This is the cold leaching method for making acorn flour, which takes time, but is easy. The result is the lightest colored acorn flour you can make.
Recipe by Hank Shaw on September 26, 2013
Prep time: PT80M
Total time: PT7280M
Rating
5 stars (15 reviews)
Keywords
acorns, flour
Ingredients
3 pounds acorns
Water
Categories
bread
Cuisine
American
Steps
Start by shelling your acorns into a bowl of cool water. This will take about an hour, more or less. I typically do it while watching television. Putting the shells in water immediately will prevent them from oxidizing.
Once you have all the acorn meats shelled (a little of the brown skin, called the test, is OK), puree them with water in the blender. Pour this into your large jar and set in a cool place, cooler than about 60°F. I will often refrigerate it. Temperatures too warm will cause it to ferment.
Every day, up to twice a day, carefully pour off the water and replace it. As an added, but optional step, you can pour the last of each day's water -- the stuff with the most fine sediment in it -- into a baking sheet and let the water evaporate from it. What's left is pure acorn starch, which you can use exactly like corn starch.
After about four or five days, taste the meal. It should be bland, not bitter. If it is still bitter, keep changing the water until it's not. Each species of acorn will need different leaching times.
When the wet meal is ready, move it to a strainer lined with cheesecloth. Strain out as much water as possible. In this step, you really do want to capture this last water because it is loaded with starch. Let that water evaporate from a baking sheet.
Lay out your wet acorn meal to dry. I use a dehydrator set at 95°F. Shoot for conditions like that. An oven is too hot and will turn the flour dark brown.
When the meal is completely dry, add it and any chunks of acorn starch to a spice grinder or blender and buzz until completely fine, like wheat flour. Store in a jar in the fridge or freezer, so the acorn fats don't go rancid. It will keep this way a year or more.
Reviews
Nancie Erschen on 2025-12-31 (5 stars): I can’t believe I stumbled on this acorn flour I’m so excited
Sue on 2025-10-03 (5 stars): I have just finished making my second batch of Acorn Flour in readiness for my husband's 60th birthday feast (it will be a mix of many things made from, caught, grown on the land here). Thank you Hank for such a clear explanation and process! I appreciate it.
Nicole on 2024-03-09 (5 stars): Wow! This experience was empowering and humbling.
I almost gave up halfway through because I wasn't sure it would turn out, but 60 days later I had acorn flour.
Thanks for sharing.
I used the acorn flour to make 2 loaves of your persimmon bread (amazing), some acorn flour pancakes (yummy) and going to try cookies next.
Thanks again ??
Patient in VA on 2024-01-29 (5 stars): Thank you for this recipe! I just wanted to let others know that whatever acorns I picked have taken almost 2 months to leach out the tannins. So clearly, it's a process, dont rush it! Imagine the satisfaction tho when I finally tasted it and no longer had to immediately spit it out? I just put it in the dehydrator to finally finish up this seemingly neverending process. I can't wait to bake and brag about my homemade flour!
Patrik Nilsson (Sweden) on 2023-10-10 (5 stars): I had 15 gallons of acorns drop on my porch this week (acorn year) and was wondering if anything could be done with then apart from feeding the wild boars up the woods. Your recipe for making acorn flour caught my attention and I will be making the first trial batch this weekend. Luckily I have most of the required equipment already: coffee grinder, dehydrator and large mason jars/kimchi jars. Just need to find a cheese cloth tomorrow. This should be fun. Thanks/Patrik
