10 Tasty Recipes That Use Acorns (2024)

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10 Tasty Recipes That Use Acorns (1)

Did you know that you might have a bountiful and nutritious food source right at your feet this fall? Acorns are much more than something to rake up with your leaves and deposit into your compost pile.

With a little preparation and know-how, you can eat them as you would other nuts, you can use them to make oil, and you can grind them into flour to make a variety of foods.

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For many centuries, cultures from Asia, Europe, and the Americas have gathered and consumed acorns. They are the seeds of oak trees, and acorn varieties are readily available throughout much of the world. As you might expect, different types of oak trees produce different kinds of acorns.

Acorns contain healthy fats, carbohydrates, and protein. They also contain essential amino acids, trace minerals, and Vitamins A and C. Nutritional levels can vary from species to species and so can their level of tannins.

Tannins are what give raw acorns their bitter taste. However, it is possible to remove or greatly reduce the tannin level in acorns through a simple leaching process.

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Shelling and Leaching

The first step to removing the tannins is to gather only ripe, brown acorns. Avoid acorns that appear green or black or show signs of mildew or rotting.

Next, remove the caps and boil the acorns for ten minutes. Strain out the resulting brown water and boil the acorns once again in fresh water. Repeat this process several times until the water looks clear. Then you can shell the acorns.

Another tannin removal method is a flushing procedure that was used by Native Americans in streams and rivers. Remove the caps before placing acorns inside a mesh bag. Then, place the bag under running water for several hours. Frequently remove any water from the bag and continue this rinsing process about four times or so until the water is clear.

After leaching, dry the acorn pieces in single layers on cookie sheets out in the sun (be sure to protect them from animals!) or in a 200-degree oven. You could also use a dehydrator on the low setting.

To make acorn flour, grind your leached acorns in a blender or food processor. Next, dry this meal in a warm oven for a few minutes, or let it air dry for two to three hours. Then grind the meal in the blender or food processor again.

Now you can use your acorn flour in many different recipes. Keep in mind that acorn flour does not contain gluten so it does not bind in the same way as regular flour (wheat, rice, corn or oat). In most acorn baking recipes, you will use half acorn flour and half regular flour so that your food product will hold together well.

To help get you started, here are ten recipes that use acorns.

1. Acorn Bread

10 Tasty Recipes That Use Acorns (2)

This recipe is for a sweet and tasty bread that is not too crumbly. It is a perfect addition to a fall brunch or a Thanksgiving-time treat. Here’s a great acorn bread recipe.

2. Acorn Cookies

10 Tasty Recipes That Use Acorns (3)

Cookies are one of the few goods you can bake with all acorn flour. These crumbly but delicious cookies combine the nutty, sweet taste of acorns with the warm and spicy taste of ginger. Here’s my favorite acorn cookie recipe.

3. Acorn Cake

10 Tasty Recipes That Use Acorns (4)

This delicious and attractive Bundt cake recipe uses acorn flour as well as cinnamon, apple sauce, and coconut oil. Here’s a delicious acorn cake recipe.

4. Acorn Porridge

10 Tasty Recipes That Use Acorns (5)

Flavorful and satisfying on a cool morning, this porridge recipe that incorporates the distinctive taste of acorns. Here’s an acorn porridge recipe.

5. Acorn Pancakes

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These pancakes practically scream “autumn.” These pancakes will appear a bit darker than what they are used to, but they taste yummy. Here’s a tasty acorn pancakes recipe.

6. Acorn Burgers

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If are a vegetarian or have a vegetarian in your family, you may be interested in this burger substitute. You guessed it; it uses acorns! Here’s the best acorn burger recipe.

7. Acorn Tortillas

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You can substitute acorn meal for cornmeal in tortillas using this recipe. Here’s the acorn tortillas recipe, and here is a video that shows how to do it.

8. Acorn Soup

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The taste of acorns and the flavors of porcini mushrooms combine well in this smooth-tasting soup. Add a spoonful of sour cream or creme fraiche on top, serve and enjoy. Here’s a yummy acorn soup recipe.

9. Acorn Brittle

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This recipe is very similar to the standard recipe for peanut brittle; you just use acorns instead of peanuts! Here’s the recipe.

10. Acorn Coffee

To make acorn “coffee,” first peel some ripe, blanched acorns. Then, divide the kernels and place them in an ovenproof dish. Cover the dish and roast the acorns in your oven on low heat. Stir them frequently. When they have roasted, grind the acorns and use them combined with your regular coffee or on their own.

More Ideas

Acorns add a nutty, slightly sweet taste to many dishes and beverages. Some Korean noodle dishes are made of acorn starch, and it is common for Asian grocery markets to sell packaged acorn starch.

Other ways to use blanched acorns in your cooking include:

  • Substituting them in recipes that use chickpeas, peanuts or macadamia nuts.
  • Sprinkling roasted acorn pieces on a garden salad.
  • Making acorn butter instead of peanut or almond butter.
  • Adding acorns to stews as you would add potatoes or beans.

