Homemade Samoa Cookies are a homemade take on the beloved Girl Scout treat. These thick, buttery shortbread cookies melt in your mouth and are layered with rich caramel, toasted coconut, and semi‑sweet chocolate for the perfect balance of sweet and crunchy.
Homemade Samoa Cookies
These Samoa-style cookies start with a tender shortbread base, then get topped with a warm, coconut-studded caramel and finished with a chocolate-dipped bottom and a chocolate drizzle. Making them from scratch lets you load them up with more coconut and richer caramel than the boxed version.
Ingredients
Shortbread Cookie Base
- 1 cup cold butter
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
Caramel Topping
- 11 ounce bag caramel bites
- 2 cups sweetened shredded coconut
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Chocolate Coating
- 1 cup semi‑sweet chocolate chips
- 1 teaspoon coconut oil
Supplies
- Mixing bowls
- Cookie sheets
- Whisk
- Parchment paper or silicone baking mat
- Hand mixer (optional)
- Piping tip or small shot glass (to cut the center hole)
Samoa Cookie Recipe
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Use a pastry cutter, two forks, or your fingertips to cut the cold butter into the sugar until combined. Add the flour and mix until the dough resembles wet sand. If the dough is too crumbly, add cold water 1 teaspoon at a time until it holds together.
Form the dough into 1″ balls and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Gently flatten each ball with your fingers into a 3″ circle. Use the large end of a piping tip or a small shot glass to cut a small circle from the center of each cookie so they resemble rings or mini donuts.
Chill the shaped cookies in the freezer for 10 minutes, then bake at 350°F for 10 minutes. Shortbread should not brown—you’ll know they’re done when they look dry and matte.
While the cookies bake, prepare the caramel-coconut topping: melt the caramel bites with the heavy cream and salt in a small saucepan over low heat or in short bursts in the microwave, stirring until smooth. Stir in the shredded coconut and set aside to cool slightly. In a separate bowl, melt the chocolate chips with coconut oil until smooth and glossy.
Allow the shortbread to cool a few minutes. Dip the bottom of each cookie into the melted chocolate and set them chocolate-side down on parchment. Top each cookie with about 2 teaspoons of the coconut-caramel mixture. An easy method is to shape a small piece of the mixture into a thin “snake” and press it around the top of each cookie to mimic the classic look.
Finish with an extra drizzle of melted chocolate over the caramel. Place cookies in the fridge or freezer until the chocolate sets. Once firm, serve cold or at room temperature for a softer texture.
More Cookie Recipes to Try Next:
- Chocolate Chip Cookies
- White Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Cookie Bars
- Nutella Stuffed Cookies
- Peanut Butter and Jelly Cookie Bars
- Monster Cookie Balls
Homemade Samoa Cookies
Equipment
- Mixing bowls
- Cookie sheets
- Whisk
- Piping tip or shot glass to cut the center hole
Ingredients
Shortbread Cookie Base
- 1 cup cold butter
- ⅔ cup sugar
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
Caramel Topping
- 11 ounce bag caramel bites
- 2 cups sweetened shredded coconut
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Chocolate Coating
- 1 cup semi‑sweet chocolate chips
- 1 teaspoon coconut oil
Instructions
- Cut the cold butter into the sugar with a pastry cutter, two forks, or your hands until combined.
- Add the flour and mix until the dough resembles wet sand. If needed, add cold water 1 teaspoon at a time to bring the dough together.
- Form the dough into 1″ balls and arrange them on a parchment-lined cookie sheet.
- Flatten each ball into a 3″ circle and cut a small circle from the center using a piping tip or shot glass so each cookie looks like a ring.
- Freeze the shaped cookies for 10 minutes, then bake at 350°F for 10 minutes. They are done when dry and matte, not brown.
- While baking, melt the caramel bites with heavy cream and salt until smooth. Stir in the shredded coconut and set aside.
- Melt the chocolate chips with coconut oil in a separate bowl until smooth and glossy.
- Cool the shortbread slightly, then dip the bottom of each cookie into the chocolate and place chocolate-side down on parchment.
- Top each cookie with about 2 teaspoons of the coconut-caramel mixture and drizzle more melted chocolate over the top. Chill until the chocolate sets.
- Once the chocolate is fully hardened, serve and enjoy.
Notes
- If the dough is too crumbly, add cold water 1 teaspoon at a time until it holds together.
- Shortbread should not brown. Look for a dry, matte surface to know they’re done.
- To top the cookies, roll a small piece of the caramel-coconut mixture into a thin “snake” and press it on top for a neat finish.
- These cookies are best chilled, though they remain tasty at room temperature.