for about 15 to 30 seconds.
- Once all of the pieces have been briefly boiled, press a sliced almond into the end of each pretzel for a fingernail. (You should end up with roughly 60 pretzels.) Sprinkle generously with flaky salt then bake at 400ºF for 10 minutes, or until the pretzels are golden brown. Let the pretzels cool briefly and then they are ready to serve.
- These pretzels taste best the first day you make them and will dry-out over time. Store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week if you end up with leftovers.
Notes
Nutrition
If you try these fun Halloween pretzels, please leave a comment and star rating below letting me know how you like them.
These were such a hit in our house! My kids are obsessed with these pretzels! Homemade pretzels can be tricky to make and time consuming. But your recipe was very easy to follow with the step by step instructions. They turned out soft and flavorful. We couldn’t stop eating them!