Elana's Pantry

New York Times Bestselling author Elana Amsterdam founded Elana’s Pantry, the go-to website for easy, healthy, grain-free, Paleo recipes, in 2006

paleo samoas

Paleo Girl Scout Cookies: Samoas

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Gluten-free, grain-free, dairy-free Paleo Samoa Girl Scout Cookies will rock your world.

This recipe for gluten-free Paleo Girl Scout cookies is based on one from the wonderful cookbook Paleo Indulgences by Tammy Credicott (the book also has a fantastic forward by Robb Wolf). This Paleo cookbook is packed with healthy substitutes for your favorite treats. Tammy has done an amazing job in compiling nutritious, yet mouthwatering recipes that range from all sorts of fun gluten-free baked goods and candies to healthy entrees and vegetable dishes.

My favorite part of this gluten-free Paleo Girl Scout cookie recipe? The vegan caramel sauce recipe that Tammy includes in it, which is a true piece of culinary genius. There are dozens of other treats that you’ll want to have at hand as well, so I recommend getting yourself a copy of this delightfully healthy cookbook.

For about a week I was calling these cookies Samoras instead of Samoas. I’m not really sure what got into me as I used to call them by the correct name. If you like cookies with toasted coconut, vegan caramel sauce and dark chocolate, then these are right up your alley, regardless of the name.

Print Recipe
Paleo Samoas
Serves:36cookies
Ingredients
Instructions
Cookies
  1. In a food processor combine dry ingredients
  2. Pulse in wet ingredients until dough forms
  3. Refrigerate dough for 30 minutes
  4. Roll dough between 2 sheets of parchment paper to ¼ inch thick
  5. Use a 2 inch cookie cutter to cut out rounds
  6. Use a knife to cut holes in center of rounds if desired
  7. Bake at 350°F for 6-8 minutes
  8. Cool cookies completely on baking sheet
Topping
  1. Melt chocolate over very low heat
  2. Dip base of each cookie into chocolate
  3. Place on parchment paper to set
  4. To make caramel, place coconut sugar, coconut nectar and coconut milk in a saucepan
  5. Bring mixture to a boil, then decrease heat and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring frequently
  6. Remove mixture from heat and stir in toasted coconut
  7. Use a small spoon to drizzle caramel-coconut mixture onto cookies
  8. Drizzle additional chocolate over cookies and sprinkle with extra coconut if desired
  9. Place cookies in refrigerator to set, then serve

While the ingredients for these homemade Paleo Girl Scout cookies are based on a recipe from Tammy Credicott’s Paleo Indulgences, much of the method is based on that from the Samoa recipe by David Leite at Leite’s Culinaria. Leite has one of the best cooking sites around. His photography is beautiful and the instructions for his recipes are full of detail, yet at the same time quite simple.

Finally, a bit of Girl Scout cookie trivia –did you know that in 2002 Bruce Willis purchased 12,000 boxes of Girl Scout cookies and had them sent to troops in Afghanistan?

What is your favorite Girl Scout Cookie recipe? If you could see another gluten-free Girl Scout cookie recipe over here which one would it be?

Comments

  1. Hi, Elana,

    Yummy!!! Thanks for sharing.

    Could you please “Elanify” the Lemonades and the Cranberry Citrus Crisps? abcsmartcookies dot com lists ingredients. Two different bakers make Girl Scout Cookies (the other one being Little Brownie Bakers), with the flavors (and names of cookies) determined by which bakery is providing cookies to local councils (That’s why Shortbreads are also know as Trefoils, Peanut Butter Patties are also known as Tagalongs, Caramel DeLites are also known as Samoas, and Peanut Butter Sandwiches are also known as Dosidos.)

    My understanding is the Cranberry Citrus Crisp cookie is very firm, enjoyed more after being dunked in liquid (coffee, tea, etc).

    Thanks,
    Shari

    Reply

  2. I tried this recipe today, baking for my sweet daughter-in-law. I think my kitchen is a sticky mess, but boy, are these delicious cookies! My DIL plans to freeze part for a treat later, but we all enjoyed the final product!!
    Thank you!

