Buttery Samoas Delight

Featured in Sweet Creations and Baking Adventures.

Chill your dough well before baking to keep cookies soft. Toast up your coconut until it smells nutty and stir in caramel for a gooey topping. Sandwich it all on buttery cookies, then dunk and streak each one with melted chocolate for the real Samoa vibe. Play around with different cookie shapes if you like—just keep the layers thick. Being patient between steps pays off, especially when you bite into those chewy, chocolatey, coconutty circles that feel like childhood in a batch.

Rana
Updated on Mon, 09 Jun 2025 20:50:20 GMT
Homemade Samoas Cookies Pin it
Homemade Samoas Cookies | flavorsenthusiasts.com

Bringing those famous Samoas into your own kitchen is super doable—here's how you get a crumbly buttery base, stretchy caramel, golden coconut, and a hit of chocolate in every bite. No more counting down to Girl Scout season—you get the real deal whenever you want. My neighbors went wild when I brought a batch to a bake sale, claiming they were just as good as the originals!

I tried these after the troop booth ran out, now they're a go-to for family hangouts, birthdays, or even movie snacks.

Irresistible Ingredients

  • Unsalted butter (let it soften): makes those cookies melt away—European butter brings more flavor
  • Granulated sugar: makes it sweet, plus helps the cookies stay firm—cane sugar is great for mild caramel flavor
  • All-purpose flour: gives you structure—sift before mixing to keep things tender
  • Baking powder: just adds a smidge of lift—freshness matters for the best result
  • Salt: evens out the sweetness—you want fine sea salt so it mixes in everywhere
  • Whole milk: binds things and keeps shortbread tender—don’t swap for skim
  • Vanilla extract: warms everything up—go for real vanilla if you can
  • Shredded sweetened coconut: for that chewy golden topping—grab moist, soft coconut, avoid dried-out bags
  • Soft caramels: makes the gooey stripes—something like Werther’s (or homemade ones) melt the best
  • Dark chocolate: melts glossy and coats with rich flavor—pick chocolate that's 60% cacao or more
  • Tips: Choose legit butter and chocolate for the best cookies. Make sure your coconut isn’t dried up or old.

Step-by-Step Walkthrough

Dip and Drizzle Chocolate:
After melting your dark chocolate (either double boiler or gentle microwave), dunk the cookie bottoms and set them on parchment. Use a fork to flick chocolate over the tops. Let them chill until the chocolate sets up before you move or serve them.
Assemble the Cookies:
Spread a bit of your saved caramel on each cooled cookie, then press on some coconut-caramel mix. If it gets sticky, wet your fingers to help out.
Make Caramel Coconut Mixture:
Toss caramels, a splash of milk, and some salt into a bowl over simmering water or a double boiler. Stir till smooth. Keep a little caramel aside, then stir the rest together with toasted coconut.
Toast the Coconut:
Lay your coconut out on a sheet and toast for about 10 minutes, tossing every few minutes so it doesn’t burn. It’s ready when it’s golden and you get that popcorn-like smell.
Bake the Cookies:
Bake for 10–12 minutes, rotating halfway so they brown evenly. Pull them once the edges are light gold—not brown. Move to a rack right away and cool fully.
Roll and Cut Cookies:
Turn on the oven to 350°F. Roll both dough disks to about 1/8 inch thick on a floured counter. Use doughnut or two round cutters to punch out rings. Set on lined baking sheets.
Chill the Dough:
Use your hands to split the dough into two flat rounds, wrap with plastic, then stick in the fridge for at least an hour—this makes it easier to work with and keeps cookies from spreading.
Blend Dry Ingredients:
Mix flour, salt, and baking powder in a bowl. Add this mix to your creamed butter a bit at a time, mixing between rounds. Toss in milk and vanilla, then stir till the dough holds together.
Make the Shortbread Dough:
Put butter and sugar in the stand mixer, beat until really pale and fluffy (about 3–5 minutes). That’s what keeps these cookies so tender.
How to make Samoas at home, step by step. Pin it
How to make Samoas at home, step by step. | flavorsenthusiasts.com

For the topping, homemade caramels are awesome if you've got them. Sometimes my kids roll out dough or steal bites while we work, making this a fun memory every single time.

Smart Storage

Pop finished cookies into an airtight tub and leave on your counter for a week. To keep them longer, freeze cooled cookies between layers of parchment for up to two months. Bring ’em to room temp before snacking so the caramel gets chewy and soft.

Switch-Ups

Like sweeter? Go for semisweet chocolate. If you’ve only got unsweetened coconut, just mix in more caramel to help it stick and taste right. Can’t find soft caramels? Melt store-bought candies with an extra splash of milk or even try making your own batch on the stove.

Ways to Serve

Pair with coffee or tea, bag ’em up for parties or school treats, or double down by sandwiching two together with extra caramel in the middle. These are a hit at picnics, bake sales, or when you want to bring a thoughtful gift.

Simple steps for homemade Samoas. Pin it
Simple steps for homemade Samoas. | flavorsenthusiasts.com

Fun History

Samoas, or Caramel deLites, have kept folks coming back since the 1970s. Making them at home lets you keep those Girl Scout memories going, sharing these sweet rings with friends and family any month you want just like generations of cookie fans before you.

