These homemade Tagalong Girl Scout cookies are even more delicious than the originals…no green uniform required!
copy cat Tagalong Girl Scout cookies
Yes, it is possible to be too virtuous. Here’s how it all went down— I didn’t intend to, but I bought a few boxes of girl scout cookies from the little girl that came to our door last month. She delivered them the other day. 3 boxes of Tagalongs, my favorite. But I was so good I stashed them inside a flat rate box that was just about filled and ready to be shipped to my daughter at grad school. I even taped the box shut.
So of course the next thing I know I’m going crazy looking for a little something sweet after dinner. On a whim I typed in DIY Tagalong Cookie in my Google search bar and it was straight downhill from there. Or uphill. Depends on your point of view I guess.
Tagalongs are my favorite Girl Scout Cookie.
I don’t know if I’m in the minority on that or what. I like them much better than all the others. Tagalongs have a shortbread cookie base, a layer of sweetened peanut butter filling, and a coating of milk chocolate. They’re richer than the other Girl Scout cookies, and that peanut butter chocolate thing is always good.
what you’ll need to make copy cat Tagalongs
for the shortbread cookies
- all purpose flour
- confectioner’s sugar
- egg
- butter
- baking powder
- salt
- vanilla extract
for the filling
- peanut butter
- smooth pb works best, and make sure it’s not ‘natural’ peanut butter (the kind that separates into an oily layer.) My preferred brand is Jiff.
- confectioner’s sugar
for the coating
- milk chocolate
- I used milk chocolate chips for my coating. I should have used baking chocolate, but I didn’t have any. The chocolate chips will work, but I find they melt up a little thicker, and so it is a little more tedious to dip the cookies. I would recommend using baking chocolate.
My homemade Thin Mints have been so popular, and they turned out great, but I have to say, these Tagalong cookies are even more my style. I guess I’m slowly working my way through the Girl Scout lineup…anybody have a good recipe for Samoas?
more Girl Scout inspired recipes
- Thin Mint Cookies
- Gluten Free Thin Mint Cookies
- No Bake Vegan Thin Mint Cookies
- Easy No Bake White Chocolate Thin Mints
- Lazy No Bake Thin Mint Cookies
Tagalong Girl Scout Cookies
Ingredients
for the cookies
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, chilled and cut into pieces
for the peanut butter filling
- 1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
- 2 Tbsp powdered sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
for the chocolate coating
- 16 oz milk chocolate, cut into small pieces
Instructions
for the cookies
- Preheat your oven to 375F
- Whisk the egg and vanilla in a small cup and set aside.
- Pulse the dry ingredients in the bowl of a food processor to combine. Drop in the pieces of butter and pulse until the butter is incorporated and the mixture is crumbly.
- Pour in the egg mixture and pulse again, about 25 or 30 times, until the dough comes together.
- Turn out the dough onto a floured surface and bring it together in a ball. Divide in 2. Roll out each half into a log about 1 1/2 inches in diameter. The log will be approximately 6 inches or so long.
- Roll the logs in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for about an hour. I like to put my dough logs inside a split cardboard tube (like the kind that wrapping paper comes on) so that the log stays nice and round. If you don’t have one, try turning and reshaping your dough halfway through the chilling time.
- Slice the chilled logs of dough into 1/8 inch slices, and place them 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets.
- Bake at 375 for about 8 to 10 minutes, until just golden around the edges. Cool on a rack.
for the peanut butter filling
- Mix the peanut butter, the sugar and the vanilla. Spread an even layer of the filling on each cooled cookie.
for the chocolate coating
- Put the chocolate into a 2 cup Pyrex measuring cup, and microwave for 1 minute. Take out and stir. If the chocolate is not completely melted, microwave for another 30 seconds. Stir until completely melted and smooth. Make sure you measuring cup is completely dry, even a drop of water will cause your chocolate to seize up.
- Take a cookie and spread chocolate across the bottom. A small offset spatula works well for this. Then place the cookie on a fork, and spoon the melted chocolate all over the top, being sure to cover the whole top. Tap the fork along the edge of the bowl to remove the excess chocolate from the cookie. Carefully lay the cookie on waxed or parchment paper.
