Homemade Samoa Cookies

Samoas are my most favorite girl scout cookie ever. 

Ever. 

The chocolate.  The coconut.  The gooey caramel.  All combined into a little bite of confectioner's heaven.

If you crave these cookies as much as I do, but are tired of having to wait anxiously for the arrival of girl scout cookie season every year, then this recipe is for you.  With a little time spent in the kitchen, you can now enjoy these caramely, chocolatey, coconut Samoas all year round.  

Mmm, okay.  Twist my arm! 

Homemade Samoas

Cookies

• 1 cup butter, softened


• 1/2 cup sugar


• 2 cups all-purpose flour


• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder


• 1/2 teaspoon salt


• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract


• up to 2 Tablespoons milk

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.


2. In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar.  Mix in flour, baking powder, and salt at a low-speed.  Then add the vanilla and milk, adding in milk only as needed to make the dough come together without being sticky.  The dough will be a soft, not-too-sticky ball.


3. Divide the dough into 2-3 portions.  Roll out each portion between two pieces of wax paper to about 1/4 inch thickness or less (thinner dough will yield a crispier cookie when baked).  Using a 1 1/2 inch cookie cutter, cut out round cookies.  Transfer the rounds to a parchment lined baking sheet.  (Optional - use a knife or a straw to cut a small hole in the center of each cookie).  Repeat with remaining portions of the dough.


4. Bake cookies for 10-12 minutes or until the bottoms are lightly browned.  Let cool for a few minutes and then transfer to a wire rack.

Topping

• 3 cups shredded coconut (sweetened or unsweetened)


• 12 oz. good quality chewy caramels


• 1/4 teaspoon salt


• 3 Tablespoons milk


• 8 oz. dark or semisweet chocolate (chips are okay)

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.  Spread coconut evenly on a parchment lined baking sheet.  Toast for 10-20 minutes stirring every 5 minutes until coconut is lightly toasted.  Cool, stirring occasionally, and set aside.


2. Unwrap caramels and place in a microwave safe bowl with milk and salt.  Microwave on full power for 3-4 minutes, stirring every 60 seconds, until caramel is melted.  When smooth, fold in the toasted coconut.


3. While the topping is still hot, spread on cooled cookies, using about 2-3 teaspoons per cookie.  (If the topping gets too firm to work with, just pop it into the microwave for a few seconds to loosen it up again.)


4. While topping sets up, place chocolate in a small microwave safe bowl.  Heat on full power in the microwave in 45 second intervals.  Stir after each interval to prevent scorching.  Once melted, dip the base of each cookie into the chocolate and immediately place on parchment paper.  Transfer all remaining chocolate to a Ziploc bag.   Snip off one corner to make a piping bag and drizzle chocolate over the cookies.


5. Let chocolate set completely before storing in an air tight container.

*Original recipe from Sweetly Serendipity.  (I should also thank Lauren, over at L-Mo Cooks...and Reads, for discovering the source of this recipe and passing it along for me to give it a go!)