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Homemade Tagalongs Girl Scout Cookies are some of the BEST cookies we’ve ever created! The natural flavors are spot-on and even better than those you can buy from your local Girl Scout. While these cookies take a little time to assemble, they’re not difficult to make and are absolutely, positively worth every minute in the kitchen.
What’s a Tagalong Cookie?
Tagalongs are crisp cookies topped with peanut butter patties covered in a chocolaty coating. The Girl Scouts of the United States of America sell Tagalongs and other cookie varieties like Samoas, Do-si-Dos and Trefoils to raise money for the youth organization.
Homemade Girl Scout Tagalong Cookies
If you’re a fan of the peanut butter and chocolate combo, you’re in for a treat. Our buttery shortbread cookies are topped with a simple creamy peanut butter mixture then enrobed in silky milk chocolate. This is one fantastic bite!
Even if you’ve never worked with melted chocolate before, there’s no need to worry. We use a method developed by Cook’s Illustrated for the easiest, fool-proof way to quick temper chocolate. It’s so easy anybody with a microwave can do it with great success!
Overview of ingredients
Scroll to the bottom of this post for the complete printable recipe card
Shortbread cookies:
- unsalted butter, at room temperature
- powdered sugar to lightly sweeten the cookie dough
- light brown sugar to add flavor and moisture for the perfect shortbread cookie texture
- vanilla extract
- table salt
- all-purpose flour
Peanut butter filling:
- smooth, creamy peanut butter like Jif, Skippy or Peter Pan
- confectioners’ sugar
Chocolate coating for Tagalongs:
- real milk chocolate baking bars, chopped into fine shards (we recommend Ghirardelli Premium Milk Chocolate Baking Bars)
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How to make homemade Tagalong cookies
Scroll to the bottom of this post for the complete printable recipe card
1. First prepare the shortbread cookies:
In a large mixing bowl beat the butter with an electric mixer until smooth. Add the powdered sugar, brown sugar, vanilla and salt. Blend until combined.
Add the flour and mix on low until incorporated. Turn the dough out on a large piece of parchment or wax paper and form into a log 12-inches long and about 1 1/2 inches thick.
Wrap the dough tightly in the paper and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to overnight.
2. Next bake the cookies:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Remove the dough from the refrigerator while the oven preheats. Line a large cookie sheet with a silpat mat or parchment paper. Set aside.
Using a large thin, sharp knife slice the log into 28 to 30 rounds. The cookie rounds are best when sliced more than 1/4-inch but less than 1/2 an inch.
Place the cookie dough rounds on the prepared cookie sheet about 1-inch apart. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly browned on the bottom.
3. Make the peanut butter filling:
Combine the peanut butter and confectioners’ sugar in a small bowl. Blend using an electric mixer on low speed until smooth.
Mound 1 full tablespoon of filling onto the center of each cookie using a small cookie scoop. Using a small smooth icing spatula start in the middle of the mound and spread the peanut butter mixture toward the outside edge of the cookie.
Repeat all the way around the cookie so there’s a mound of filling in the center that tapers off to the edge of the cookie. Set aside.
4. Temper the milk chocolate coating:
Chop the chocolate into fine shards. Using a small glass bowl microwave three-quarters of the chocolate at 50% power until mostly melted. Stir until almost all chocolate is melted.
Add the remaining one-quarter milk chocolate and stir until completely melted. If needed return the chocolate to the microwave for 5 seconds at a time to complete the melting.
5. Coat the Tagalongs in chocolate:
Balance one cookie on the tines of a large fork. Hold the fork over the bowl and spoon warm chocolate over the entire cookie.
Tap the fork gently on the side of the bowl to help smooth the chocolate. Allow the excess to drip back into the bowl.
Slide the coated cookie onto a wire rack set over a cookie sheet or on a wax, parchment or silpat mat lined baking pan.
Tips for making Tagalongs
- Read the recipe and recipe notes a few times before beginning.
- The butter should be very soft but not melted for better mixing.
- Measure the flour correctly. Too much flour will make the cookies dry and the dough hard to work with.
- If the cookie dough splits or breaks apart when cutting the log, simply piece it back together into a round.
- Don’t over-bake the cookies. Remove from the oven once the cookies are just set and the bottom is light brown.
- You should have enough peanut butter mixture to cover 30 cookies. If you come up a little short, no worries. Once you spread the peanut butter mounds over the cookies you may end up with a little extra that gets put back into the bowl. Use that to mound on any remaining cookies.
- This recipe calls for 16 ounces of milk chocolate. That’s a bit more than you need and you’ll most likely have leftover melted chocolate. However it’s difficult to enrobe cookies with just tiny spoonfuls of melted chocolate. Plan ahead and spread the leftover chocolate on graham crackers or dip strawberries or pretzels for another great treat.
- If the chocolate thickens while coating the cookies simply microwave for 5 seconds then stir until smooth again. Don’t overheat the chocolate.
The best chocolate for making homemade Tagalongs
We tested this recipe using both chocolate melting wafers and real milk chocolate. Real milk chocolate was the clear winner with better flavor, snap, sheen and easy tempering.
We highly recommend the Ghirardelli Premium Milk Chocolate Baking Bars pictured above. I picked up 4 bars for $2.58 each from WalMart.
