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Homemade copycat Samoas cookies with coconut and caramel topping

Copycat Samoas

These homemade Samoas capture the beloved caramel-coconut-chocolate flavor trio, featuring a buttery shortbread base topped with toasted coconut and rich caramel, finished with semi-sweet chocolate.
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Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 3 hours
Servings: 24 cookies
Course: Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: American
Calories: 150
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Shortbread Cookie Base
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature Use vegan butter for dairy-free
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 2 1/2 Tbsp whole milk For dairy-free use canned coconut milk
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
Coconut-Caramel Topping
  • 2 1/4 cups shredded sweetened coconut
  • 11 oz Kraft baking caramels
  • 5 Tbsp milk Use coconut milk for dairy-free
  • 1/4 tsp salt For the caramel
Chocolate Coating
  • 1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate Chips or chopped bar

Method
 

Preparation
  1. In a stand mixer, cream the room-temperature butter and sugar until light and smooth, about 2–3 minutes.
  2. Add flour, baking powder, and 1/4 tsp salt. Mix on low until just incorporated.
  3. Add milk and vanilla. Mix until the dough holds together; a few crumbs are fine.
  4. Roll the dough between parchment sheets until thin (about 1/8 inch) and chill at least 30 minutes.
Baking Cookies
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Cut out donut-shaped cookies and bake for 10 minutes until edges are golden.
  2. Cool completely on a wire rack.
Making Topping
  1. Reduce oven to 325°F (160°C) and toast shredded coconut on a baking sheet for 5–8 minutes, stirring halfway.
  2. Melt caramels with 5 Tbsp milk and 1/4 tsp salt in a saucepan, stirring until smooth.
  3. Fold in toasted coconut and let it cool slightly.
Assembly
  1. Spread a spoonful of coconut-caramel mixture on each cooled cookie and let set for 20–30 minutes.
  2. Melt chocolate and either dip the cookie bottoms or drizzle chocolate over the tops. Let firm completely before stacking.

Notes

For a crisper shortbread, chill longer than 30 minutes; for more tender cookies, avoid overworking the dough. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.