Samoa Macaroons
Samoa Macaroons are the perfect combination of toasted coconut, dulce de leche, and chocolate – all the flavors of the classic Girl Scout cookies! So easy to make, with only 4 ingredients. Enjoy with a sprinkle of sea salt flakes for a crave-worthy sweet & salty treat!
Easy Dulce de Leche Macaroons
If you look forward to Girl Scout cookie season and Samoas cookies, you’re gonna love this recipe. These Samoa Macaroons are the perfect combination of toasted coconut, dulce de leche (a caramel flavored sauce), and chocolate – all the flavors of the classic cookies!
This easy recipe calls for just 4 ingredients. And there are no egg whites, unlike many traditional macaroon recipes.
The dulce de leche offers a perfectly chewy texture and rich caramel flavor while the toasted coconut and chocolate round out the classic Samoa flavors we crave.
And these macaroons are so super easy to make. Any time the Samoas craving hits, just whip up a batch of these macaroons. No need to wait for Girl Scout cookie season!
What Are Samoas?
Samoas are a popular, crave-worthy cookie sold by Girl Scouts. In recent years, they rebranded and now call them Caramel deLites.
These cookies are circular in shape, with a hole in the middle…kinda like a donut.
At the center is a thin, crisp cookie. It’s covered in a thin layer of chewy caramel and toasted coconut. The cookie base is dipped in chocolate and the cookie top is drizzled with chocolate stripes.
Recipe Ingredients
Grab these 4 ingredients for this easy Girl Scout cookie-inspired dessert:
- Shredded coconut – I use shredded sweetened coconut in this recipe.
- Dulce de leche – Dulce de leche adds rich caramel sweetness and a moist, chewy texture to the macaroons.
- Coconut oil – Coconut oil helps to thin the dulce de leche a bit and hold the macaroons together. I like to use refined coconut oil (also called “pure” or “virgin”), as it has a tropical coconut flavor and aroma – perfect for this recipe!
- Chocolate bark – Chocolate bark melts smoothly and doesn’t require tempering – it’s so easy to use. Keep in mind that if you use plain chocolate, you’ll need to temper it.
How to Make Samoa Macaroons
Since there are no egg whites or baking required for this recipe, these chocolate-dipped macaroons come together in just a few easy steps.
- Toast the coconut. Bake the coconut on a rimmed baking sheet for 15 minutes, until golden brown. Cool before continuing.
- Warm the dulce de leche. Heat the dulce de leche and coconut oil for 30 to 45 seconds in the microwave, until melted. Whisk to combine.
- Add the coconut. Place the toasted coconut in a medium bowl and fold in the dulce de leche mixture, making sure it is all evenly combined.
- Scoop the mixture. Scoop the mixture onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Freeze for 30 minutes to set.
- Melt the chocolate. Melt the chocolate bark according to the package instructions. Then dip each dulce de leche macaroon into the chocolate about 1/4″. Return to the parchment paper. Drizzle more of the remaining chocolate over the macaroons, for that same striped effect as the original Girl Scout cookies. If desired, add a sprinkle of sea salt flakes (so good!!) before the chocolate sets up.
- Allow the macaroons to set. Return the Samoa macaroons to the freezer for 15 minutes to completely set.
Tips for Making Homemade Macaroons
Here are a few tips for making these dulce de leche macaroons.
- Use a cookie scoop. The coconut mixture is quite sticky, so for ease, use a cookie scoop to portion it out. This also helps to create macaroons that are of equal size and shape.
- Use chocolate bark, not regular chocolate. Note that if you opt for regular chocolate, you’ll need to temper it. For that reason, I recommend quality chocolate bark as it melts easily and requires no tempering. If you’d like a deeper chocolate flavor, use half chocolate bark + half Guittard semi-sweet chocolate chips.
- Remove any excess chocolate. Dip the macaroons just 1/4″ in the chocolate, then allow any excess to drip off. You can also gently slide the bottom of the macaroon across the edge of the bowl to remove excess chocolate.
- Add some sea salt. If you’re a fan of the sweet and salty combo (like me!), be sure to add a sprinkle of sea salt flakes to the chocolate drizzle before it sets. My favorite!
Serving Suggestions
These dulce de leche macaroons are best enjoyed at room temperature or just barely chilled, when they’re at their chewy best. I personally love to eat them chilled!
I recommend chilling them long enough for the chocolate to fully set, then bringing them to room temperature before diving in. You’ll get the perfect chewy texture from the dulce de leche.
How to Store & Freeze
Store your Samoa macaroons in an airtight container, with any layers separated by parchment paper.
Store in the fridge for up to 4 days. Then just set them on the counter for a few minutes before enjoying.
Or you can freeze these chocolate dipped macaroons for longer term storage, up to 3 months. Once the chocolate is set completely, place the macaroons in a freezer-safe container with parchment paper between layers.
More Easy Dessert Recipes:
- Pecan Pralines
- Espresso Cookies
- Rocky Road Fudge
- Edible Cookie Dough
- Ritz Cracker Toffee
- Peanut Butter Fudge
- Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Ritz Cookies
- Homemade Peanut Butter Cups
- Monster Cookie Bars
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Samoa Macaroons
Ingredients
- 4 cups shredded sweetened coconut
- 1 can 13.4 ounce dulce de leche
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil
- 8 ounces chocolate bark see Notes
- sea salt flakes optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- Spread the coconut out on a large rimmed baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Stir and bake for 5 minutes more, or until golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely before continuing.
- In a large microwave safe bowl, combine the dulce de leche and coconut oil. Heat for 30-45 seconds, or until melted. Whisk to combine. Don't worry if the two ingredients don't want to combine fully – it'll all come together when you mix with the coconut.
- Add shredded coconut to the dulce de leche mixture and fold to combine, making sure all of the coconut is coated with dulce de leche.
- Scoop out 1-tablespoon sized portions onto prepared baking sheets. Place macaroons in the freezer until they are set, about 30 minutes.
- In a small microwave-safe bowl, melt the chocolate bark gently in the microwave. Dip the bottom of each macaroon about ¼” into the chocolate and scrape off excess chocolate back into the bowl. Place dipped macaroon back onto the parchment paper, and repeat until all macaroons are dipped.
- Transfer any remaining melted chocolate to a piping bag (or a ziploc bag with the end snipped off) and drizzle it over the macaroons to create a striped effect (like the Girl Scout cookies).
- If desired, sprinkled tops of macaroons with sea salt flakes before the chocolate sets.
- Return macaroons to the freezer (or fridge) and allow the chocolate to set completely– about 15 minutes.
Notes
Nutrition Information:
