The Old Farmer’s Almanac A Step-by-step Guide to Preparing and Cooking with Acorns

Have you ever wondered if the squirrels might be onto something? In fact, they are! Acorns are incredibly nutritious and readily available in nature, making them a healthy addition to many recipes. Here’s how to prepare and cook acorns! They are sure to become a fall favorite!

Can You Eat Acorns?

Yes, absolutely! Acorns have been a staple of diets worldwide and across cultures, including among some Native American peoples.

Why acorns? They are incredibly nutritious, offering healthy carbohydrates, protein, and fiber levels. Surprisingly, they are also a good source of Vitamins A and C.

Plus, they have a wonderfully rich, nutty taste. Also, why not? It’s fun to forage and try making something adventurous.

While most folks use acorns to make nutrientrich, nutty-flavored flour, you can also eat acorns as roasted nuts (they are a lot like chestnuts). See more ideas below!

Where and When to Find Acorns

Acorns come from oak trees, which can be found across North America. Oak trees are easily identifiable—they’re the ones with all the acorns around them! Jokes aside, oaks have fairly distinctive leaves and bark; look up which species of oak trees are common in your area to know exactly what signs to look for.

Acorns are typically harvested between September and November when they fall from the trees and become easily accessible to deer, squirrels, and resourceful humans.

How to Collect Acorns

When gathering acorns, look for brown, fully mature acorns that still have their caps, as those without caps are more susceptible to infestation by worms and other critters.

Green acorns are not yet mature and shouldn’t be used. If you’re willing to wait, consider harvesting acorns this year and storing them in a cool, dry place until next fall, when they’ll be thoroughly dried and easier to work with.

How to Wash Acorns

1. Give acorns a quick rinse in cool water. Place them in a pot or bowl and fill it with water, then remove and dispose of any floating acorns, as they have likely gone bad.

2. Place the acorns in a colander and run them under the tap for a minute or two to dislodge any loose dirt or hitchhiking bugs.

3. Set the colander aside to let the acorns airdry, or dry them by hand with a dish towel.

4. Remove the shells and caps from your acorns with a nutcracker (or a hammer, if necessary). Do not eat the raw meat of the acorns yet.

How to Leach Acorns

Acorns contain bitter-tasting tannins, so you must prepare, treat, and cook the nuts before you eat them. It sounds like a pain, but it’s really not that difficult.

1. Start two pots of water boiling. Drop the raw, shell-less acorns into one pot and boil until the water is the color of strong tea. Strain the nuts through a colander and drop the strained nuts into the second pot of boiling water. Discard the dark water from the first pot, then refill it and bring the water to a boil again. Repeat the process without interruption (do not let the acorns cool) until the water boils clear. This may take an hour or more, depending on the variety of acorn.

2. Alternatively, you can soak the raw acorns in cold water to leach the tannins out. Change the water when it turns a darker color. This process may take several days, depending on how long it takes for all the tannins to leach out of the acorn meat.

To avoid rotting, it’s very important that the acorns dry fully. Spread tannin-free acorns to dry