Homemade Oatmeal, Caramel & Coconut Samoas


Ingredients:

Oatmeal Cookies:

1 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup shortening


Topping:

1 cup coconut, toasted
chocolate butter cream frosting, see recipe below
caramel sauce, see recipe below

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Toast coconut on a baking sheet. With a spatula, turn over the coconut when it starts changing from white to a light golden brown. coconut will go from light brown to an icky dark brown quickly, so keep a close eye on it. Set aside.

Sift flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda together in mixing bowl. Add remaining ingredients except the oats. Beat until smooth about two minutes. Fold in oats and shape into small balls on a cookie sheet. Bake for about 10 to 12 minutes. When cookies are cooled, please on a baking sheet lined with wax paper. Drizzle cooled cookies with caramel sauce. Using a piping bag with a star tip, pipe frosting on the top of each cookie.
Chocolate Buttercream Frosting:

Ingredients:

1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks or 1/2 pound), softened (but not melted!)
3 1/2 cups confectioners (powdered) sugar
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon table salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract or 1 teaspoon almond extract
4 tablespoons milk or heavy cream

Directions:

Cream butter for a few minutes in a mixer with the paddle attachment on medium speed. Turn off the mixer. Sift 3 cups powdered sugar and cocoa into the mixing bowl.

Turn your mixer on the lowest speed (so the dry ingredients do not blow everywhere) until the sugar and cocoa are absorbed by the butter.

Increase mixer speed to medium and add vanilla extract, salt, and milk/cream and beat for 3 minutes. If your frosting needs a more stiff consistency, add a little more sugar. If your frosting needs to be thinned out, add additional milk 1 tablespoon at a time.

Caramel Sauce

Ingredients:

1 cup butter
2 cups packed brown sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1 can sweetened condensed milk
2 tablespoons whipping cream
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoon salt

Directions:

In a heavy saucepan, bring butter, brown sugar, corn syrup and sweetened condensed milk to a boil over medium heat, stirring. Carefully stir in whipping cream. Attach a candy thermometer to your pan. Continue to stir until the caramel reaches 238 degrees, or the soft ball stage. Remove from heat and add vanilla and salt.

Recipe adapted from: www.copykat.com
Recipe adapted from: savorysweetlife.com