Samoa Cookies

Cookies

1. In a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
2. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.
3. In three increments, add the flour mixture to the creamed butter, mixing between each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed to ensure it is well mixed.
4. Add in the milk and vanilla extract slowly mixing until combined and the dough begins to stick together in large pieces.
5. Then using your hands take the dough and divide it in half, pressing it together into two disks. Wrap the disks in plastic wrap and refrigerate them until firm, Minimum of 1 hour.
6. Preheat the oven to 350º and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
7. Once the dough has chilled, lightly four your work surface and roll each disk out until they are about 1/8-inch thick.
8. Using a doughnut shaped cookie cutter, cut out as many cookies as you can fit. Place the cut-out cookies on your lined baking sheet and repeat with remaining dough, re rolling it and cutting out more cookies until all dough is used.
9. Bake for 5-6 minutes, rotate the baking sheet and then bake for another 5-6 minutes. The cookies should be a light golden brown. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool.

Cookie Topping

1. Preheat your oven to 350°
2. On a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper spread the coconut flakes out and bake for about 6-8 minutes, stirring every 1-2 minutes until lightly golden. Watch closely that it does not burn. Remove the toasted coconut from the oven placing it in a large bowl and set it aside.
3. In a microwaveable bowl unwrap each caramel and place it into the bowl. Add the cream and salt. Microwave in 30 second increments, stirring in between until well mixed. About 2 minutes total.
4. Add ¾ of the caramel with the toasted coconut in the large bowl.
5. Spread the remaining ¼ cup of caramel on top of each of the cooled cookies using a spoon.
6. Then add the caramel coconut mixture to the top of the cookies following the circle shape do not cover the middle. If the caramel mixture thickens up too much you can re heat it in the microwave for another 20 seconds.
7. Place the cookies in the fridge to cool for about 30 minutes.
8. Add the chopped dark chocolate to a medium sized microwaveable bowl and microwave for 30 second intervals then stirring, repeating until the chocolate is liquid.
9. Take a cookie and dip the bottom in the chocolate and place them on a wax paper-lined baking sheet. Repeat for all the other cookies.
10. Drizzle the tops of the cookies with the melted chocolate. Refrigerate the cookies for 15 minutes until the chocolate hardens fully.
11. Enjoy!