Homemade Girl Scout Cookies: Samoas January 23
Samoas, also known as Caramel de-Lites, have always been my favorite girl scout cookie (although I do enjoy Do-Si-Dos, Tagalongs and Thin Mints). I’m not sure how they rank in the overall scheme of GS cookie popularity, but I will go so far as to say that I have never met someone who didn’t care for them at all - even people who say that they usually don’t like coconut. I think that the cookie is just a good and rather unique combination of flavors.
The Girl Scout bakeries describe Samoas as vanilla cookies dipped in caramel, topped with coconut and drizzled with chocolate. All good flavors, though I have to admit that I never tasted much vanilla in the cookies themselves, and so I used this description as a jumping off point for my version. I remember the cookies as being crisp and tender in the original, and selected a plain shortbread-like base for these. The cookie dough is very rich - by which I mean that it has a lot of butter - and is very easy to work with. The butter keeps it tender, so it won’t toughen up even after repeated rollings of the dough.
For the topping, I debated between using a from-scratch recipe like Chockylit’s or a semi-homemade recipe like Debbie’s. The from-scratch recipe sounded appealing, but I opted for the semi-homemade version because I had a ton of Werther’s Chewy Caramels around already. These particular caramels are nice because they’re made with real butter, sugar and cream (rather than using partially hydrogenated oils, as a number of other caramels do). Of course, you can use any similar chewy caramel that’s handy, I just recommend picking out one with the best ingredient list you can find. I did take Chockylit’s suggestion of toasting the coconut for bit of extra texture. I used dark chocolate for the dip and drizzle, and set each of the cookies on a piece of parchment paper after dunking them in the chocolate to let it set up in an even layer.
There are two ways to get the shape for these cookies. The first is to roll the dough out between pieces of wax paper and use a cookie cutter to make rounds, cutting the smaller center hole later. This technique works great and doesn’t take too long, especially as the dough can be rerolled a couple of times. The second technique calls for a special pan: a mini donut pan. If you have a pan like this, simply press some cookie dough into the tube and bake. The dough doesn’t rise much, giving you a nice flat side and a perfectly rounded one. Take your pick and go with what is convenient for you.
And since you’re all probably wondering, these cookies were absolutely fabulous. The cookies were tender and buttery, the topping was sweet with a delicious coconut flavor, and the dip of chocolate on the bottom of each cookie balanced all the flavors perfectly. Better than I even remember the Girl Scout cookies being. I could - but I won’t - probably eat an entire batch of these on my own.
Homemade Samoas (a.k.a. Caramel de-Lites)
Cookies
1 cup butter, soft
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
Preheat oven to 350F.
In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Mix in flour, baking powder and salt at a low speed, followed by the vanilla and milk, adding in the milk as needed to make the dough come together without being sticky (it’s possible you might not need to add milk 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 two or three batches) out between pieces of wax paper to about 1/4-inch thickness (or slightly less) and use a 1 1/2-inch cookie cutter to make rounds. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet and use a knife, or the end of a wide straw, to cut a smaller center hole. Repeat with remaining dough. Alternatively, use scant tablespoons of dough and press into an even layer in a mini donut pan to form the rounds.
Bake cookies for 10-12 minutes, until bottoms are lightly browned and cookies are set. If using a mini donut pan, bake for only about 10 minutes, until edges are light gold.
Cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
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 ok)
Preheat oven to 300. Spread coconut evenly on a parchment-lined baking sheet (preferably one 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 3-4 minutes, stopping to stir a few times to help the caramel melt. When smooth, fold in toasted coconut with a spatula.
Using the spatula or a small offset spatula, spread topping on cooled cookies, using about 2-3 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 in 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 a 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 1/2-4 dozen cookies.
Deborah Jan 23
WOW - I can’t believe how much these look like the real thing!! Now I can have girl scout cookies year round!
Jade Jan 23
These look amazing! Definitely giving them a try - I saw another recipe for them elsewhere and they did not look nearly as good. Thanks!
meeso Jan 23
These are definitely my favorite girl scout cookie, they look amazing!
Kim U Jan 23
Thank you for this recipe! These are my _favorite_ girl scout cookies, will definitely have to try making them at home.
June Jan 23
These look so good, I could just cry. Thanks for sharing!
Christina Jan 23
Yum, your cookies look delicious. I will have to surprise my sister w/a batch of these for her birthday later this spring. I have to say that in recent years, the product that the Girls Scouts have been selling as Samoas are awful - they are bland but cloyingly sweet. I vowed never to buy them again, but who needs to now that I have this recipe?! Thank you!
