Description
Creepy Halloween party food featuring all-beef hot dogs scored to look like severed fingers, complete with almond slice fingernails and ketchup ‘blood.’ Quick, easy, kid-friendly, and guaranteed to be the hit of any Halloween celebration.
Ingredients
12–16 all-beef hot dogs
12–16 sliced almonds (for fingernails)
Ketchup (for blood effect)
12–16 hot dog buns (optional)
Black sesame seeds (optional, for dirt effect)
1 tablespoon butter or oil (if pan-frying)
Mustard, relish, and other toppings (optional)
Instructions
1. Remove hot dogs from packaging and pat completely dry with paper towels.
2. Using a sharp paring knife, make 3-4 shallow horizontal cuts around each hot dog to create knuckle wrinkles.
3. Cut a small oval notch about 1/4 inch deep at one end of each hot dog for the fingernail bed.
4. Make one deeper cut about 1/3 from the nail end to simulate the knuckle joint.
5. BOILING METHOD: Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add scored hot dogs and boil 5-7 minutes until heated through. Remove with tongs and pat dry.
6. OVEN METHOD: Preheat oven to 400°F. Arrange scored hot dogs on a foil-lined baking sheet. Brush lightly with oil. Roast 12-15 minutes until browned and sizzling.
7. PAN-FRYING METHOD: Heat 1 tablespoon butter in a skillet over medium heat. Cook hot dogs 8-10 minutes, rolling occasionally, until evenly browned.
8. Immediately after cooking (while still warm), firmly insert sliced almonds into the notches to create fingernails.
9. Secure almond nails with half a toothpick if needed.
10. Drizzle ketchup around the cut end (opposite the fingernail) to create blood effect.
11. Optional: Add black sesame seeds under almond nails for dirt effect.
12. Arrange on a black platter with pooled ketchup underneath. Serve immediately while hot.
Notes
Score hot dogs shallowly—deep cuts cause them to split completely during cooking.
Insert almond nails while hot dogs are still warm for best adhesion.
Prepare scoring and cuts up to 24 hours ahead, but cook and decorate just before serving.
Natural (brown-skinned) almonds look more realistic than blanched white almonds.
For young children under 4, skip almonds (choking hazard) or use cheese pieces as nail alternatives.
Plant-based hot dogs work perfectly for vegetarian versions.
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 10
- Category: Appetizer, Party Food
- Method: Boiling, Roasting, or Pan-Frying
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 hot dogs
- Calories: 310
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 920mg
- Fat: 26g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 8g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 12g
- Cholesterol: 60mg
Keywords: finger hot dogs, halloween hot dogs, severed finger food, halloween party food, spooky hot dogs