Samoa Cookies

Name: Samoa Cookies
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 3 h 5 min
Ingredients: 1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1 cup butter, softened; 1 cup powdered sugar; 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla; 1-2 teaspoons milk; 2 1/2 cups shredded sweetened coconut; 2 11-ounce bags of store-bought caramels (such as Kraft); 2 tablespoons milk; 3 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips; 1 1/2 teaspoons canola oil

If you have the time and want a challenge, try these copycat Samoa cookies and enjoy Girl Scout cookies anytime you want! Shortbread cookies topped with caramel, coconut then dipped and drizzled with chocolate!

Servings 30 cookies

Author Joshua Snyder

Prep time

30 Min

Cook time

35 Min

Inactive time

2 Hour

Total time

3 H & 5 M

Samoa Cookies

Ingredients

1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1-2 teaspoons milk

Topping

2 1/2 cups shredded sweetened coconut
2 11-ounce bags of store-bought caramels (such as Kraft)
2 tablespoons milk
3 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 1/2 teaspoons canola oil

Instructions

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, powdered sugar, and salt. Sift together and set aside.
In large bowl, cream butter until light and fluffy.
Add vanilla and beat until combined.
Add half of the dry mixture to the wet mixture and mix until incorporated.
Add remaining dry mixture. Beat dough for 2 minutes. It will be crumbly at first.
Add a little milk at a time until dough holds together. Knead dough with your hands if necessary.
Form into two equal discs. Cover with wrap and refrigerate for an hour before rolling out.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
Roll out discs of dough on a floured surface. Roll dough to 1/4” thick.
Using a 2 1/2-inch round cutter, cut out cookies.
Then use a 3/4-inch round shaped cutter and cut a hole in the center of each cookie.
Place on cookies on baking sheets.
Bake for 13-15 minutes until slightly brown on the edges.
Remove from oven and let cool completely before layering.

Topping

Add 1/4 of the caramels and 1 teaspoon milk to a microwave safe bowl.
Microwave on half power for 1 minute.
Then heat on half-power in 15 second intervals stirring in between until caramel is melted and smooth.
Using a candy melt bottle or just a spoon, spread the caramel on all the cookies in a thin even layer. (This can be tricky since the caramel is SO sticky!) Reheat the caramel in the bottle or the bowl if it thickens too much.
Add the remaining caramels and milk to a large microwave safe bowl.
Repeat the heating instructions until the caramel is melted and smooth.
Add the coconut to the heated caramel and stir together.
Using a spoon and your fingers, shape the coconut/caramel mixture to lay on top of the first caramel layer leaving the hole in the middle of the cookie. Reheat the caramel/coconut in the microwave if it gets too thick.
Let cookies sit around 30 minutes until caramel is completely cooled and hardened.
Lay a couple sheets of wax paper down for the cookies.
Add 3/4 of the chocolate chips and 1 teaspoons canola oil to a medium microwave safe bowl.
Heat in microwave on half-power for 1 minute. Then heat on half-power in 15 second intervals stirring in between until chocolate is smooth.
Dip the bottoms of the cookies in the melted chocolate.
Use a knife, end of a spatula or chopstick to help pull the cookie out. Place on wax paper.
Once all the cookies are dipped, melt the remaining chocolate chips and canola oil in a small microwave-safe bowl.
Use either a fork or an icing bottle to drizzle the chocolate over the tops of the cookies.
Let cookies sit for an hour until the chocolate has completely hardened and easily lifts from the wax paper.

Notes

The caramel can be melted with a double boiler system if desired. The Kraft caramels melt pretty well in the microwave and need to be remelted a few times usually.

Make sure your candy melt bottle is sturdy enough to handle the caramel. You can also try to spread the caramel with a spoon or knife. Caramel if difficult to work with so have patience and get ready for a bit of a clean up afterward!

You can also toast the coconut before adding it to the caramel, just be careful not to burn. I have found that toasting the coconut does not really add much flavor so it's a step I usually skip.