Homemade Samoas Girl Scout Cookies
Homemade Samoas Girl Scout Cookies. I don’t think I’ve ever typed sweeter words in my life. Move over Pepperoni Pizza Pull-Apart Bread because mama’s got a new favorite recipe, and it involves the perfect ratio of cookie and coconut to caramel and chocolate.
As far as I’m concerned, there are two types of people in the world: Samoas lovers and Thin Mint lovers. You are one or the other. You cannot be both. I picked my side two decades ago during my days as a Daisy and a Brownie. Team Samoas for life.
Just imagine a buttery shortbread base piled high with a mix of toasted coconut and caramel that’s dunked and drizzled in dark chocolate. The result is a homemade take on the iconic Girl Scout cookie, ordinarily only available a few months out of the year. So quit hoarding those purple boxes and free up that freezer space by baking up sweet and chewy Samoas from scratch.
Craving more? Sign up for the Just a Taste newsletter for a fresh serving of content delivered every week to your inbox! And stay in touch on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest for all of the latest updates.
Homemade Samoas Girl Scout Cookies
Yield: About 4 dozen (2-inch) cookies
Prep Time: 2 hours (includes chilling)
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Ingredients:
For the cookies:
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extractFor the coconut topping:
3 cups shredded sweetened coconut
15 ounces store-bought or homemade soft caramels
3 Tablespoons milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 ounces dark chocolate (See Kelly's Notes)Directions:
Make the cookies:
Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. In three increments, add the flour mixture to the creamed butter, mixing between each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Add the milk and vanilla extract, blending until combined and the dough begins to come together in large pieces.
Use your hands to divide the dough in half, pressing it together to compact it into two disks. Wrap the disks securely in plastic wrap and refrigerate them until firm, about 1 hour.
Once the dough has chilled, roll each disk out onto a lightly floured surface until it is 1/8-inch thick. Cut out as many cookies as possible with a doughnut-shaped cookie cutter. (See Kelly's Notes for cookie cutter alternatives.) Place the cut-out cookies on a Silpat or parchment paper-lined baking sheet and repeat with remaining dough.
Bake the cookies for 10 to 12 minutes, rotating the baking sheet half-way through, until the cookies are pale golden brown. Transfer the cookies to a wire wrack to cool completely.
Make the coconut topping:
Spread the coconut flakes onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake the coconut for about 10 minutes in a 350ºF oven until toasted, stirring frequently to ensure even browning and so that it does not burn. (See Kelly's Notes.) Remove the toasted coconut from the oven and set it aside.
Melt the caramels, milk and salt in a double-boiler by placing the caramels in a medium saucepot set over a large saucepot of simmering water. Cook, stirring, until the caramels are fully melted. Remove the saucepot from the heat and combine 3/4 of the caramel with the toasted coconut in a large bowl.
Carefully spread the remaining 1/4 cup of caramel atop the cooled cookies then press on a portion of the coconut mixture. Let the cookies cool for 30 minutes. If the caramel-coconut mixture thickens too much at any point while pressing it onto the cookies, return it to the double-boiler and warm it until it's spreadable again.
Melt the dark chocolate in a double-boiler or in the microwave. Dip the bottoms of the cookies in the chocolate and place them on a wax paper-lined baking sheet. Use a fork to drizzle the tops with chocolate. Let the cookies sit until the chocolate hardens fully.
Kelly's Notes:
If you don't have a doughnut-shaped cookie cutter, you can use two cookies cutters (such as a circular 2-inch and a circular 1-inch) to form the ring shape. Alternately, you can use the caps to any dry spices to serve as cookie cutters.
If the dough is too firm to roll out after being refrigerated, let it rest at room temperature for 10 minutes before rolling and cutting out the cookies.
The shortbread should be very pale golden in color. When in doubt, underbake it!
If using dark chocolate chips, 8 ounces is equal to about 1 1/3 cups chocolate chips.
Coconut burns very quickly, so keep an eye on it and stir often!
Spreading the cookies with the reserved 1/4 cup of caramel gives the coconut mixture a stickier base to adhere to.
Recipe adapted from Instructables.
jen @ one curly fry — February 13, 2013 @ 8:34 am
Kelly! These look absolutely amazing. They are so much prettier than the Girl Scout’s Samoas!!
Rachel Cooks — February 13, 2013 @ 8:38 am
These are GORGEOUS! They look JUST like the regular ones, except they look like they are even better tasting.
Stacy | Wicked Good Kitchen — February 13, 2013 @ 8:40 am
Kelly, your Homemade Samoas Girl Scout Cookies look FAB! Nom, nom!! Your food photography is stunningly beautiful.