Dried acorns can be stored for up to a year. Acorn flour will keep for several months when stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

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You May Also Like:

  • Acorns: How To Harvest, Process, and Eat Them
  • How to Cook with Wild Edibles
  • 8 Foods You Can Grind Into Flour (And How)
  • 6 Wild Edibles You Can Forage In The Middle Of Winter
  • Grandma’s Pancake Recipe: The Best Pancakes EVER!

10 Tasty Recipes That Use Acorns (2024)

FAQs

What can I cook with acorns? ›

Acorns can be ground to make flour for bread, pancakes, pastries, cookies and even pasta. If you plan to do this, it's best to leach with cold water to preserve the starch and help the dough hold together better. If you're going to keep your acorns whole, or at least chunky, you can leach them with boiling water.

What can I do with a lot of acorns? ›

What to Do With Acorns in Your Yard
  1. Use them for arts and crafts and holiday decorations.
  2. Use them to grow an oak tree.
  3. Use them in animal feeders.
  4. Donate them to zoos and wildlife preserves.
Jun 14, 2023

What do you make out of acorns? ›

Simply glue acorns together to make little comic figures, using matchsticks or toothpicks for arms and legs, felt-tip pens to add features and lumps of clay for shoes. The acorn cup makes a natural hat! Kids love simple DIY projects, and they're a great way to pass the time on a rainy fall day.

What can I use acorns for? ›

How to Use Acorns. Acorns can be used in a variety of ways. They can be eaten whole, ground up into acorn meal or flour, or made into mush to have their oil extracted. Once you've safely leached the tannins from your raw acorns, you can roast them for 15 to 20 minutes and sprinkle them with salt for a snack.

Why do you soak acorns in water? ›

Tannins. All acorns should be leached with water to remove bitter tannins, which will a) make your mouth feel and taste like felt, b) make you a bit nauseous, and possibly c) constipate you for days. Getting those tannins out is the big barrier to cooking with acorns.

How much is a pound of acorns worth? ›

White oak, red oak, and burr oak acorns are available in bulk for animal food, crafts, and planting. Prices range from $2 to $5 per pound (60 to 80 acorns per pound) plus shipping.

How do you make a lot of money on acorns? ›

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Are acorns healthy for humans? ›

Raw acorns are considered unsafe due to their tannins, which are toxic if consumed in high amounts. However, you can remove the tannins by boiling or soaking. Properly prepared acorns are perfectly edible and full of nutrients like iron and manganese.

Can dogs eat acorns? ›

Acorns, like conkers, are poisonous to dogs if eaten. They can cause an upset tummy, and because they are hard and sometimes spikey, they can cause damage or a blockage in the stomach. In rare cases it has led to liver and kidney failure, so it's important to be aware of your surroundings when walking your dog.

What is the $40 bonus on acorns? ›

$40 bonus incentive when you set up recurring investments

With expert built portfolios and automatic investing, everyday becomes a chance to invest in your future. Click “Get Deal” and create an account on Acorns' site to redeem this deal.

Which acorns are best to eat? ›

Generally, the best acorns to harvest are those of the white oaks, such as the swamp oak, Oregon white oak, and burr oak, as they contain less bitter tannin. Luckily, nearly all acorns can be made usable with natural processing which renders them nutty and sweet.

Can you make coffee out of acorns? ›

That's right. Coffee made out of acorns. The small catch is that acorn coffee isn't coffee at all, technically speaking. It's made entirely from acorns, looks like coffee, smells a bit like coffee, and the taste—which is quite pleasant—isn't a million miles away from coffee.

What do cooked acorns taste like? ›

Raw acorns are very bitter and gritty and must be processed prior to eating. Acorns that are leached or roasted are nutty and sweet. For some people, the taste of leached acorns is similar to that of boiled potatoes. While many oak species give bitter-tasting acorns, some produce sweeter nuts like European white oaks.

Can you cook or bake with acorns? ›

If your cold-leached acorns are finely ground, then that flour can be used for baking without adding wheat flour. It won't rise very high, but it's perfect for dense, crispy, or chewy things like pie crust, pasta, flatbreads, and crackers. I find new reasons to love acorns every year.

Are acorns good survival food? ›

Acorns are a handy survival food and can also be used as medicine. This story was originally featured on Outdoor Life. “I didn't know you could eat acorns!” It pains me to hear this phrase, and I hear it often. It seems that the average person has no idea they are crushing valuable wild edibles underfoot.

Why do you boil acorns? ›

It's been quite some time since I cooked with acorns, but you can. You need to shell them and boil them several times in a clean pot of water each time to leach out the tannins. Then you dry them slowly in an oven and use a Universal Grinder to grind them into meal. Then you can make cakes, pancakes, etc.

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