Homemade Samoas

Ok, I found this recipe off another blogger and had to try it for myself to see if it tasted like my favorite girl scout cookie.  It is very similar.  The cookie itself is a bit sweeter like a sugar cookie, but not bad for a copy cat recipe.  I may try the copy cat tagalong later.

Cookies

1 cup softened butter

1/2 cup sugar

2 cups all purpose flour

1/4 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

up to 2 tbsp milk if needed

Preheat oven to 350.  In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar.  Mix in flour, baking powder and salt at low speed, followed by the vanilla and milk, adding in the milk as needed to make the dough come together without being sticky (milk may not be needed at all).  The dough should come together into a soft, not too sticky ball.  Add in a bit of extra flour if your dough is very sticky.  Roll the dough (working in 2 or 3 batches) out between pieces of wax paper to about 1/4 inch thickness and use a 1 1/2 inch cookie cutter to make rounds.  Place on a parchment lined baking sheet and use a knife to cut a smaller center hole.  Repeat with remaining dough.  Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until bottoms are lightly browned and cookies are set.  Cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

I rolled my dough to about 1/4 inch thick, but I

think a little thinner and it would have been more

like a true samoa.

I used a biscuit cutter and an icing tip for the center

hole.

Topping

3 cups shredded coconut (sweetened or unsweetened)

12 oz good quality chewy caramels

1/4 tsp salt

3 tbsp milk

8 oz dark or semisweet chocolate (chocolate 

chips are okay)

Preheat oven to 300.  Spread coconut evenly on a parchment lined baking sheet (preferably with sides) and toast 20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes, until coconut is golden.  Cool on baking sheet, stirring occasionally.  Set aside.

Unwrap the caramels and place in a large microwave-safe bowl with milk and salt.  

Cook on high for 3 to 4 minutes, stopping to stir a few times to help the caramel melt.  When smooth, fold in toasted coconut with a spatula, spread topping on cooled cookies, using about 2 to 3 tsp per cookie.  Reheat caramel for a few seconds in the microwave if it gets too firm to work with.

While topping sets up, melt chocolate in a small bowl.  Heat on high in the microwave for 45 second intervals, stirring thoroughly to prevent scorching.  Dip the base of each cookie into the chocolate and place on a clean piece of parchment paper.  Transfer all remaining chocolate (or melt a bit of additional chocolate, if necessary) into piping bag or a ziplock bag with the corner snipped off and drizzle finished cookies with chocolate.  Let chocolate set completely before storing in an airtight container.

Makes about 3 dozen yummy cookies.