These Girl Scout cookies are called Peanut Butter Patties or Tagalongs, and guess what? I’ve made them gluten-free and Paleo. Now you can enjoy more gluten-free, Paleo Girl Scout Cookies. No need to give in to cravings for the regular (sugar-filled, gluten-filled) Girl Scout Cookies which are everywhere this time of year.
When I was a girl I was in a troupe called the Blue Birds. It was very similar to the Girl Scouts, except we sold Blue Bird candy instead of Girl Scout cookies. I had great fun going door-to-door selling candy to our neighbors. This was good preparation for the canvassing I later did for NYPIRG after I graduated from Columbia.
Paleo Peanut Butter Patties: Tagalongs
Ingredients
- 2 cups blanched almond flour (not almond meal)
- ¼ teaspoon celtic sea salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 tablespoons palm shortening
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup sunbutter
- 1 cup chocolate chips
Instructions
- In a food processor, combine almond flour, salt and baking soda
- Pulse in shortening, honey and vanilla until combined
- Roll out dough between 2 pieces of parchment paper to ¼-inch thick
- Chill dough in freezer for 20 minutes
- Using a 2 inch cookie cutter, cut out dough
- Press your thumb in center of each circle to make indentation
- Bake at 350°F for 4-6 minutes
- Cool cookies for 1 hour
- Place one teaspoon of sunbutter on top of each cookie
- Freeze for 10 minutes
- Melt chocolate over very low heat
- Dip cookies in chocolate
- Place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet
- Freeze for 30 minutes
- Serve
These peanut-free, dairy-free, vegetarian Tagalong cookies are best stored in the refrigerator or freezer –your choice will depend on the level of crunch that you like in your cookie.
My previous two Girl Scout Cookie recipes are based on recipes from Tammy Credicott’s book Paleo Indulgences, however, these Tagalongs are my own version of the regular Tagalong Girl Scout Cookie –they’re a simple gluten-free, grain-free, dairy-free almond flour cookie with some sunflower seed butter and dark chocolate. Thanks, though, do go to Tammy for getting me on a Girl Scout cookie roll!
What Girl Scout Cookie recipe would you like to see here next in a healthy version? Here are some of my other favorite Paleo cookie recipes:
Edmund says
Hi Elana,
I am going to use your recipe to bake the cookies for my daughter. It looks very delicious. I am sure she will enjoy it a lot. :)
Thanks!
Edmund
Jaclyn Gruenstein says
I’m so excited to try out these wonderful recipes. Out of courtesy I bought a box from my little cousin, Samoas of course, and was horrified that the top ingredients comprised of sugar, vegetable oil, corn syrup as well as a ton of other unmentionables. As a coconut oil lover I will definitely be substituting this into the recipes, cannot wait! Thank you!!
Kathleen says
Elana,
You are such a blessing to all of the mom’s out there with kids who have food allergies. I am a Girl Scout leader for my dd’s troop and it makes her so sad not to be able to eat the GS cookies like the other kids. I’m so excited to make these for her.
Bless you,
Kathleen
Dianela says
made these but not exactly as was directed. I made large wafers with the cookie mix, after they cooled I spread the sunbutter on top put in freezer melted chocolate and just spread the chocolate on top. They didn’t look as good as the correct recipe but they tasted very good.
thanks elena! love ur recipes
Danneca says
Oh. My. Word. I am making these NOW! Thanks, once again!
sandy says
Made them, ate them! Oh my goodness you made my day.
Kristin Ball Stevenson says
These were my absolute favorite as a kid. I was just thinking about them- since I found a box of real girl scout cookies in my husbands car :). I am going to use coconut oil as well & love using my raw honey to bake. Thanks Elana, another thing to smile about in Boulder this week beside the temperature!
monique says
made your thin mint recipe last week and these today. They have been a life savor during girl scout season! Thanks for your creations :)
DrD says
I know that Elana does not answer comments, but maybe someone can t3ell me how this is considered Paleo when it has sugar (Chocolate chunks)? The problem is finding sweet desserts/cookies that do not contain sugar and almost every dessert of Elanas contains honey, agave or sugar which are all sugars with high glycemic index’s. She has awesome recipes, but is doing everyone a disservice by calling her recipes Paleo.
She may be also causing others some harm in their diet by the addition of all this sugar. Many go ont he Paleo diet because they have issues with carbohydrate metabolism, and other situations where they are forsaking refined carbohydrates. A recipe like this for those people can set them back, and be detrimental. I hope this is viewed as “polite” because it is intended this way. If Elana deletes this I hope she at least considers what is being said to benefit others.
Dana says
These do not have anything but cacao and are delicious. I use them in all the recipes that call for chocolate ; )
http://www.ghirardelli.com/store/100-cacao-unsweetened-chocolate-baking-bar.html?cid=google&gdftrk=gdfV21281_a_7c516_a_7c4542_a_7c601064&gclid=CKfBrbyQhbYCFQnznAod7XsAqw
Amy K says
I gotta be honest, we all need some sweets in our life. Why would we have all these “sweet” opportunities on earth? Should we ignore them for the sake of Paleo? Not this girl.
I gave up sweets/chocolate/dessert for Lent, and I am missing that special piece of my life. My attempt at sweetness during Lent — dates — just doesn’t cut it. Chocolate is king, for me. All this said, I like the suggestion here for the cacao bar. Cacao is awesome, too.
But I say, inbetween our kale, *if your body doesn’t rebel*, indulge a little! I’m truly grateful for this healthy GF site. Elana, congrats on hitting 500,000. Many thanks for your creativity! I’m noshing on your Irish Soda Bread right now.
ChillOut says
I think it’s pretty crazy and rude to say she could be causing harm to others by posting recipes. If you don’t want added sweeteners, don’t peruse a web site dedicated to treats. We’re all adults and are responsible for what we put into our own mouths, not to mention what we cook in our own kitchens.
Elana has explained on her site multiple times her approach to treats and diet, not that she owes that to anyone.
It is better to eat the wrong foods with the right attitude than the right foods with the wrong attitude. And sometimes, a person wants a grain-free cookie, and it is okay, and no one is harmed.
Leanna says
Solid points :)
Judy Halpain says
Elana is so gracious and kind to post recipes for us. Just like any other cook, you are supposed to change anything that might not work for you or your family. I like that these are great alternatives to the usual heavy sugar laden, and wheat flour recipes. If one doesn’t like the website or recipes, feel free to find others. There are so many of us who are grateful for Elana and her sharing of recipes. We just substitute when we need to. There are many views on Paleo and she is very experienced. It’s the same with vegan, different people have different views about the word vegan or vegetarian. I’m just so happy to have found Elana’s posts.
Lindsey says
these were my favorite girl scout cookies growing up! i’m super excited to make these, especially since i can eat and digest these! thank you.