Samoa Cookie Bars

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A girl scout classic but homemade and healthier! Samoa Cookie Bars with a date caramel coconut filling and dark chocolate drizzle. Vegan and paleo!

SPONSORED BY HU

Another Girl Scout cookie classic getting a healthier twist! And this time easier too because we turned cookies into bars, so there is no rolling and individual cookie cutting involved.

Bake the shortbread base, top with a generously thick layer of homemade salty-sweet date caramel jam packed with toasted coconut, slice into squares, and then drizzle all that gooey decadent goodness in our favorite dark chocolate – Hu Gems. If that description didn’t already clue you in, yeah these are better than the original.

Happy samoa in square form (more officially known as Samoa Cookie Bars) making to you!

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Samoa Cookie Bars

★★★★★5 from 3 reviews

• Author: Natalie
• Prep Time: 2 hours
• Cook Time: 15 minutes
• Total Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
• Yield: 12 squares 1x
• Category: bars
• Method: baking
• Cuisine: american

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Description

A girl scout classic but homemade and healthier! Samoa Cookie Bars with a date caramel coconut filling and dark chocolate drizzle. Vegan and paleo!

Ingredients

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Shortbread Cookie

• 1/3 cup (65g) coconut oil*
• 2 tbsp (40g) maple syrup
• 1 cup (120g) almond flour
• 1/4 cup (30g) coconut flour
• 1/4 tsp salt

Caramel Coconut Layer

• 1 1/2 cups (105g) unsweetened shredded coconut, toasted**
• 1/2 cup (125g) almond butter (or nut/seed butter of choice)
• 1 cup (180g) pitted medjool dates, soaked for 10 mins
• 1/4–1/3 cup water
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup (80g) Hu Gems

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
2. Mix together all the cookie ingredients.
3. Press the dough into the bottom of a loaf pan lined with parchment paper. Alternatively you can roll/cut or press into individual cookies.
4. Bake for 13-15 minutes (a little less for cookies, try 11-12) at 350ºF until golden brown. Cool.
5. Combine the soaked and drained dates, almond butter, vanilla, and salt in a food processor. Process slowly adding water as needed until you have a thick smooth paste.
6. Pulse in the toasted coconut.
7. Spread on top of the cookie base. Refrigerate or freeze until firm.
8. Melt the Hu Gems.
9. Slice the bars into 8-12 squares (depending on how big you want them).
10. Dip the bottom of each in the melted chocolate. Drizzle the tops with remaining chocolate. 
11. Chill until set, then eat!
12. Keep leftovers in the fridge.

Notes

*For an oil-free cookie base, use this recipe instead.

**I toasted mine in the oven at 350ºF for about 5 minutes, stir/toss, then 5 more minutes until golden brown. Watch it carefully, it can burn quick!

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 square
• Calories: 342
• Sugar: 16g
• Sodium: 103mg
• Fat: 23g
• Saturated Fat: 12g
• Carbohydrates: 25g
• Fiber: 5g
• Protein: 5g

Keywords: vegan, paleo, chocolate, Girl Scouts, baking, healthy, easy, cookies, coconut, caramel, dates

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