Easy Acorn Cookies
These fun acorn cookies come together with just three store-bought ingredients and no baking needed. They’re easy to assemble and a fun way to turn simple ingredients into something festive.
Cute Cookie Acorns
I love how easy these acorn candy cookies are to make. They only use three ingredients—mini Nilla Wafers, chocolate kisses, and butterscotch chips—and there’s no baking involved. It’s all about quick assembly, which makes them a fun kitchen activity to do with kids. They can help attach the pieces and press everything together. I usually melt a few of the kisses to use as “glue,” and it works perfectly.
I like to use these as filler on dessert boards to add a little seasonal touch. They also make a fun garnish on fall cakes or cheesecakes—just stick a few around the edge or pile them on top. The recipe is also scalable, so you can make as many or as few as needed.
If you love these, check out my Nutter Butter Turkeys and Pilgrim Hat Cookies for more easy fall treats.
Ingredients
- Mini Nilla Wafers – These act as the cupule of the acorn.
- Chocolate kisses – Used in two applications, melted as the ‘glue’ and whole as the pericarp or nut of the acorn.
- Butterscotch chips – To make the stem.
Making the Acorn Cookies with Hershey Kisses
- Prep – Line a small baking tray with parchment paper. Arrange the mini Nilla Wafers in a single layer with the flat side facing up.
- Melt the Chocolate – Place 8 unwrapped Hershey’s Kisses in a microwave-safe bowl and heat in 20-second intervals, stirring between each, until smooth.
- Attach the Kisses – Dip the flat side of a chocolate kiss into the melted chocolate and press it onto the center of a Nilla Wafer. Repeat with the rest, then refrigerate for 5 minutes to set.
- Add the Stems – Flip the cookies so the rounded side of the wafer is facing up. Use a toothpick to dab melted chocolate onto the flat side of a butterscotch chip and press it onto the top of each wafer.
- Let Set – Allow the cookies to sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes until the chocolate is fully set.
Variations and substitutions
Peanut butter acorns – Mini Nutter Butters can be used to make the cupule of the acorn instead of mini Nilla Wafers. The butterscotch chips can also be substituted for peanut butter chips.
Change the kisses – Feel free to use your favorite chocolate kiss; you don’t have to use the milk chocolate ones.
Chocolate stems – If you don’t have butterscotch or peanut butter chips, feel free to use your favorite chocolate chips to make the stems.
Tips for success
- Unwrap the kisses – Unwrap all the kisses you need before you start assembling the cookies. This will save you time during assembly and ensure the melted chocolate ‘glue’ doesn’t harden in the bowl before you finish assembly.
- Pick the cutest cookies – Pick the roundest, smoothest Nilla Wafers for the cutest-looking acorns.
- Scale the recipe – This recipe can easily be scaled to make as many acorns as needed. Simply arrange the number of Nilla Wafers you need on a tray and unwrap the corresponding number of kisses.
- Don’t overheat the chocolate – If you overheat the kisses while melting them, they will seize and become grainy. To avoid this, melt the kisses in 20-second increments and stir well between each burst. If the chocolate hardens while you are assembling the acorns, microwave it in 10-second increments until it remelts.
- Use a toothpick – Use a toothpick to apply the chocolate to the bottom of the butterscotch chips for greater control.
Storage
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.
Want to be the first to know when the next fun recipe is published? Sign up for our newsletter updates below.
Want more easy fall desserts?
Check out these recipes.
Did you love these cute acorn vanilla wafers? Please leave a star rating and share your thoughts in the comments below.
Acorn Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
- 30 mini Nilla Wafers
- 38 chocolate kisses unwrapped (divided)
- 30 butterscotch chips
Instructions
- Line a small baking tray with parchment paper.
- Arrange the Nilla Wafers in a single layer on the baking sheet with the flat bottom facing up.
- Melt 8 Hershey Kisses in the microwave in 20-second intervals until smooth.
- Dip the flat side of a kiss and attach it to the center of a Nilla Wafer. Repeat until each wafer has a kiss attached. Place the baking sheet in the refrigerator for 5 minutes to allow the chocolate to set.
- Turn the cookies onto their side so the top of the Nilla Wafer is showing.
- Use a toothpick to paint some chocolate on the flat side of a butterscotch chip and attach it to the top of the Nilla Wafer. Repeat with the remaining cookies.
- Allow the cookies to sit for 30 minutes for the chocolate to set before enjoying.
Notes
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.
- If the melted chocolate hardens before you finish assembling the cookies, re-melt it in the microwave in 20-second increments.
Nutrition
Disclaimer: Nutrition information is estimated based on automated calculations and should be considered as an approximation. These estimates are provided as a courtesy. Please use your own brand’s nutritional values to verify accuracy.
These ‘acorn cookies’ are such a clever and simple way to make a delicious and impressive dessert. The cookies will look adorable on my Thanksgiving dessert table!
What an awesome recipe!
Thank you a lot for step-by-step instructions, I do need them as I am a dummy at cooking.
These acorn cookies are adorable! I’m a huge fan of butterscotch chips and love making new recipes that include them.
I absolutely love cookies. Who doesn’t? This cookie recipe looks so very enticing. Got to try it soon.