Homemade Samoa Bars
When the freezer is void of those caramel, coconut, shortbread, and chocolate Girl Scout cookies, it’s time to make some Homemade Samoa Bars!
I’m a sucker for any scout or brownie who stops by to sell their cookies. It’s a must to have a stash of Samoa Cookies, Thin Mints, and Tagalongs in our freezer. But they eventually get eaten, and those cravings must be fulfilled!
Why You Must Make
- If you’re a fan of Girl Scout Somoa Cookies, these bars will give you your fix when they’re not available.
- Coconut, caramel, and chocolate are a delicious trio!!
- My book club gave this Samoa cookie recipe rave reviews and you will, too.
Reader Endorsement
From the comments: These are amazing. I’m making a third batch this week and they keep disappearing!
Ingredient Notes:
- Kitchen Staples – Flour, Sugar, Butter, Vegetable Oil
- Shredded Coconut – Toasted at 350 degrees for 15 minutes, stirring every 4-5 minutes. This will refresh the flavor and add a touch of color.
- Caramels – Using store-bought caramels makes it easy! I prefer Werther’s Original Soft Caramels over Kraft.
- Semisweet Chocolate Chips – I keep Ghirardelli brand chocolate chips on hand, but Hershey’s works well, too.
Recipe Tips
There’s nothing too difficult about making these Samoa bars, but some of the steps are optional for an easier recipe.
- I like making the crust in a food processor, then pressing the crumbs into the bottom of the baking pan. If you don’t own one, use softened butter and a handheld mixer. The result will be more of a dough that easily presses into a crust.
- I prefer the softer Werther’s Original Caramels. If you can’t find them, use Kraft caramels instead, but you may want to add another tablespoon of water when you melt them as they are much firmer.
- Toasting the coconut is also optional. Sweetened angel flake coconut is quite moist and the toasting dries it out along with bringing out some of the natural oils and flavor. Beware that it can easily get too dark, so watch carefully when toasting.
- The dipping of the bars in chocolate pays homage to the Samoa cookies which have both chocolate lines across the top and a chocolate-covered cookie base.
- I dipped about 4 but then decided the drizzle would be enough for me. If you want an authentic Samoa copycat, you’ll want to dip!
- PRO-Tip: If you don’t own piping equipment, put the melted chocolate into a quart Ziploc bag, cut a small opening on one corner, and squeeze the bag while moving it back and forth to garnish.
- Make sure to place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet after dipping and let them cool completely before moving so the chocolate doesn’t stick to the paper.
Frequently Asked Questions
Samoas are a Girl Scout cookie also known by the name Caramel deLites depending upon the bakery from which they originate. They differ slightly in shape, kind of chocolate, and amount of caramel, but they have the same basic components.
No one seems to know why these coconut, caramel cookies are called Samoas, but some surmise that due to the coconut, the tropical Samoan islands in the South Pacific may have been an influence.
You May Also Like
- If you want a cookie that looks like a Samoa, check out my Homemade Samoas Cookies recipe.
- Chocolate Dipped Coconut Macaroons are elegant enough for a baby shower or special event, yet easy to whip up anytime you have a coconut craving!
- Chewy Coconut Cookies are also super simple to make!
- Plus, here are all my Easy Bar Cookie Recipes
Homemade Samoa Bars
Decadent bar cookie with a shortbread crust, gooey caramel and coconut topping and chocolate drizzle like the famous Girl Scout Samoa Cookies.
Ingredients
Cookie Base:
- 1 cup flour
- ⅓ cup sugar
- ½ cup butter (one stick), cut into small pieces
Topping:
- 2 cups shredded coconut, toasted at 350 degrees for 15 minutes, stirring every 4-5 minutes
- 8 ounces caramels (I used an 8.1 bag of Werther's Original Soft Caramels unwrapped)
- 1-2 tablespoon water (use 2 tablespoons if you use Kraft caramels instead of Werther's)
- 2 tablespoons butter
Drizzle*:
- 8 ounces of semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350º. Lightly grease a 9 × 9-inch baking pan, or line it with parchment paper or non-stick foil.
