Go Back
–+ servings
Print

Spooky Breadstick Fingers

Two spooky hands with fingers made of dough topped by onions, poppy and sesame seeds and salt. A great savory Halloween treat. 

Course Appetizer
Cuisine American
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings 10 breadsticks
Author Laura

Ingredients

Bread

  • 2 packages active dry yeast (in 1 cup warm water) (4 1/2 teaspoons)
  • 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
  • 6 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 5 cups flour (preferably bread flour, but all-purpose works too)

Topping

  • 1 medium onion, finely diced About 1 cup diced.
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced or finely diced
  • 3 tablespoons lightly toasted sesame seeds
  • 2 tablespoons poppy seeds
  • 1-1 1/2 teaspoons kosher or coarse sea salt
  • 10 whole almonds

Instructions

Bread

  1. Mix the yeast into 1 cup of warm water (100-120 degrees F.) Stir the yeast to dissolve it and then let the mixture stand in a warm place for 10 minutes. 

  2. Put the lightly beaten eggs, olive oil, salt and sugar into a large bowl. Add the yeast/water mixture and then about 4 cups of the flour. Mix with a fork or your lightly floured hands. Add more flour until the mixture is soft and slightly sticky. 

  3. Turn the dough onto a floured mat or counter and knead it for about 10 minutes. Lightly oil the large bowl. Put the ball of dough back in the bowl, cover the top with a clean towel, and let the dough rise in a warm place for 1 hour.  While the dough is rising, make the topping. 

  4. Once the dough has risen, pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees F. Set aside 2 parchment-lined cookie sheets

    Dough for Spooky Breadstick Fingers after rising.

  5. Divide the dough into 12 pieces - 2 larger (for the hands) and 10 smaller for the fingers. Flatten the "hand" pieces and place them on the parchment-lined cookie sheets. Roll the fingers (it's fine if they are bumpy), and attach the them to the hands by pinching them together with the hand-shaped dough. 

Topping

  1. Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Add the diced onion and gently sauté it for about 8 minutes until golden brown, with a few pieces getting darker. Remove the pan from the heat. Add the minced garlic, sesame and poppy seeds, and the salt and let the mixture come to room temperature.

    Topping for Spooky Breadstick Fingers

  2. Brush the hands (with fingers attached) with water and then spoon the topping mixture onto the hands and fingers. Lightly press the topping on so it doesn't fall off and drizzle the last tablespoon of oil over the hands. Press the almonds (for fingernails) into the end of each finger, pushing dough around them so the almonds don't fall off. 

  3. Let the hands rest, uncovered, for 15 minutes. Then bake for about 30 minutes. Switch the cookie sheets from one rack to the other, and rotate them from back-to-front halfway through. If the hands are getting browned before the dough is fully baked, cover them lightly with a sheet of foil. Once they are done, you can serve them "as is," and let your guests pull them apart. 

    Spooky Breadstick Fingers done and cooling

Recipe Notes

The water for dissolving the yeast should be warm, not hot. Keep in mind that water boils at 212 degrees F, so this water is nowhere near simmering. I prefer to use cold water heated by microwave or on the stove because warm tap water in an old house such as mine can pick up lead from the pipes.