DIY Tagalong Girl Scout Cookies: when you've been too good for your own good

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.  My husband and I have been remarkably good at keeping the kitchen free of junk food and sweets.  Other than my what I cook for the blog, we're pretty much dessert free. 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.

Now I have a batch of copy cat Tagalongs that are even better than the mass produced original.  That's what I get for being good.

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.  

My DIY Thin Mints have been so popular, and they turned out great, but I have to say, these 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?

DIY Tagalong Girl Scout Cookies   ~~~adapted from Chow
makes up to 3 dozen, depending on how thin you slice the cookies
oven to 375F
Cookies:
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into pieces

• 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.

Peanut Butter Filling:
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
2 Tbsp powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

•  Mix the peanut butter, the sugar and the vanilla.  Spread an even layer of the filling on each cooled cookie.

Chocolate Coating
16 oz milk chocolate, cut into small pieces

• 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.

Notes:  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. 

One year ago today---

Grilled Ham and Cheese