Samoas Cookie Straws

An updated version of the famous Girl Scout cookies, Samoas. These have a browned butter shortbread cookie, salted caramel, toasted coconut, dipped and drizzled in chocolate and in a stick form. 

It's that time of year where Girl Scout cookie booths are all over the place. It is so hard to not buy all of the cookies.

 Samoas are one of my favorite cookies, second has to be Tagalongs, I may do a recipe like that.

I was actually a Girl Scout for 4 years and I sold thousands of these cookies. I may have eaten at least half of that amount.

 As I stated above, these cookies are a little different from the original cookie. Instead of the regular shortbread cookies that use regular butter these have browned butter.

The caramel has hint of salt, that will cut through all the sweetness of the caramel and chocolate.

These are also in a fun shape, straws. In the South we have mostly cheese ones.

Recipes you may like:
Kitchen Sink Cookies
Browned Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Fries
Chubby Hubby Cookies


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Samoas Cookie Straws

Time-
Prep: 30 minutes
Chilling: 2 hours
Baking: 8 to 10 minutes for cookies, 5 minutes for coconut


Ingredients

Browned Butter Shortbread
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) Unsalted Butter
3 1/2 cups Unbleached All Purpose Flour
1/2 cup Dark Brown Sugar
1/2 teaspoon Fine Sea Salt
2 teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract
1/4 teaspoon Baking Powder

Salted Caramel Sauce
1 1/2 cups Dark Brown Sugar
1/2 cup Unsalted Butter
1/2 cup Heavy Cream, lukewarm
1 1/2 teaspoon Fine Sea Salt, you can do more or less
1 Tablespoon Pure Vanilla Extract

3 cups Toasted Coconut, unsweetened
1 1/2 cup Semi-Chocolate Chips


1. In a medium sauce pan, bring 3 sticks to a boil then let simmer for 7 to 10 minutes or until a light brown color and nutty in fragrance.  Remove from the heat and let cool for 5 minutes then pour through a mesh strainer. Let cool completely until solid, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours in the fridge.
2. Once the butter is solid, cream with the sugar until light. Add in salt, flour, baking powder and vanilla extract. Beat until crumbly. Lay two layers of plastic wrap on a clean surface crossways. Tip dough out and  gently work it until it comes into a ball. Wrap and chill for 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
3. Preheat to oven to 325 degrees, line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.  Press cookie dough a small cookie sheet evenly. Chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.  Once firm, cut into 1 inch by 4 inches sticks.  If the dough becomes warm pop in the freezer for 15 minutes. Poke a little hole on the top.
4. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until very lightly golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool on the sheet pan for 5 minutes then on a wired rack completely.
5. Toast coconut on the 325 for 5 minutes or until lightly golden brown. Remove and let cool. Add coconut and caramel in a small bowl. Set aside.
6. Salted Caramel Sauce: In a medium sauce pan, combine dark brown sugar, butter and heavy cream. Bring to a boil for 6 to 7 minutes, whisk constantly until thick. Remove from heat, add vanilla extract that might bubble up. Add in salt. Set aside.
7. Assemble: Melt 1 cup of chocolate.  Dip the bottom of a cookie in the chocolate. Scoop a tablespoons worth of caramel-coconut mixture. Drizzle the last 1/2 cup of chocolate and chill for 10 or until the chocolate is set. Store in a your fridge or a cool area of your kitchen.
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