How to Make Girl Scout Cookie-Style Caramel Delights

I somehow missed Girl Scout cookie season this year. I usually keep my eye on the colorful boxes on the tables outside supermarkets, but before I knew it, April was over and so were the cookies. So until next year, I’m devoting some time to Girl Scout cookies and how to impersonate them. You could probably buy a box of GSC on Ebay or Mercari for a higher price, or you could dust off your rolling pins and make knockoffs with me instead and it would be a lot cheaper.

Today we’re going to turn our attention to Caramel deLites, one of my favorites from the Girl Scout Cookie line. These are simple crunchy cookies coated in a caramel-coconut mixture and topped with a little chocolate. You may know them as Samoans. (They’re the same type of cookie, they’re just made by different bakeries.)

As with most fake mass-produced cookie recipes, homemade cookies tend to be more flavorful and bulky. Despite my best efforts to create a more convincing copycat with less flavor and a more petite shape, the recipe I settled on is butterier, coconuttier, and chunkier than the celebrity version. I even made a test batch of vegetable shortening, as the ingredient list from ABC Bakers suggests, but I didn’t like it as much as the butter-based recipe I made later. However, if you want to cut down on the butter notes (they are strong), you can try replacing the shortening with half the butter fat.

I decided to depict Caramel deLites as a modified shortcrust pastry. As I recall, the cookies are simple, crumbly but firm, so a simple dough seemed appropriate. As much as I would like the cookies to be closer to ABC Bakers cookies, few people (including me) would make a recipe that is too complicated. These cookies are amazing, but remember that they won’t give you the same taste as straight out of the package. Instead, you’ll be greeted with aromas of browned butter, toasted coconut, and the scent of dulce de leche. I know. What a disappointment.

How to Make Fake Caramel deLites (or Samoas)

1. Prepare the cookie base.

Combine room temperature butter, sugar, vanilla extract, flour, salt and baking powder in a bowl. The dough should stick together into a ball, stiff but pliable. Press it into a disk and leave it in a bowl. Let it sit in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes.

2. Make the filling

While the dough is rising, make the filling. Once again, using ABC Baker’s ingredients as a guide, I used sweetened condensed milk and unsweetened shredded coconut to make the chewy filling. I used the Let’s Do Organic brand because the pieces are smaller than Baker’s. Mix sweetened condensed milk with coconut pieces to form a thick paste.

3. Form cookies.

Roll out the cookie dough on a lightly floured surface until it is about a quarter inch thick. Spoon the coconut mixture onto the cookie dough and spread it over the surface. You now have a double layer baking sheet. Using a cookie cutter (I used a 2-inch fluted cookie cutter), cut both layers. Place cookies on a baking sheet lined with parchment. Use a small round cookie cutter (or a piping cutter like I did) to cut out the center hole. Place the cookies in the freezer for about 15 minutes while you preheat the oven.

4. Bake them

Bake the cookies straight from the freezer for eight to 10 minutes. Keep an eye on them for the last two minutes as they will turn pale after one second and turn brown in no time. Cool them on a cooling rack while you prepare the chocolate frosting.

5. Decorate with chocolate strips.

I went all in and spread chocolate on the bottoms as well as the strips on the top, but if you don’t have the patience for either, I totally understand. Simply draw stripes to get the classic Samoan cookie look.

Otherwise, turn all the cookies over and place a new piece of parchment paper on a plate or cutting board. I used chocolate frosting from food.com and it worked well. Whisk together the butter, cocoa powder, powdered sugar and hot water. Quickly spread the chocolate to the bottom of the entire cookie using a rubber spatula, pastry brush, or small offset spatula. Keep the layer thin to avoid puddles. Place them on parchment paper, chocolate side down. Using a spoon or a small piping bag if you have one, drizzle the remaining chocolate strips over the cookies. (If the chocolate starts to thicken and harden, simply microwave it for about 10 to 15 seconds to liquefy it again.) Cool the cookies at room temperature for 20 minutes or in the refrigerator for five.

These knockoff cookies become more “convincing” if they cool completely, but their buttery flavor becomes more enjoyable when they’re freshly baked. It’s up to you. If you have the patience, give them plenty of time to cool. If not, you will still be a winner in the end.

Recipe for Copycat Samoa or Caramel deLite Cookies

Ingredients:

For the cookie dough :

• ¼ cup sugar

• ½ cup butter, room temperature

• 1 cup + 2 tablespoons flour

• ¼ teaspoon salt

• ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

For the coconut filling:

• ¾ cup + 2 tablespoons unsweetened shredded coconut

• ½ cup sweetened condensed milk

For chocolate topping :

• 2 tablespoons cocoa powder

• 2 tablespoons neutral oil

• 1 cup powdered sugar

• 2 tablespoons hot water

1. Mix room temperature butter, sugar, vanilla extract, flour, salt and baking powder in a bowl. Roll it into a disk and refrigerate for 10 minutes.

2. While the dough is rising, whisk together the sweetened condensed milk and grated coconut in a small bowl to form a thick mixture.

3. Roll out cookie dough on a lightly floured surface to a quarter-inch thickness. Spread the coconut mixture onto the cookie dough to form a double layer. Using a round cookie cutter, cut both layers. Place cookies on a baking sheet lined with parchment. Take a smaller round cookie cutter and cut out a center hole. Place the cookies in the freezer for about 15 minutes.

4. Preheat the oven to 375 F. Once the cookies have cooled, bake the cookies directly from the freezer for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown. Cool them on a cooling rack while you prepare the chocolate frosting.

5. Whisk together the butter, cocoa powder, powdered sugar and hot water. Working quickly, run the chocolate down the bottom of the entire cookie. Place them on a piece of parchment, chocolate side down. Using a spoon or small piping bag, sprinkle the remaining chocolate strips over the cookies. Cool the cookies completely. Remove them from the parchment and enjoy.

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