Homemade Samoas Cookies Recipe

If you’ve ever found yourself craving those irresistible, chewy, chocolate-dipped caramel coconut treats from the Girl Scouts—or just love a sweet, nostalgic cookie to brighten your day—Homemade Samoas Cookies will absolutely steal your heart. Layers of buttery shortbread, golden toasted coconut, gooey caramel, and a rich finish of dark chocolate make every bite joyfully decadent. These cookies capture everything you love about the classic, but with the extra satisfaction of making them right in your own kitchen. Whether you’re baking them for a special gathering or a late-night treat, you’ll discover just how fun (and dangerous!) it is to have a batch of Homemade Samoas Cookies at your fingertips.

Ingredients You’ll Need

One of the best parts about Homemade Samoas Cookies is that the ingredients are simple yet star in each layer, contributing their own unique flavor and texture. Take a look at what you’ll need—each one is key to recreating that magical blend of crunchy, chewy, sweet, and chocolatey goodness!

• Unsalted Butter, at room temperature: Soft butter ensures your shortbread base is rich, tender, and melts in your mouth.
• Sugar: Sweetens the dough and helps the cookies achieve their golden edges.
• All-purpose Flour: Gives the cookies their sturdy, classic foundation.
• Baking Powder: Just a hint provides a little lift and perfect crumb.
• Salt: Balances sweetness and brings out nuanced flavors in the dough and topping.
• Whole Milk: Adds moisture and helps bind the dough together for easy rolling and cutting.
• Vanilla Extract: Perfumes the shortbread with warm vanilla notes, amplifying the cookie’s comforting flavor.
• Shredded Sweetened Coconut: The star of the show—brings toasty, chewy texture and lots of tropical personality.
• Soft Caramels (store-bought or homemade): Melted caramels become that gooey, luxurious layer you expect from every bite.
• Whole Milk (again, for caramel): Keeps the caramel luscious and spreadable for a gorgeous finish.
• Salt (for caramel): A pinch sharpens the caramel’s flavor and makes it sing.
• Dark Chocolate: The essential final touch—rich, bittersweet chocolate contrasts perfectly with the sweet, sticky topping.

How to Make Homemade Samoas Cookies

Step 1: Make the Shortbread Cookie Dough

Start by creaming together the unsalted butter and sugar in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Blend until it’s light and fluffy—the air you whip in here is what will make your cookies so delightfully tender. While that’s mixing, whisk together your flour, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture in three parts, making sure to scrape down the bowl between additions. Once combined, pour in the milk and vanilla extract. The dough will begin to clump together in large pieces—that’s your cue to stop mixing and get hands-on!

Step 2: Chill and Shape the Dough

Divide the dough in half and press each piece into a compact disk with your hands. Wrap them securely in plastic wrap and refrigerate for about an hour. Chilling is crucial; it relaxes the gluten and firms up the butter, so your cookies will roll out smoothly and bake up beautifully crisp. If the dough is too firm after chilling, just let it rest at room temperature for about 10 minutes.

Step 3: Roll Out and Cut Cookies

After chilling, lightly flour your work surface and roll each disk to about 1/8-inch thickness—thin enough for that classic snap but not fragile. Use a doughnut-shaped cookie cutter to cut out the cookies, or improvise with two round cutters or spice jar lids for the signature Samoas ring. Carefully transfer each cut-out to a parchment or Silpat-lined baking sheet, gathering and re-rolling dough scraps as needed.

Step 4: Bake the Shortbread Cookies

Bake the cookies at 350ºF for 10 to 12 minutes, rotating your sheet halfway through. The goal is pale golden color; you want them crisp, not browned or dry. Once they’re done, move the cookies to a wire rack and let them cool completely—cooling ensures they don’t shatter when you add the gooey toppings later!

Step 5: Toast the Coconut

Spread sweetened shredded coconut on a parchment-lined baking sheet and toast in a 350ºF oven, stirring every couple of minutes. Keep a watchful eye—coconut goes from perfectly golden to burnt in seconds! Once evenly toasted, set it aside to cool while you move on to the caramel.

Step 6: Make the Caramel-Coconut Topping

In a double boiler, melt together your soft caramels, milk, and salt, stirring until smooth. Once melted and luscious, blend about three-quarters of the caramel with your toasted coconut in a large bowl. The result is a sticky, chunky mixture that will cling perfectly to each cookie. Reserve that last bit of caramel for the next step.

