Tagalongs (Girl Scout Cookie copycat!)

5 from 7 votes

Buttery shortbread cookies topped with a creamy peanut butter mixture then enrobed in silky milk chocolate. This is one fantastic bite!

Prep Time1 30

Cook Time12

Total Time1 42

Course: Cookie

Cuisine: American

Keyword: chocolate, cookies, dessert, peanut butter

Servings:

Calories: 215kcal

Author: Tricia

16 ounces milk chocolate baking bar chopped into fine shards, we recommend Ghirardelli Milk Chocolate Baking Bars (SEE NOTES)

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.