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Samoas Cookies (Girl Scout Copycat) Recipe

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★★★★★

4.6 from 134 reviews

These Samoas Cookies are a delicious Girl Scout copycat featuring buttery shortbread cookies topped with sticky caramel-toasted coconut and finished with rich dark chocolate. The combination of textures and flavors makes these treats irresistible and perfect for any cookie lover.

Ingredients

Scale

Shortbread Cookie

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 Tbsp powdered sugar
  • 1 Tbsp whole milk
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
  • 1/4 tsp baking soda

Toasted Coconut & Caramel

  • 3 1/2 cups shredded sweetened coconut flakes
  • 15 oz caramels (soft caramels recommended)
  • 2–3 Tbsp heavy cream

Chocolate Coating

  • 10 oz Ghirardelli dark chocolate melting wafers
  • 1 tsp oil (canola or vegetable)

Instructions

  1. Make the shortbread cookie dough: Cream the unsalted butter and salt in a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment for 2-4 minutes until smooth. Add the granulated sugar, powdered sugar, whole milk, and vanilla extract. Beat again for 1-2 minutes until well combined.
  2. Add dry ingredients: On low speed, gradually add the all-purpose flour and baking soda just until the dough comes together without overmixing.
  3. Roll and chill dough: Form the dough into a disk, place it between two sheets of parchment paper, and roll out to about 1/4 inch thickness. Transfer the dough on parchment to a cookie sheet and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour or up to overnight.
  4. Preheat and toast coconut: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Spread the shredded sweetened coconut on a baking sheet and toast in the oven for 10-15 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent burning. Once toasted, transfer to a separate parchment-lined sheet pan to cool and halt further browning.
  5. Cut out cookies: Remove top parchment from the chilled dough. Using a 2-inch circular cookie cutter (and a piping tip or smaller cutter to make a small center hole), cut out cookies shaped like rings. Place cookies on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
  6. Bake cookies: Bake the shortbread cookies for 8-10 minutes or until the edges just start to turn golden. Remove and allow to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
  7. Re-roll scraps: Gather cookie scraps, reroll between parchment sheets, chill again until firm, and cut out additional cookies. Yield approximately 22-25 cookies in total.
  8. Melt caramels: Unwrap caramels and place them in a microwave-safe bowl with 2-3 tablespoons of heavy cream. Microwave in short increments, stirring until smooth. Add more heavy cream if needed to achieve a spreadable consistency.
  9. Mix caramel with toasted coconut: Pour most of the melted caramel into the toasted coconut and mix thoroughly until the mixture is sticky and well combined. Reserve about 1/4 to 1/3 cup caramel for assembly.
  10. Assemble cookie layers: Spread a thin layer of the reserved caramel over each cooled shortbread cookie as glue. Then mound the caramel-coconut mixture onto each cookie ring, pressing gently to adhere. Allow the assembled cookies to set for 15-30 minutes.
  11. Melt chocolate: Microwave the dark chocolate wafers with 1 teaspoon of oil in short bursts until smooth and melted.
  12. Dunk cookies in chocolate: Using a fork, dip the bottom half of each cookie into the melted chocolate, tapping off the excess. Place cookies on a Silpat-lined baking sheet. Repeat for all cookies.
  13. Drizzle chocolate on top: Pour the remaining melted chocolate into a small ziplock bag, cut off a tiny corner, and drizzle over the tops of the cookies for decoration.
  14. Set and serve: Allow the chocolate to set completely at room temperature before enjoying these homemade Samoas cookies. Celebrate your success and indulge!

Notes

  • Be sure to watch the coconut carefully while toasting to avoid burning—it can brown quickly toward the end.
  • You can substitute Ghirardelli dark chocolate melting wafers with any good quality dark chocolate chips or melting chocolate.
  • Use soft caramels for easier melting and spreading; homemade caramel can also be used but will require additional steps.
  • These cookies keep well stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.
  • Using parchment between dough rolling and cutting helps prevent sticking and makes cleanup easier.
  • The cookie yield depends on dough thickness and cookie cutter size but should be about 22-25 cookies.

Keywords: Samoas Cookies, Girl Scout Cookies, Caramel Coconut Cookies, Copycat Cookies, Shortbread Cookies, Homemade Samoas

Find it online: https://platedbyemma.com/samoas-cookies-girl-scout-copycat-recipe/