What are your favorite Girl Scout cookies? We love Thin Mints and Tagalongs here, but Samoas come in at number three! What’s there not to like? Buttery shortbread cookies topped with rich caramel sauce, toasted coconut, and drizzled with melted chocolate. SWOON. This is the cookie of our dreams: salty, sweet, and gooey.
This inspired version is vegan and gluten-free but tastes just like the original. We’ll show you how to do it!
These cookies require a few more steps than usual, but the ingredients and results are well worth the effort!
We make shortbread cookies using almond flour, maple syrup, coconut oil, vanilla, and sea salt.
The cookies are then cut into circles, and the centers are removed using a cookie cutter or similar object. This creates the classic shape of Samoas that’s perfect for thoroughly coating in chocolate-coconut-caramel goodness!
Coconut sugar and coconut oil are used to thicken the layer and add sweetness. Toasted shredded coconut is added for a toasty flavor.
The cookies are then dipped in melted chocolate and drizzled with it for a mouth-watering experience.
Ingredients
SHORTBREAD
- 1 1/4 cups Almond flour
- Maple syrup 2 Tbsp
- 2 Tbsp coconut oil, melted
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
COCONUT CARAMEL LAYER
- 1/4 cup desiccated coconut or shredded unsweetened coconut
- As written, 1/4 cup plus two tablespoons of full-fat coconut cream (or as you would like to call it)
- Coconut sugar 1/3 cup (or 1/4 cup plus two tablespoons as written in the recipe)
- Coconut oil 2 tsp
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
CHOCOLATE
- 34 cup vegan semi-sweet chips (such as Enjoy Life brand).
- Coconut oil, 1 tsp
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325° F (163° C) and line your baking sheet with parchment.
- Mix the almond meal, maple syrup, and coconut oil in a medium-sized bowl. Add vanilla extract. The mixture may look crumbly, but it’s fine! The dough should be transferred to parchment paper and shaped into a rough rectangular shape. Roll out the dough into a rectangle of 1/4 inch (6mm) thickness. Place the parchment paper in the fridge for 15 minutes.
- Spread the coconut flakes on a baking tray and toast it in the oven for 5-10 minutes. Stirring once and checking frequently to ensure that it does not burn is important. The coconut should have a light golden color.
- Remove the coconut and increase the temperature of the oven to 350 degrees F. Transfer the toasted coconut into a small bowl.
- Cut as many cookies as you can using a 2-1/2-inch round cookie cutter. Use a 1-inch cookie cutter to cut a hole into the middle of each cookie. Repeat with the remaining dough. According to the original recipe, you should get 15 cookies.
- Bake the cookies for 7-10 mins, or until they start to brown. Transfer cookies gently to a cooling rack. The parchment-lined sheet of baking paper can be saved for later.
- Make the caramel while the cookies are cooling. In a small pan, combine the coconut sugar, coconut oil, and salt. Bring to a rolling boil on medium heat. Reduce heat immediately and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring often. Transfer to a bowl and let cool for five minutes.
- After the caramel has cooled down, add 1/4 cup (or 20 g – the amount is as written in the original recipe // adjust for batch size). Use a small fork to spread the caramel and coconut mixture onto the cookies. Spread the caramel-coconut mixture on the cookies and then press the cookies (caramel side up) into the remaining toasted shredded coconut. Place the cookies in the refrigerator to cool down and harden for 10 minutes.
- Add 1 inch of water to a small pan and bring it to a slow boil on medium heat. Reduce heat to low/simmer once boiling has occurred.
- Add chocolate chips and coconut oils to a small metal or glass bowl. Place the bowl carefully on top of the saucepan with simmering water. Stirring occasionally with a spoon or spatula, heat until no lumps are left — about 5 minutes. In a microwave, you can melt chocolate in a heatproof bowl by adding 20-second increments. Remove the chocolate from the heat.
- Remove the cookies. Dip the bottoms of the chilled cookies in the melted dark chocolate, coating them lightly. Place the covered cookies on a parchment-lined baking tray. Use a spoon to drizzle the remaining chocolate in a zigzag pattern on top of each cookie. Then, return the cookies to the fridge for 10 minutes.
- Store cookies in an airtight container either in the fridge, where they will stay for up to five days, or in the freezer for up to one month.
