Homemade Samoa Girl Scout Cookies Recipe
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Whether you're team Thin Mints or team Samoas (or team both!), there's no denying the pull of Girl Scout cookies. That once-a-year Girl Scout cookie window feels just a little too short, and it's way too easy to polish off a few boxes before you realize it. But if you find yourself wishing there'd be another opportunity to enjoy Samoas, you're in luck.
No, we can't help extend Girl Scout cookie season, but we can at least provide this homemade Samoa Girl Scout cookie recipe, courtesy of developer Katie Rosenhouse. With a few simple ingredients and a little prep time, you can maintain a steady stock of homemade Samoas year-round. This recipe closely follows that beloved Girl Scout Samoa formula, yielding buttery, doughnut-shaped shortbread cookies coated with caramel, coconut, and melted chocolate for that decadent flavor and texture you love. The best part? This version streamlines the process by using store-bought caramels, making the recipe easier to produce without sacrificing on flavor. Don't be surprised if these homemade Samoas disappear just as fast as the original boxes did.
Gather the ingredients for homemade Samoa Girl Scout cookies
To start this Samoa recipe, you'll cream unsalted butter, confectioners' sugar, and vanilla or coconut extract until smooth. If you're big on coconut flavor, make sure to opt for the coconut extract, which will boost the overall coconut flavor of the recipe. All-purpose flour and kosher salt round out the ingredients for the shortbread base.
After baking, the cookies are dipped in a combination of melted store-bought soft caramel candies, heavy cream, and toasted shredded coconut. Choose any brand of caramels you like, but note you may need an additional splash of cream along the way if the caramels you chose are on the firmer side. Melted bittersweet chocolate chips (with a tablespoon of oil to thin the consistency) finish the cookies off with a lovely chocolate base and drizzled top. Feel free to choose other types of chocolate, including dark, milk, or even white, as desired.
Step 1: Beat the butter and sugar
Beat the butter, confectioners' sugar, and extract in a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment until smooth.
Step 2: Add flour and salt
Add flour and salt and beat to combine.
Step 3: Transfer dough to parchment paper
Transfer the dough to a sheet of parchment paper.
Step 4: Cover and roll the cookie dough
Cover the dough with an additional sheet of parchment paper and roll it to a little over ¼-inch thickness.
Step 5: Chill the cookie dough
Transfer the parchment-covered dough to a baking sheet and chill for at least 15 minutes, or until firm.
Step 6: Preheat the oven
Preheat the oven to 375 F.
Step 7: Cut out the cookies
Cut out cookies using a 1- or 1 ¼-inch cutter.
Step 8: Transfer cookies to baking sheets
Transfer the cookies to lined baking sheets.
Step 9: Cut out the center of each cookie
Use a ½-inch piping tip or cutter to cut out the center of each cookie.
Step 10: Roll out dough scraps and form more cookies
Roll out the dough scraps and repeat the process until you have about 48 cookies.
Step 11: Bake the cookies
Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes, or until golden brown.
Step 12: Prepare the coconut
Spread the shredded coconut out on a baking sheet.
Step 13: Bake the coconut
Bake the coconut, stirring occasionally, for 5-6 minutes, until golden brown and toasty.
Step 14: Add caramels and cream to bowl
Place half of the caramels in a microwave-safe bowl along with 2 tablespoons heavy cream.
Step 15: Heat until smooth
Heat in short bursts, stirring occasionally, until the caramel is melted and smooth.
Step 16: Crush the coconut
se the back of a cup or gloved hands to crush the coconut to small flakes.
Step 17: Add some coconut to the caramel
Add ¼ of the coconut to the caramel mixture, mixing to combine.
Step 18: Dip cookies in caramel
Dip the tops of the cookies one at a time into the caramel mixture to coat. (Stir occasionally and adjust caramel with an extra splash of heavy cream as needed.)
Step 19: Sprinkle cookies with coconut
Repeat with remaining cookies, placing them back on the baking sheet and sprinkling with ¼ of the remaining coconut while still sticky.
Step 20: Repeat the process to coat the remaining cookies
Make another batch of the melted caramel/cream mixture using the remaining caramels and 2 tablespoons cream. Repeat the process of adding coconut, dunking the remaining cookies, and sprinkling them with remaining coconut.
Step 21: Melt the chocolate
Melt the chocolate and oil in the microwave until smooth.
Step 22: Dip cookies in chocolate
Use a fork to dip the bottoms of the coated cookies in chocolate. Return coated cookies to the baking sheets as you go.
Step 23: Drizzle the cookies with chocolate
Drizzle the dipped cookies with remaining chocolate.
Step 24: Chill and serve the homemade Samoas
Chill the cookies until firm, then serve.
