Samoas Bars

I've been seeing these things all over Pinterest lately and have been dying to try them...plus, they are my husbands fav girl-scout cookie ever!


So now, instead of paying 27 dollars a box for like, 8 cookies- I can make them for like 2 bucks. And we'll have 30ish bars that will last a week. Yes, a week is a long time in my house. 
Even when my husband is on a health-kick.(Which, by the way, he has been doing surprisingly well...not the exercising part, but the food in moderation part. Go husband!)




They were super easy to make- a tad time consuming cause of the steps, but that actually turned out to be a good thing for me, cause I would complete one step, then need to take care of the child, and by the time she was all taken care of and what not, it was time for step #2 and all that stuff.
So it's not a bad thing, these steps.
Especially when the end result is super spectacular!


Samoas Bars
Adapted from baking bites
yields 30-36 bars


Pre-heat oven to 350.
Cookie Bottom:

• 1/2 Cup Sugar
• 3/4 Cup Butter, softened
• 1 Egg
• 1/2 Tsp. Vanilla
• 2 Cups All Purpose Flour
• 1/4 Tsp. Salt

Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking pan.
In a large electric mixer, cream together your sugar and butter until fluffy.
Add in your egg and vanilla...mix well.
On low speed, add in flour and salt until mixture is all crumbly- it does not need to come together like a dough, it just needs to be combined.

Pour your crumbly dough into prepared pan, and press into an even layer.

Bake 20-25 minutes until edges are lightly brown.
Cool completely. 


Coconut Topping:

• 3 cups Shredded coconut (Sweetened)
• 12 oz-chewy caramels, unwrapped (I used Werthers)
• 1/4 Tsp. Salt
• 3 Tbsp. Milk
• 10 oz. Semi-Sweet  Chocolate (Chocolate Chips are good, too)

Lower oven temperature to 300.

Spread coconut evenly on a parchment covered pan. I used tin foil and it was all good.

Toast for 20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes so it gets all evenly toasty.

When it's all golden and gorgeous, set it aside to cool a bit.

While your coconut is toasting, place your unwrapped caramels and salt in a large pot on your oven and melt over low-medium heat. Stirring almost constantly.

(This is just a nice picture of the caramels, not one of me melting them- you don't need my help on that one)

When melted, stir in your coconut.

Put dollops of the coconut-caramel topping on your crust. It's okay if the crust is not 100% cooled...Mine wasn't and they turned out just fine.

Spread topping evenly with a metal spoon til crust is completely covered. 

(Yum)

Let cool completely- I put mine in the fridge for an hour-ish.

When you are getting ready to cut them, Melt your chocolate in a glass microwave safe bowl at 30 second increments...If you have some shortening, I would highly recommend putting a few tablespoons in with  your chocolate so you don't risk seizing it.

When they are cool, cut into bars, whatever size you like. Smaller is easier to work with though when you dip them.

Dip the bottom of your cut bars in the melted chocolate and set on a large piece of parchment paper. 

Drizzle the tip with the rest of your chocolate to make them look all beautiful.

Let the chocolate harden before removing from parchment paper and serving.

Enjoy with a cold, tall glass of milk!