    Reply

  3. the first time I made these samoas, I wasn’t sure what to expect, then my food processor bit the dust so I don’t think they got mixed as well as they should have. then I didn’t have any coconut nectar so I substituted honey. the caramel sauce didn’t set as well as I wanted it but these are one of the best things I’ve made that is considered paleo. my husband and daughter just wrinkle their noses at anything paleo but they liked them sooo much, they wanted me to make another batch, so after a new food processor, I made them and gave a few to friends who are following the paleo lifestyle and on a scale of 1-10 they gave them an 11! they keep asking me where I am getting these recipes. love this website! next challenge is the bagels.

    Reply

    • Hi Nanette, thanks for your comment. I would recommend using my donut recipe rather than experimenting. Testing batch after batch is the only way I know of when it comes to creating a recipe. I test some of my recipes several dozen times before they are perfected. I wish I had a crystal ball that would tell me what would happen as it would save me so much in the way of ingredients, time, and money!

      https://elanaspantry.com/chocolate-donuts/

      Enjoy!
      Elana

      rather than experimenting and

      Reply

  5. Can I substitute coconut flour for almond flour? I’m in Malaysia, a coconut hotspot. I get fresh coconut every week at the local market and flour is cheap at the grocery store.

    I will try it. I’m growing my own stevia for a sweetener! So much fun!

    Thank you!

    Reply

    • Sunflower seed works wonderfully as a 1:1 substitute for almond flour. It’s also loaded with vitamins+minerals! To make the sunflower seed meal/flour, simply grind them up into a fine powder in a blender/food processor/coffee grinder/mortar and pestle.
      Coconut flour is NOT an equal substitute for almond flour.

      Really hope this helps and good luck!

      Reply

      • Trish, thanks for your comment. I haven’t had very good results with this substitution in my recipes :-)

        Reply

  7. Honestly, I can’t even remember what samoas taste like, but man are these amazing! I made them last night. Elena, your recipes are consistently WONDERFUL. Thank you so much.

    Reply

  12. TAGALONGS. Although I don’t think they will translate that well with almond or sunbutter. :(

    Reply

  13. Love,love,love thin mints. This is great. My family will have a great time making these and I’m sure they won’t last long.
    Many Thanks!

    Reply

  15. O well, I am sorry to say I haven’t made these yet : ( which means I bought them from the GS; ) and also the thin mints Haha. I know, I know, I will still make them both! Thanks you are so helpful and you have alot of people that thank you. Just think of all the people around the world at breakfast, lunch, & dinner cooking your healthy recipes!!! Lots of people say thanks but we really need to think about how much work you have put in cookbooks, recipes, this website, responding when you can & many more!!!! Thanks again!!!! GOD BLESS!!!

    Reply

  17. Now that I cant eat eggs nor almonds anymore in addition to already no gluten, dairy, corn nor sugar, so I am playing with recipes and having fun. Also would enjoy a quality chart about soaking seeds and nuts to make them healthy. My latest : soaked cashews which I vita mixed into cashew cream, added cocoa and chocolate and peppermint stevia. Froze spoonfulls and they’re yum.

    Reply

  19. I checked out this recipe due to the thinking about what an oxymoron this recipe is… I laughed about it for a while and thought to myself, those sound delicious!

    Reply

  20. As a former cookie selling champ, and woman surrounded by adorable girls who sell cookies, I’m thrilled to Samoas. We used to freeze them and cut them up and put in homemade vanilla ice cream.

    Thin Mints though – were my favorite.

    Reply

  22. O man those look good! yummy!!! I just saw the girl scouts yesterday and I was about to go buy these and the thin mints they are both my favorite. But I rather make these and see how they taste but I need to make them fast cause if I see the girl scouts again I will get them Haha lol THANKS ;)

    Reply

  23. Does anyone know if Elana uses canned coconut milk in this recipe? I am guessing it’s not sweetened drinking milk from the refridgerated case since there is quite a bit of additional sugar in the chocolate topping.