Pinning! xo
Shaina — February 13, 2013 @ 8:46 am
I used to be thin mint person and then I discovered the amazingness that is a Samoa! They are the only way to go when those Girl Scouts come along.. These look just like the real thing, probably taste better though
I have to try it out!
Stephanie @ Girl Versus Dough — February 13, 2013 @ 9:17 am
Totally Team Samoas for life!! Also I want to dunk my face into that caramel.
Bev @ Bev Cooks — February 13, 2013 @ 9:33 am
Geeeeeeet out! They are seriously gorgeous and I’m basically falling over.
Kayle (The Cooking Actress) — February 13, 2013 @ 9:53 am
I’m a Tagalong lover <3
But I also love Thin Mints AND Samoas!
These look JUST like the originals, so amazing, so delicious!
sarah k @ the pajama chef — February 13, 2013 @ 10:05 am
tagalongs are my fave!! but i also like samoas, and thin mints are okay (those are my husband’s fave). annnnnnd today at work i will receive my order from a co-worker’s daughter. can’t wait! but these cookies look absolutely awesome!
Abby @ The Frosted Vegan — February 13, 2013 @ 10:18 am
Team Samoas for life!!! Always been my fav!
Sarah Beth — February 13, 2013 @ 10:20 am
These look AMAZING!! Although I do like Thin Mints and Tagalongs, Samoas are my number one favorite! I will definitely be trying these.
NJMarge — February 13, 2013 @ 12:19 pm
WOW! As and ex-girl scout leader these are amazing. And in my neck of the woods they’re called Caramel De-Lites, but have always been my fave. You rock, Kelly!
Meagan @ A Zesty Bite — February 13, 2013 @ 12:30 pm
Samoas are my favorite! These look perfect and its even better you can get them year round.
Rachel @ Bakerita — February 13, 2013 @ 12:54 pm
Can’t beat Samoas
I came up with about 5 different Samoa-inspired recipes yesterday, but I think I need to make the classic! These look so good, and easier than my homemade samoa recipe, haha. Phenomenal pics as well. Pinned!
Julia — February 13, 2013 @ 3:33 pm
Out of all the girl scout cookies samoas are my favorite. You make these look better than the actual girl scout cookie! Yummy!
katie — February 13, 2013 @ 4:41 pm
oh man… my husband is going to die when he finds out that he could have samoas year round! Not sure if I want to tell him! lol.
the look fab!
Morgan — February 13, 2013 @ 4:44 pm
I have to say I am a fan of both samoas and thin mints — actually it’s the only 2 boxes I bought this year! I have a feeling once they run out, though, I will be making these! Thanks for sharing
Hannah @ CleanEatingVeggieGirl — February 13, 2013 @ 10:09 pm
You’re killing me with this one! Those look amazing. Who needs Girl Scouts cookies, anyways??
Stephanie @ Eat. Drink. Love. — February 14, 2013 @ 12:18 am
Samoas are my favorite and these look just incredible!!!
Colette — February 14, 2013 @ 1:12 am
Girl Scouts are in big trouble…
Robyn | Add a Pinch — February 14, 2013 @ 9:53 am
I am in big trouble….
You are my hero!
Rachel @ Baked by Rachel — February 14, 2013 @ 10:37 am
These look absolutely perfect and truly dangerous to have lying around.
Katrina @ Warm Vanilla Sugar — February 14, 2013 @ 10:56 am
You did such an amazing job! These look perfect!
ErinsFoodFiles — February 14, 2013 @ 2:18 pm
Perfection!
Lynna — February 14, 2013 @ 8:17 pm
Oh my.. my… these look just like them!! I love samoas! Definitely saving this recipe for the future!
JulieD — February 14, 2013 @ 10:34 pm
These are quite beautiful and perfect!!
Gina — February 15, 2013 @ 8:56 am
Kelly these look awesome…will give these a whirl! Thanks
Michelle — February 15, 2013 @ 8:46 pm
best. idea. ever !!!
Kristi @ Cherry Jasmine — February 16, 2013 @ 7:56 am
Wow – these look amazing! So perfect – love it!!!
AJ — February 16, 2013 @ 9:07 am
YAY I hope I can make these sometime soon! And I must disagree with you on the samoa/thin mint debate…i love them both!
-AJ
FitTravelerAJ.blogspot.com
Danielle — February 17, 2013 @ 12:19 am
These look absolutely delicious! I thank you from the bottom of my heart for this recipe… I will have to give it a try… As for the Samoa/Thin Mint debate, those are always the only two types of Girl Scout cookies I buy… Love them both equally!
