Gluten Free/Dairy Free Samoa Bars

Anyone else disappointed because they missed out on Girl Scout cookies this year?😥 This is going to show my age my I still genuinely expect a uniformed Girl Scout to show up at my door every January and present me with an old school full color spreadsheet and a pen for me to make my cookie choices.  Yes, I know that I can actually order Girl Scout cookies online but I'm just old enough to not accept it.🤣   I realize that it's not realistic to expect to order cookies at my front door anymore so I choose instead to buy them from the troups who set up a table outside of local businesses.  At least this way I still get to interact with the Girl Scout - or at the very least - their parent. 🤣

This year I was out of town during the 2 weekends that the Girl Scouts set up their cookie stations in my little town, so I missed the boat.😭   I'm still craving Girl Scout cookies though so I had to take it upon myself to create some delicious Girl Scout-esque cookies for myself.  The upside is that I can make a customizable version of my favorites.  In this case, I was looking for a gluten free and dairy free cookie recipe and these Samoa Bars hit the mark.  Make a batch for yourself and I think you'll agree that these cookies are equally (or even more🤫) delicious than the Girl Scout version of this chocolate, coconut and caramel drizzled cookie.  

Gluten Free/Dairy Free Samoa Bars
Cookie Layer
1 1/4 cups unsweetened shredded coconut
¼ cup coconut flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons coconut oil, melted
2 Tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon vanilla

Chocolate Layer:
3 Tablespoon maple syrup
3 Tablespoon coconut oil, melted
2 1/4 Tablespoon cocoa powder

Coconut Caramel layer:
1/4 cup coconut oil
1/4 cup maple syrup
2 Tablespoons almond butter
pinch of salt
¼ tsp vanilla
⅓ cup unsweetened shredded coconut

Pulse together coconut, coconut flour, salt, coconut oil, honey and vanilla in food processor.

Press cookie mixture into a parchment lined 8" square baking pan.  

Bake 8-10 minutes at 350.  

Whisk together maple syrup and coconut oil for chocolate layer.  

Gradually whisk in cocoa powder.  

Reserve 2 T. chocolate and spread remaining chocolate over cookie layer.

Freeze 20 minutes. 

Melt maple syrup and coconut oil in microwave.  

Whisk in almond butter, vanilla and salt. 

Remove chocolate/cookie layer from freezer.  Remove from pan using parchment.  Flip upside down.  

Stir coconut into caramel sauce. 

Spread over cookie base.  

Sprinkle with additional coconut and drizzle with reserved chocolate.

Ciao!

Click here for a printable version of this recipe