Let’s face it. We all have a favorite girl scout cookie. I have mine, you have yours. It’s a tough decision, I get it. But, I can’t deny that Samoas are my favorite. The cookie base, the caramel, the coconut. It basically has all my favorite sweets rolled into one and I could put a way a whole box in one night. Don’t judge.
If you love girl scout cookies as much as me, you have got to try these easy grain free thin mints, or these copycat tagalongs! I’m all for supporting budding female entrepreneurs, so if you see those little ladies out and about or they come knocking, buy some! But mama ain’t made of money and if you want to satisfy that girl scout cookie craving, these homemade samoas cookies are the perfect fix.
This recipe has a lot of steps. It’s really not hard or complicated, but there’s a fair amount of steps and chill time so keep that in mind as you work your way through the recipe. So, let’s jump into the recipe and make these gluten free and refined sugar free homemade samoas cookies!
How to make gluten free samoas:
In a medium bowl whisk together the butter, agave, milk and vanilla. Check out my favorite trick for How to Soften Butter! Add the almond flour and fold together until combined. Place the cookie dough between two pieces of parchment paper and roll into a 1/4 inch thickness. Slide a cutting board under the bottom parchment paper and chill in the fridge for 20 minutes.
While the dough is chilling, bring the coconut cream and coconut sugar to a boil in a saucepan over high heat. Boil for 15 – 20 minutes stirring almost constantly until the caramel thickens up. Pour the caramel into a medium bowl.
Place the coconut shreds on a pan over medium-low heat. Stir frequently for 5 – 7 minutes or until the coconut is golden brown and fragrant. Add the coconut shreds to the bowl with the caramel. Mix together the coconut shreds and caramel and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
Remove the cookie dough from the fridge, peel off the top piece of parchment paper. Use a 2 inch circle cookie cutter or glass to cut out circle cookies. Use a small circular cutter to cut a center hole out. This isn’t mandatory but adds a more authentic samoa touch. You can use one of those metal icing bag tips or carve out a little hole using the back of a chopstick.
Transfer the cookies onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Re-roll out the dough, chill, and cut out cookies as needed. Depending on the size of the cookie cutter, you’ll get 12 – 18 cookies. Bake for 10 – 12 minutes until the cookies are golden brown. Allow the cookies to cool completely on the pan.
Once the cookies are cool and the caramel/coconut mixture is chilled, melt the chocolate and coconut oil in the microwave for about 2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds until smooth. Check out my post How to Melt Chocolate Chips!
Dip the bottom of the cookies into the melted chocolate and place them back on the parchment paper. Once all the cookie bottoms are coated, pop the in the fridge for 5 minutes until the chocolate hardens.
Then, use your hands to place the coconut/caramel mixture around the tops of the cookies. Drizzle the top of the caramel with stripes of chocolate and sprinkle with flaked sea salt. Chill in the fridge for 10 – 15 minutes until hardened. Store in the fridge until you’re ready to enjoy!
Recipe
Homemade Samoa Cookies (gluten free)
The iconic Girl Scout Samoas are made gluten free and refined sugar free in this Homemade Samoa Cookies recipe! You won’t even notice the difference!
Ingredients
Cookie Base:
- 6 tablespoons salted butter, softened
- 2 tablespoons agave nectar (honey or maple syrup also works)
- 2 tablespoons whole milk (or favorite milk)
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups blanched almond flour
Topping:
- 1 can (15 oz) unsweetened coconut cream
- 1/2 cup coconut sugar
- 1 1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
- 1 tablespoon refined coconut oil
- flaked sea salt for topping
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- In a medium bowl whisk together the butter, agave, milk and vanilla.
- Add the almond flour and fold together until combined.
- Place the cookie dough between two pieces of parchment paper and roll into a 1/4 inch thickness.
- Slide a cutting board under the bottom parchment paper and chill in the fridge for 20 minutes.
- While the dough is chilling, bring the coconut cream and coconut sugar to a boil in a saucepan over high heat.
- Boil for 15 – 20 minutes stirring almost constantly until the caramel thickens up.
- Pour the caramel into a medium bowl.
- Place the coconut shreds on a pan over medium-low heat. Stir frequently for 5 – 7 minutes or until the coconut is golden brown and fragrant.
- Add the coconut shreds to the bowl with the caramel.
- Mix together the coconut shreds and caramel and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
- Remove the cookie dough from the fridge, peel off the top piece of parchment paper.
- Use a 2 inch circle cookie cutter or glass to cut out circle cookies.
- Use a small circular cutter to cut a center hole out. This isn’t mandatory but adds a more authentic samoa touch. You can use one of those metal icing bag tips or carve out a little hole using the back of a chopstick.
- Transfer the cookies onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Re-roll out the dough, chill, and cut out cookies as needed. Depending on the size of the cookie cutter, you’ll get 12 – 18 cookies.
- Bake for 10 – 12 minutes until the cookies are golden brown.
- Allow the cookies to cool completely on the pan.
- Once the cookies are cool and the caramel/coconut mixture is chilled, melt the chocolate and coconut oil in the microwave for about 2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds until smooth.
- Dip the bottom of the cookies into the melted chocolate and place them back on the parchment paper.
- Once all the cookie bottoms are coated, pop the in the fridge for 5 minutes until the chocolate hardens.
- Then, use your hands to place the coconut/caramel mixture around the tops of the cookies.
- Drizzle the top of the caramel with stripes of chocolate and sprinkle with flaked sea salt.
- Chill in the fridge for 10 – 15 minutes until hardened.
- Store in the fridge until you’re ready to enjoy!
Enjoy!! xo
I underbaked these just slightly so they’re super soft and my husband can’t stop eating them!!!
Drooling!! Under baked is always a good idea 🙌🏻 I’m so happy you guys loved them!! xo
Can these be made with a different type of flour? And sub brown or white sugar for coconut sugar?
Brown sugar may work as a sub for coconut sugar. Also, you can try cashew flour or oat flour instead of almond flour. Let me know how you make out!! xo
Wow amazing cookies. The best GF cookies that I have made hands down. Thank you for sharing delicious recipes
Yay! I’m so happy you loved them!! xo