Lewis Jan 23
THESE ARE MY WEAKNESS!!!! Of all their stupid good cookies these are my weakness!!!!
I would say thank you for this recipe but well, some things should be left to once a year ;P (of course now that the cat is out of the bag…might as well make some!)
Cara Jan 23
These are my most favorite of all Girl Scout Cookies! I can’t wait to try this recipe! Has the cookie-selling season started yet? If so, the Girl Scouts seem to have skipped my house this year. Maybe that’s a good thing.
Mrs. L Jan 23
The thought of having my favorite Girl Scout Cookies year round boggles the mind. And I already feel my hips trying to flee the scene in terror at their future enlargement.
M.E. Jan 23
Samoas are the second best-selling Girl Scout Cookie at 19 percent of the market. The number-one seller is Thin Mints at 25 percent of the market. More Girl Scout Cookies are sold every year than Oreos and Chips Ahoy, making them the best-selling cookies in the US. They really are “great cookies for a great cause”! Girl Scout Cookies even have their own MySpace page.
JEP Jan 23
Look amazing…I’m gonna try to make them! These are one of my favorite GS cookies (have a couple of boxes ordered)!
TheKitchenSink Jan 23
When I read you were doing Girl Scout cookies, I was crossing my fingers that you’d feature Samoas. These look absolutely fantastic. I can’t wait to try. Do you have recommendations for “good quality” chewy caramels?
Nicole Jan 23
I definitely recommend the Werther’s Chewy Caramels as a widely available store brand (at least, I always seem to find it at my local market). Otherwise, aim for something with the same consistency - i.e. no hard candies - and check the ingredients list for butter, sugar, cream, which usually add up to a good caramel. Kraft or similar caramels will work, I just don’t think they’re quite as good.
Anne Jan 24
I’ve never had the original cookie, but I’m dying to try this. I actually have mini pans that would be perfect for this, so I’m definitely giving it a go.
melissa Jan 24
oh. my. god. yes!
these were always my favorites, too! And since I’ve moved abroad, I don’t get to eat them at all. Until now, you wonderful woman, you…
Julie O’Hara Jan 24
I lived for these when I was a girl scout. Awesome job on the recipe.
Joan Jan 24
I must be a freak of nature. I won’t eat Samoas, mostly because I don’t like coconut. But we haven’t officially met, so you can still say “I’ve never met anyone…”
Nicole Jan 24
Joan - You’re not a freak, and I swear that I have seen these convent die-hard coconut haters (probably because in the GS version you can’t taste the coconut for some reason. I recall disagreements many years ago with people insisting there was no coconut here), but I do acknowledge that there are people out there who are not coconut fans. I won’t hold it against you
Debbie Jan 25
OK, now where is a recipe for Thin Mints?
Lori Jan 26
Okay, so I’m trying your recipe. What is the dough’s consistency supposed to be like? Mine was extremely sticky - so much that I ended up adding about another 3/4 cup of flour. And just so you know, I’m in Denver, which is a very low humidity town! Thanks . . .
Nicole Jan 26
Lori - That’s odd! I would say that the dough shouldn’t be sticky, but it shouldn’t be falling-apart dry, either. With this recipe, I usually get a play-dough like consistency, maybe a bit wetter than that.
Nicole Jan 26
Another thought: the temperature of your kitchen can, of course, effect the dough’s consistency. If your dough is sticky, perhaps chilling it for a few minutes in the fridge would help.
C(h)ristine Jan 27
OMG Samoas! I would love to be able to have these year-round, and to control the trans fat content.
I baked some this morning–the dough’s consistency was DEFINITELY sticky (and I live at sea level), so I added 1/4 cup of flour and chilled them in the fridge before cutting. That worked just fine, though you still have to be very careful peeling the cookies from the parchment paper.
Also–if you care about the hole in the middle, make the hole bigger than the circumference of a straw–when I put the caramel topping on the cookies, the hole was completely obscured (next time I’m skipping the hole).
Nicole Jan 27
After some reflection, I’m making a minor modification to the recipe as printed above, making the 2 tbsp of milk optional (i.e. add it in as needed). I’m hoping this will eliminate most, or all, of the sticky dough problems, regardless of the humidity levels where you’re baking.
Illiya Jan 28
I haven’t made this yet, but I found an Edy’s Ice Cream with Samoa! They also have Tagalong.
Ashley Jan 28
These look so good!! Coconut on top of a cookie and then with chocolate? Yum.
