Having Trouble Finding Girl Scout Cookies?

When folks on a recent Patch video talked about their favorite Girl Scout cookies, some of them mentioned that they can't find Girl Scouts to buy their cookies from - until the Girl Scouts show up at local grocery stores.

If you're in the same boat, here's a recipe for something very much like one of the best all-time Girl Scout cookies: Samoas.

Almost Samoas

1 cup butter, at room temperature

1/2 cup sugar 2 cups flour

1/4 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

2 TB milk

Cream butter and sugar together and then sift the dry ingredients into it alternating with the milk. Place in refrigerator for at least 2 hours.

This is a good time to toast the coconut for the topping.

Roll out dough on a floured surface. I use a wide-mouth cup to cut the round shape and a shot glass to cut the center hole, but if you have a biscuit cutter that would work well.

Bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes on an ungreased cookie sheet. Check them carefully to make sure they are not getting too brown. Remove from oven and allow them to cool. It is important that you place the dough on a cooled cookie sheet to begin with.

Topping

3 cups shredded unsweetened coconut, toasted

15-oz soft caramels

1/4 tsp salt

3 TB milk

8 oz. dark or semisweet chocolate

Place coconut on a cookie sheet and toast it in the oven. Toasting can be done by setting the oven to 350 degrees and cooking the coconut for 10 to 15 minutes. Stir and turn the coconut every 2 or 3 minutes to get the it evenly toasted.

Place your caramels, milk and salt in a microwaveable bowl and cook for 1 minute at a time, stopping to stir, until nice and melted. This may take 4 or 5 minutes so be patient.

Stir in the toasted coconut into the caramel mixture.

Frost your cookies.

Remember shortbread is your base and it will break easily but that is OK because it is all so yummy.

Melt the semisweet (or dark) chocolate in the microwave for no more than 30 seconds at a time. Dip the bottoms of your cookies into the chocolate and place on waxed paper. Allow to set. When they are done flip them over and drizzle with remaining chocolate. I remelt the remaining chocolate and place in a freezer bag and cut the corner off it to drizzle.

Store in an airtight container for best results.

I have also used this recipe pressing the shortbread dough out on a cookie sheet to make one big rectangle.

While baking, it requires that you turn your pan every 10 minutes for even baking. I then pout the caramel and coconut mixture over the top and cut into squares when set. Then I dip in chocolate and drizzle the top with chocolate.

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