Copycat Samoa Cookies
Add Preferred SourceThese Samoa Copycat Cookies capture everything people love about the classic Girl Scout favorite, but in a homemade version that feels richer and more indulgent. They’re crisp, chewy, chocolatey, and unapologetically nostalgic. If Samoas are your go-to, this copycat is about to become your new favorite.
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I love these cookies and they’re far easier to make than you might think. Each layer comes together simply, and the result is a cookie that’s thicker, more generous, and more satisfying than the original. They’re perfect for cookie platters, bake sales, or anytime you want to impress with something familiar but elevated.
You can also break the process into steps over a couple of days, which makes this recipe easy to fit into your schedule without feeling overwhelming.
Ingredients
Cookies
- Unsalted butter, softened – I use unsalted butter so the sweetness stays balanced and not overly salty.
- Granulated sugar – Sweetens the dough and helps the cookies hold their shape.
- Vanilla extract – I bake almost exclusively with artificial vanilla extract, but use what you’re comfortable with.
- Milk – Whole milk works best. Low-fat milk works in a pinch.
- All-purpose flour – Spoon and level so the cookies bake tender, not dry.
- Baking powder – Check the expiration date, or cookies won’t rise properly.
- Salt – I use Kosher salt.
Topping
- Coconut flakes – Sweetened coconut flakes work best. Unsweetened coconut won’t taste like Samoas.
- Soft caramels – Use soft caramels like Kraft caramels. Hard caramels won’t melt smoothly.
- Evaporated milk – Don’t substitute with regular milk. Evaporated milk is thicker and helps the caramel set properly.
- Dark chocolate melting wafers – Milk chocolate melting wafers work if you prefer sweeter. Don’t use chocolate chips—they won’t melt smoothly for dipping.
- Vegetable oil – Helps the chocolate melt smoothly for dipping and drizzling.
How to Make Samoa Copycat Cookies
Scroll down for the full recipe card with exact measurements and printable instructions.
Start by preheating the oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set them aside.
Add the softened butter and sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Cream until smooth and fluffy, scraping down the sides as needed. Add the vanilla extract and milk and mix until fully combined.
Add the flour, baking powder, and salt to the bowl. Mix on low speed until the dough comes together and no dry flour remains. The dough should be soft but not sticky.
Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface. Roll it out to about ¼-inch thickness using a rolling pin with thickness guides if you have them. Use a 2½-inch round cookie cutter to cut out circles, then use a 1-inch round cutter to remove the centers, creating a donut shape. Reroll scraps as needed.
Transfer the cookies to the prepared baking sheets and place them in the freezer for about 10 minutes. This helps them hold their shape while baking.
Bake the cookies for about 10 minutes, just until set. Do not let them brown. Remove from the oven and let them cool completely before topping.
While the cookies cool, spread the coconut flakes evenly on a rimmed baking sheet. Toast in the oven at 350°F for about 10 minutes, stirring every few minutes to prevent burning. Remove once golden brown and fragrant, then let cool completely.
Add the unwrapped caramels and evaporated milk to a wide skillet or heavy saucepan. Heat over low heat, stirring constantly with a silicone spatula, until fully melted and smooth, about 10 minutes.
Spread a thin layer of caramel over the top of each cooled cookie using an offset spatula or butter knife.
Add the toasted coconut to the remaining caramel and stir until evenly coated. Let the mixture cool slightly so it’s easier to handle.
Put on food-safe gloves and place about 1 tablespoon of the coconut-caramel mixture onto each cookie, gently shaping it to fit. Work quickly, as the caramel will firm up as it cools.
Melt the chocolate wafers and vegetable oil together in the microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring between each, until smooth.
Dip the bottoms of each cookie into the melted chocolate and place them on parchment paper to set. Transfer the remaining chocolate to a piping bag or zip-top bag with the corner snipped and drizzle over the tops of the cookies.
Allow the chocolate to fully set before serving or storing.
Chef Jenn’s Recipe Notes
- Freezing the cookies before baking helps keep the centers from closing up. Bake them right from frozen; they’ll be fine.
- Toast the coconut slowly and stir often. Coconut burns fast – don’t ask me how many times I’ve burned coconut.
- Gloves make shaping the caramel coconut much easier and less messy.
- If the caramel thickens too much, gently rewarm it over low heat.
Serving Suggestions
Serve these Samoa Copycat Cookies on a dessert platter with other classic cookies like Biscoff Cookie Butter Streusel Bars, Copycat Crumbl Twix Cookies, or Avalanche Cookies. They’re great alongside coffee or hot chocolate, or wrapped individually for gifting. They’re rich, so one or two go a long way. Want more cookie inspiration? Check out all my cookie recipes.
Storage
Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or refrigerate for up to 5 days. Let chilled cookies come to room temperature before serving for the best texture.
Copycat Samoa Cookies
Ingredients
Cookies
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 2 ½ cups flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
Topping
- 14 ounces coconut flakes
- 30 ounces soft caramels unwrapped
- ½ cup evaporated milk
- 1 cup dark chocolate melting wafers
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Cream the softened butter and the sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until smooth and fluffy, then mix in the vanilla extract and the milk until combined.
- Add the flour, the baking powder, and the salt, mixing on low speed until a soft dough forms and no dry flour remains.
- Roll the dough on a lightly floured surface to about ¼-inch thick and cut out 2½-inch circles, then remove the centers with a 1-inch cutter to form donut shapes, rerolling scraps as needed.
- Transfer the cookies to the prepared baking sheets and freeze them for about 10 minutes to help them hold their shape.
- Bake the cookies for about 10 minutes until just set without browning, then cool them completely.
- Spread the coconut flakes on a rimmed baking sheet and toast them at 350°F for about 10 minutes, stirring every few minutes, until golden and fragrant, then cool completely.
- Heat the unwrapped caramels and the evaporated milk in a wide skillet or heavy saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly with a silicone spatula until melted and smooth, about 10 minutes.
- Spread a thin layer of the caramel over each cooled cookie with an offset spatula or butter knife.
- Stir the toasted coconut into the remaining caramel and let the mixture cool slightly until easier to handle.
- Place about 1 tablespoon of the coconut-caramel mixture onto each cookie and gently shape it to fit, working quickly as the caramel firms.
- Melt the chocolate wafers and the vegetable oil in the microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring until smooth.
- Dip the bottoms of the cookies into the melted chocolate and place them on parchment paper to set. Let some of the chocolate drip off before setting them down.
- Drizzle the remaining chocolate over the tops using a piping bag or zip-top bag with the corner snipped, then let the chocolate fully set before serving or storing.
Video
Notes
Chef Jenn’s Recipe Notes
- Freezing the cookies before baking helps keep the centers from closing up. Bake them right from frozen; they’ll be fine.
- Toast the coconut slowly and stir often. Coconut burns fast – don’t ask me how many times I’ve burned coconut.
- Gloves make shaping the caramel coconut much easier and less messy.
- If the caramel thickens too much, gently rewarm it over low heat.
Nutrition
A Note on Nutritional Information
Nutritional information for this recipe is provided as a courtesy and is calculated based on available online ingredient information. It is only an approximate value. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site cannot be guaranteed.