J Bo — February 17, 2013 @ 8:27 am
I was searching to see if the GS made a sugar free cookie and found this page by accident. My mouth is watering just looking at them. Bookmarking the page. Now to figure out how to make them sugar free, if I want to eat them.
Lydia — February 17, 2013 @ 5:04 pm
Thanks for the recipe! Major mistake at the beginning– I AM A SAMOA AND THIN MINT PERSON! (This being an intensely important issue, you’ll have to forgive the yelling.) It is possible to be both, though maybe it’s most likely in the last week of pregnancy?
Val — February 18, 2013 @ 5:25 pm
Those look awesome! I am definitely a samoa type of gal and I WILL be trying these… perhaps I would have been better off NOT knowing this… NAH !!!
Melissa @ Treats With a Twist — February 18, 2013 @ 5:44 pm
I’m so impressed at your patience! These look beautiful. Like the woman who commented above me, I’m afraid I literally am BOTH! I have been asked to pick a favorite and just couldn’t do it. My freezer has green AND purple boxes in it! I can’t have one without the other
But, I can’t wait to make these. I think if I made them for my mom, she’d cry.
Alice @ Hip Foodie Mom — February 18, 2013 @ 8:22 pm
OMG, I love you!!! this is so awesome! Samoas are my FAVE!
Hwlwn — February 18, 2013 @ 10:25 pm
Love both Thin Mints and Samoas, but can’t wait to try these.
Tiffany — February 19, 2013 @ 3:08 am
Thank you so much. I live in New Zealand and have two kids. Every year at Girl Scout cookie time I have boxes of thin mints and samoas shipped over by friends and family (I love them equally as each is appropriate for different culinary occasions). The problem is, when boxes arrive, the kids love to open them and then I have to share my cookies with the kids. I know, mean mommy not wanting to share… Anyway now I can share AND bake with my kids! Yay! No more mean mommy.
Kelly Senyei replied: — February 19th, 2013 @ 2:54 pm
Haha I love this, Tiffany! Enjoy!
Nicole J — February 19, 2013 @ 9:34 am
I am a Samoa lover! You are a wonderful wonderful person. There will be a special spot in heaven for you!
Kelly Senyei replied: — February 19th, 2013 @ 2:55 pm
You are so sweet, Nicole! I hope you enjoy them!
Caroline @ chocolate & carrots — February 19, 2013 @ 11:38 am
These are absolutely BEAUTIFUL!!! I can’t even tell they’re homemade, that’s how perfect they are.
amy @ fearless homemaker — February 19, 2013 @ 11:42 am
I’ve seen a lot of homemade samoas on blogs, but these are hands-down the most beautiful, perfect-looking ones I’ve ever seen. They look AMAZING!
Kelly Senyei replied: — February 19th, 2013 @ 2:54 pm
Thanks so much, Amy!
Sue/the view from great island — February 19, 2013 @ 4:17 pm
This is very impressive
I’ve only managed to master the DIY Thin Mint so far, I really need to conquer the Samoa now, thanks!
Dawn Houghton — February 20, 2013 @ 8:27 am
My son & his best friend love these cookies. Their favorite! They were so excited I found the recipe to make them. Thanks.
Min — February 20, 2013 @ 1:04 pm
Samoas are hands down me and my husband’s FAV girl scout cookies! I can’t wait to make these!! Sounds like a fun way to spend a lazy Sunday afternoon
Vogue, Foodies, and House of Cards « WHAT DRESS CODE? — February 21, 2013 @ 1:12 am
[...] {Homemade Samoas Girl Scout Cookies, from Just a Taste} [...]
Homemade Girl Scout Samoas | Nutrition.Health.Life. — February 22, 2013 @ 7:54 am
[...] of those things that when you see it you can’t NOT do something about it. The recipe is by Just a Taste, which I found on pinterest. Oh, how I love pinterest – I am pretty sure I’d be a much [...]
Omar — February 22, 2013 @ 10:18 am
I am totally on both teams! I order one box of each per year! These look amazing, and I will definitely be making them. Thanks!
Meghan — February 22, 2013 @ 10:46 am
You’ve outdone yourself with these, Kelly!! They look incredible!
Maria — February 22, 2013 @ 10:51 am
I just love that some women have this fantastic imagination to explore with recipes and be confident enough to do what you do! Please, never stop doing what you do!
From a woman to another!
File it Friday: Plantable Paper, Homemade Samoas + More — February 22, 2013 @ 1:33 pm
[...] Homemade Samoas Girl Scout Cookies: If you don’t want to spring for a box of Girl Scout Cookies (my oh my they are soooo expensive!), try making homemade samoas! [...]
Rob Long — February 22, 2013 @ 1:44 pm
Apparently I’ve led a sheltered life…I’ve never heard of Samoas
Maybe it’s because we don’t have Girl Scouts in Canada. We have a girls’ organization called Girl Guides who also sell cookies, but not samoas. They only sell mint and chocolate/vanilla layer cookies. But these Samoa cookies look amazing!!
Dawn Dewey — February 22, 2013 @ 4:57 pm
I made this cookies and they are WAY better than the Girl Scouts cookies. I made the homemade carmel. These incredible cookies soak up a lotta time, but in the end…with a glass of milk…they are sooo worth it. Thanks for this recipe :0)
Adaiha — February 22, 2013 @ 11:36 pm
These cookies look so good! Have you tried making them without the hole? I wonder if they’re just as good.
Suzanne Bante — February 22, 2013 @ 11:39 pm
The recipe sounds just wonderful! I am a GS Leader for over 20 years and understand how the cookies are really a donation to the local council to run camps and programs as well as profit to the girls. I hope you enjoy the recipe. Yet it makes me sad that nobody complains about the cost do the Boy Scout Popcorn which I paid $ 15 for last fall. Clearly popcorn is not that expensive. Please still buy the cookies from a Girl Scout which will help her troop and other girls. Girl Scouts will celebrate their 101st birthday in March. The cookies are the way the organization moves forward and serves girls. Your cookie purchase is a critical donation, you are not just buying a box of cookies!
Haley — February 23, 2013 @ 9:12 am
As a Girlscout starting at daisies and now a senior, seeing everyone bash Girlscout cookies breaks my heart. When you buy a box of GS cookies the money goes towards great things and the cookies are a classic. We have people that wait all year to buy cookies and they have never complained of the taste. Besides, $15 for popcorn is insane!
Jeannette — February 23, 2013 @ 9:51 am
This looks so good! Imagine a donut made like a Samoa! All warm and toasty and soft….. yummmm
Kelly Senyei replied: — February 23rd, 2013 @ 10:01 am
Love that idea, Jeanette! And doughnuts are my absolute favorite food, so I can only imagine how incredible those would be!
Lindsey — February 23, 2013 @ 8:10 pm
These are my absolute favorite! I am adding them to my list of recipes to try!!!
Danielle — February 23, 2013 @ 8:32 pm
I just made these today- absolutely delicious! The only thing I would change next time is adding more caramel- I wish I had a little more to line the cookies. Thanks for the recipe!
Mel Lockcuff — February 24, 2013 @ 12:26 pm
Oh my, these look so de-lish! One of my favorite Girl Scout cookies.
Adele Aiken — February 24, 2013 @ 1:22 pm
They look yummy. I think I’ll try them without cutting out the center hole – hey, more cookie to love that way. And, just to let you know, I love both Samoas and thin mints. Those are the only two I buy!!!
Aimee — February 24, 2013 @ 1:49 pm
These look so yummy!!! Thank you for sharing this! Hoping to make them gluten free since I love the original samoas! And side note, we would buy Girl Scout cookies if they had real ingredients and not so much junk. Now I would rather just give a donation. Same with the popcorn. I give a donation. Can’t wait to start baking!
Jody — February 24, 2013 @ 5:47 pm
OMG…I have always been a Samoas girl! This looks too dangerous for me, but I am saving the recipe too my Pinterest board….
Elena — February 24, 2013 @ 6:14 pm
I beg to differ! I was a top-selling cookie scout all the way up to Cadet and one can be a Thin Mint AND Samoa lover… and Dosido’s, too! I love them all, buy up and freeze them all… however, now that I know how to make Samoas thanks to ya… I shall be buying only the other two
Thanks a bunch!
Nikki — February 24, 2013 @ 6:56 pm
Do I still have to add the milk and salt to the caramel if I boiled a can of sweetened condensed milk for the Carmel? Thanks
Kelly Senyei replied: — February 24th, 2013 @ 7:05 pm
Hi Nikki! You definitely don’t need to add the milk, but I’d suggest adding the salt. Enjoy!
Rebecca — February 24, 2013 @ 8:43 pm
Hi Kelly, I never heard of Samoas Girl Scout Cookies as I’m Malaysian. Saw so many ladies were so excited & happy to see this recipe of yours. I wonder is it very sweet as I don’t like to eat too sweet cake or cookies. All my recipes I reduced the sugar !! These cookies really looks yummy and pretty, wanted to try. Thanks
Patti — February 25, 2013 @ 12:32 am
Can I make these without a stand mixer with a paddle attachment?
Cali — February 25, 2013 @ 1:27 am
Has anyone tried these as a bar cookie in a 9×13 pan? I don’t care a whole lot about how they look just how they taste! These look super time consuming.
liz — February 25, 2013 @ 11:42 am
I woke up yesterday asking my husband if anyone was still selling girl scout cookies where he works because of a serious 8 a.m. samoa craving! I am solidly in the Samoa camp! Will HAVE to try these!
