Samoas Cookies ( Girl Scout Cookies )

Makes about 4 dozen cookies

Cookie Ingredients:  

2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 sp. salt
2 Tbsp. milk
1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips for dipping cookies

Coconut Mixture Ingredients:

3 cups shredded sweetened coconut
15 ounces store-bought soft caramels
3 Tbsp. milk
1/4 tsp. salt

Cookie Directions: 

Cream together butter and sugar. 
In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. 
In two additions, add dry ingredients to butter mixture and combine. 
Mix in milk and vanilla, and split dough in half. Wrap each half in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 min until firm.

Preheat oven to 350 F. 
Roll out cookie dough until 1/8 thick on a floured work surface and cut out as many circles as possible with a 2” circle cookie cutter. 
Cut out centers of cookies with a 1” cookie cutter, and transfer cookies to a parchment paper lined baking sheet. 
Bake for 10-13 minutes or until edges are golden brown.

Coconut Mixture Directions:

Spread out coconut onto a baking sheet, and toast for 13-15 minutes in a 350 F. oven. 
Stir every 3-4 minutes to prevent burning. 
Transfer coconut to a medium bowl. Melt together caramel, milk, and salt in the microwave at 30 sec intervals. 
Pour 3/4 of caramel over coconut and gently fold in (may have to use your hands). 
Place remaining 1/4 of mixture into a piping bag, and pipe caramel onto cookies. 
Spread coconut-caramel mixture over cookies. 
Melt chocolate in the microwave at 30 sec intervals. 
Dip the bottom of each cookie in chocolate, then drizzle cookies with chocolate.