"These cookies have been baked by my mother, by me, and now by my daughters at Christmastime," writes Suzanne Perry of Columbus, Ohio. "The recipe was given to my mother by a Swedish friend."

　　Active time: 1 1/2 hr Start to finish: 2 1/2 hr

　　

Ingredients

Makes about 4 dozen

　　

For cookies

2 cups all-purpose flour

　　1/2 teaspoon baking powder

　　1/4 teaspoon salt

　　2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, melted

　　3/4 cup packed light brown sugar

　　1 teaspoon vanilla

　　1 cup finely chopped walnuts (4 oz)

　　

For decoration

8 oz semisweet chocolate, melted

　　1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts (2 oz)

　　

Make cookies:

Step 1

Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Beat together butter, brown sugar, and vanilla with an electric mixer until pale and fluffy. Mix in flour mixture at low speed, then stir in walnuts.

　　

Step 2

Preheat oven to 375°F.

　　

Step 3

Form 2 teaspoons dough into an egglike shape resembling an acorn. Make more "acorns," arranging them 1 inch apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake in batches in middle of oven until undersides are light brown, about 10 minutes. Transfer to racks to cool.

　　

Decorate cookies:

Step 4

Dip half of each cookie in melted chocolate and then in chopped nuts. Place as coated on a baking sheet lined with wax paper to set, about 15 minutes.