Step 7: Assemble the Cookies

Spread a thin layer of the reserved caramel onto the top of each cooled shortbread cookie—think glue for your coconut! Press a portion of the warm coconut-caramel mixture over the caramel base, gently shaping it to cover the ring. Don’t worry if things get a little messy; rustic edges just add to the homemade charm. If your topping thickens and becomes hard to spread, just pop it back over gentle heat until it loosens up.

Step 8: Dip and Drizzle with Chocolate

Melt your dark chocolate in a double boiler or the microwave, stirring until silky. Dip the bottoms of each cookie to coat generously, then set them on a wax paper-lined baking sheet. With a fork, drizzle chocolate over the tops for that signature stripes look. Let the chocolate set at room temperature or pop the cookies in the fridge briefly to speed things along. When the chocolate is firm, the Homemade Samoas Cookies are ready for their close-up!

How to Serve Homemade Samoas Cookies

Garnishes

Serving these cookies as-is is already a treat, but for a little extra flair, sprinkle a tiny pinch of flaky sea salt over the wet chocolate drizzle. It sharpens the chocolate’s flavor and adds a delicate, sparkly finish. If you’re feeling festive, a scattering of toasted coconut over the top makes the cookies look extra inviting and accentuates that tropical flavor.

Side Dishes

Homemade Samoas Cookies are irresistible with an ice-cold glass of milk or a robust cup of coffee—both balance the cookie’s rich sweetness. For a fun dessert platter, serve them with fresh fruit slices like strawberries or pineapple, which add a juicy, refreshing contrast to the sweet, chewy cookies.

Creative Ways to Present

If you’re sharing these at a party, arrange them in neat concentric circles on a large platter, or box them up in cellophane bags tied with ribbon for adorable homemade gifts. For extra wow factor, stack them around a scoop of coconut or chocolate ice cream for a decadent Samoas-inspired sundae.

Make Ahead and Storage

Storing Leftovers

Once the chocolate has set, store Homemade Samoas Cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. Place parchment between layers to keep them from sticking. They’ll stay fresh for up to a week, though chances are they’ll disappear much sooner!

Freezing

If you’d like to get ahead, these cookies freeze wonderfully. Simply arrange cooled, finished cookies in a single layer on a baking sheet, freeze until solid, then transfer to a sealed bag or container. They’ll keep up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature and they’re just as delicious as the day you made them.

Reheating

Samoas don’t really need reheating, but if you love a slightly melty chocolate touch, set a couple of cookies on a plate and microwave for just 5–10 seconds. The chocolate softens and the caramel gets a little gooey—cookie heaven!

FAQs

Can I use store-bought shortbread to save time?

Absolutely! While making the dough from scratch gives you that fresh, buttery flavor, good-quality store-bought shortbread rings can be used in a pinch. Just be sure they’re sturdy enough to hold up to the topping and dipping steps.

How do I keep my coconut from burning?

Stir the coconut every couple of minutes and keep a vigilant eye on the oven—you want it evenly golden, not browned. Since coconut can turn too dark very quickly, stay nearby and spread it out in a thin, even layer for consistent toasting.

Can I use milk chocolate instead of dark chocolate?

Definitely! If you love a sweeter finish, substitute milk chocolate for the dark chocolate in your Homemade Samoas Cookies. Just keep in mind it will yield a less intensely chocolatey, but still wonderfully delicious, treat.

Is there a way to make these cookies gluten-free?

Yes! Try swapping the all-purpose flour for a high-quality gluten-free one-for-one baking flour. The texture may be a touch different, but you’ll still get that amazing Samoas flavor and structure.

What do I do if my caramel coconut mixture gets too thick?

It happens! If the mixture cools and becomes tough to spread, just set the bowl over a pot of steaming water (double boiler style) and gently warm it, stirring until it’s soft and spreadable again.

Final Thoughts

Few things compare to the joy (and pride!) of pulling a tray of Homemade Samoas Cookies out of your own oven. Each cookie brings layers of childhood nostalgia, gooey caramel, sweet coconut, and just enough chocolate to feel a little bit fancy. Bake a batch soon, share a few with the people you love, and get ready for rave reviews—there’s nothing quite like the magic of Homemade Samoas Cookies made from scratch!

Print