Homemade Samoas
I keep seeing everyone tweeting about Girl Scout Cookies. I guess it’s about that time for the orders to go in? My family is full of boys…no young girls are out and about peddling Samoas, Thin Mints, or Do-Si-Dos. Sad, isn’t it? Not a soul has asked me to buy a box of anything. Heck, I don’t even know anyone with Girl Scout connections. Which kind of sucks, as Jon and I LOVE Samoas.
So what that means is – Homemade Samoas.
Is it involved?
Yep.
But that’s okay. It actually looks worse on paper than it is in action. The shortbread layer is quick. The caramel you can make in advance and warm up when you are ready for it, not that it takes too long to make in the first place. The worst part is that it’s a sticky process.
Totally worth it.
This recipe will yield you around three dozen larger than average Samoas, or about two to three boxes worth. And they will be fresh. And homemade, using the best quality ingredients YOU want to use. And your friends will think you are a genius, because no one understands that you can actually make Girl Scout Cookies without a robot and a Scout Leader.
Best part? No waiting until Spring for the orders to come in…you can have them TODAY.
Yesssss.
Homemade Samoas
Rating: 5
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Yield: 36-40 cookies
Ingredients
Shortbread Cookie Base
7 Tbsp. Butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons milk (or more, as needed)
Caramel Topping
14 tablespoons butter
3/4 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup light corn syrup
2 tsp. sea salt
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
Cookie Topping
3 cups shredded sweetened coconut
1 1/2 cups Caramel (from above recipe)
1 cup Semisweet Chocolate Chips
Instructions
For the Shortbread
Preheat oven to 350F. Cream together butter and sugar with stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Slowly add in flour, baking powder and salt on low speed, then the vanilla and 1 tablespoon milk. If dough is too dry, add a teaspoon at a time of milk. The dough should not be sticky, so if it is, add a little flour at a time until it reaches a consistency that will allow you to roll it with a rolling pin. Roll the dough to around 1/4 inch and cut with round cookie cutters around 1 – 1/1/2 inches round. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet or Silpat and make a hole in the center with a straw or round piping tip. Reroll any scraps. Bake cookies for 10-12 minutes, until very lightly golden brown around the edges. Allow to cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet.
For the Caramel
In a heavy bottomed pot, such as enameled cast iron, combine all caramel topping ingredients save for the extract and bean paste. Bring to a boil and stir until sugars are dissolved and the mixture is well combined. Using a candy thermometer, watch for the goal of about 230 degrees. Allow to boil at this temp for several minutes, until it begins to climb over 235. Stir continuously. Remove from heat and stir in the extract and paste.
To Finish:
Toast the coconut either in the oven (300 degrees, stirring every few minutes) or on the stove top in a large skillet, stirring frequently. Allow to cool.
In a microwave safe bowl, reheat caramel until warm, if necessary. Add the coconut and stir until well combined.
Using a spoon or small spatula, add the topping to the shortbread cookies. Warning – this is a little sticky and messy, but fairly easy. Once all of the cookies are topped, heat the chocolate in the microwave at 30 second intervals until smooth. Dip the bottoms of the cookies into the chocolate and place on parchment or Silpat and place in the refrigerator to set. When set, heat more chocolate in the microwave and add to a piping bag. Squiggle chocolate on the tops of the cookies.
Have a great day everyone!! I’ll see you back here tomorrow for Popover Day! (It’s a yummy one!) See you then!
