Easy Samoas Cookie Bars
Step These Easy Samoas Cookie Bars take the cake (or the cookie) when you craving their namesake. With a shortbread crust, coconut, caramel, and chocolate my Samoas bars are delicious with every bite.
Girl Scout Cookie Copycats
I guess I’m on a girl scout cookie kick. Tagalong Cookies on Sunday and Samoas today! It was Fat Tuesday when I first made this recipe back in 2016 so I needed to make something chocolate. And since Samoas are my favorite girl scout cookies I thought I would try to replicate those with my Samoas recipe.
These have a buttery crust with a caramel coconut layer topped with chocolate. So I think this Samoas recipe came pretty close!
I thought about making pretty little circles so they looked more like the girl scout cookies but since I had to go to Costco this morning too it was bars or nothing. I figured taste and ease of preparation normally beat pretty anyway.
If you love Samoas as much as I do make sure to also try my Samoas Coconut Pie Recipe.
How to Make Samoas Cookie Bars
First Step: Stir together the crust ingredients and press into the bottom of a baking dish. Bake the crust.
Second Step: Make the caramel topping by cooking butter, cream, and sweetener.
Third Step: Stir in the coconut flakes.
Fourth Step: Spread the caramel coconut layer on the cooled crust.
Fifth Step: Drizzle with melted chocolate.
Tips for Making Caramel
Do not leave caramel unattended. It can go from golden to burned in seconds. The first time you make caramel I suggest standing at the stove the entire time. Once you get the hang of it you can do other things in the kitchen as long as you check on it frequently.
How to Melt Chocolate in the Microwave
Start with thirty seconds and then stir. Continue microwaving for thirty seconds increments and stirring after each until the chocolate is 75% melted. Then just stir until it is all melted.
Can I Make These Nut Free?
Yes, just sub in sunflower seed flour for the almond flour.
Tips for Drizzling Chocolate
I always add a small amount of coconut oil, about 1/2 – 1 teaspoon for 1/2 cup chocolate chips, when I want to drizzle chocolate. It makes it thinner and smoother. That big blob in the middle of the dish is from before I remembered to add the coconut oil.
How to store Samoas Cookie Bars
I like these best at room temperature and you can keep them at room temp for 2-3 days. For longer storage, you need to refrigerate them and the caramel coconut layer will get firmer, like a toffee.
More Low Carb Caramel Desserts:
Mini Brown Butter Caramel Donuts
Salted Caramel Cashew Cheesecake
Easy Banana Cake Recipe w/Caramel Frosting
Caramel Macchiato Keto Brownies
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Easy Samoas Recipe for Cookie Bars
Ingredients
Crust:
- 3 tbsp butter melted
- 3/4 cup almond flour
- 1 tbsp Joy Filled Eats Sweetener (or see alternatives in recipe notes)
Coconut Caramel Layer:
- 3 tbsp butter
- 1/3 cup Joy Filled Eats Sweetener (or see alternatives in recipe notes)
- 4 tbsp heavy cream divided
- 1/4 tsp vanilla
- pinch salt
- 1.5 cups unsweetened coconut flakes
- 1/2 cup sugar free chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350. Spray an 8x8 pan with cooking spray. It is helpful to line with parchment paper.
- Put the crust ingredients in a medium bowl and whisk until combined. Press into the pan. Bake for 15-20 min until the crust is golden brown.
- Meanwhile, combine butter, sweetener, and 2 tablespoons of the cream over medium heat. Stir until the sweetener is dissolved. Add the vanilla. Cook until it is a deep golden brown. As soon as it reached that deep color (right before burning) remove from the heat and immediately add the other 2 tablespoons of heavy cream. Stir until smooth. Add the salt and coconut.
- Gently spread the coconut on top of the crust. Drizzle with chocolate. Let cool until the chocolate is firm. Cut into 16 pieces and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Originally Published February 9, 2016. Revised and Republished March 2, 2020.
Strange recipe,, the crust in no way fit in and 8by8 had to make a second batch .. recipe doesn’t say when to put in chocolate chips and u put the coconut mixer on hot crust ? It doesn’t say to let crust cool … but looks good and taking to church tomorrow
Can unsweetened shredded coconut be substituted for the coconut flakes? Love your recipes!!
Shredded coconut should be fine.
what kind of chocolate do you use to melt?
Choczero melts well.
4.5 stars. Very good and similar to the GS Samoas.
Can these be frozen?
Yes, they freeze pretty well.
Very good and easy to make!
These look delicious! Thank you for the recipe! Can you confirm if I would use 1/2 cup of Swerve for these? Thank you!
Yes, that is correct. Enjoy!
I made these last night and the minute I woke up this morning they were calling my name. I didn’t try them last night as I wanted them to cool and then I went to bed. So I had one piece ( or two). So so good!
If I wanted to make these dairy free, could I used coconut milk instead of heavy cream?
Yes, canned full-fat coconut milk or coconut cream should work.
Really, really delicious! They came together pretty quickly and the whole family loved them.
I haven’t made these yet, but the ingredients are pretty much the same as your Magic Cookie Bars. Do they taste the same? We absolutely love your Magic Cookie Bars, and keep them in the freezer at all times, but not sure if I want to make these if they taste the same. Any feedback would be much appreciated. Thanks!
These have a stronger coconut flavor and a caramel flavor that the magic bars don’t have. We love them both.
Could I use only coconut flour? I saw the comment about a mixture of coconut and almond but my mom has a severe nut allergy so we don’t even keep almond flour in the house, due to possible dust getting in the air!
The best sub would be sunflower seed flour. It can be used 1:1 in place of almond flour.