Bri Jan 29
I just finished drizzling the chocolate on mine and I can’t wait to try them. I may have to throw a couple in the freezer to get them set faster! How did you get the caramel/coconut mixture to behave so well? I couldn’t get mine to go around the hole in the middle for love nor money. So I figure next time I’ll skip making the hole in the first place. Other than that, the dough was perfect as written and everything seemed to come together easily. Thanks for the recipe!
Sadiya Jan 30
Hi nicole,
I love your blog, a day doesn’t go by when I don’t check it. I just had one question regarding dipping the cookie base in chocolate…How do I do that? I am relatively new to baking and can’t understand what the process would be to dip only the base, can you please help me with this. I really would appreciate it a lot.
Thanks for the recipe and have a great day
larissa Jan 30
these look so so so yummy! and as a girl scout of 12 years, i can say carmel delights/somoas were always my best seller. closely behind thin mints of course. i was really sad because this is my first year out of girl scouts and i wasn’t going to get my cookies; but i think i’ll have a try at baking my own!
elaine Jan 31
now, if only we can find the recipe for the thin mints !! that would be awsome !!
Nicole Jan 31
Bri - I definitely used my fingers on some of the cookies to get the caramel into place, but I kind of got into a groove with the spatula and it got easier as I went.
Also, for anyone interested, you can find homemade thin mint cookie recipes here: http://bakingbites.com/2005/10/thin-minties/ and here: http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/001370.html
Jojo Jan 31
You are an absolute doll for posting this! Samoas are also my favorite cookie, and only getting to have them once a year is simply not enough.
I’m definitely going to give these a try over the weekend. Thank you so much for this recipe!
Amy Feb 1
Thanks for a new recipe for my file!
demondoll Feb 1
Thank you! My mouth is a-watering just thinking about baking these…
Lorri Feb 4
I was very excited about this recipe because I love the GS cookie. I was unprepared for how long it took to make them. They looked good but my carmel/coconut topping was very tough. I ended up taking the hardened carmel top off and sandwiching two cookie bottoms together (chocolate in the center) and they tasted like Pepperidge Farms Milanos - yummy.
Nikki Feb 5
Looks like I know what I’m making for dinner tonight
debt relief consolidation Feb 6
Wow! I didn’t know that site was that good!
Jessica “Su Good Sweets” Feb 7
Thanks for the recipe! Samoas are my favorite Girl Scout cookies. I was going to try a homemade version with Chockylit’s topping, but you beat me to it. I’m going to save your Tagalong recipe too.
Mara Feb 8
Made these last night and they are bliss. Thanks so much for the recipe! They are a bit of work but a couple of friends and I turned it in to a cookie making party (and then mercifully split up the results so no one of us would be tempted to eat the whole batch.) and it was a totally enjoyable evening. These are not just better than the real deal, they totally satisfy the craving for the boxed variety, which is not something most home made versions of terrifying boxed things do.
lila Feb 11
OH MY GOD
Ashley Feb 16
As someone who counts down the days until cookie selling season by those adorable Girl Scouts I say “thank you , thank you, thank you!” for sharing this recipe!!
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Karen Feb 26
I made these over the weekend - overall they were excellent!! They are not a quick cookie, but I had fun making them. I confess to leaving out the center hole…it seemed like a lot of work for no reason other than keeping them true to the original samoas. I did find the caramel topping to be REALLY chewy…perhaps more than I would like. Maybe increasing the proportion of coconut would help, or perhaps making my own caramel per chockylit’s recipe? I also would love some better instructions on how to dip the base of the cookies…it was a bit messy! But I still loved the version I made and will absolutely put this in my recipe binder and make these again. So much better than the box version with all sorts of preservatives. Awesome job with this recipe!
Ldylvbgr Feb 27
Yum, my favorite one of theirs, and a whole lot cheaper! I wonder if you could so these in a bar form?
CJ Feb 28
Great to see another recipe like this online. I’ve been making homemade samoas for years. First I find that dipping the bottoms in chocolate before adding the caramel coconut topping is much less messy. But, the biggest difference when I make them is that I don’t put all that time into rolling and cutting the cookies. If you have a spritz press at home with spritz butter or even sugar cookie recipe, these are even simpler to make. And simpler means you get to eat them sooner!
bOo? Mar 2
OMG…. I have a box of those samoas from those girl scouts, and they’re so freakin good, and when I saw the recipe and how I could potentially make samoas myself, I almost drooled on my labtop….
Shopping Cart Software Mar 6
OMG I have always wanted to know how to make those girl scout cookies!
Thank you very much for the info. I will make some tommorow morning.
Shoes & Chocolate Mar 10
Made these over the weekend, and they were divine! They did take a while but were fun to make. I used a cookie press instead of a rolling pin and cookie cutter, but I stuck to this recipe for batter (no milk). The cookies by themselves were terrific, too!
