Copycat Samoa Cookies Recipe (Better Than Store-Bought!)

Make a batch of these copycat Samoa cookies for your next party or celebration and watch them disappear. The best part is you can enjoy these treats any time of year without waiting for Girl Scout cookie season to roll around.

Looking for more cookie recipes to fill your cookie jar? These Frosted Chocolate Chip Cookies are topped with vanilla frosting for extra sweetness. If you love Crumbl copycat recipes, try these Heath Bar Cookies loaded with toffee bits. For more Girl Scout-inspired treats, whip up a Dirty Girl Scout Shot that captures all the minty flavors of a Thin Mint cookie.

Reasons You’ll Love This Recipe

• Girl Scout Favorite: These Samoa cookies taste just like the real thing with buttery cookies, sweet caramel, toasted coconut, and dark chocolate. You’ll be amazed at how closely they match the store-bought version.
• Easy to Make: Despite looking fancy, these cookies come together with straightforward steps. The cookie dough is simple to work with, and the assembly process is actually quite fun once you get the hang of it.
• Perfect for Sharing: This recipe makes 24-30 cookies, so you’ll have plenty to share at potlucks, bake sales, or holiday gatherings. They’re guaranteed to be the first dessert to disappear from any cookie platter.
• Budget-Friendly: Making homemade Samoa cookies costs a fraction of what you’d pay for boxes of the real deal. Plus, you can make them whenever the craving hits instead of waiting for cookie season.

Samoa Cookies Ingredients

See the recipe card below for a complete list of ingredients and measurements.

• Unsalted butter – Softened butter creates the perfect tender shortbread cookie base. Make sure it’s at room temperature so it creams smoothly with the sugar for that melt-in-your-mouth texture.
• Sugar – Granulated sugar adds just the right amount of sweetness to the cookie dough without overpowering the caramel and coconut toppings that come later.
• Vanilla extract – Pure vanilla enhances all the flavors in these cookies and adds that bakery-fresh aroma. Don’t skip this ingredient as it ties everything together beautifully.
• Milk – Just a splash of milk helps bring the dough together and creates cookies with the perfect texture. Whole milk works best, but 2% will do in a pinch.
• Flour – All-purpose flour is the foundation of these shortbread cookies. Measure it carefully by spooning and leveling for the best results.
• Baking powder – A small amount of leavening gives these cookies their tender crumb without making them cakey. You want them sturdy enough to hold the toppings.
• Salt – Salt balances the sweetness and brings out all the flavors in both the cookie and the caramel topping.
• Coconut flakes – Toasting the coconut brings out its natural sweetness and adds that signature nutty flavor. Use sweetened coconut flakes for the most authentic Samoa taste.
• Soft caramels – Unwrapped caramels melt down into that gooey, sticky topping we all love. Buy the individually wrapped kind and save yourself time by unwrapping them while the cookies bake.
• Evaporated milk – This thickens the melted caramel and makes it easier to spread on the cookies. It also helps the coconut mixture stick together perfectly.
• Dark chocolate melting wafers – Dark chocolate balances the sweetness of the caramel and adds that finishing touch. The melting wafers are easy to work with and set up beautifully.
• Vegetable oil – Adding a bit of oil to the melted chocolate makes it silky smooth for dipping and drizzling. This creates those pretty chocolate stripes on top.

Substitutions and Additions

• Use milk chocolate – Swap dark chocolate for milk chocolate if you prefer a sweeter flavor profile that’s less intense.
• Try white chocolate – White chocolate drizzle gives these cookies a completely different look and adds creamy vanilla notes.
• Add sea salt – Sprinkle flaky sea salt on top of the chocolate drizzle for a salted caramel effect that’s absolutely divine.
• Use homemade caramel – If you’re feeling ambitious, make your own caramel sauce instead of using store-bought caramels.
• Substitute almond extract – Replace half the vanilla with almond extract for a subtle nutty flavor that complements the coconut beautifully.

How to Make Samoa Cookies (step-by-step directions)

STEP 1. Start by preheating your oven to 350 degrees and lining a couple of baking sheets with parchment paper. In the bowl of your stand mixer, cream together the softened butter and sugar until the mixture is smooth and fluffy. (Photos 1 & 2)

STEP 2. Add the vanilla and milk to the butter mixture and mix until everything is well combined. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt, then gradually add this to the wet ingredients, scraping down the sides often to ensure everything is incorporated. (Photo 3 & 4)

STEP 3. Transfer your cookie dough to a lightly floured work surface and roll it out to about ¼ inch thickness. Cut out 2 ½ inch circles and place them on your prepared baking sheet, then use a 1 inch round cutter to remove the center of each cookie to create that classic ring shape. Pop the cookies in the freezer for about 10 minutes to firm up before baking. (Photos 5 & 6)

STEP 4. Bake the cookies for approximately 10 minutes or until they’re just set but not overly brown. While the cookies bake, toast your coconut in the oven for about 10 minutes, stirring several times to prevent burning. (Photos 7 & 8)

STEP 5. In a large frying pan, combine the unwrapped caramels and evaporated milk over low heat, stirring frequently for about 10 minutes until smooth and melted. (Photos 9 & 10)

STEP 6. Spread a thin layer of this caramel over each cooled cookie with a spatula. (Photo 11)

STEP 7. Mix the toasted coconut into the remaining caramel until well coated, then working quickly with gloved hands, place about a tablespoon of the coconut mixture on top of each cookie and shape it to fit. (Photos 12, 13 & 14)

STEP 8. Melt the chocolate with the vegetable oil until smooth, dip the bottoms of the cookies in the chocolate, then drizzle the remaining melted chocolate over the tops in a zigzag pattern. (Photos 15, 16 & 17)

STEP 9. Leave the cookies to dry or enjoy them while the chocolate is still soft.

Recipe Tips

• Chill the dough – Freezing the cut cookies for 10 minutes before baking helps them hold their shape and prevents spreading.
• Watch the coconut – Toasted coconut can go from golden to burnt in seconds, so stir it frequently and watch it closely.
• Work quickly with caramel – The coconut-caramel mixture hardens as it cools, so shape it onto the cookies while it’s still pliable.
• Use parchment paper – This makes cleanup a breeze and prevents the chocolate-dipped bottoms from sticking.
• Double the batch – These cookies disappear fast, so consider making a double batch to freeze for later.

Storing Tips

• Storage: Keep your Samoa cookies in an airtight container at room temperature, separating layers with parchment paper to prevent them from sticking together.
• Refrigerator: Store leftover cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 days. The chocolate may develop a slight bloom in the fridge, but the taste won’t be affected.
• Freezing: You can freeze these cookies for up to 2 months in a freezer-safe container. Let them thaw at room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving.
• Reheating: These cookies are best enjoyed at room temperature, but you can warm them in the microwave for 5-10 seconds if you want the caramel slightly gooey.

Serving Suggestions

Serve these Samoa cookies with a cold glass of milk for the ultimate cookie experience. For a fun dessert spread, pair them with Cake Mix Cookies with Sprinkles and No Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies to create a cookie platter everyone will love. 

If you’re hosting a party, these cookies look stunning alongside Peanut Butter Cup Cookie Bars for a dessert table that celebrates all things chocolate and peanut butter. For an adults-only gathering, serve them with Dirty Girl Scout Shots to really embrace that Girl Scout cookie theme.

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