Samoa (Girl Scout Cookie) Knock Off/Copy Cat {Attempt #1}

So maybe it's just the pregnancy, maybe it's that I've really been enjoying the Girl Scout cookies we ordered this year; but, I hate not having the option/ability/extra money to have these cookies whenever I want them. I had to try to make them myself.



After attempting a google search, I came across this samoa copycat recipe at food.com. The reviews were mostly positive and gave what seemed to be decent suggestions to make the original recipe even better.

My first area where I veered from the original recipe is that I attempted this shortbread cookie recipe instead. I followed this recipe exactly, but wish the actual cookie was a little sweeter. I also did not do a great job rolling my cookies very evenly. Some cookies were a little thicker-not a bad thing-but I think these would be best on the thinner side. No more than 1/4" thick!


The samoa recipe recommended using this recipe, but I decided not to because I didn't want to use shortening (although I'm sure it would have made a delicious cookie) and I also didn't want to have to buy a bunch of buttermilk to only use 2 TBSP...the reviews were also not very good...I also did not have a round cookie cutter, so I used a small juice glass. The cookies ended up being larger than the original GS cookie, but I'm not complaining about that!

Back to the Samoa Recipe. I toasted the coconut for about 2 minutes at a time at 375 degrees. It took about 8 minutes and I would stir every two minutes. Just watch closely at the end so you don't have burnt coconut!

It was super easy to mix the other ingredients together in a saucepan. I ended up with about 2 cups of toasted coconut because I have a hot spot on my cookie sheet (I think) and learned the hard way to watch the coconut carefully while it's toasting (especially at the very end!)


This mix itself is delicious in my opinion.

I used a small ice cream scoop (yes, I have a small ice cream scoop but no cookie cutters?!) and made a blob of the coconut mix on each cookie. I used a knife to smear the good lovin' across the entire cookie.


I put the shortbread cookies with the coconut mixture on top into the freezer for a few minutes. I figured I needed to add some chocolate to these babies, and the freezer was the best bet.


I used about a cup of melted chocolate chips in a bowl and then dipped one entire bottom of the cookie into the chocolate and then had another cookie on stand-by and would have the cookies "kiss" bottoms, to smear the cookies bottom's & the chocolate together. Yum. I then placed them coconut side down on the cookie sheet, and put them back in the freezer for about 30 minutes. I then melted some dark chocolate chips (maybe 1/2 a cup?) and put it into a sandwich bag, trimmed a corner, and drizzled the melted dark chocolate chips on top of the coconut & shortbread cookie mix. Then back to the freezer for these cookies!



I had photography class and forgot about the cookies (I hate to admit) so they were in the freezer for about 2 hours before I got home and finally got to try one!

My husband and I agree that the shortbread cookies were a little thick (and I thought they could be sweeter-maybe even could use some brown sugar?) so the ratio of shortbread to coconut to chocolate was not exact. The cookies are definitely GOOD. But not as good as the ones from the box.

A very talented food blogger I am lucky to know passed along a copycat Samoa Recipe she had heard of, and I'm thinking this recipe will be my next attempt. I will let you know how it goes.
Facebook Comments Plugin Bloggerized by BloggerTricks.Biz

3 comments:

  1. Yum! I will be happy to be an unbiased cookie tester for you. :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. I should give them away only so I can make more....I think they tasted better on the second day :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Aww, you make me blush. You Samoas look so good ... These are my fav Girl Scout cookies, and you've inspired me to try making them on my own too.

    ReplyDelete

Please leave me messages. I love hearing from YOU!

Blogging tips