shortcuts: samoa doughnuts

what could possibly be better than Samoa cookies? Samoa DOUGHNUTS.

Well it’s that time of year again folks – and by “that time” I mean Girl Scout cookie season, of course!

And I don’t know about you, but my very favorite is (and always has been) Samoas. That combination of toasted coconut and caramel? With a little chocolate? YUM. So I figured that if it was good enough on a cookie it would be even better on a doughnut, don’t you think?

Samoa Doughnuts l sherisilver.com

And it is, IMHO.

Samoa Doughnuts l sherisilver.com

There are a few components to this recipe, so I kept the doughnut part simple with a can of biscuit dough – which makes GREAT doughnuts (see here and here!). The coconut gets toasted in the oven, and I made the caramel sauce by melting down caramel candies with a little milk and a pinch of salt.

And while you don’t have to cut out the centers of the biscuits, I like how this mimics the shape of the cookies – and it yields an additional 8 doughnut “holes” for your snacking pleasure.

Samoa Doughnuts l sherisilver.com

What’s your favorite Girl Scout cookie?

Samoa Doughnuts

(1) 15-ounce bag soft caramels
3 tablespoons milk
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
8 ounces (2-3 cups) flaked coconut (sweetened or unsweetened; both work!)
1 can (8 biscuits) refrigerated biscuit dough
vegetable oil, for frying
2 cups chocolate chips

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees; line one baking sheet with parchment paper and line another with foil (or more parchment paper) and top with a wire cooling rack.

In a heatproof bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water, melt the caramels, milk and salt, stirring frequently till smooth. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.

Spread the coconut in an even layer on your parchment-lined baking sheet and bake till golden brown, stirring frequently. Start checking after 5 minutes and watch carefully after that as cook times can vary and coconut burns quickly. Remove from oven and let cool.

Separate the biscuits and place on your wire rack/baking sheet. If you want to make doughnut “holes”, cut a circle out of the centers using a small knife, cookie cutter or a metal pastry tip. In a large pot, heat 2″ of the vegetable oil to 350 degrees. Working with a few biscuits at a time (don’t crowd the pan), place in the oil and fry till golden brown. Flip to fry the other side (I use two forks) and return to the wire rack to cool.

Melt the chocolate chips in a heatproof bowl set over barely simmering water. Dip the bottom half of each doughnut into the chocolate, letting the excess drip off, and return to the wire rack – chocolate side up! – to set (do not discard the leftover chocolate). Once the chocolate is set, spoon about a tablespoon of caramel on the top half of each doughnut. Stir the cooled coconut into the remainder of the caramel and spoon over the top of each doughnut (the first caramel layer will greatly help the coconut/caramel adhere). Let set.

Use a fork to drizzle the remainder of the melted chocolate on top of each doughnut; let set.

(print this recipe)


This delicious recipe brought to you by Sheri Silver
https://sherisilver.com/2020/03/03/shortcuts-samoa-doughnuts/

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Samoa Doughnuts l sherisilver.com

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Hi! I'm Sheri!

Welcome to my little corner of the web where you’ll find easy, delicious recipes, the best kitchen hacks and simple tips for turning your home into a clean haven that is free of toxins. So glad you’re here!