I love the bar idea–that would cut the prep time way down.
I’ve added this to my recipe binder and will definitely be making them again…soon!
Shoes & Chocolate Mar 10
Made these over the weekend, and they were divine! They did take a while but were fun to make. I used a cookie press instead of a rolling pin and cookie cutter, but I stuck to this recipe for batter (no milk). The cookies by themselves were terrific, too!
I love the bar idea–that would cut the prep time way down.
I’ve added this to my recipe binder and will definitely be making them again…soon!
Shoes & Chocolate Mar 10
Oh, and as for spreading the caramel onto the cookies: I used two popsicle sticks, which worked like a charm. If the caramel mixture is too thin to stay put, add a little more toasted coconut. Mine behaved very well!
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LauraHelen Mar 27
These are amazing! I made them after a disappointing batch of girl scout cookies (they were stale or the chocolate was just too fake or something…) They tasted better than the originals and were not hard to make at all! Delicious!!!
Foodaholic Apr 8
Those look amazing! Nice job. I can’t wait to try making them.
Pixie Apr 10
I know this is like an ancient post but thank you so much for sharing this recipe. Living overseas, and being a former g.s. I love samoas and now I can bake them for myself (VERY SOON). I just received a lovely box of samoas from, sticky gooey creamy chewy and they’re now almost gone!
Niall Harbison Apr 17
Hi there,
I just stumbled accross your blog by using stumbleupon and love the design of the whole thing! I normally skip straight past food blogs as I have over 20 in my RSS and dont even have enough time to read the ones that I have! I am started out as a blogger myself and always tried to keep the design simple like yours as I think it is crucial, especially if you can back it up with some nice food pics like yours! Keep up the good work and if you feel like sharing some of the photos with other foodies pop over to www.ifoods.tv which is my new site for foodies! Cheers!
marissa May 3
I was wondering if it would be possible to use the carmel that is used for sundae tops instead of the chewy caramels for the topping?
Nicole May 3
Marissa - No, the sundae topping won’t work here because it is a liquid at room temperature and, unless you are going to eat the cookies quickly and don’t mind them being gooey, the sundae topping won’t “set” like the wrapped caramels do.
Maria May 26
I really like to eat great home cook recipes. This looks perfect on the picture, and I’m sure is really tasty. I have to try it. Thanks for great recipe.
Imajackson Jun 21
MAKE THESE AS A BAR! They are so simple- just as easy to dip in chocolate afterward. Although, make sure you cut the bars before the coconut/carmel mix is done. I,too, added 1/2 cup less of the corn syrup, and only added about 3 cups of coconut. I also doubled the batch. If I had cooked the carmel after I had cut the cookies into bars, it would have been easier to put it on the cookies. It wasn’t hard, but it did get a little bit stiff at the end. Enjoy the cookies, they are AMAZING!
RPO Jun 25
I agree! as a bar these would be delicious!
Judith Aug 2
Thank you SO much! I just came across your GS cookie recipes from Chocolate Moosey and I’m thrilled. I moved a year ago to Iowa, and discovered that unlike my beloved East Coast Girl Scout cookies, these things are *horrible*. It isn’t just the names that change, it’s the taste. Blech. I’ll definitely be making my own!
RPO Aug 4
Samoas are my favorite! No longer will I pay 6 bucks to buy them. I will make them!!!
Nanette Aug 30
HOLY COW!!! I’m a HUGE fan of Tagalong and Samoa Girl Scout Cookies and this tops it! They are absolutely amazing! The only thing I did differently for both cookies is I used a store bought shortbread cookie that the bottom was already dipped in chocolate! It’s a HUGE time saver if you have children and are always on the go. Love them!
grill accessories Sep 10
Wow, these look good. This is my favorite Girl Scout Cookie, but your look better because they look like they would be chewier. Is that true?
After making these, I might have to have my 3 year old son go door to door selling them…;)
Emily Sep 14
I made these last night and really enjoyed them. I wasn’t prepared for how long it would take- I made my own carmel so that added to the cooking time, all together it took 3 1/2 hours to make them. I also dipped the cookies in chocolate before topping with carmel- much easier. Thanks!
Deborah Dowd Sep 28
The only saving grace of these GS cookies is that they are available for a limited time. Now you show me I can make my own?!
I really do not have that much self-control. Thanks for a great post (I think!)
Kelli@GohnCrazy Oct 4
These are hands down my favorite Girl Scout Cookies. Thank you so much for sharing this. They look divine. I must give them a try soon….very soon.