    Reply

  24. I had to go gluten free in July and I was dreading buy girl scout cookies for my kids. These are my favorite and I can’t wait to make them. They look amazing. Just found your website love it!

    Reply

  25. The ONLY Girl Scout cookie is the Samoa! Thanks for the recipe. My daughter and I made them last week and they were delicious. They seemed even more yummy the day after we baked them.

    Reply

  29. Im in the process of making these right now. Thought I woild leave some feedback. 30 minutes was not enough time in the fridge for it to be easy to cut. Maybe freezing in a log and cutting like you woild sugar cookies. They expanded more when baking than I though, so make sure to leave enough room btwn cookies. I baked for 8 minutes till golden on the edges. Let cool 5 min. Transfer to cooling rack. Delicious!

    Reply

  35. I’d also vote thin mints. But these are going on the local community menu and down in LEGEND! So amazing! I’m 9 months pregnant and had a friend over so took the time to make these (I started collecting ingredients as soon as the recipe was posted) and we all agree this is the most delicious cookie recipe!

    mine didn’t look as pretty, and i used honey throughout (instead of coconut nectar), and organic fair trade sugar (we have that and i do use sugar sometimes) for the caramel. all-in-all my kids were singing odes to the cookies, my husband ate 3, and I’m very happy to stash a few in the freezer for myself for later.

    Reply

  37. Delicious! Just made a batch and I’m bringing half over to our neighbors…too dangerous for just my husband and me! I’d say tagalongs!! Thanks, always love your creations!

    Reply

  42. What chocolate chunks do you use? The ones I can find are not Paleo since they are all made with sugar. Also is coconut sugar Paleo? I thought only honey and possibly maple syrup were.

    Reply

  43. This is so exciting! I love Samoas! They are my downfall… I always buy 2 boxes… but now I can have the taste without all the bad stuff!!! Thanks SO MUCH, Elana!

    Reply

  45. Made these today…they were awesome!! Samoas were always my favorite and since going on a paleo diet over ten years ago I haven’t even touched one, until today! Thank you, Elana, for sharing your genius. I doubled the coconut in the topping and went a little heavy in putting on the caramel. Best after a few hours in the fridge. Wow!

    Reply

  47. Elana, I love you forever!! These are amazing. I would love to see either thin mints or the old lemon creme sandwiches.

    Reply

  48. Samoas have ALWAYS been my favorite GS cookie. I’m thrilled you posted this recipe and have already made a request on FB that someone please make them for my birthday! (I’m terrible I know).

    If I had to ask for another GS cookie, I’d agree with everyone else on the thin mints, but I have to say a close second would be the Tagalongs…

    Reply

  52. Tagalongs pleeeease!!!! My Girl Scout is so disappointed to have to sell gluten cookies with no gluten free alternative….when will they start offering such an option???

    Reply

  55. Thin Mints, please! My daughter, who’s gluten-free and dairy-free, is a Girl Scout and has been selling GS cookies the past 3 years, having never tasted one. She’s also curious about Lemonades (in the part of the country serviced by ABC bakers the cookies have different names; for example, Samoas are called Caramel DeLites, Tagalongs are Peanut Butter Patties, Trefoils are Shortbread, and Dosidoes are Peanut Butter Sandwiches. See <> for more details.)

    Thanks, Elana; now my daughter can “taste” a Girl Scout cookie!! Awesome!!

    Reply

    • a listing of ABC Baker’s cookies can be found at www dot abcsmartcookies dot com forward slash america’s-best-cookies

      Reply

  59. THIN MINTS!!! I haven’t had them in years!! I don’t know why they are so good…maybe just because I sold them and loved them as a girl, too.
    Thank you Elana!!!!! I have been trying to create these using your almond flour book and a recipe off the internet that was way too long and way too complicated, and I ended up making bars because it’s easier…and I threw the choc chips on top (after several attempts of crumbly messes, I was OVER melting the chocolate). These look infinitely better than my concoction in a brownie pan! HAHA!
    THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!