Beautiful blog…loving the look of your recipes as I breeze through them!
Awesome Links: All The Boobs From Seth MacFarlane's "Saw Your Boobs" Song, Crazy Footage of This Weekend's Nascar Wreck, and a Record Store That Only Sells The White Album - Dog and Pony Show — February 25, 2013 @ 5:31 pm
[...] how to make your own Samoa Girl Scout cookies, then send them to [...]
Cookie Monster! | Megan's Island — February 26, 2013 @ 12:39 am
[...] also discovered a recipe for homemade samoas. (Yes, please!) Find it for yourself on the Just a Taste blog. I’ll make them soon and report [...]
Girl Scout Cookies All Year Round | muod — February 26, 2013 @ 2:44 am
[...] year. My favorite cookie is the Samoa, chocolate, caramel, and coconut on a thin cookie, yum. Click here for a recipe to make scrumptious [...]
Tiffany — February 27, 2013 @ 7:40 pm
Can you just prebuy cookies and just add the toppings?
Amanda — February 27, 2013 @ 7:58 pm
I just finished these! Took a lot longer than I expected.
denise — February 28, 2013 @ 3:20 pm
I am so not a “kid” person so seeing this recipe makes me happy to know I don’t have to awkwardly approach girl scouts any longer to buy overpriced cookies that seem to shrink smaller every year.
Jenny — February 28, 2013 @ 9:48 pm
My dough still feels soft & it’s been in the fridge for almost 2 hours. Suggestions?
Kelly Senyei replied: — February 28th, 2013 @ 9:51 pm
Hi Jenny. It shouldn’t be rock-solid, as you’ll be rolling it out. The refrigeration is just to help solidify the butter. Hope this helps!
Show Information – March 1, 2013 « Good Day Sacramento — March 1, 2013 @ 1:05 am
[...] Girl Scout Cookies Samoas Do Si [...]
Hailey — March 1, 2013 @ 11:06 pm
It helps when “drizzling” the chocolate, by putting the chocolate in a ziplock bag and cutting a small piece of the corner… easy to squeeze out. Also, I wanted to cut out some time and I used pre-made sugar cookie dough, worked great!
Averie @ Averie Cooks — March 2, 2013 @ 12:55 am
I pinned these and hope that I make them one day b/c they are my faves! I have always been put off by the rolling, shaping, cutting, dipping, spreading, etc but for these….oh my, they look worth every ounce of effort. And they are So.Authentic. looking. Stunning photography, as always, Kelly!
marcie@flavorthemoments — March 2, 2013 @ 10:52 am
These look so much better than the original! Samoas are my second favorite Girl Scout cookie, so I’m sure I’ll get around to trying them soon.
vanillasugarblog — March 2, 2013 @ 8:51 pm
oh sweet sarah!
i just posted these to my VSB FB wall, so you might get slammed.
AND I just printed them out.
I better have a darn donut cutter in my drawer–I am so making these!
Homemade Samoa Girl Scout Cookies | Rampant Cuisine — March 4, 2013 @ 8:49 am
[...] based on this recipe [...]
Kate — March 4, 2013 @ 3:57 pm
I play for both teams. Thin Mint AND Samoa’s. And I sometimes cheat with a Tagalong too. There is room in my heart for everycookie.
Amy — March 4, 2013 @ 7:45 pm
Would it be ok to leave the dough in the fridge overnight?
Kelly Senyei replied: — March 4th, 2013 @ 7:47 pm
Hi Amy! Yes, you can make the dough a night in advance, but you’ll need to let it rest outside the fridge for at least 20 minutes (depending on your room temp) when it comes time to roll it, otherwise it’ll be too firm to roll. Enjoy!
Amy — March 4, 2013 @ 7:48 pm
Thank you very much! I can’t wait to try this.
Marina — March 4, 2013 @ 8:20 pm
I totally agree! I am team Samoas hands down, but my boyfriend is team thin mint…which actually works out quite well since he won’t eat MY cookies!
Love this! Thanks!
Loretta — March 4, 2013 @ 11:04 pm
I stunned by how easy these look! I’ve always steered clear of trying these before because they seemed like a lot of work. Your photography is gorgeous!
Judy @ Season of Sweets — March 5, 2013 @ 2:25 am
Yummy! Samoas fans here. Thanks for sharing!
