Chocolatey, caramel-coconut perfection
These homemade Samoa cookies capture everything people love about the classic favorite—crisp buttery cookies topped with gooey caramel, toasted coconut, and rich chocolate drizzle. They’re sweet, chewy, crunchy, and completely irresistible. Perfect for holiday baking, cookie swaps, or a make-ahead treat for busy weeks, this recipe delivers bakery-style results with simple steps. Making them at home means extra coconut, thicker caramel, and no waiting for cookie season. If you love layered desserts with big flavor and a little nostalgia, these Samoa cookies are guaranteed to become a repeat favorite.
⏱️ Time Breakdown
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 10–12 minutes
- Cooling & Assembly: 20 minutes
- Total Time: ~1 hour
- Servings: 22–26 cookies
📝 Ingredients List
For the Cookies
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ tsp salt
For the Topping
- 3 cups shredded sweetened coconut
- 11 oz soft caramel candies
- 3 tbsp milk or heavy cream
- 6 oz semisweet chocolate (chips or chopped)
✨ Kitchen Tools You’ll Need
This recipe doesn’t require fancy gadgets, just a few reliable kitchen basics to keep everything simple and stress-free.
- Mixing bowls
- Hand mixer or stand mixer
- Measuring cups & spoons
- Baking sheets
- Parchment paper
- Small saucepan
- Spatula
- Cooling rack
🍫 Step-by-Step Beginner-Friendly Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Cream butter, granulated sugar, and powdered sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes 😊
- Beat in egg and vanilla until smooth.
- Mix in flour and salt until a soft dough forms.
- Roll dough to ¼-inch thickness, cut into circles, and remove centers to form rings.
- Bake for 10–12 minutes until edges are lightly golden. Cool completely.
- Toast coconut on a baking sheet at 350°F for 5–7 minutes, stirring once, until golden and fragrant 🥥
- Melt caramels with milk over low heat until smooth and glossy.
- Stir toasted coconut into caramel, then spoon mixture over cooled cookies.
- Melt chocolate and drizzle over tops, or dip cookie bottoms in chocolate for extra indulgence ✨
- Let chocolate set before serving.
💡 Pro Tips
- Clean centers: Use a piping tip to easily cut the cookie holes.
- Extra gooey: Warm caramel slightly if it thickens while assembling.
- Make ahead: Cookies freeze well after assembly—just thaw before serving.
- Chocolate upgrade: Use dark chocolate for a less-sweet finish.