If you’re for plant-based gluten-free girl scout cookies, try these vegan Samoa Cookie! A luxurious treat made with a grain free shortbread, toasted coconut, date caramel and dark chocolate.

Samoa cookies are a nostalgic treat for many of us. While I’ve always been partial to Thin Mints when it comes to Girl Scout cookies, I can’t deny that Samoas are amazingly satisfying. In fact, we’ve made Samoa donuts based on the classic cookie flavor at the donut shop I own with my husband in Santa Barbara two years running now, and their popularity is a testament to how much the flavor combination of caramel, coconut, chocolate and shortbread cookie resonates with people!

Here’s a Vegan & Gluten-free Girl Scout Cookie recipe for you!

For today’s post, I recreated the classic cookie so that you can enjoy a healthier version. According to my husband, these gluten free Samoa Cookies taste exactly like the Girl Scout cookies that so many of us love!

These Gluten-free Vegan Samoa Cookies are made with a grain free shortbread cookie and the gooey caramel layer is made with Natural Delights Organic Medjool Dates combined with toasted coconut, coconut milk, vanilla and maple syrup.

The finishing touch is a quick dip and drizzle in melted dark chocolates. These are dead ringers for the real thing!

Why are they called Samoa Cookies anyway?

Well, no one seems to know for sure where the name Samoa comes from. Actually, what is known as “Samoa Cookie” in the Bay Area is called a Caramel deLite just a stone’s throw away in Sacramento. The cookie could be named after the island of Samoa because of the use of coconut since both coconut and coconut oil are top exports of the country.

Another theory is that Samoa kind of sounds like “some more,” as in, “Give me some more of those delicious cookies” And as s’more was already taken, the Girl Scout Bakers went with the next best thing.

Let’s talk about dates!

I’m proudly partnering with Natural Delights for this post- their organic medjool dates contain zero pesticides, additives or added sugar and make the perfect base for a caramel that’s refined sugar free.

Ingredients for this glutenfree girls scout cookie recipe

For the grain free shortbread cookies, you’ll need:

• maple syrup
• melted coconut oil 
• vanilla extract (you can use an alcohol free version if you want to be sure that it’s gluten free)
• blanched almond flour
• coconut flour
• salt

for the date caramel:

• unsweetened shredded coconut
• Natural Delights Organic Medjool Dates
• salt
• coconut milk
•  maple syrup
• vanilla extract

You’ll also need melted dark chocolate chunks or chips for dipping and drizzling the cookies.

How to make Gluten free Vegan Samoa Cookies

1. Start by mixing together the coconut oil, maple syrup and vanilla extract.
2. Add the coconut flour, almond flour and salt. Stir until combined, then turn out onto a clean surface and knead a few times to form a ball of dough.
3. Roll the dough out to 1/4 inch thickness using a rolling pin. Cut into two inch rounds with a cookie cutter and cut another small hole in the center of each circle (I used a pastry tip) transfer to two baking sheets lined with parchment paper.
4. Bake for 10 minutes or until golden around the edges, rotating the pans halfway through. Remove from oven, transfer to a cooking rack and let cookies cool completely.

1. Spread shredded coconut in an even layer on a parchment linked baking sheet. Bake at 350°F for 5-6 minutes or until golden. Let cool.
2. Add chopped dates to a bowl and cover with hot water. Soak for at least 5 minutes, then drain and transfer to a high powered blender. Add salt, coconut milk, maple syrup and vanilla extract. Blend on high until smooth, scraping down the sides of the blender as needed.
3. Transfer date caramel to a medium bowl. Add toasted coconut and stir to combine. Spread date caramel mixture evenly over the cooled cookies. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour to set.
4. In a small microwave safe bowl, add chocolate and heat for 30-second intervals in the microwave, stirring between each interval, until melted. Dip the bottom of each cookie in the melted chocolate and return to the baking sheet. Drizzle melted chocolate over the tops of the cookies.
5. Return to the refrigerator for about 30 minutes to set.

Tips for success

• Feel free to re-roll the scraps of the grain free shortbread cookie dough to form additional cookies- I was able to get about two dozen two inch cookies out of the dough.
• Chilling the gluten-free cookie dough for about ten minutes before rolling helps to firm it up a bit, making it easier to work with when rolling and cutting.
• Chill the cookies again after adding the coconut caramel layer and once more to set the melted chocolate.

more gluten free desserts

• Healthy Date Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies
• Chocolate Bourbon Pots De Creme (Dairy Free)
• Strawberry Orange Blossom Tartlets
• Carrot Cake Bars with Maple Coconut Icing

If you make these Crispy Potato Wedges, leave a comment and rating below, 
and share it on Instagram with #LePetitEats!

This post is brought to you by Natural Delights. As always, all opinions are my own.

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Vegan Samoa Cookies – Gluten-free Girl Scout Cookies

These healthier gluten free samoa cookies also happen to be vegan! Made with a grain free shortbread cookie, date caramel, toasted coconut and dark chocolate, they are a luxurious treat!

Course Dessert

Cuisine Dairy-free, Gluten-free, Vegan

Keyword coconut, cookies recipe, dates, girl scout cookies, gluten free

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

Servings 24

Calories 158 kcal

Author Denisse

Ingredients

for the shortbread cookies:

• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 1/2 cup coconut oil melted and slightly cooled
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract*
• 1 1/2 cups almond flour
• 2/3 cup coconut flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

for the date caramel:

• 1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
• 1 cup Natural Delights Organic Medjool Dates pitted and roughly chopped
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup coconut milk
• 1/3 cup maple syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract*
• 1/2 cup dark chocolate chopped

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 350°F.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the coconut oil, maple syrup and vanilla extract.
3. Add the coconut flour, almond flour and salt. Stir until combined, then turn out onto a clean surface and knead a few times to form a ball of dough.
4. Roll the dough out to 1/4 inch thickness using a rolling pin. Cut into two inch rounds with a cookie cutter and cut another small hole in the center of each circle (I used a pastry tip) transfer to two baking sheets lined with parchment paper.
5. Bake for 10 minutes or until golden around the edges, rotating the pans halfway through. Remove from oven, transfer to a cooking rack and let cookies cool completely.
6. Spread shredded coconut in an even layer on a parchment linked baking sheet. Bake at 350°F for 5-6 minutes or until golden. Let cool.
7. Add chopped dates to a bowl and cover with hot water. Soak for at least 5 minutes, then drain and transfer to a high powered blender. Add salt, coconut milk, maple syrup and vanilla extract. Blend on high until smooth, scraping down the sides of the blender as needed.
8. Transfer date caramel to a medium bowl. Add toasted coconut and stir to combine. Spread date caramel mixture evenly over the cooled cookies. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour to set.
9. In a small microwave safe bowl, add chocolate and heat for 30-second intervals in the microwave, stirring between each interval, until melted. Dip the bottom of each cookie in the melted chocolate and return to the baking sheet. Drizzle melted chocolate over the tops of the cookies. 

Return to the refrigerator for about 30 minutes to set. 

Store cookies in a covered container in the refrigerator up to 1 week.

Recipe Notes

• make sure to use alcohol free vanilla extract to ensure cookies remain gluten free