These healthier copycat Girl Scout Cookies are an absolute dream. A salted granola infused shortbread crust, topped with a homemade salted coconut caramel, toasted coconut flakes and a dark chocolate drizzle. These gluten-free Samoa Cookies are the perfect treat to prepare for friends and family.
I’ll have to admit, in Austria I didn’t not grow up selling Girl Scouts cookies. While I love the idea it’s not a thing where I come from. So my first encounter with Girl Scout Cookies was in Pennsylvania working as an Aupair. That’s when I tried Samoa Cookies for the first time. I was in love instantly. The combination of caramel, coconut and chocolate is my favorite.
If you are a fan of caramel, here are some of my favorite dairy-free caramel treats
Vegan Caramel and Cashew Mini Ice Cream Pops
Healthy Homemade Twix Bars
Vegan Snickers Bars
Vegan Caramel Ice Cream
Tahini Caramel Linzer Cookies
Tahini Caramel Granola
As we all know, the classic Samoa Cookie is packed with lots of questionable ingredients such as sugar, corn syrup, enriched flour and the list goes on. While it’s not the end of the world to enjoy some of these classics every now and then, isn’t it a lot better to make your favorite treats homemade?
I thought so, and thats why these healthier guys are prepared with a gluten-free shortbread cookie base, vegan coconut caramel, toasted unsweetened coconut flakes and stevia sweetened dairy-free chocolate.
Instructions
Chocolate Shortbread
For the salted chocolate shortbread cookie I used my standard gluten-free shortbread cookie recipe with a slight adaption of using chocolate granola.
Oat flour has a very neutral taste and acts as a gluten-free flour alternative. You can also use gluten-free brown rice flour as a substitute. Chocolate Sea Salt Granola adds a unique salty and chocolatey flavor to the cookie base. Feel free to use your favorite granola or substitute with ground nuts.
Tapioca flour. A gluten-free starch that helps to hold the cookie base together.
Coconut Sugar. A refined sugar-free lower glycemic alternative to cane sugar.
Maple syrup will add some wetness and help roll out the dough.
Baking powder for rising and 1 organic whole egg. Feel free to use flax or chia egg for a vegan version
In a food processor add 200 grams of Chocolate Sea Salt Granola. Process until finely ground. In a bowl mix all dry ingredients including the ground Granola. In a small separate bowl whisk the egg with maple syrup. Add to dry ingredients and combine into a sticky dough with your hands. If too sticky add tapioca flour.
On a floured surface roll out dough to ⅛ inch thickness. Cut out cookies with a round linzer cookie cutter or a donut cutter and place on the cookie sheet. Bake for about 10 minutes in the oven.
Coconut Caramel Layer
For the coconut caramel combine coconut Sugar and coconut Cream in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer. I used coconut sugar for a refined sugar-free low glycemic option. Reduce heat and keep simmering over low heat for about 30-40 minutes stirring every few minutes until it thickened. Let the caramel sauce cool and add sea salt. Set aside and it will thicken even more while cooling.
Spread unsweetened coconut flakes evenly onto a lined baking sheet and bake for about 8-10 minutes at 325 degrees Fahrenheit, stirring every few minutes to ensure even toasting. Set aside to cool. Stir coconut flakes into the cooled caramel.
How to Assemble
Assemble Samoa cookies by adding 1-2 tbsp of caramel coconut mixture onto each cookie ring. With a spoon or your fingers spread onto the cookie evenly. Place cookies in the freezer for about 20-30 minutes.
Take cookies out of the freezer and dip into melted chocolate. Drizzle some additional chocolate on top and sprinkle with flaked sea salt.
For the chocolate glaze I used Stevia sweetened dairy-free chocolate and a tablespoon of coconut oil. Feel free to use semi-sweet or unsweetened chocolate.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for about 5-7 days.
If you happen to make these delicious gluten-free Samoa Cookies, please let me know! I’d love to see how it turns out. As always, don’t forget to tag @delight.fuel or simply comment below.
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Gluten-free Samoa Cookies
Ingredients
Chocolate Shortbread Cookies
- 1 cup (120g) gluten-free oat flour (sub with brown rice flour)
- 2 cups (200g) Purely Elizabeth Chocolate Sea Salt Granola (sub with almond flour)
- 1/4 cup (30g) tapioca flour
- 1/3 cup (50g) coconut sugar
- 2 tbsp (50g) maple syrup
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 whole organic egg
Coconut Caramel Layer
- ⅔ cup coconut sugar
- 1 can coconut cream
- ¼ tsp sea salt
- 2 ½ cups unsweetened coconut flakes
Chocolate Glaze
- 8 oz stevia sweetened dairy-free chocolate (sub with semi sweet chocolate)
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 300F and prepare 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a food processor add 200 grams of Chocolate Sea Salt Granola. Process until finely ground.
3. In a bowl mix all dry ingredients including the ground Granola. In a small separate bowl whisk the egg with maple syrup.
4. Add to dry ingredients and combine into a sticky dough with your hands. If too sticky add tapioca flour.
5. On a floured surface roll out dough to ⅛ inch thickness. Cut out cookies with a round linzer cookie cutter or a donut cutter and place on the cookie sheet. Bake for about 10 minutes in the oven.
6. Take cookies out of the oven and let them cool down for about 15 minutes. Repeat the process until the dough is gone.
7. For the vegan caramel, combine coconut sugar and coconut cream in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer.
8. Reduce heat and keep simmering over low heat for about 30-40 minutes stirring every few minutes until it thickened.
9. Let the caramel sauce cool and add salt. Set aside and it will thicken even more while cooling.
10. Spread coconut flakes evenly onto a lined baking sheet and bake for about 8-10 minutes at 325 degrees Fahrenheit, stirring every few minutes to ensure even toasting. Set aside to cool.
11. Stir coconut flakes into the cooled caramel.
12. Assemble samoa cookies by adding 1-2 tbsp of caramel coconut mixture onto each
cookie ring. With a spoon or your fingers spread onto the cookie evenly.
13. Place cookies in the freezer for about 20-30 minutes.
14. Take cookies out of the freezer and dip into melted chocolate. Drizzle some additional chocolate on top and sprinkle with flaked sea salt. Enjoy!
15. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for about 5-7 days.
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