Samoa Sugar Cookies (Soft Base + Chewy Caramel Topping)

There is a specific time of year that everyone looks forward to. You know the one—when the card tables appear outside grocery stores and the colorful boxes of Girl Scout cookies start circulating offices and schools. While I have a soft spot for Thin Mints, my heart has always belonged to the Samoa (or Caramel deLites, depending on where you live).

That combination of toasted coconut, caramel, and chocolate is simply unbeatable.

However, sometimes you want that flavor profile without waiting for cookie season, and sometimes—let’s be honest—you want a cookie that is a little more substantial than the crispy store-bought version. That is where these Samoa Sugar Cookies come in.

Unlike the original, which uses a crunchy shortbread base, this recipe features a soft, pillowy sugar cookie base. We use a blend of butter and shortening to get that melt-in-your-mouth bakery texture. Then, we give them the full “Samoa treatment”: dipping the bottoms in chocolate, slathering the tops with homemade caramel sauce, piling on toasted coconut, and finishing with a chocolate drizzle.

I made a huge batch of these recently, and as you can see from the photos, they look like they came from a high-end bakery. They are decadent, chewy, soft, and absolutely worth the effort.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

The Soft Base: By using Cream of Tartar and a mix of powdered and granulated sugar, the cookie base stays incredibly soft and tender. It’s a texture upgrade from the hard cracker of the original.
The Chocolate Bottom: Many copycat recipes skip this step, but we don’t. Dipping the bottom of each cookie in chocolate ensures you get chocolate in every single bite and adds a satisfying “snap.”
Toasted Coconut: We take the time to toast the coconut in the oven until it’s golden brown. This brings out a nutty depth of flavor that raw coconut just doesn’t have.
Crowd Pleaser: This recipe makes a generous batch (about 48 cookies!), making it perfect for holiday cookie exchanges or parties.

Ingredients Breakdown

This recipe has a few components, but they come together beautifully.

The Cookie Dough

Fats: We use 1 cup of softened unsalted butter for flavor and 3/4 cup of shortening for texture. Shortening prevents the cookies from spreading too thin and keeps them soft.
Sugars: A combination of 1 1/4 cups white granulated sugar and 3/4 cup powdered sugar. The powdered sugar (confectioners’ sugar) contains cornstarch, which tenderizes the dough.
Leavening: Baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon of cream of tartar. This combination gives the cookies a lovely lift and tang.
Binding: 2 large eggs and 2 tablespoons of milk bring the dough together.

The Caramel Topping

Soft Caramels: You will need a 14 oz bag of soft caramels, unwrapped. Brands like Kraft work perfectly here.
Milk: 3 tablespoons of whole milk helps melt the caramel into a spreadable sauce.

The Coconut & Chocolate

Coconut: 2 cups of shredded sweetened coconut.
Chocolate: You need chocolate for both the bottom and the drizzle. Semi-sweet chips work best to balance the sweet caramel.
Coconut Oil: Adding a teaspoon of coconut oil to the melting chocolate makes it smoother and gives it a nice sheen.

Step-by-Step Instructions

This is a fun assembly line project. Put on some music and enjoy the process!

Step 1: Make the Sugar Cookie Dough

Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line your baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone liners. In a stand mixer, cream together the butter, shortening, granulated sugar, and powdered sugar for about 2 minutes until fluffy. Add the milk, eggs, and vanilla extract, stirring until combined. Gradually add the flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt. Mix until the dough comes together—it might be a little crumbly, but that’s okay.

Step 2: Shape with the Glass Trick

This is the secret to uniform cookies! Scoop the dough into balls (heaping 1.5 tablespoons for normal size, or 3 tablespoons for giant cookies) and place them on the baking sheet. Pour 1/4 cup of sugar onto a small plate. Spray the bottom of a flat glass with nonstick spray. Press the glass into the sugar, then press it firmly onto a dough ball to flatten it to about 1/2 inch thick. Repeat for all cookies, dipping the glass in sugar each time to prevent sticking.

Step 3: Bake

Bake for 8–10 minutes (for large cookies) or 6–8 minutes (for small).

Visual Cue: You want them set on the sides but barely done on top. They may look slightly undercooked in the middle—this is good! They will finish cooking on the hot tray. Let them cool completely.

Step 4: The Chocolate Bottom

Melt 1 1/2 cups of chocolate chips with 1 teaspoon of coconut oil in the microwave. Flip each cooled cookie over. Spread a small layer of chocolate onto the bottom, leaving a small border at the edge. Place them upside down on parchment paper until the chocolate sets.

Step 5: Toast the Coconut

Spread your coconut on a baking sheet and bake at 350°F for 4–5 minutes. Watch closely! Coconut goes from “perfectly golden” to “burnt” in seconds. Stir it halfway through.

Step 6: Caramel & Assembly

Melt the unwrapped caramels, milk, and salt in a small pot over medium-low heat, stirring often until smooth. Flip the cookies back over (chocolate side down). Spread a spoonful of caramel over the top of each cookie. Immediately sprinkle generously with the toasted coconut. You can gently press the coconut into the caramel to help it stick.

Step 7: The Drizzle

Melt the remaining 1/4 cup chocolate chips with a bit of coconut oil. Spoon it into a small Ziploc bag, snip the corner, and drizzle it in stripes over the finished cookies.

Expert Tips for Success

Unwrap First: Unwrap all your caramels before you start cooking anything. It takes longer than you think, and you don’t want your cookies waiting!
Don’t Overbake: The magic of these cookies is the soft base. If they turn brown on top, they will be crunchy. Pull them when they are just set.
The Chill: If your house is warm, you might want to pop the cookies in the fridge for 10 minutes to help the chocolate bottom set faster before you try to flip them over for the caramel step.

Variations to Try

Salted Caramel: Add a pinch of flaky sea salt on top of the caramel layer before adding the coconut for a sweet-and-salty twist.
Dark Chocolate: Use dark chocolate for dipping and drizzling to cut the sweetness of the caramel.
No Coconut: If you have a coconut hater in the house, you can skip the coconut and just do caramel and chocolate—essentially a “Twix” cookie!

If you love these loaded cookies, you might also enjoy my Chocolate Turtle Cookies Recipe which features pecans and caramel, or for another classic with a twist, try these Cast Iron Sugar Cookies with Royal Icing.

FAQs

Can I use caramel bits? Yes, Kraft makes “Caramel Bits” that don’t need unwrapping. Use an equivalent weight (11-14 oz) and melt with milk as directed.

How do I store these? Store them in a single layer or with wax paper between layers in an airtight container. They stay fresh for 3–4 days at room temperature.

Can I freeze them? Absolutely. These freeze wonderfully. Let the chocolate and caramel set completely, then stack with parchment paper in a freezer container. Thaw on the counter for an hour before serving.