Homemade Tagalong Cookies Recipe

Irresistible Tagalong Cookies Recipe: Homemade Sweet Bliss

Sweet memories of childhood blend perfectly with this irresistible tagalong cookies recipe that captures pure nostalgic delight.

These chocolate-covered peanut butter treats bring back warm memories of after-school snacking and cookie drives.

Crisp shortbread creates a delicate foundation for creamy peanut butter filling, while rich chocolate coating adds decadent charm.

Each bite delivers a harmonious balance of textures and flavors that dance across your palate.

Crafted with simple ingredients and minimal effort, these homemade cookies surpass any store-bought version.

You’ll love how quickly these delectable treats come together in your own kitchen.

Dive into this delightful recipe and recreate a classic favorite that sparks joy with every single bite.

Quick Recipe Overview

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 13 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Calories: 285 kcal

Servings: 22

Ingredients for Homemade Tagalong Cookies

For Cookie Base:
  • All-Purpose Flour: Provides sturdy foundation for delicate cookies, select unbleached flour for best texture.
  • Granulated Sugar: Sweetens and helps create crisp cookie edges, opt for fine-grain sugar for smooth mixing.
  • Unsalted Butter: Delivers rich flavor and tender crumb, choose high-quality European-style butter for superior taste.
  • Egg Yolks: Adds richness and helps bind ingredients, select fresh eggs from local farms for best results.
  • Vanilla Extract: Enhances overall flavor complexity, prefer pure extract over artificial versions.
  • Salt: Balances sweetness and amplifies other flavors, use fine sea salt for even distribution.
For Creamy Filling:
  • Peanut Butter: Creates signature nutty core, select smooth variety for silky consistency.
  • Powdered Sugar: Provides sweetness and helps stabilize filling, sift to eliminate lumps.
  • Unsalted Butter: Adds creaminess and helps bind filling ingredients, ensure room temperature for smooth mixing.
  • Vanilla Extract: Rounds out filling's flavor profile, use high-quality pure extract.
For Chocolate Coating:
  • Chocolate: Provides luxurious exterior and seals filling, choose high-percentage dark chocolate for deeper flavor.
  • Stand Mixer: Essential for creaming butter, sugar, and mixing dough smoothly.
  • Plastic Wrap: Perfect for wrapping and chilling cookie dough logs.
  • Baking Sheet: Used for baking cookie rounds evenly.
  • Silicone Mat: Prevents cookies from sticking during baking.
  • Wire Rack: Helps cookies cool completely and evenly.
  • Piping Bag: Great for neatly applying peanut butter filling.
  • Microwave-Safe Bowl: Ideal for melting chocolate smoothly.
  • Parchment Paper: Provides clean surface for chocolate-dipped cookies to set.
  • Sharp Knife: Helps slice dough into consistent rounds.
  • Measuring Cups and Spoons: Ensures accurate ingredient measurements.

How to Bake Your Own Tagalong Cookies

  • Cookie Dough Creation

Blend softened butter and sugar in a mixer until creamy and smooth. Add golden egg yolks and fragrant vanilla, mixing until perfectly combined. Gently fold in flour and a pinch of salt, forming a soft, pliable dough ball.

  • Dough Shaping

Divide the delicate dough into two elegant logs, each about the width of a thick marker. Wrap carefully in clingy plastic and let rest in the chilled sanctuary of your refrigerator for nearly an hour.

  • Baking Transformation

Warm your oven to a cozy 350°F. Slice the rested dough into delicate rounds and arrange on a lined baking sheet. Bake until edges turn a soft, golden brown, around 12 minutes. Allow cookies to cool completely on a wire rack.

  • Creamy Peanut Filling

Whip together smooth butter and rich peanut butter until cloud-like. Fold in powdered sugar and a splash of vanilla, creating a luscious, silky filling. Transfer to a piping tool for elegant application.

  • Chocolate Finale

Melt chocolate in gentle waves, stirring between short bursts. Dunk each cookie into the glossy chocolate, letting excess drip away. Rest on parchment until the chocolate sets into a perfect, shiny shell.

  • Roll out the dough instead of forming logs for fun cookie cutter shapes like hearts, stars, or seasonal designs that make baking more playful and personalized.
  • Experiment with almond butter, cashew butter, or sunflower seed butter for different flavor profiles that cater to various dietary preferences or allergies.
  • Add a sprinkle of sea salt, crushed peanuts, or colorful sprinkles on top of the chocolate coating to create stunning visual and textural variations that elevate the classic cookie.
  • Prepare cookie dough logs or assembled cookies in advance and freeze for up to 3 months, allowing you to have delicious treats ready whenever a craving strikes or unexpected guests arrive.
  • Use high-quality chocolate with 60-70% cocoa content and add a teaspoon of coconut oil while melting to achieve a smoother, glossier coating that hardens beautifully and provides a professional finish.

