Girl Scout cookies hold a special place in me because I was a Girl Scout. It’s not to boast, but I won the award for the most cookies sold by my troop despite having a sprained foot the week before. That’s dedication. What are the cookies that I sell most (besides Thin Mints?)? Tagalongs! Tagalongs!
Shortbread cookies are topped with peanut butter cream and encased in melted chocolate. Swoon! It’s easy to make and tastes just like the real thing. We’ll show you how to make it!
How to Make Tagalongs at Home
Tagalongs are made up of a shortbread base, a peanut butter filling, and a chocolate coating.
To make the cookie base gluten-free, we combined almond flour with oats flour, which is hearty and sweet. We also added tapioca to lighten and crisp them. The leavening is provided by baking soda, and the flavorings are enhanced with sea salt. Coconut Oil makes them crispy, while Maple Syrup adds a natural sweetness.
The filling for the peanut butter sandwich is an easy combination of smooth salted almond butter and a small amount of maple syrup. The mixture of the two produces a drippy texture that is topped with the crispy shortbread cookies for a perfect contrast in textures.
It’s then coated with a mixture made of semisweet chocolate chips melted in coconut oil. This coating is sweetened and melts in your mouth!
Ingredients
SHORTBREAD COOKIE
- Almond flour 1/2 cup
- Half a cup of oats flour
- 2 Tbsp Tapioca Flour (also known as tapioca Starch)
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/8 tsp of sea salt
- Coconut oil solidified in 2 Tbsp
- Maple syrup 2 tbsp
PEANUT BUTTER FILLING
- Add one pinch of sea salt to 1/4 cup of smooth salted peanut Butter (if you are using unsalted peanuts, use the same amount).
- 2 tsp of maple syrup
CHOCOLATE COATING
- We used Enjoy Life to make this recipe.
- 2 tsp of refined coconut oil
Instructions
- Combine the almond flour, oats flour, tapioca, baking soda, and salt in a Food Processor. Pulse the ingredients a few more times to combine.
- Add the solid coconut oil and pulse for eight pulses. Add maple syrup, and pulse for about ten pulses until you get a loose dough.
- Then, chill the dough in the fridge for 20-30 mins. Preheat the oven to 350° F (176 C). Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
- Remove the cookie dough from your fridge. Place the cookie dough on parchment paper lightly dusted with tapioca. Sprinkle some tapioca powder on top of your dough. Roll the dough out to about 1/8 inch (3mm) thickness. Cut 16 circles using a cookie cutter with a diameter of 2 inches (5cm). Roll out the cookie dough at least two times to get 16 cookies. Continue rolling the dough out until it’s all gone. The dough will become difficult to handle if it begins to break. Put the dough back into the fridge for a few minutes to firm it up.
- Transfer the cookies onto your baking sheet lined with parchment paper, making sure they are at least two inches apart. Bake the cookies for 7-10 minutes or until they are lightly golden. When hot, they should be slightly firm. Place the cookies on a cooling rack and allow them to cool completely.
- In a small bowl, combine the maple syrup and peanut butter while the cookies cool. Stir well and put aside.
- Pour the chocolate chips into a small pan with 2 tsp coconut oil (amount according to original recipe // adjust for changes in batch size). Heat the chocolate chips over low heat, stirring constantly, until approximately half the chocolate has melted. Continue stirring until all the chocolate has melted. Remove the chips from the heat. This can be done in increments of 30 seconds in the microwave. Set aside.
- Place the cooling rack over your baking sheet lined with parchment paper to catch any drips. Set aside a large, round plate lined with parchment paper. It is crucial to use parchment paper as it will make it difficult for you to remove the cookies in the last step.
- Spread a generous 1/2 tsp. of the peanut butter mixture into the middle of each cookie. Shake the cookie and tap it to spread out the peanut butter. Leave about 1/4 inch of cookie on the edges. Place the cookies on a parchment-lined tray and place in the freezer to chill for 10 minutes until the peanut butter feels firm.
- Place the cookies back on the cooling rack after removing them from the freezer. Pour one tablespoon of melted chocolate over each cookie. Let it cover the top and side of each cookie. Shake the cookie to distribute the chocolate evenly.
- Use a metal spatula once all the cookies have been covered in chocolate. Be careful not to touch the cookies (the chocolate will cause them to stick together). The cookies should be placed in the refrigerator until they are completely set. This will take about 15 minutes. Remove the cookies gently using a spatula.
- You can enjoy them at room temperature or chilled. Store in an airtight jar in the fridge for up to 5 or 1 month.
