Description
Homemade Samoas Cookies are a delightful treat inspired by the classic Girl Scout cookie. These cookies feature a buttery, tender shortbread base topped with toasted sweetened coconut mixed with gooey caramel, then finished with a rich dark chocolate drizzle. This recipe guides you through making the dough from scratch, preparing the caramel coconut topping, baking the cookies to perfection, and decorating with chocolate bows for an irresistible sweet and crunchy bite.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
For the Cookies:
- 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 Tablespoons milk
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Coconut Topping:
- 3 cups shredded sweetened coconut
- 15 ounces store-bought or homemade soft caramels
- 3 Tablespoons whole milk
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 8 ounces dark chocolate
Instructions
- Make the Cookies: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, which forms the creamy base for your cookies. Then whisk together the dry ingredients—flour, baking powder, and salt—in a separate bowl. Gradually add the flour mixture in three parts to the creamed butter, mixing after each addition and scraping down the sides for an even dough. Incorporate the milk and vanilla extract last until the dough begins to clump together.
- Chill the Dough: Divide the dough into two equal halves and form each into a compact disk. Wrap these tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 1 hour to firm up the dough, making it easier to roll and cut.
- Preheat Oven and Cut Cookies: Preheat your oven to 350ºF. On a lightly floured surface, roll out each chilled dough disk to 1/8-inch thickness. Use a doughnut-shaped cookie cutter to cut out as many cookies as possible. Arrange the cut cookies on a baking sheet lined with Silpat or parchment paper, and repeat until all dough is used.
- Bake Cookies: Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through to ensure even browning. The cookies should be pale golden. Transfer them immediately to a wire rack to cool fully.
- Toast Coconut: Spread the shredded coconut evenly on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for about 10 minutes at 350ºF, stirring frequently to prevent burning. Remove from the oven once toasted and set aside.
- Melt Caramels: In a double-boiler setup, melt the caramels together with milk and salt, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat and combine three-quarters of this caramel with the toasted coconut in a large bowl.
- Assemble Coconut Topping on Cookies: Carefully spread the remaining caramel over the cooled cookies as a sticky base layer. While still tacky, press a portion of the caramel-coconut mixture onto each cookie. If the caramel stiffens during this process, gently rewarm it in the double boiler until spreadable. Allow the topped cookies to cool for 30 minutes to set.
- Melt Chocolate: Melt the dark chocolate in a double-boiler or microwave until smooth and glossy.
- Decorate Cookies: Dip the bottoms of the cookies in melted chocolate, placing them on wax paper-lined sheets to set. Use a fork to drizzle additional chocolate over the top of each cookie. Let the chocolate harden completely before serving.
Notes
- Use a doughnut-shaped cookie cutter to replicate the classic Samoas shape, or substitute with a round cutter and a small circular cutter for the center hole.
- When toasting coconut, stir often and watch closely to avoid burning as coconut browns quickly.
- If caramel thickens or hardens before application, gently reheat in a double boiler to restore spreadability.
- Store-bought caramels can be substituted with homemade caramel for a fresher flavor.
- Dark chocolate with at least 60% cocoa is recommended for a nice bittersweet contrast to the sweet caramel and coconut.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 15g
- Sodium: 85mg
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 22g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 25mg
