These sweet acorns are perfect for fall!
Fall finally hit my sleepy little town last week. Thermometers dropped 20° in a single day; winds whipped around branches at 18 miles per hour, threatening to topple entire trees; and crisp orange leaves littered the bike paths. I shoved my last set of shorts on the tallest closet shelf and filled their drawer with flannel PJs and yoga pants. And as last-minute preparation for finger-numbing morning runs, I picked up two new pairs of bright spandex leggings and a fuzzy gray fleece.
As I started off down the street, my mind wandered much faster than my legs. Hmm, left calf feels a little tight… Wonder how far I can go… Long enough to earn an extra cookie? How about two? Okay girl, you can do this! What kind should I bake? Wait, do I have enough flour? Better stock up at Safeway… Crunch, crunch, CRACK! What the??
Despite praying against and absolutely dreading jogging through the gale force winds—I move less than 2 feet in 10 seconds even with exerting as much effort as a sprinter in the 50-meter dash—I completely forgot that the gusts blew more than leaves off the trees. They dropped twigs. And branches. And birds nests. And…
Acorns.
With them laying less than 3 inches apart for a solid block, I must have cracked open about a dozen as I attempted to dodge them with the grace of a lumbering elephant. Two miles later, I spotted a squirrel in the dirt on the side of the path with his head entirely buried beneath the ground. While I stared (willing myself not to trip over my own feet), he popped up, grabbed an acorn from his side, and stuck his head back in the hole to hide his loot.
Back at home, I ditched my idea of a cookie running reward and decided to make my own acorns—out of Tootsie Rolls!
Just like my last treat, this recipe is incredibly simple. You only need 4 ingredients—Tootsie Rolls, mini Nilla wafers, mini chocolate chips, and butterscotch chips—and you don’t even have to turn on the oven! It’s fairly kid-friendly too, especially when they find out they can mold their candy like Play-Doh.
Yup, that’s right! Just pop the Tootsie Rolls in the microwave for a few seconds to warm them up; then roll them into a ball between your palms. Flatten one side, pinch the other, and voila! The meat of the acorn. (I highly recommend microwaving only 2 at a time; otherwise the extras cool down too quickly to shape.)
Next, lay the mini Nilla wafers (yes, those actually exist!) flat side up on a plate, set a mini chocolate chip in the center of each, and microwave until melted. Do NOT use a regular-sized chocolate chip because there would be too much chocolate, and it would ooze out the sides when you pressed the Tootsie Roll acorn meat on top.
Now comes the exercise in patience… Wait at least 10 minutes while the acorns sit with the Nilla wafers on the bottom and the Tootsie Roll tips pointed straight up in the air. This allows the chocolate to set and the Tootsie Rolls to cool so the treats don’t fall apart or flatten on one side.
Finally, line up the butterscotch chips on their sides, and pass a flame over their flat bottoms once. Just enough to look like a little misting of water. (Use a culinary torch or long-nosed candle lighter for the best results.) Press them on the rounded tops of the Nilla wafers, and you finished your acorns!
My guy mentioned that these Tootsie Roll Acorns look just like Scrat’s from Ice Age… With how much he loves Tootsie Rolls, I wouldn’t be surprised if he chased these around to the end of the earth too!
These cute little treats are perfect for fall! They’re best if eaten the day that they’re made, but they’ll keep for a few days if stored in an airtight container.
- Place 2 Tootsie Rolls on a microwave-safe plate, and microwave on HIGH for 5 seconds. Roll each Tootsie Roll into a ball. Flatten one side to be the diameter of the flat side of a Nilla wafer, and shape the other side into a point. Repeat with the remaining Tootsie Rolls, always working with 2 at a time.
- Place the Nilla wafers on a microwave-safe plate with the flat side facing up. Put one mini chocolate chip in the center of each wafer. Microwave on HIGH for 20-30 seconds, or until the chocolate chip begins to melt. Place the flat side of each shaped Tootsie Roll onto the melted chocolate chip. Let them set for 5-10 minutes.
- Working with 2 butterscotch chips at a time, light a culinary torch, and pass the very tip of the flame once over their flat bottoms. Press onto the rounded side of the Nilla wafers. Repeat with the remaining butterscotch chips. Let the acorns set for 5-10 minutes before serving.
Shelley @ Two Healthy Kitchens says...
Totally adorable and such fun! And what a cute story about the onset of fall (I say as I sit here in my Under Armour running gear, ready to head out and brave Ohio’s own windy gusts)! These are a treat worth running for! 😀
Amy says...
Shelley, you are SO courageous to run in Ohio in the fall and winter! I can’t even imagine how chilly your fingers and toes must be by the end. It’ll probably motivate you to run really fast though! 😉
Andrea says...
TOO ADORABLE!! And yes, they TOTALLY do like like the Ice Age acorns! These would be so fun to make for thanksgiving and have sitting in a jar for guests to grab! Do they maintain their shape alright if they are bumped up against each other, like they would be in a jar?
Amy says...
I love your idea about Thanksgiving Andrea! I’m not entirely sure about having them sit in a jar. It should probably work, as long as you let the acorns set and cool long enough on the counter before placing them in the candy jar. For me, the Tootsie Rolls seemed to be slightly stickier after I molded them, so just be a tad bit careful!
Rachel (teacher-chef) says...
These are quite cute – since I am a Chocoholic, I made very similar versions of these recently – adorable! http://www.teacher-chef.com/2013/10/08/chocolate-acorns/
Amy says...
Thanks Rachel! Cute sweets always seem to taste better, don’t they? 😉