Walnut Acorn Cookies

Walnut Acorn Cookies (Version #1)

To form the acorns, you make a batch of walnut shortbread dough, divide it, and roll it between your hands into small egg shapes. Then, bake the cookies, and make the acorn caps by dipping half of each cookie in melted chocolate and rolling that half in chopped walnuts.

The walnut shortbread would be melt-in-your-mouth good on its own – buttery and sandy, with an intense walnut flavor – but that little bit of chocolate takes it to another place. And the extra chopped walnuts on the outside give the cookie lots of texture and crunch.

Adapted from “The Gourmet Cookie Book”

Makes about 4 dozen cookies

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup finely chopped walnuts (4 ounces)

For Decoration:

• 8 ounces semisweet chocolate, melted
• 1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts (2 ounces)

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

2. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt.

3. Using an electric mixer, beat together the butter, brown sugar and vanilla until pale and fluffy.

4. Add the flour mixture at low speed; then stir in the walnuts.

5. Form 2 teaspoons of dough into an egg-like shape the size of an acorn. Arrange the “acorns” about 1 inch apart on ungreased baking sheets lined with parchment paper or Silpat®.

6. Bake in batches, one sheet at a time in the middle of the oven, until undersides are light brown, about 10 minutes. Transfer to racks to cool. (If your dough starts going really soft while it’s waiting to go into the oven, pop it into the refrigerator to chill for a few minutes.)

7. To Decorate: Dip half of each cookie in melted chocolate and then in chopped nuts. Place on a baking sheet lined with wax paper to set, about 15 minutes.

Recipe Source: http://www.ezrapoundcake.com/archives/10293

 

Walnut Acorn Cookies (Version #2)

Makes 4-5 dozen .

1 cup melted butter
3/4 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1 cup finely chopped walnuts
1 tsp. vanilla
2-3/4 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 cup (6 oz.) semi-sweet chocolate chips

Stir together butter, brown sugar, 3/4 cup walnuts, and vanilla. Sift flour with baking powder and stir into butter mixture; blend well.

Shape cookies by pressing dough lightly into teaspoon, then drop shaped dough from spoon onto ungreased cookie sheet. The cookies should have the shape of the spoon -- wider at one end and a little pointed at the other end, like an acorn.

Bake in 375° oven about 13 minutes, until light golden brown. Cool.

Melt chocolate over warm water. Dip large end of cookie in melted chocolate, then in remaining walnuts. Cool on wax paper. Store in air-tight containers.

Note: It doesn't hurt to have some extra chopped nuts in case you begin to run out while dipping the cookies.

Recipe Source: http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/dessertex/msg1009274220541.html