Today is All Soul’s Day, when many believe that the spirits of the dead return to the world of the living for one night. Dishes made with beans or lentils–long associated with ghosts–are often eaten, and cookies in the shape of bones are popular.

Ossi die Morti (Dead Bone Cookies) – Makes about 4 dozen

2/3 C sugar
1/2 C butter
2 large eggs
2 C all-purpose flour
1-1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 C almonds, finely chopped
Powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 400F. Cream the sugar, butter and eggs together. Add the flour gradually, beating until smooth. Add the vanilla and nuts, blending well. Form teaspoons of dough into a bone or crescent shape, placing the cookies an inch apart on greased baking sheets. Bake 10 minutes or until the cookies are lightly browned. Dust with powdered sugar if desired.

If that recipe doesn’t appeal, you might also try making your bones out of pretzels and mini-marshmallows, shaped meringue, or plain old sugar cookies cut into bone shapes (you can cut them freehand or use a cookie cutter). The little meringue or marshmallow bones would also be cute decorations on cupcakes.

Halloween may be over, but that doesn’t mean you have to stop celebrating. Give these little bones a try!