As a child I had a job as a cookie salesman, which is surprisingly not all that dissimilar from today. In grew up in the US in the eighties and nineties so by cookie salesman, I of course mean Girl Scout. For this weeks #BakingWithBeth recipe, we’re making one of the most famous cookies in America and making homemade Girl Scout cookies Samoas.
Selling Girl Scout cookies was one of my favorite parts of being a Girl Scout. Well, eating the Girl Scout cookies was actually my favorite part. My go-to Girl Scout cookies then and now have always been Thin Mints, Samoas and Tagalongs.
Girl Scout cookies are a real treat because they’re only available for a limited window of time during the year. Usually sold during a six to eight week period at the beginning of each calendar year. Girl Scout cookies are sold to help fundraise for each troop and prizes can be won based on cookie sales. When I sold Girl Scout cookies in the late eighties and early nineties, they were $2 and $2.50 per box but now these delicious little suckers have surged to $5 a box.
When it’s Girl Scout cookie season, I like to buy from and support local Girl Scouts. But what about those times of the year when it’s not Girl Scout cookie time and you’ve got a craving for a Samoas?! Or if you’re not living in the US? What then? Have no fear, my friends. Here is a super delicious and simple, albeit slightly messy, homemade Girl Scout cookies Samoas recipe.
Before we get into the recipe, I would be remiss not to share a scene from one of my favorite eighties movies and the quintessential Wilderness-Girl-Scout-cookie-selling anthem…
There’s no doubt I’ll be making homemade Girl Scout cookies, especially Samoas, year round now! I’ve even got a side-by-side comparison below. Speaking of which, have these gotten smaller or did I just remember them to be a similar size to my larger version?
Specialty Tools Needed:
Thanks again for coming back for another #BakingWithBeth recipe. If you’re just catching up, January was all things Southern cakes: week one/caramel cake, week two/Hummingbird Cake, week three/sour cream pound cake and week four / pineapple upside down cake.
February is all about cookies!! Week five / best chocolate chip cookies, week six / Italian macarons and week seven / chocolate covered alfajores!
Be sure to follow along Instagram and Facebook and tag #BakingWithBeth so I can see all the fun treats y’all make!
I can’t believe it’s already been two months! This has been the most fun project I’ve worked on and I love that is helping me organize my recipes and develop new ones to build the catalogue of Recipe (s) for Adventures. 😉
Keep it coming with the photos and feedback – it truly makes my day to see y’all bake with me! 🙂
What do you think… anyone made homemade Girl Scout cookies Samoas or another type? I’m working on homemade Girl Scout cookies Thin Mints and Tagalongs! If you’ve ever tried them, would love to hear! 🙂
Cheers y’all!
Homemade Samoas
Homemade Samoas based off the popular Girl Scout Samoa Cookie
Ingredients
Shortbread Cookies
- 100 grams all-purpose flour
- 100 grams rice flour
- 100 grams butter, softened
- 100 grams sugar
- 1 each egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Caramel Topping
- 100 grams unsweetened shredded coconut
- 230 grams sugar
- 50 grams water
- 110 grams whipping cream
- 57 grams butter
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp salt
Chocolate
- 200 grams dark chocolate pieces (60%)
Instructions
Shortbread Cookie
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Sift together flours. Cut butter into small half inch pieces and add to flours. With the paddle attachment on low speed, mix the butter into the flour until it forms small balls and the butter is coated by the flour (rubbing in method).
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Add sugar and mix on low speed until combined.
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Add vanilla and egg slowly and mix until incorporated (about 30 seconds).
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Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate for an hour.
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Roll out dough. Using a round cutter (I used 2.25"), cut shortbread into circles. Using a smaller cutter (I used the large end of a piping tip) cut a smaller circle out of the center and place on baking sheet.
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Bake at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for 12-15 minutes.
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Cool and set aside.
Caramel Topping
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Toast coconut at 325 degrees Fahrenheit on a baking sheet for 8-10 minutes until golden brown. Toss coconut at 4 minutes and 6 minutes to get an evening browning. Once toasted, set aside to cool.
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In a meduim-large pot, combine sugar and water. Place over a medium-high heat and stir until sugar is dissolved and mixture begins to boil. Do not stir once mixture begins to boil.
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Using an electric thermometer, bring sugar mixture to 356 degrees Fahrenheit / 180 degrees Celsius and amber in color. Take off heat.
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Slowly add whipping cream, stirring as you add. Be careful as the mixture will bubble and seize up, but if you continue to stir it will come together. Next add butter, salt and vanilla and stir quickly to mix until you have a smooth caramel.
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Reserve 60 grams of caramel in a small bowl. Add the toasted coconut to the remaining caramel and mix together. Let the mixture cool and set up.
Samoas Assembly
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Using the 60 grams of reserved caramel, spoon 1/2 teaspoon onto each circle and spread evenly coating the cookie.
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Once the coconut caramel mixture has set a bit, spoon about 1/2 tablespoon onto each cookie, using your fingers to evenly space out the mixture. Place in fridge to set for a half hour - hour.
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Once cookies are set, melt 200 grams of chocolate in a microwave safe bowl, or over a double boiler/bain marie.
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Dip the bottom of each cookie into the chocolate. Shake off excess and set on parchment paper.
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Once all cookies have been dipped, use a small piping bag and drizzle chocolate stripes over each cookie.
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Eat and enjoy!
Recipe Notes
I think I might add a bit more coconut next time to try and thicken the caramel mixture. Also, might reduce the whipping cream a smidge, to thicken the caramel.
I kept mine in the refrigerator, as I wasn't sure if they would melt a bit at room temperature for too long.
We did a side-by-side taste test with the official Samoas and these won! 😉