We don’t recommend using chocolate chips for this recipe. Better chocolate is the key to phenomenal tasting cookies.
How to store Tagalongs
Once set, Tagalongs can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Separate the layers with wax paper for best results.
You can also store Tagalongs in the refrigerator when your home or climate is somewhat warm. The peanut butter filling stays soft even when chilled and the chocolate has a great snap.
Freezing Tagalongs
The finished cookies freeze very well for up to 3 months. Separate the layers with wax or parchment paper and store in a well sealed airtight container.
As stated above you can also freeze baked shortbread cookies without the peanut butter and chocolate. That will give you a head start when pressed for time.
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Tagalongs (Girl Scout Cookie copycat!)
Ingredients
For the shortbread cookies:
- 10 tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature (5oz)
- ½ cup powdered sugar (60g)
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar packed (26g)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour (226g)
For the peanut butter filling:
- 1 cup smooth creamy peanut butter (260g) like Jif, Skippy, Peter Pan
- 1 cup powdered sugar (120g)
For the chocolate coating:
- 16 ounces milk chocolate baking bar chopped into fine shards, we recommend Ghirardelli Milk Chocolate Baking Bars (SEE NOTES)
Instructions
To prepare the shortbread cookies:
- In a large mixing bowl beat the very soft butter with an electric mixer for 1 minute or until smooth. Add the powdered sugar, brown sugar, vanilla and salt. Blend on medium until combined. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula and blend again.
- Add the flour in a few additions and mix on low speed until incorporated. The dough will seem a little dry, but keep mixing until it comes together.
- Place the dough on a large piece of wax or parchment paper. Form the dough into a log 12-inches long and about 1 ½-inches thick. Wrap the dough tightly in the parchment paper and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to overnight.
- To bake preheat oven to 350°F. Remove the dough log from the refrigerator while the oven preheats. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silpat mat; set aside.
- Using a large thin, sharp knife slice the log into 28 to 30 rounds. The cookie rounds are best when sliced larger than ¼-inch but less than ½-inch thick. Place the cookie dough rounds on the prepared cookies sheet about 1-inch apart. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned on the bottom and the cookies are just set. Cool on a wire rack while preparing the peanut butter filling.
To prepare the peanut butter filling:
- Combine the peanut butter and powdered sugar in a small bowl. Using an electric mixer blend on low speed until combined. Scrape the sides of the bowl and blend again.
- Using a small cookie scoop mound 1 full tablespoon of peanut butter filling into the center of each cookie. Using a small smooth icing spatula start in the middle of the mound and spread the peanut butter mixture toward the outside edge of the cookie. Repeat all the way around the cookie so there’s a mound of filling in the center that tapers off to the edge of the cookie. Set aside.
To prepare the chocolate coating:
- Chop the chocolate into fine shards. In a small glass bowl microwave three-quarters of the chocolate at 50% power until mostly melted. Add the remaining chocolate and stir until completely melted. If needed return the chocolate to the microwave for 5 seconds at a time to complete the melting.
Coat the Tagalongs in chocolate:
- Balance one cookie on the tines of a large fork. Hold the fork over the bowl and spoon warm chocolate over the entire cookie. Tap the fork gently on the side of the bowl to help smooth the chocolate. Allow the excess to drip back into the bowl. Slide the coated cookie onto a wire rack set over a cookie sheet or on a wax, parchment or silpat mat lined pan. You can even reuse the pan and parchment used to bake the cookies for this step.
- Allow the cookies to set completely before storing.
Recipe Notes
- The butter should be very soft but not melted. The dough is much easier to make with super soft butter.
- Make sure to measure the flour correctly. Too much will make the dough difficult to work with and the cookies dry.
- If the cookie dough splits or breaks apart when slicing simply piece it back together into a round.
- The cookie dough can be made ahead and stored tightly wrapped in parchment and plastic wrap for 4 days before baking.
- The dough can also be frozen for up to a month. Defrost frozen dough overnight in the refrigerator.
- Baked cookies can be frozen for up to 3 months before assembling.
- Don’t overbake the cookies. Remove from the oven once the cookies are just set and the bottom is light brown.
- You should have enough peanut butter mixture to cover 30 cookies. If you come up a little short, no worries. Once you spread the peanut butter mounds over the cookies you may end up with a little extra that gets put back into the bowl. Use that to cover any remaining cookies.
- We recommend Ghirardelli Premium Milk Chocolate Baking Bars for this recipe.
- This recipe calls for 16 ounces of milk chocolate. That’s a bit more than you need so you’ll most likely have leftover melted chocolate. Plan ahead and spread any leftover chocolate on graham crackers or dip strawberries or pretzels for another great treat.
- If the chocolate thickens while coating the cookies simply microwave for 5 seconds then stir until smooth again. Don’t overheat the chocolate or it will no longer be in temper.
Nutrition
The BEST Tagalongs copycat
We’re very excited for you to make these cookies and can’t wait to hear how your Tagalongs turn out. Our taste-testers have all gone nuts for these unique and delicious cookies.
Finally, since you’re a fan of Girl Scout Cookies you won’t want to miss our homemade Thin Mints and these incredible Samoas. We love a great copycat cookie and these all are favorites. Enjoy!
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