Sometimes I get mad at the way advertising companies trick me. World’s greatest commercial aside, they do some sneaky stuff. You know Coffee Mate coffee creamer? I saw some ad for Thin Mint flavored coffee creamer the other day, and I was like — kinda wanna try that. Would I feel the same way if they just called it Regular Old Plain Mint Coffee Creamer? Ehh. That’s why they’re so sneaky! They know we love Girl Scout cookies, and that they’ll sell way more coffee creamer by making us think about something we love.
So…in totally and completely unrelated news…that is in no way an attempt to trick you…these bars taste just like Girl Scout cookies! The Samoa ones, which were always my favorite. I mean, Thin Mints are for sure great, but I loooove those coconut-y Samoas. And now you can make your own! IT’S NOT A TRICK OK OK?
SAMOAS BARS (slightly adapted from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe)
Ingredients for the cookie base:
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup butter (1 and 1/2 sticks), softened
1 large egg
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
Ingredients for the topping:
3 cups shredded, sweetened coconut
12 oz chewy caramel candies (Kraft, Werther’s, etc.)1/2 tsp salt
3 tbsp milk
1 cup dark or semisweet chocolate chips
1. To make cookie base, preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease a 9×13 baking pan. In large bowl, cream together sugar and butter until fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. With mixer at low speed, gradually beat in flour and salt until mixture is crumbly (dough does not need to come together). Pour crumbly dough into prepapred pan and press into an even layer. Bake 20-25 minutes, until base is set and edges are lightly browned. Cool completely on a wire rack before topping.
2. To make topping, lower oven temperature to 300. Spread coconut evenly on baking sheet and toast 20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes, until coconut is golden. Cool on baking sheet and set aside.
3. Unwrap caramels and place in large microwave-safe bowl with milk and salt. Cook on 50% power for 1-2 minutes, stirring a few times while cooking to help caramel melt. When smooth, fold in toasted coconut with a spatula. Put dollops of caramel-coconut mixture all over the cookie base. Using the spatula, spread topping in even layer (you may need to use your hands). Set aside.
4. Melt chocolate in small saucepan over lowest heat or in microwave-safe bowl, heating in 45-second intervals and stirring in between. Drizzle bars with chocolate to finish. Once topping and chocolate have cooled, cut into bars (you should have about 30). For bonus points, you can also dip the bottoms of the bars in melted chocolate and let cool on wax paper.
Oh man these were good. Coconut is one of my favorite dessert ingredients, and this all came together perfectly!
windykitchen 