Day 57: Homemade Girl Scout Cookies – I could get addicted to these | Project Pinterest 365 — March 5, 2013 @ 7:39 am
[...] at some of their ideas. This particular recipe is for Homemade Samoas Girl Scout Cookies (link: http://www.justataste.com/2013/02/homemade-samoas-girl-scout-cookies-recipe/). I just couldn’t resist trying these and thought that I’d have some time to work on [...]
tutorial tuesday: make your own girl scout cookies. - meals & moves | meals & moves — March 5, 2013 @ 11:25 pm
[...] Samoas (also known as Caramel DeLites)recipe from Just A Taste via [...]
Need Feed Heed: March 2013 » Portrait and Wedding Photographer in Northern Virginia | Kelly Ewell Photography — March 7, 2013 @ 7:30 am
[...] Imagine Dragons – because I am LOVING their music right now! Feed: Samoa Girl Scout Cookies – because they’re the best! Supposedly people are selling them now, but haven’t [...]
Samoa Recipe Roundup | Babara Bakes — March 8, 2013 @ 8:30 am
[...] Homemade Samoas Girl Scout Cookies from Just a Taste [...]
Homemade Samoas (Girls Scout Cookies) | From Cabin to Camelot — March 8, 2013 @ 1:49 pm
[...] http://www.justataste.com/2013/02/homemade-samoas-girl-scout-cookies-recipe/ [...]
Emily — March 9, 2013 @ 4:28 pm
I found this recipe on Pinterest. I always worry that the things I try off Pinterest will end up on Pinterest Fail. I whipped up a batch this morning, they are spectacular to say the least! Your instructions were easy to follow…and your photography amazing!! Thanks so much for sharing this!!
Homemade Samoas | Lizzies Tips for Everyday Living — March 10, 2013 @ 8:51 pm
[...] http://www.justataste.com/2013/02/homemade-samoas-girl-scout-cookies-recipe/ [...]
Samoa Shortbread Cookies | a scrumptious life — March 12, 2013 @ 7:05 am
[...] cookie season is here. My favorite are samoas. How about you? I recently found a recipe on Just a Taste for homemade samoas. They look just like the “real” cookies! I really appreciate the [...]
Celebrate National Girl Scout Day with These Girl Scout Cookies Recipes — March 12, 2013 @ 6:25 pm
[...] Homemade Samoas from Just A Taste Homemade Tagalongs from The View from the Great Island Homemade Lemonades from The Family Kitchen on Babble Homemade Do-Si-Dos from Frugal Antics of a Harried Homemaker Homemade Thin Mints from Chef in Training Gluten-Free Samoas from Real Sustenance Gluten-Free Do-Si-Dos from The Baking Beauties [...]
Noelle — March 13, 2013 @ 6:14 pm
I made these! Delicious but so fussy! Mine came out so messy. I basically just slapped all the ingredients on the cookie after the first one… I’m not the best at decorating.
They are delicious though! The store bought are so expensive. 
Homemade Samoas Cookies « Domestic Endeavors — March 17, 2013 @ 5:26 pm
[...] adapted and halved a recipe from Baking Bites and Just A Taste. I baked them in my mini donut pan, and that made the process so much easier. Already a slightly [...]
Samoas! | On the Shoulders of Giants — March 19, 2013 @ 7:16 am
[...] Homemade Samoas (adapted from http://www.justataste.com) [...]
Lotta — March 19, 2013 @ 2:55 pm
I am soooo excited to have he found this recipe! I made it today and they turned out beautifully, although i had to add about a cup of extra flour so that the dough was firm enough to work with. That may also be because they dont have all-purpose flour in Germany. Either way…the recipe is just plain awesome and the cookies are delicious. Feels like home
Homemade Girl Scout Samoas | carpe season — March 20, 2013 @ 11:38 pm
[...] try to make these cookies at home. I read through multiple copycat recipes, and finally settled on this one from the blog Just a [...]
Stephanie — March 22, 2013 @ 2:11 am
Please don’t take this the wrong way, i’m happily married. But I LOVE YOU!!!! My goodness thank you for sharing that!!
Homemade Samoas Cookies — March 22, 2013 @ 3:01 am
[...] Samoas Cookies source: adapted from Just a Taste, butter cookies adapted from this [...]
The Great Somoa Cookie Adventure | Cat Hair in my Coffee — March 26, 2013 @ 6:01 pm
[...] night I decided to finally get around to making that homemade somoa cookie recipe, since I didn’t have the black beans I needed for another cookie recipe. Let’s just say [...]
Darci Dembroski — March 27, 2013 @ 8:43 am
I bought the caramel dip by accident. DO you think I can use this in place of the caramels, milk and vanilla? Can’t wait to try these.
