This recipe for gluten-free Paleo Girl Scout cookies is based on one from the wonderful cookbook Paleo Indulgences
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.
Paleo Samoas
Ingredients
Cookies
- 2 cups blanched almond flour (not almond meal)
- ½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ cup honey
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- 3 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
Topping
- 1 cup chocolate chips, 6 ounces
- 1 cup coconut sugar
- ¼ cup coconut nectar
- ½ cup full fat coconut milk
- ½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut, toasted
Instructions
Cookies
- In a food processor combine dry ingredients
- Pulse in wet ingredients until dough forms
- Refrigerate dough for 30 minutes
- Roll dough between 2 sheets of parchment paper to ¼-inch thick
- Use a 2 inch cookie cutter to cut out rounds
- Use a knife to cut holes in center of rounds if desired
- Bake at 350°F for 6-8 minutes
- Cool cookies completely on baking sheet
Topping
- Melt chocolate over very low heat
- Dip base of each cookie into chocolate
- Place on parchment paper to set
- To make caramel, place coconut sugar, coconut nectar and coconut milk in a saucepan
- Bring mixture to a boil, then decrease heat and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring frequently
- Remove mixture from heat and stir in toasted coconut
- Use a small spoon to drizzle caramel-coconut mixture onto cookies
- Drizzle additional chocolate over cookies and sprinkle with extra coconut if desired
- 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?
laura says
these. look. amazing. My fav cookies all healthified! Can’t wait to try!
Maria Bries says
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???
Pink Peppercorn and Paprika says
The Girl Scouts should sell these ones instead!
Rawa says
Thin mints!
Shari in NC says
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!!
Shari in NC says
a listing of ABC Baker’s cookies can be found at www dot abcsmartcookies dot com forward slash america’s-best-cookies
momcella says
Thin mints please! Shortbread is a close second!
Kerri says
Thin Mints, for sure, but I would settle for a Paleo version of Trefoils, too!!!!
Maria says
Thank you for this recipe – Samoas are my very favorite Girl Scout cookie. Put me down for Thin Mints, also.
Karen says
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!!!!
Christa says
What is coconut nectar? Thanks!
Karen says
It’s just sweet raw syrup that’s made from coconuts, about the consistency of brown rice syrup. It’s awesome and has a super low glycemic index. The most common brand is Coconut Secret – you can buy it at Whole Foods or on line at vitacost:
http://www.vitacost.com/coconut-secret-raw-coconut-nectar?csrc=GPF-PA-851492002016&ci_sku=851492002016&ci_gpa=pla&ci_kw={keyword}&gclid=CNy32dWY7bQCFQ_hQgodg0AALg
Christa says
Great, thanks! I don’t know how I’ve missed it, I’ve been using palm sugar and coconut oil for years. I was just placing a Vitacost order, I will add it on!
Karen says
Oh, I just answered the same question below…here it is again just in case you don’t see it. It’s sweet raw syrup that’s made from coconuts, about the consistency of brown rice syrup. It’s awesome and has a super low glycemic index. The most common brand is Coconut Secret – you can buy it at Whole Foods or on line at vitacost:
http://www.vitacost.com/coconut-secret-raw-coconut-nectar?csrc=GPF-PA-851492002016&ci_sku=851492002016&ci_gpa=pla&ci_kw={keyword}&gclid=CNy32dWY7bQCFQ_hQgodg0AALg