If you want to make the easiest and most adorable no-bake dessert for fall, this Acorn Donut Holes recipe is for you.
For more sweet treats, check out all of our dessert recipes.
We always have my niece and nephews here for Thanksgiving. They’re all still young, so I’m always thinking about simple crafts and easy desserts we can make together. It’s just a great activity that we can do together — without screens.
This year, my 3-year-old niece helped me make these Acorn Donut Holes. And by helped me, I mean I told her what to do once and she finished the batch by herself while I watched.
All I did for her was put the donut hole on a fork and take it off the fork.
Honestly, she probably could have done those things herself if I let her, but I was being a good aunt. No kids get in harm’s way on my watch.
But, you guys. She’s three and did basically everything. So, if you’re tasted with bringing a treat anywhere this fall, don’t run to your local grocery store for a box of something. Instead, head to the store for these really simple ingredients and make these at home in minutes. Yes. In minutes. My niece made these without losing any focus or attention.
If she can do it, I have faith in you.
Believe it or not, but this isn’t the only acorn-themed treat we have on the blog. If you want another, check out our Nutter Butter Acorns. We love setting those out on our Thanksgiving dessert table, but you can make them anytime in the fall.
Acorn Donut Holes Recipe
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Acorn Donut Holes Ingredients:
- 2 squares chocolate almond bark
- 20 Old Fashioned donut holes
- 2.5 oz. container chocolate sprinkles
- 10 thin pretzel sticks
How To Make Acorn Donut Holes:
Melt the chocolate almond bark in a small bowl according to the package.
If you’ve never done that before, the easiest way to melt almond bark is to heat it in a microwave-safe bowl for one minute, then stir. Put it back and stir at 30-second intervals until it’s completely melted.
Put an Old Fashioned donut hole on a fork.
Dip it halfway into the melted chocolate.
Gently tap the fork on the side of the bowl to let any excess chocolate drip off.
If you’re making these with kids, just make sure they actually do let enough chocolate drip off. If you have too much chocolate on the donut hole, you’ll end up with a ton of sprinkles falling off the sides, which slide right off the donut hole and back into the bowl of sprinkles.
Ask me how I know.
Pour the chocolate sprinkles into a small bowl, then dip the donut into the sprinkles.
Quick note: We use chocolate sprinkles because the brown sprinkles on the melted chocolate look most like real acorns. However, if you want to buy fall sprinkles since these are a fall treat, those would work too.
Break a pretzel stick in half and stick one half into the top of the sprinkled side of the donut hole so they look like little acorns.
Remove the fork and set the finished acorn donut hole on a silicone baking mat-lined baking sheet.
Quick note: If you don’t have a silicone baking mat, you can line the baking sheet with parchment paper or wax paper.
Personally, though, I suggest you get a baking mat. It’s reusable, so you’re saving money, and it’s sustainable, so you’re saving the earth. Win win.
Keep going until you’re done with all the donuts.
Let the melted chocolate cool completely before enjoying.
If you’re not going to serve these as soon as they cool, we suggest keeping them in an airtight container until you’re ready for them so the donut holes stay fresh.
Acorn Donut Holes: Frequently Asked Questions
We use store-bought donut holes in this recipe. They’re a little bit harder than fresh donuts from the doughnut shop, so they’ll hold up to dipping better.
The old fashioned donut holes at our grocery store are dipped in glaze, which gives these treats a little extra sweetness, but they’re still soft. The store also sells sour cream donut holes, but those are denser and don’t taste as good (in our opinion) as the old fashioned ones. They’re both the same tan color, though, which makes these look like acorns.
We don’t suggest powdered donuts because those are messy and don’t have the coloring of of real acorns. The same goes for chocolate donut holes. Those just wouldn’t look right.
If you really wanted, you could make your own donuts for this, but it wouldn’t be as easy as these are.
We don’t suggest chocolate chips when you’re making these. It’s so easy to burn chocolate chips when you’re trying to melt them. And if you do, you have to throw them away.
Candy melts don’t overmelt and burn. And, if they harden (which could happen if you work slowly, which is completely possible if you’re making these with little kids like me), you can just pop the bowl back into the microwave and melt them again. You can’t do that with chocolate chips.
Personally, I don’t love how candy melts taste. They’re really waxy to me and don’t taste like chocolate. So sure, if you have chocolate candy melts at home and you want to use those, go right ahead. They’re just not my preference for this recipe.
More Donut Hole Treats:
You can use a whole box of donut holes to make these if you want. But, if you don’t and you have leftovers that you need something to make with them, try our Christmas Donut Hole Tree Tutorial (aka Donut Croquembouche). You’ll probably want to buy some other flavors to complete the tower.
Acorn Donut Holes
If you want to make the easiest and most adorable no-bake dessert for fall, this Acorn Donut Holes recipe is for you.
Ingredients
- 2 squares chocolate almond bark
- 20 Old Fashioned donut holes
- 2.5 oz. container chocolate sprinkles
- 10 thin pretzel sticks
Instructions
- Melt the chocolate almond bark in a small bowl according to the package.
- Put an Old Fashioned donut hole on a fork.
- Dip it halfway into the melted chocolate.
- Gently tap the fork on the side of the bowl to let any excess chocolate drip off.
- Pour the chocolate sprinkles into a small bowl, then dip the donut into the sprinkles.
- Break a pretzel stick in half and stick one half into the top of the sprinkled side of the donut hole so they look like little acorns.
- Remove the fork and set the finished acorn donut hole on a silicone baking mat-lined baking sheet.
- Keep going until you’re done with all the donuts.
- Let the melted chocolate cool completely before enjoying.
Nutrition Information
Yield
20Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 383Total Fat 19gSaturated Fat 8gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 10gCholesterol 7mgSodium 515mgCarbohydrates 47gFiber 2gSugar 15gProtein 5g
Have you made these Acorn Donut Holes? Let us know how it went in the comments.