Kelly Senyei replied: — March 27th, 2013 @ 8:47 am
Hi Darcy! Caramel dip should work for these, but you’ll want to warm it to thin it slightly, and so that it’s easier to stir in the toasted coconut. Enjoy!
Kate and Alexis — March 28, 2013 @ 11:21 pm
Well we found these to take not 2 hours but 4 1/2 hours! The end results was terrible and so we just made a cookie crumble out of it cause we didn’t want to waste the food. We were very upset by the results and the original GS cookies are way better. Save your time and money and just don’t make them.
Melissa — March 29, 2013 @ 8:44 pm
I had such high hopes for these. My stupidity for only ordering one box of samoas this year led me on a hunt for a recipe. Your photos enticed me and all the comments convinced me. There are a few problems. There is not enough caramel to “paste” the cookies with. Make more. My other problem is the logistics of it. They are extremely difficult to construct. It is messy and time consuming. I am currently drinking a glass of wine to calm my anxiety. Then I will enjoy one of these to see if the effort was worth it. Thank you for a base to my Samoa hunt. I’m thinking about using this recipe but making bars instead of cut outs.
susan — April 1, 2013 @ 11:30 pm
Can I use oil instead of butter
Kelly Senyei replied: — April 2nd, 2013 @ 2:14 pm
Hi Susan, This recipe won’t work if you sub oil for butter, as the fat content and consistency will be different.
Tasha — April 3, 2013 @ 8:22 pm
Personally, I think these look absolutely amazing! (But of course, you already know this!) I think they definitely look better than the actual gs cookies, because these are HOMEMADE, not processed, and boxed and sold, for too much at such a low quantity. I remember years ago, you could buy a box of GS cookies and it had so many cookies(of course they never last long enough haha) but now, Its just not worth buying for such a horrible price, to get 5 darn cookies. Dont get me wrong, I will always love them, but I like the idea of making my own, and knowing whats actually in them! (As for some comments on buying popcorn for 15 dollars?, that is just plain stupid!!!! You can make your own pop corn for literally, a dollar, if not $5 at most! Come on!! lol)
So excited!
Thanks again for sharing these! Im about to go make them now that i bought everything for them today!!
Tasha — April 3, 2013 @ 8:25 pm
Ps, Have you thought of making “Tagalongs” with the cookie recipe, just adding peanutbutter over the top& middle of cooled cookie, cooling in fridge, til peanutbutter is a little firm, then coating with same chocolate, and cooled again?
I think i might try that with any extra cookie i might come up with.. or i’ll just make more.. haha not sure yet, but I’ll definitely try them both!!
Kelly Senyei replied: — April 3rd, 2013 @ 11:00 pm
Great idea!
Tasha — April 3, 2013 @ 9:52 pm
I just made these cookies, they are in the fridge now, i did notice, definitely not enough flour. Too sticky to handle. Had to add a lot more, and even more just to press into discs!! Might want to change that!!!
Kelly Senyei replied: — April 3rd, 2013 @ 10:59 pm
Hi Tasha. I’ve tested this shortbread recipe numerous times, and I would not recommend adding more flour, as the dough will become too dry and crumbly.
Tasha — April 4, 2013 @ 2:41 am
Yes that did happen! Dough was good by itself, (taste testing hehe) but otherwise not worth the effort. I actually just finished the entire process, took so long! I dont think I will EVER venture into this again. haha The caramel came out semi okay, but there was definitely not enough to paste the cookies, and the coconut & caramel mix was just not fun. Too sticky, then too greasy.. not sure. I mean, could all be on my part, but this was not fun.
I actually ended up saving probably half of the cookie dough, and put it in the freezer. Going to try something else with it. (dont want to waste it either!) It was a good effort. And i dont even like samoas! lol
Vicki — April 13, 2013 @ 11:34 am
Do they freeze well?
JillO — April 17, 2013 @ 8:20 pm
Sadly, I span BOTH groups — I’ll happily eat Thin Mints, particularly if no Samoas are available. If I had to choose only one, it would be Samoas. Quite possibly Scouting’s Perfect Food! (I was a G.S. when these were first introduced, as Caramel deLites…that shows my age, but I was an early fan, too. : ) I can not WAIT to try this recipe – thank you for sharing!
cayla — April 24, 2013 @ 11:30 am
How long will these keep in an airtight container on the counter??
Looks delicious. I will be making them for my house warming party
Donna — April 24, 2013 @ 12:24 pm
So I thought the recipe that I found last night for Pregnant safe cookie dough was going to be my hero in these last 6 weeks, but this definitely takes it. Thank you so much!
Maurabean — April 24, 2013 @ 11:14 pm
these taste even better than the GS cookie…that being said these were a bit trickier than i expected!
lisa j. — April 25, 2013 @ 10:02 pm
You are my hero!
