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–+ servings
David Murphy

Homemade Samoas Cookies

Buttery from-scratch shortbread rings topped with toasted coconut and gooey caramel, dipped in real dark chocolate, and finished with a chocolate drizzle. Better than the original Girl Scout cookie and available all year round.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Resting Time 55 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 35 minutes
Servings: 24 Cookies
Course: Cookies
Cuisine: American
Calories: 262

Ingredients
  

  • 1/2 cup of sugar
  • 2 sticks of unsalted butter softened to room temp
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 baking powder
  • 2 cups flour
  • 2 tbsp milk
  • 1/2 tsp of vanilla extract
  • 2 1/2 cups of shredded sweetened coconut
  • 4 tbsp milk
  • 20 oz of store bought caramels
  • 12 oz of dark chocolate

Instructions
 

  1. Preheat the oven to 350° and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. In a large bowl add the sugar and butter and cream the butter with a hand mixer, until light and fluffy.
  2. Add the baking soda, salt and flour and beat slowly. Add the milk and vanilla and continue beating until everything combines and a dough forms.
  3. Take two trays and line with parchment paper. Divide the dough in half and place each half on each tray. Slightly press out into a disc shape and then cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 45 minutes.
  4. Lightly flour a flat clean space. Take one of the chilled doughs and sprinkle more flour on top, roll out the dough with a rolling pin until it’s about 1/8 inch thick. Use a cookie cutter to cut out as many cookies as you can. Place them on the lined baking sheet.
  5. Use a cookie cutter about the size of a quarter to cut a circle out the middle of each cookie. Remove the middle. Repeat with the other chilled dough. Bake the cookies in the oven for 12-15 minutes, or until a light golden brown color.
  6. Once they are baked let them cool completely. In a large pan add the shredded coconut and cook on a medium to high heat while stirring constantly until it becomes a dark golden brown color. In a medium pot add the milk and caramels, melt over a medium to low heat while stirring constantly.
  7. Add about 1/3 of a cup of the melted caramel to the toasted coconut, stir to combine. Take a cooled cookie and dip the top of it in the caramel, use two forks to lightly dip in the caramel and lift back up. Place back down on the baking sheet with the caramel side facing up.
  8. Take the toasted coconut and press it into the wet caramel on the cookie all around. Repeat until all the cookies are done. In a medium sized microwave safe bowl add the dark chocolate and microwave until melted, stirring every 30 seconds.
  9. Dip the bottoms of the cookies into the chocolate using the two fork trick and place back on the baking sheet, add the rest of the chocolate into a small zip lock bag and cut a tiny bit of the corner off and drizzle on top of the cookies.
  10. Let the chocolate harden (about 10 minutes) then serve and enjoy!!

Nutrition

Serving: 3cookieCalories: 262kcalCarbohydrates: 38gProtein: 4gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.01gCholesterol: 3mgSodium: 114mgPotassium: 199mgFiber: 3gSugar: 24gVitamin A: 24IUVitamin C: 0.4mgCalcium: 51mgIron: 2mg

Notes

Pro Tips for Perfect Homemade Samoas

  • Cold dough is everything: If your shortbread dough is at room temperature when you try to roll it, it will stick to everything and be nearly impossible to work with cleanly. The 45-minute chill is non-negotiable. If it warms up while you're cutting, put it back in the fridge for 10 minutes.
  • Work fast with the caramel: Once the caramel starts to cool, it thickens quickly. Have all your cookies laid out and ready before you start dipping. If it gets too thick mid-batch, set the pan back on low heat for 30 seconds.
  • Use a chocolate bar, not chips: Chocolate chips have stabilizers that prevent them from melting into a truly smooth, glossy consistency. A good dark chocolate bar gives you a cleaner melt and a much better snap and shine when it sets.
  • The two-fork technique is essential: One fork to hold and dip, the other to lift and transfer. Once you try it, you'll use it for every chocolate-dipped cookie you ever make. It gives clean edges and keeps your fingers out of the chocolate.
  • Let cookies cool completely before assembly: Even slightly warm shortbread will melt the caramel and make a mess. Wait until the cookies are completely cooled - at least 20 minutes at room temperature after baking.
  • Make the shortbread bars for an easier option: If cutting rings feels tedious, press the dough into a parchment-lined pan, bake as a sheet, and cut into rectangles after baking. Top with the coconut-caramel mixture and dip one end in chocolate. Tastes identical, takes half the time.

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