Print

Homemade Samoas Cookies Recipe

Print Recipe

★★★★★

4.6 from 76 reviews

These Homemade Samoas Cookies perfectly replicate the beloved Girl Scout treat, featuring buttery shortbread rings topped with toasted sweetened coconut, rich caramel, and a dark chocolate drizzle. This recipe combines a tender, lightly sweet cookie base with a luscious caramel-coconut topping and finishing touch of chocolate, delivering a satisfying balance of textures and flavors.

Ingredients

Scale

Cookie Dough

  • 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

Coconut Topping

  • 3 cups shredded sweetened coconut

Carmel Sauce

  • 15 ounces store-bought or homemade soft caramels
  • 3 tablespoons whole milk
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

Chocolate Coating

  • 8 ounces dark chocolate (chips or chopped)

Instructions

  1. Make the cookies: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes. This incorporates air for a tender texture.
  2. Combine dry ingredients: Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl to ensure they are evenly distributed throughout the dough.
  3. Mix dry and wet ingredients: Add the flour mixture to the creamed butter in three increments, mixing between each addition and scraping down the bowl sides as needed. Incorporate the milk and vanilla until the dough starts forming large clumps.
  4. Chill dough: Divide the dough into two disks, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for about 1 hour until firm enough to roll out.
  5. Preheat oven: Set oven to 350ºF (175ºC) and prepare baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats.
  6. Roll and cut cookies: Roll each dough disk on a lightly floured surface to 1/8-inch thickness. Use a doughnut-shaped or two circular cutters to create ring-shaped cookies. Place on prepared baking sheets.
  7. Bake cookies: Bake for 10-12 minutes, turning pans halfway through, until cookies turn pale golden. Transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
  8. Toast coconut: Spread shredded sweetened coconut on parchment-lined baking sheet and toast in 350ºF oven for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent burning. Remove and cool.
  9. Melt caramel: In a double boiler, combine caramels, milk, and salt. Stir continuously over simmering water until fully melted and smooth.
  10. Mix and apply caramel-coconut topping: Reserve 1/4 cup caramel to spread on cookies. Combine the remaining caramel with toasted coconut. Spread the reserved caramel over cooled cookies, then press the caramel-coconut mixture onto the caramel layer. Let cool 30 minutes. If the mixture thickens, gently rewarm in the double boiler.
  11. Melt chocolate: Melt dark chocolate in a double boiler or microwave in short bursts, stirring until smooth.
  12. Chocolate dip and drizzle: Dip bottoms of cookies in melted chocolate and place on wax paper. Use a fork to drizzle remaining chocolate over tops. Allow chocolate to fully harden at room temperature.

Notes

  • Use two different-sized circular cookie cutters to create the doughnut shape if you don’t have a doughnut cutter.
  • If dough is too firm after chilling, let it rest 10 minutes at room temperature before rolling.
  • Underbake slightly if unsure; the shortbread should be pale golden for a tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture.
  • Watch the coconut carefully while toasting; it burns quickly and requires frequent stirring.
  • Spreading cookies with reserved caramel before applying coconut mixture helps it stick better.
  • 8 ounces of dark chocolate chips equals about 1 1/3 cups if preferred over bars.

Keywords: Samoas, cookies, copycat recipe, Girl Scout cookies, caramel, coconut, chocolate, dessert, homemade

Find it online: https://spatulaqueen.com/homemade-samoas-cookies-recipe/