Nutty Caramel Acorns

[kirra]

Nutty Caramel Acorns

Ingredients:

1 stick (1/2 cup) light (Land O’Lakes) or regular butter, softened
1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
2 large egg yolks
1 cup chopped nuts (black walnuts, cashews, peanuts or your favorite)
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup chocolate sprinkles (jimmies)
1 pkg (14 oz) classic caramels (we used Kraft), unwrapped
1 1/2 Tbsp water

Preparation:

Heat oven to 350°F. You’ll need a baking sheet(s).

Beat butter, sugar and yolks in a large bowl with mixer on medium speed until fluffy. Beat in 1/2 cup of the nuts, the vanilla, baking powder and salt. With mixer on low speed, gradually beat in flour until a soft dough forms.

Roll rounded teaspoons of dough into balls. Shape as acorns with a pointed top. Place point up, 1 in. apart, on ungreased baking sheet(s). Bake 14 minutes, until bottoms are golden brown. Cool on rack.

Place remaining 1/2 cup nuts and the sprinkles in food processor; pulse until finely chopped. Mound mixture on a sheet of wax paper. Melt caramels and water in a bowl in microwave as package directs.

Dunk acorn cookies into caramel 1 at a time, turning with a fork to coat. Lift and scrape excess caramel from bottom against top edge of bowl. Use a second fork to scrape acorn from first fork onto nut mixture to coat bottoms. Transfer to a wax paper–lined cookie sheet and refrigerate to set caramel. Reheat caramel in microwave to keep it fluid while dipping remaining acorns.

Note: Store airtight at cool room temperature with wax paper between layers up to 1 week.