Serving Ideas for Tagalong Cookies

  • Dessert Platter Paradise: Create a stunning cookie display with various sizes of Tagalong Cookies arranged on a rustic wooden board, garnished with fresh mint leaves and a light dusting of powdered sugar.
  • Afternoon Tea Companion: Pair these decadent cookies with a warm cup of Earl Grey tea or rich hot chocolate, making them perfect for a cozy afternoon snack that feels like a luxurious treat.
  • Gift-Worthy Packaging: Stack cookies in clear cellophane bags tied with elegant ribbon, creating a homemade gift that looks professionally crafted and shows personal culinary love.
  • Chocolate Lover's Dream: Serve alongside small scoops of vanilla ice cream or chocolate gelato for an extra indulgent dessert experience that elevates the classic cookie-and-cream combination.

Keeping Tagalong Cookies Fresh Longer

  • Cookie Freshness Hub: Store these delightful tagalongs in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days, keeping them away from direct sunlight and heat sources.
  • Freezer Magic Strategy: Wrap individual cookies or layers between parchment paper and freeze for 2-3 months, ensuring maximum flavor retention when sealed in a freezer-safe container.
  • Make-Ahead Happiness: Prepare cookie dough logs up to 1 week in advance and refrigerate, or freeze unbaked logs for future baking adventures, perfect for spontaneous treat cravings.
  • Chocolate Coating Care: After dipping cookies in chocolate, allow them to set completely at room temperature or in the refrigerator, preventing condensation and maintaining that glossy chocolate finish.
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Homemade Tagalong Cookies Recipe

Homemade Tagalong Cookies Recipe


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4.6 from 24 reviews

  • Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
  • Yield: 22 1x

Description

Homemade tagalong cookies deliver a classic Girl Scout favorite with crisp shortbread, creamy peanut butter, and smooth chocolate coating. Chocolate lovers and baking enthusiasts can easily recreate this delightful treat in their own kitchen.


Ingredients

Scale
  • 2.5 cups (350 g / 12.35 oz) all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup (226 g / 8 oz) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 2 large egg yolks
  • 6 tbsps unsalted butter, room temperature
  • ⅔ cup (126 g / 4.4 oz) granulated sugar
  • 1.25 cups creamy peanut butter
  • 1.25 cups powdered sugar, sifted
  • 3 bags (10 oz each) Ghirardelli dark chocolate melting wafers
  • 2 tsps (10 mL / 0.33 fl oz) pure vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 0.5 tsp salt

Instructions

  1. Dough Preparation: Cream butter and sugar in a stand mixer until light and fluffy. Blend in egg yolks and vanilla extract until smooth.
  2. Dry Ingredient Integration: Fold flour and salt into the mixture, creating a cohesive dough. Divide into two equal logs, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for 45 minutes to firm up.
  3. Baking Setup: Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper.
  4. Cookie Shaping: Slice chilled dough logs into quarter-inch rounds. Arrange on prepared baking sheet with slight spacing.
  5. Baking Process: Bake for 11-13 minutes until edges turn golden. Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.
  6. Filling Creation: Whip butter and peanut butter until smooth. Incorporate powdered sugar and vanilla, mixing to a creamy consistency.
  7. Filling Application: Pipe peanut butter filling onto cookie centers. Briefly chill to set the layer.
  8. Chocolate Coating: Melt chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl, stirring to prevent burning. Dip each filled cookie, ensuring complete coverage.
  9. Finishing Touch: Tap off excess chocolate and place on parchment paper. Allow chocolate to set at room temperature or refrigerate to expedite.

Notes

  • Chill Dough Strategically: Refrigerate logs for at least 45 minutes to enhance flavor development and prevent spreading during baking.
  • Slice Evenly: Use a sharp knife to cut cookie rounds precisely quarter-inch thick, ensuring uniform baking and consistent texture.
  • Control Chocolate Melting: Microwave chocolate in short intervals, stirring frequently to prevent burning and achieve smooth, glossy coating.
  • Handle with Care: Allow cookies to cool completely before filling and coating to maintain structural integrity and prevent filling from melting.
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 13 minutes
  • Category: Desserts, Snacks
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 22
  • Calories: 285
  • Sugar: 14g
  • Sodium: 75mg
  • Fat: 19g
  • Saturated Fat: 10g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 9g
  • Trans Fat: 0g
  • Carbohydrates: 26g
  • Fiber: 1g
  • Protein: 4g
  • Cholesterol: 37mg
Mia Reynolds

Mia Reynolds

Food Writer & Home Cooking Specialist

Expertise

Easy Home Baking, Recipe Writing and Storytelling, Local and Seasonal Ingredients, Baking for Beginners

Education

New England Culinary Institute (NECI), Montpelier, Vermont

  • Certificate: Baking and Pastry Arts Certificate
  • Focus: Hands-on baking skills, pastry basics, and creating delicious, approachable baked goods.

Community College of Vermont, Winooski, Vermont

  • Degree: Certificate in Food and Beverage Management
  • Focus: Essential knowledge of recipe development, ingredient sourcing, and food business basics.

Mia Reynolds fell in love with baking as a teenager experimenting in her family kitchen. Her passion took her to New England Culinary Institute, where she learned practical pastry techniques, and later to Community College of Vermont to deepen her understanding of food management.

Mia combines clear, simple baking instructions with heartwarming stories, making home baking approachable for everyone.

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