Easy No Bake Acorn Cookies Recipe
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These acorn cookies are the cutest little treat to share on cookie trays, holiday cookies spreads, or Thanksgiving celebrations. They come together quickly with simple ingredients like mini Nilla wafers, Hershey’s Kisses, and butterscotch chips. It’s a fun edible craft that kids and adults will love, and the finished cookies look perfect on Christmas cookie platters or in a cookie jar.
These cookies make a fun kids activity too! Great for aspiring backers and cooks.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Uses simple ingredients and no baking is required
Adorable cookies that make a delicious way to decorate cookie trays - Easy acorn cookies with a short prep time
- Perfect for holiday cookies, Thanksgiving celebrations, or classroom parties
Ingredients for acorn cookies
- Mini Nilla wafers
- Hershey kisses candies
- Butterscotch chips (about 1/2 cup)
- Store bought chocolate frosting
How to make acorn cookies
Step by Step Instructions
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- Place your mini Nilla wafers upside down on a baking sheet or cutting board.
- Microwave the frosting, in a microwave safe container, on 30 second increments, stirring well in between, until melted.
- Allow the frosting to cool slightly, and add to a piping bag with just the very tip of the bag cut off.
- Pipe a bit of the chocolate onto the upside down Nilla wafers, and attach a Hershey’s kiss candy to each one.
- Once all of the cookies have a candy added, move them to the refrigerator to chill for 15 minutes.
- For the butterscotch chips on top, pipe a bit of the melted frosting onto a saucer or something similar.
- Take a toothpick and dip the tip of the tooth pick into the frosting, and place the tiniest bit onto the underside of a butterscotch chip.
- Attach the butterscotch chip to the top of the Nilla wafer cookie.
- Repeat this for all of the candies, and then chill for 15 minutes more.
- Enjoy!
Tips for the Best Results
- Use a microwave-safe bowl to melt the frosting in short 10-second increments so it doesn’t overheat
- Work with the cookies on parchment paper or wax paper to keep your baking tray clean and avoid excess chocolate mess
- Chill in a single layer on a prepared baking sheet for best results
- If your frosting is too thick, add a small amount of coconut oil to thin it out
- Store the finished cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to five days
Substitutions and Variations
- Swap butterscotch chips for peanut butter chips, white chocolate chips, or mini chocolate chips for the acorn stem
For walnut acorn cookies, press a tiny pretzel stick or pretzel piece into the top for a fun crunch - For a festive touch, dip the acorn top into dark chocolate or almond bark and sprinkle with sanding sugar, chocolate sprinkles, or maple sugar
- Drizzle with maple syrup or roll in brown sugar for a caramelized golden brown look
FAQs About Acorn Cookies
Yes, you can prepare them a day or two before serving. Store them in an airtight container lined with wax paper or parchment paper to keep them from sticking together.
Melt the chocolate frosting in a microwave-safe bowl in 10-second increments, stirring in between. If it gets too thin, let it sit at room temperature until it thickens slightly before piping.
Absolutely. Peanut butter chips, white chocolate chips, or mini chocolate chips all make a great acorn stem.
Keep these easy cookies in a cookie jar, ziploc bag, or airtight container. Store at room temperature or refrigerate if your kitchen runs warm.
More fun Halloween treats
Acorn Cookies
Equipment
- Baking Sheet
- Microwave Safe bowl
- toothpicks
Ingredients
- 50 mini Nilla wafers
- 50 Hershey kisses candies
- 50 butterscotch chips about 1/2 cup
- Store bought chocolate frosting
Instructions
- Place your mini Nilla wafers upside down on a baking sheet or cutting board.
- Microwave the frosting, in a microwave safe container, on 30 second increments, stirring well in between, until melted.
- Allow the frosting to cool slightly, and add to a piping bag with just the very tip of the bag cut off.
- Pipe a bit of the chocolate onto the upside down Nilla wafers, and attach a Hershey’s kiss candy to each one.
- Once all of the cookies have a candy added, move them to the refrigerator to chill for 15 minutes.
- For the butterscotch chips on top, pipe a bit of the melted frosting onto a saucer or something similar.
- Take a toothpick and dip the tip of the tooth pick into the frosting, and place the tiniest bit onto the underside of a butterscotch chip.
- Attach the butterscotch chip to the top of the Nilla wafer cookie.
- Repeat this for all of the candies, and then chill for 15 minutes more.
Notes
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My son and I made these for a school snack. So cute!