    Reply

  61. I just about peed my pants when I saw this recipe. Before I became ill with every food allergy under the sun, Samoas were my favorite cookie ever and would purchase boxes and boxes when the scouts came around. What is coconut nectar though and where can I find it? Thank you. Thin mints would be awesome too!

    Reply

  62. I just about peed my pants when I saw this recipe. Before I became ill with every food allergy under the sun, Samoas were my favorite cookie ever and would purchase boxes and boxes when the scouts came around. What is coconut nectar though and where can I find it? Thank you. This mints would be awesome too!

    Reply

  64. I love Samoas! Thank you for this great recipe!
    When I read the directions, it says to use a knife to make the center hole. I think using the large opening of a pastry decorating tip would work well as a small cookie cutter!

    Reply

  68. I’m the parent of a Daisy Scout, and I’ve basically only sold Thin Mints and Samoas. I would like to point out that, if you would like to financially support the Girl Scouts but not eat their cookies, you can donate boxes to troops. :)

    Reply

  69. I was never a big Samoa fan but I’ll have to try them again. I suppose that was because I didn’t like coconut however I do now!

    Tagalongs are my absolute favorite Girl Scout cookies. They’re closely followed by Thin Mints.

    Reply

  70. Hi Elena,

    I’m a big fan and own both your books. I know this doesn’t quite answer your question, but I believe on Facebook you mentioned working on a sticky toffee date cake recipe? If you could share that, that would be amazing. That’s always been one my favorite desserts and it’s one of the few things I miss since going Paleo.

    Samoas are my favorite Girl Scout cookie. Can’t wait to try this!

    Reply

  72. Thin Mints and the plain shortbread (forget the name).

    Also, can these be made with stevia instead of the sugar? If so, how?

    Reply

  74. These look delicious!!! If I could try another gluten-free/dairy-free/grain-free paleo Girl Scout cookie, it would most definitely be the shortbread cookies and the thin mints. :-)

    Thank you for sharing your awesome recipes!!! Can’t wait to try more!

    Megan :-)

    Reply

  76. Thin Mints- try starting with one of Elana’s sugar cookie/shortbread recipes and add some cocoa- start with 1/4 c, and add a few drops of peppermint oil. Roll out thin. Bake on parchment paper.
    Let cool and add a ohocolate ganache drizzle. Put a drop of peppermint oil in drizzle too. Add more as you test bake batches.

    Look forward to what you come up with because these Samoas sound like breakfast!

    Reply

  77. There are some grain-free recipes out there for thin mints. If you google it, you’ll find some links. These look great. I made your paleo brownies tonight. So delicious. I had a big one at 9pm, probably why I slept for an hour and am up now.

    Reply

  78. If we have an almond allergy, what other nut flour would be the best choice to substitute in your recipes? Would hazelnut flour work?
    Thank you

    Reply

  80. Thin Mints! If anyone can pull it off Elana it’s you! I am so thrilled with this recipe, you have no idea. I am both lactose & gluten intolerant. You’ve made my day. :-)

    Reply

  83. Ditto, Thin Mints. My thing is texture though. I love crisp, crummy, crumbly cookies the best by far. That is my complaint with all these almond flour/coconut oil cookies. The flavor is good but the texture is just so sad. I do appreciate all your tireless efforts though, regardless.

    Reply

  84. I agree — Thin Mints!

    Thanks Elana for all the recipes. You’ve brought our lives back to “normal” again. You’re a lifesaver!

    Reply

  88. Thin Mints. Although, I don’t remember ever having Girl Scout (or Girl Guide up here in Canada) cookies. But my mouth is watering over this recipe. I love you Elana!!!

    Reply

  89. I made the thin mint cookies from the same paleo cookbook and was so disappointed.

    If you can make them not just edible but amazing…that would be a great service to humankind!

    Reply

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