- Process flour, sugar, and butter in a food processor until it forms fine crumbs. Pour the crumbs into the prepared pan and press into an even layer.
- Bake for 15 minutes, until the base is set and the edges are lightly browned. Cool completely on a wire rack before topping.
- Place the caramels in a microwave-safe bowl with the water and butter, starting and stopping to stir every 30 seconds. When smooth, fold in 1 1/2 cups of the toasted coconut with a spatula.
- Put spoonfuls of the topping all over the shortbread base. Using an offset spatula, spread the topping into an even layer. Sprinkle with the remaining coconut and gently press into bars. Let topping set until cooled.
- Use the foil or parchment to assist in moving the bars to a cutting board. Cut bars into 16 squares. In a medium bowl, gently melt together the chocolate chips and oil in the microwave. Stop to stir frequently until almost completely melted. Let the residual heat finish the melting process.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment. Remove less than half the chocolate to a piping bag or a quart Ziploc bag for the final drizzle, and set aside.
- Dip the bottoms of the bars into the chocolate, removing excess on the side of the bowl, then place on the baking sheet to firm up. Repeat with all bars.
- Drizzle each bar with the remaining chocolate using a piping bag or Ziploc bag with the corner snipped off.
- Allow chocolate to cool and firm up before serving.
Notes
* Use only half the chocolate dip and drizzle ingredients if you decide to only use the drizzle and not dip the bottoms in chocolate.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
16Serving Size:
1 bar cookieAmount Per Serving: Calories: 284Total Fat: 16gSaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 20mgSodium: 124mgCarbohydrates: 36gFiber: 2gSugar: 25gProtein: 2g
56 Comments on “Homemade Samoa Bars”
Yum. I’ve only recently discovered how well Coconut and chocolate play together.
Amalia
xo
I love this recipe! Unfortunately, I have so little self-control, that it’s probably best that I can get Samoas only during girl scout season. But they’d be a fun item to bring to a potluck!
It’s been years since I’ve had a girl scout cookie but you have stirred up some good memories. Your Samoa bar recipe looks easy and delicious. Thanks for the recipe. Visiting from Gluten Free A-Z blog
As usual your sweet w have me licking my lips, and I’m not that much of a sweet tooth! Caramel and chocolate? A match made in heaven, that’s a sure thing.
These are amazing. I’m making a third batch this week and they keep disappearing!
Oh, I’m so glad, Tara!! Now I’m craving them, too!!!
Oh these look lovely! Samoas are my favorite GS cookie, the only ones I buy. I have a question, the caramel layer has caramels, water and milk but the instructions say to melt the caramels, water and butter together. Is there supposed to be butter in the caramel layer, and if so how much? I did love to make these asap, just want to get the ingredients correct. Thanks for sharing your creations with us!
Caroline, thanks for catching that! I updated this recipe to use a better quality caramel and tweaked the amounts off an old post (I made these when I first started blogging!). I’ve now corrected the ingredients. Hope you enjoy! They’re my favorite, too.
One of my favorites!
Those sweet little girl scouts are at every store this week. So glad we resisted a purchase as your homemade somoa bars look perfectly delicious. Happy weekend to your Liz!
Dear Liz, no so such thing as Girl Scout Cookies around here and I must admit I had never heard about Samoa cookies either but your Samoa bars looks heavenly and perfectly made too! A nice buttery shortbread base, carame, chocolate and coconut topping – who could ask for more?!
These are the best! Can’t wait to make them again.
I can’t get enough of these!
I love samoa cookies and I’d love them even more as bars! These are an absolute must try!
I love samoas and these bars look perfect!
I’ve already printed this off to try. Every time I look at the photo I literally start to salivate, it’s crazy!