Pairs well with homemade Girl Scout Samoa cookies
Homemade Samoa Girl Scout Cookies Recipe
These homemade Samoa cookies feature the hallmarks of the Girl Scout favorites, from the shortbread base to the coconut-caramel coating and chocolate drizzle.
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla or coconut extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 ½ cups shredded sweetened coconut
- 1 (11-ounce) package soft caramels, divided
- ⅓ cup heavy cream, divided
- 1 (10-ounce) package bittersweet chocolate chips
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil
Directions
- Beat the butter, confectioners' sugar, and extract in a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment until smooth.
- Add flour and salt and beat to combine.
- Transfer the dough to a sheet of parchment paper.
- Cover the dough with an additional sheet of parchment paper and roll it to a little over ¼-inch thickness.
- Transfer the parchment-covered dough to a baking sheet and chill for at least 15 minutes, or until firm.
- Preheat the oven to 375 F.
- Cut out cookies using a 1- or 1 ¼-inch cutter.
- Transfer the cookies to lined baking sheets.
- Use a ½-inch piping tip or cutter to cut out the center of each cookie.
- Roll out the dough scraps and repeat the process until you have about 48 cookies.
- Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes, or until golden brown.
- Spread the shredded coconut out on a baking sheet.
- Bake the coconut, stirring occasionally, for 5-6 minutes, until golden brown and toasty.
- Place half of the caramels in a microwave-safe bowl along with 2 tablespoons heavy cream.
- Heat in short bursts, stirring occasionally, until the caramel is melted and smooth.
- Use the back of a cup or gloved hands to crust the coconut to small flakes.
- Add ¼ of the coconut to the caramel mixture, mixing to combine.
- Dip the tops of the cookies one at a time into the caramel mixture to coat. (Stir occasionally and adjust caramel with an extra splash of heavy cream as needed.)
- Repeat with remaining cookies, placing them back on the baking sheet and sprinkling with ¼ of the remaining coconut while still sticky.
- Make another batch of the melted caramel/cream mixture using the remaining caramels and 2 tablespoons cream. Repeat the process of adding coconut, dunking the remaining cookies, and sprinkling them with remaining coconut.
- Melt the chocolate and oil in the microwave until smooth.
- Use a fork to dip the bottoms of the coated cookies in chocolate. Return coated cookies to the baking sheets as you go.
- Drizzle the dipped cookies with remaining chocolate.
- Chill the cookies until firm, then serve.
Nutrition
| Calories per Serving | 139 |
| Total Fat | 8.1 g |
| Saturated Fat | 4.9 g |
| Trans Fat | 0.0 g |
| Cholesterol | 12.5 mg |
| Total Carbohydrates | 16.7 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 0.6 g |
| Total Sugars | 11.3 g |
| Sodium | 44.9 mg |
| Protein | 1.3 g |
What are tips for making perfect at-home Samoas?
When it comes to making homemade Girl Scout cookies, the most important tip is to not feel intimidated. Just take your time, and approach the process in stages.
When mixing the dough, mix just to combine to avoid making the cookies dense or rubbery. Transfer that dough to parchment paper for an easy time rolling (without any excess flour needed), and chill thoroughly to keep the shapes intact as you transfer to baking sheets. Bake until golden brown and crisp for the right texture.
Keep an eye on your toasting coconut, as it can go from perfectly golden to scorched in seconds. In the same vein, avoid overheating the caramel. Short bursts are best to ensure the candies are melted without burning. Adjust the mixture with an additional splash of cream as needed, or by reheating if it gets too cool as you're working. Make sure to stir occasionally to help the caramel coating adhere to the cookies as you dip. Working in batches will help simplify the process.
Dip the bottoms of the cookies using a fork or dipping tool, or speed up the process by drizzling with chocolate more heavily, and skipping the dip altogether (although you'll miss out on that iconic Samoas look).
How should I store homemade Samoas, and how long will they last?
Because these homemade Samoas have a rich caramel coating and chocolate dip, storing them properly is essential to keep them from melting, becoming soggy, or even developing streaks or white flecks ("bloom") on the drizzle.
To store, pack the chilled cookies into airtight containers or zip-top bags, separating with layers of parchment paper to keep them from sticking together. Refrigerate for up to a week if you think you'll go through them quickly enough, or freeze for longer storage. Tightly sealed in the freezer, they'll last for up to three months. Let stand at room temperature for a few minutes before enjoying, and they'll be fresh as the day they were made.
Want to make them ahead? You can also prep and bake the shortbread cookies, and freeze for up to three months without having to worry about the cookies becoming damaged. Dip and drizzle the day before or day of serving for the freshest finish.