- If your chocolate becomes too thick to work with, microwave it for 15 to 30 seconds to-re warm it.
- Let all the cookies set for 30-45 minutes or so until the chocolate firms up. Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container until ready to eat.
absolutely gorgeous!… I loved making my own York’s Peppermint Pattie’s, there was something so wonderful about making your own real versions of shop bought stuff so these will be fab to make, I just know it!
Do you guys have the equivalent of Girl Scouts in the UK, and do they sell cookies? I loved your Peppermint Patties, and I agree, it’s a kick to make something you usually buy.
You’re killin’ me, Sue – I LOOOOVE Tagalongs! And I didn’t see any girl scouts this year. Guess I’ll have to make these. And your thin mints which I’ve been “meaning” to make since you posted them…
I thought I got away without seeing any this year too and then dang if a cute little girl didn’t come knocking one night when I had my guard down!
YOU are hilarious. I thought for certain I was the only one who would do something like that – send off all of your favorite cookies and then later regret it a bit and make your own! I often say to Scott, after I’ve given away a whole cake or all of the cookies “what in the world was I thinking in giving all of that good stuff away?” 🙂 These cookies look out of this world. I think I would love them even before they got dipped in the chocolate!
Thanks, Chris, it’s good to know I’m not the only lunatic out there 🙂
I am in so much trouble now! Tagalongs have always been a favorite of mine, so I am going to have to practice my “WON’T” power – otherwise I will be making these all the time!
I love to put the GS cookies in the freezer and eat them cold. It gives the peanut butter a crunchier texture that I enjoy.
I have most of my batch in the freezer now. I like what it does to the chocolate.
I love your blog! I found it through tastespotting and I’ve looked at something like 10 recipes of yours now, and have pinned most of them!! Really, really great recipes 🙂
Thanks Susan, glad you found me!
I have never had a Tagalong since they are not available in Canada. In the winter we have Thin Mints and in the Spring we have chocolate and vanilla. Maybe that is a good thing, once again depending on your point of view:D
I’ll have to send you a few to sample!
I enjoy a good tagalong cookie and yours really does look better than the boxed GS.
I figure it just about HAS to be better because at home you’re bound to be using much better quality ingredients than they do at a factory.
Wow, knowing I can make these at home is DANGEROUS! They look so good! I have to say though, I’m not a fan of coating things in chocolate…i just can never get a good method down. Any tips?
If you get a nice thin consistency in your melted chocolate it goes really smoothly. I really like putting the cookie, or truffle, or whatever you’re dipping on a fork and dipping that way. The excess chocolate drips away pretty easily. The shape of the bowl or cup that you melt the chocolate in is important too. It should be small enough so that the chocolate has some depth to dip into, and wide enough so that your fork can maneuver around. If all else fails, drizzle the chocolate all over the tops and forget about the bottoms!
You’ve done it again. These look amazing! Traditional or not, I’d totally dip mine in dark chocolate. For what it’s worth, I’ve had that same samoa recipe, that is linked above, bookmarked to try some day. Feel free to test it out for me! (and then go ahead and ship some over, I wouldn’t mind)
P.S. As if I don’t already make enough of your recipes! I have another one posting tomorrow. Guess I’ll just add these cookies to the list.
I know, dark chocolate would totally put these over the top, I was just trying to stay true to the original. I really think dark chocolate seems to melt better than the milk, too.
I can’t wait to see what you made!
Nice decision, Sue. I don’t get so giddy anymore when I see it’s girl scout cookie season—maybe cause I know that homemade ones are so much better. These look great! I love tagalongs, thought I don’t think they’re my favorite. And to answer your question about samoas — this one looks pretty good to me (I’ve had it bookmarked for awhile but haven’t gotten around to making it): http://www.designsponge.com/2012/11/in-the-kitchen-with-lara-ferronis-chocolate-coconut-caramel-cookies.html
Oh thanks Amy, I’ll check it out. I don’t get so excited about the cookie season either, although maybe it has something to do with their recent string of flops when it comes to introducing new varieties…mango creme? I think they should stick to the classics!