Laura — April 26, 2013 @ 1:43 am
I just made these and they are SOOO GOOD!!! They are actually wayyy better than the original! Plus they are fun to make since they require a bit of work! I’ll probably go gain 10 pounds now…and it will be worth it! ha
Jen Greyson — April 26, 2013 @ 4:43 pm
NOOOOOOOO!
I came over to your site for hummus….and found these. Goodbye healthy eating LOL
Homemade Samoas Girl Scout Cookies : I Love To Cook — April 28, 2013 @ 1:04 pm
[...] For more details please visit this link : justataste [...]
Just a Taste » Skinny Margarita Popsicles — May 1, 2013 @ 2:25 am
[...] she’s a bit nervous since the folk around here tend to be the deep-fried, cheese-stuffed, chocolate-dipped types. But don’t let her presence intimidate you. Say it with me now: “This is not a [...]
14 DIY Versions Of Your Favorite Childhood Snacks - EyeOnCelebs — May 1, 2013 @ 4:13 pm
[...] Recipe here. [...]
14 DIY Versions Of Your Favorite Childhood Snacks | シ最愛遲到.! — May 1, 2013 @ 5:33 pm
[...] Recipe here. [...]
Debbie — May 2, 2013 @ 3:33 pm
Well, first off, I made these because of all the great reviews. But here is my take on these cookies. They are very labor intensive to make, so out of 5 stars, I would give them 3 for taste. 1 star for appearance, unless you want to spend the whole day trying to get them to look like the picture. And I would give them -5 stars for the mess they create in your kitchen. My verdict, wait for the Girl Scouts to come knocking.
Kelly Senyei replied: — May 2nd, 2013 @ 3:36 pm
Thanks for your comment, Debbie! The cookies definitely are labor intensive, but I think their taste (and the fact you know exactly what goes into them) makes them worth the effort!
gethsy — May 3, 2013 @ 12:45 am
Thank you so much!!!!!!! I made them and they are amazing. I cut the recipe in half and it worked perfectly. Also my kitchen is very small and I managed not to make a mess. Whoever said that these weren’t worth it did something wrong. Thanks again
Homemade Samoas Girl Scout Cookies | RitaCarri — May 3, 2013 @ 11:53 am
[...] Just a Taste » Homemade Samoas Girl Scout Cookies. [...]
14 DIY Versions Of Your Favorite Childhood Snacks | DUB Corporation - Daily Online Magazine — May 3, 2013 @ 7:09 pm
[...] [...]
Lots of new. - The Hungry Wife — May 8, 2013 @ 1:09 am
[...] This past week, the kids and I were sprawled on the grass. (We had 1 bizarrely sunny day this week and took complete advantage of it.) We all talked about our favourite childhood (comfort) treat. I heard cookies, blondies, smores, etc. The list was endless.. and then a kid said ‘samoas’ and the rest of the group agreed. I’m embarrassed to share this – but I heard samosas. I was a little confused but pretended to agree. Eventually another kid chimed in and copied the samoa sentiment. I had to come clean. I had no idea what a samoa was. Every now and then my “immigrantness” spills out. I told them the truth and they all laughed. They told me about this treat that was to die for and used to be sold by girl guides. I had to find these creations. And eventually a couple of clicks led me to finding a recipe that looked insanely good on Just a taste. [...]
Homemade Samoa Girl Scout Cookies Food Pix | Recipe by Picture — May 8, 2013 @ 1:52 pm
[...] Recipe and Instructions [...]
Marisa — May 11, 2013 @ 1:14 am
Just made these tonight. Read the reviews and worried that they would not turn out. THEY ARE AMAZING!!!!!! I have had these from bakeries but never as good as these. They are also well worth the effort….took about two hours but the results were worth it. I am going to serve them for Mothers Day and will definitely make them again and again. Thanks for a keeper recipe!
Mimo — May 11, 2013 @ 12:37 pm
Hi!i had been dreaming of these cookies and since moving to Dubai always thought of ways to get them shipped to me! Thanks for the recipe. Spent many hours getting them done and then had a problem I am hoping someone can help me with. I made my own caramels (first time and no thermometer)and everything was perfect until they cooled and I had to reheat them so I can spread them on cookie (microwaved a few times). After everything was done the caramel became grainy and soooo sweet! Is it because I had reheated them?? So depressed because I made a lot and want them to be perfect! Advise for next time? Thanks in advance!
Tabitha — May 12, 2013 @ 9:38 am
How would I turn these into a bar instead of cookie?
Kelly Senyei replied: — May 12th, 2013 @ 12:10 pm
The cookie bar version of this recipe is in the works! Stay tuned!