Homemade Samoa Cookies

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Homemade Samoa Cookies are a delicious copycat version of the famous Girl Scout favorite, featuring a buttery shortbread cookie topped with chewy caramel, toasted coconut, and finished with a drizzle of rich chocolate. These cookies strike the perfect balance between crisp, chewy, sweet, and chocolatey, making them an irresistible treat for holidays, parties, or everyday baking. While they require a few steps, each one is simple and rewarding, resulting in bakery-quality cookies made right in your own kitchen.

Homemade Samoa Cookies

Ingredients

For the Shortbread Cookies

1 cup unsalted butter, softened
½ cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons milk

For the Coconut Caramel Topping

3 cups sweetened shredded coconut
12 ounces soft caramel candies, unwrapped
3 tablespoons heavy cream or milk
¼ teaspoon salt

For the Chocolate Coating

8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, chopped or chocolate chips
1 teaspoon coconut oil or vegetable oil (optional, for smoother chocolate)

Step 1: Prepare the Cookie Dough

In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and sugar together until the mixture becomes light and fluffy. Add the vanilla extract and mix until incorporated.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture while mixing on low speed. Add the milk and continue mixing until a soft dough forms.

Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 30 minutes. Chilling the dough makes it easier to roll and helps the cookies maintain their shape while baking.

Step 2: Shape the Cookies

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper.

Lightly flour your work surface and roll the chilled dough to approximately ¼-inch thickness.

Using a round cookie cutter, cut circles from the dough. Then use a smaller cutter or the wide end of a piping tip to cut a hole in the center of each cookie, creating the classic ring shape.

Gather any remaining dough, reroll, and continue cutting until all the dough has been used.