Frequently Asked Questions

→ How can I stop shortbread from drying out?

Don't let them bake too long. Take cookies out once they're pale golden—this keeps them nice and tender.

→ Tips for toasting coconut evenly?

Spread coconut in a single layer on parchment and give it a stir every few minutes so all bits toast a nice color without burning.

→ Is it fine to swap out chocolate or milk?

Go for any milk you prefer—whole, almond, whatever's handy. Use whatever chocolate you love: milk, dark, or semi-sweet all work.

→ Tricks for keeping caramel smooth?

If it seizes up, give it a quick warm on the stove or over simmering water until it loosens back up enough to spread.

→ Need fancy gear for cutting donut shapes?

Nope. Grab two round cutters, or even spice jar lids will do—no need for special stuff to make the holes.

→ What’s the best way to keep these cookies fresh?

Store them in a sealed box at room temp for a week max. Wax paper helps if you need to stack 'em.

Buttery Samoas Delight

Tender shortbread rings loaded with coconut caramel and covered with decadent dark chocolate, plus a playful drizzle on top.

Prep Time
120 Minutes
Cook Time
15 Minutes
Total Time
135 Minutes
By: Rana

Category: Desserts & Pastry

Difficulty: Intermediate

Cuisine: American

Yield: 48 Servings (48 cookies (about 5 cm each))

Dietary: Vegetarian

Ingredients

→ Base layer

01 2.5 millilitres vanilla extract
02 30 millilitres milk
03 2.5 grams fine salt
04 0.6 grams baking powder
05 250 grams all-purpose flour
06 100 grams granulated sugar
07 226 grams unsalted butter, soft

→ Caramel coconut top

08 225 grams dark chocolate
09 1.5 grams fine salt
10 45 millilitres whole milk
11 425 grams chewy caramels, homemade or not
12 240 grams sweetened, shredded coconut

Instructions

Step 01

Toss soft butter in your mixer bowl and throw in the sugar. Mix with the paddle for a few minutes until it looks pale and fluffy.

Step 02

In a different bowl, stir together the salt, baking powder, and flour. Add this dry mix to the butter mixture in three rounds, blending well and scraping the sides each time.

Step 03

Splash in the vanilla extract and milk. Mix it just until a dough forms and everything sticks together.

Step 04

Split dough into two blobs, flatten both into disks, wrap tightly, and stick in the fridge for about an hour till they firm up.

Step 05

Get your oven hot at 175 degrees Celsius.

Step 06

Flour the counter a bit. Roll each dough disk out to about 3 millimetres thick. Use a cutter for doughnuts or anything round to make rings. Put them on baking trays lined with parchment or non-stick mats. Reroll scraps and use them too.

Step 07

Slide your trays in and bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Give the tray a turn halfway. The cookies should look barely golden. Move them to a wire rack to cool down all the way.

Step 08

Scatter coconut over a lined baking sheet and pop it in the oven at 175 degrees Celsius. Stir it every few minutes for around 10 minutes. Take it out when it’s nicely golden and smells toasty. Let it cool off.

Step 09

Dump caramels, salt, and milk into a medium pot sitting over hot water (like a double-boiler). Mix around until the caramels are melted and silky.

Step 10

Keep about 60 millilitres of that caramel aside for later. Scoop the rest into a bowl with your toasted coconut and stir so it’s all mixed evenly.

Step 11

Spoon a thin layer of the reserved caramel onto each cooled cookie. Gently press on the coconut-caramel stuff to cover the top. Let them chill for half an hour. If your topping thickens up, just warm it to get it smooth again.

Step 12

Melt the chocolate using a double-boiler or briefly in the microwave. Dip every cookie bottom into the chocolate and line them up on wax paper. Grab a fork and flick on some chocolate across the top. Let them sit until the chocolate’s set and nice and firm.

Notes

  1. If refrigerated dough feels rock solid, give it about 10 minutes at room temp to soften a bit.
  2. For donut shapes, use a 5 cm and a 2.5 cm round cutter, or even lid from spice jars does the trick.
  3. Pull cookies from the oven while still pale golden to keep them tender.
  4. Watch the coconut closely while toasting—burns fast if you walk away.
  5. Layering each cookie with plain caramel first gets the topping to stay put.
  6. About 225 grams of dark chocolate? That’s roughly 1 and 1/3 cups of chocolate chips.

Tools You'll Need

  • Mixer with paddle
  • Bowls for mixing
  • Rolling pin
  • Round or doughnut cookie cutters
  • Baking sheets
  • Parchment or non-stick mats
  • Cooling rack
  • Medium pot
  • Heat-proof bowl set over simmering water (double-boiler) or similar
  • Fork for flicking chocolate on top

Allergy Information

Please check ingredients for potential allergens and consult a health professional if in doubt.
  • Has dairy from milk and butter and more.
  • Uses wheat flour, so it’s got gluten.
  • Coconut is included.

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)

It is important to consider this information as approximate and not to use it as definitive health advice.
  • Calories: 155
  • Total Fat: 8 g
  • Total Carbohydrate: 19 g
  • Protein: 1.5 g