Brown Sugar Walnut Shortbread Acorn Cookies

Brown sugar shortbread is shaped and baked to form these adorably delicious acorn cookies. It’s an easy recipe to enjoy this fall. I love fall! The air is crisp and my step is quicker. I fill my pockets with acorns on my morning walk, keeping them in jars on my mantle. 

On one walk a few years ago, I thought about how cute an acorn-shaped shortbread cookie would be, with a caramel and chopped walnut “hat”.

I think shortbread is one of the easiest cookies to make. With just three ingredients you can make this delicious buttery treat. I’ve been making Scottish Shortbread since I was a young teen, and while it’s amazing on its own, sometimes it’s fun to give it a nutty twist. I think walnuts are the perfect match with brown sugar shortbread. This simple, nut-filled cookie dough can also be rolled into a log and refrigerated, or frozen for a quick slice-and-bake cookie. They’re also perfect for the holiday season.

Ingredients for brown sugar shortbread

• 8 ounces unsalted butter , softened
• 1/3 cup dark  brown sugar
• 1/3 cup white sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 2/3 cup chopped walnuts divided, finely
• 1/2 cup caramel sauce

How to make this brown sugar shortbread recipe

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• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• In a large bowl or an electric mixer fitted with a paddle, cream butter and sugars on a medium speed, until light and fluffy. Add vanilla. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
• Combine flour and salt and slowly add flour mixture to butter just until incorporated.
• Mix in 1/3 cup chopped nuts.
• Using a scant tablespoon of dough, form into acorn shapes. Chill cookies on a baking pan or sheet until firm.
• Or form into a log, wrap dough in plastic wrap or parchment paper, and chill. When ready to bake, slice dough and place on a cookie sheet. A cookie stamp, or cookie cutters would work well too!
• Bake at 350 degrees F. until very light golden brown.
• Optional: Dip cookies in caramel or melted chocolate and finely chopped nuts.

Slice and bake just a few cookies at a time when you have a sweet tooth. My daughter helped me shape the acorn-shaped cookies and then the next day we made a second batch using the slice-and-bake roll just to see if they would look “acorn-ish”.

​Dip ends of cooled cookies in slightly warm caramel. Then roll in chopped nuts.

Store leftover cookies in an air-tight container, or freeze. 

 Love shortbread? Try these recipes!

Lavender Shortbread

Orange Pistachio Shortbread

Rose Scented Shortbread

Savory Cheddar Shortbread

Brown Sugar Shortbread Cookies

Cynthia

Brown sugar shortbread acorn cookies dipped are in caramel and rolled in nuts.

5 from 6 votes

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 48 cookies

Calories 80 kcal

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

• 8 ounces unsalted butter , softened
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/3 cup white sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 cups flour
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 2/3 cup chopped walnuts divided, finely
• 1/2 cup caramel sauce

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• In a large mixing bowl fitted with a paddle, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add vanilla. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
• Combine flour and salt and slowly add to butter mixture just until incorporated.
• Mix in 1/3 cup chopped nuts.
• Using a scant tablespoon of dough, form into acorn shapes. Or form into a log, wrap in foil or plastic wrap and chill. For rolled cookies, slice 1/4″ thick.
• Chill acorn cookies on a cookie sheet lined with parchment or silicon baking sheet, about 20 minutes.
• Bake at 350 degrees F. for 15-18 minutes or until golden brown. Let sit for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to finish cooling.
• When cool, dip tops into caramel, then into remaining chopped nuts. Chill until firm.
• Store in an airtight container.
• Makes 3-4 dozen depending on size.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cookieCalories: 80kcalCarbohydrates: 8gProtein: 1gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 10mgSodium: 15mgPotassium: 18mgFiber: 0.2gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 121IUVitamin C: 0.03mgCalcium: 6mgIron: 0.3mg

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