Dessert: Chewy Chocolate-Coconut Cookies

Recipe by Maria Siriano These decadently sweet and chewy, coconut-flecked treats taste just like the beloved Girl Scout cookies, Samoas®.

Ingredients

1 c. unsalted butter
1/2 c. granulated sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 c. all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
Caramel-Coconut Sauce (see recipe below)
2 c. semisweet chocolate chips
3 tsp. vegetable, canola, or other flavorless oil

Instructions

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Add vanilla extract and mix to incorporate.
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. With the mixer speed on low, add the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Turn the dough out onto a work surface and form into a disc. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
Roll cookie dough to 1/4-inch thickness on a lightly floured surface and cut dough into 2-inch circles. Cut a small circle in the center with another circular cutter or a straw to create a "ring" shape. Transfer cookie dough to prepared baking sheets.
Bake cookies for 15 to 18 minutes, until lightly browned at the edges. Cool on the baking sheets for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
To make the Coconut-Caramel Sauce: Place coconut flakes in a skillet over medium heat. Stir constantly, until coconut is lightly browned. Remove from heat.
Heat sugar to a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring often so the sugar does not burn. The sugar will form clumps, then melt into a liquid and start to brown. Once all the sugar has dissolved and the liquid is dark amber in color, remove it from the heat. Pour in the cream and whisk constantly until the mixture stops bubbling and becomes smooth again. Whisk in the butter until melted and combined.
Use a small offset spatula or the back of a spoon to spread a thin layer of warm caramel over each cookie. Pour 1 cup of the remaining caramel over the toasted coconut and stir to coat. You want the coconut to be just lightly coated with caramel, not swimming in it. Use your offset spatula or spoon to spread the coconut mixture over the caramel layer of each cookie and use a toothpick to clear it away from the center hole. Allow the caramel to set up (chilling the cookies speeds this up.)
Line a baking sheet with parchment or wax paper. Heat chocolate chips in the microwave, stirring every 15 seconds, until melted and smooth. Stir in oil to thin out the chocolate. Carefully dip the bottoms of each cookie in the chocolate mixture and place on the prepared baking sheet. Dip a fork in the chocolate and drizzle lines of chocolate over the top of each cookie (you may need to warm up the chocolate again if it has cooled slightly and become too thick to drizzle). Let chocolate set up at room temperature or in the refrigerator before serving.

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