A secretly healthy cookie pie inspired by the classic Girl Scout Cookie! The base is a soft, melt-in-your-mouth cookie, covered in a layer of dark chocolate, and topped with a (vegan & dairy free) caramel coconut layer. And, just like the cookie, we can’t forget the chocolate drizzle! This Samoa Cookie Pie is made better-for-you as it contains no refined sugars, flours, or oils and is still absolutely delicious! This recipe is paleo-friendly (gluten/grain/dairy free) and nut free. Prepare to have your Girl Scout Cookie cravings crushed with this healthier cookie pie recipe!
What Does This Healthy Samoa Cookie Pie Taste Like?
This Samoa Cookie Pie has all the delicious elements of the classic Samoa (cookie, chocolate, caramel, coconut) but in a healthier cookie pie form! The base of this layered cookie pie is a soft, chewy, and perfectly dense cookie. The cookie is topped with a layer of luscious dark chocolate. And, to complete the Samoa flavor trifecta a sticky (dairy free and vegan!) caramel-like sauce is mixed with toasted coconut and sprinkled over the chocolate. And to keep up the appearance of a Samoa, we drizzle on some more dark chocolate. This cookie pie is so incredibly delicious and such a fun way to enjoy a homemade version of a Samoa cookie.
What Ingredients Are Used to Make This Paleo Samoa Cookie Pie?
This Samoa Cookie Pie is made better-for-you as it contains no refined sugars, flour, or oils. Unlike the original Girl Scout Cookie, this Samoa cookie recipe has no weird ingredients like artificial flavors or gums. This healthier Samoa recipe is paleo-friendly meaning it’s gluten free, grain free, and dairy free. Plus it’s nut free!
Here’s a look at the ingredients used and some possible substitutes/variations:
- Coconut Sugar – The best granulated sweetener for refined sugar free baking. I use and love Nutiva’s Coconut Sugar for the reasonable pricing and excellent quality.
- Sunflower Seed Butter – Makes the cookie layer soft and chewy. I love sunflower seed butter for nut free baking, I use Sunbutter. Feel free to use any other thick and creamy nut/seed butter you like such as cashew, almond, or peanut butter. Just be sure to choose one that contains only 1 ingredient and has no added sugars or oils.
- Avocado Oil – Adds moisture to the cookie without making it too dense.
- Egg – Gives the cookie lift!
- Vanilla – Adds flavor to the cookie and the caramel.
- Cassava – An unprocessed flour that is gluten, grain, and nut free. I use and love Otto’s.
- Tapioca Flour – Helps thicken the dough.
- Baking Powder – The leavener in the cookie and gives it the perfect light but chewy texture.
- Salt – To add balance to the cookie and caramel layers.
- Dark Chocolate – I use and love Guittard baking wafers when making a simple chocolate mixture like this. Use any dark chocolate you like! To keep this strictly paleo, use your favorite coconut or maple sugar sweetened chocolate bar chopped into chunks. Some good options are Hu Simple Dark or Eating Evolved.
- Coconut Cream – To create the dairy free & vegan caramel layer, coconut cream is used in place of traditional heavy cream. Use a can of full fat coconut milk for best results.
- Maple Syrup – Sweetens the caramel mixture!
- Coconut Oil – Helps thin out the melted chocolate so it is easier to spread and drizzle.
- Toasted Coconut Shreds – Toasting the coconut shreds is optional, but encouraged. Toasting adds great flavor and texture to the coconut shreds and it only takes a few minutes in the oven!
How Do You Make A Samoa Cookie Pie?
This Samoa Cookie Pie is super easy to make! There are three different layers which are each made in their own way, so there will be a few more dishes than a one-bowl-bake, but I can assure you, it’s absolutely worth it. Here’s a look at the steps:
- Toast the coconut. Optional but encouraged.
- Make the cookie dough. Mix the wet ingredients together, then add the dry, and stir until well combined.
- Bake the cookie base for only 14-16 minutes!
- Melt the chocolate with some coconut oil in a microwave or double boiler.
- Spread the chocolate over the cookie and store in the freezer to set the chocolate.
- Make the caramel mixture by heating coconut cream, maple syrup, and coconut oil in a small pot until thick and golden. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla and a dash of salt. Mix in the nut/seed butter until thick and creamy, then stir in the toasted coconut and distribute over the chocolate layer.
- Drizzle with some more melted chocolate!
- Return to freezer to set all the layers.
- Slice and enjoy once everything is firm.
Storage: Store in the fridge or freezer until read to serve. The cookie pie is much easier to slice when frozen solid. Store in fridge for up to 5 days. Keep in an airtight container in the freezer to store for longer!
What Is the Best Baking Dish To Use For Cookie Pies?
The best baking dish to use for a cookie pie recipe is a springform pan. The clasp on the side of the pan makes it easy to release the cookie pie inside without disturbing the layers. Here’s a list of some good baking dish options.
- Best Option – 8 inch Springform Pan: Perfect layer thickness and easy to remove cookie pie from pan. Not many good options for this on Amazon.
- Also Good – 9 inch Springform Pan: Easy to remove cookie pie from pan but layers will be thinner.
- Good But Tricky – 8 inch Cake Pan: Perfect layer thickness but tricky to remove from pan.
I used the above linked 8 inch cake pan because I like thicker layers. If you are using the same, you could use parchment paper to easily remove the cookie pie, but you may get some odd ridges along the outer edges of the layers.
Here are a few tips on removing the cookie pie from a cake pan without using parchment paper.
- Oil the bottom and sides of the pan well beforehand, even if you have a non-stick pan.
- Make sure the cookie pie is frozen solid before attempting to remove.
- Run an offset spatula along the edge of the pan to release anything sticking to the sides.
- Press down slightly on the top layer and twist the cookie pie in the pan to unstick the bottom of the cookie
- Place your hand on the top of the cookie pie and invert the pan to release the cookie.
- Gently place on a plate or cutting board.
Or, skip the pie shape entirely, and make cookie bars in an 8 inch square baking dish lined with parchment paper!
This Samoa Cookie Pie is everything you want from the classic Girl Scout Cookie but in a healthier layered cookie pie form! It’s incredibly delicious and such a fun way to enjoy Girl Scout Cookie season using real, simple ingredients!
paleo friendly (gluten/grain/dairy free), naturally sweetened, nut free
Check Out These Girl Scout Inspired Recipes!
- Samoa Bars (paleo & vegan)
- Healthy Thin Mints! (paleo, vegan option)
- Healthy Tagalongs (paleo, vegan option)
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If you make this recipe, please spread the love by leaving a review or rating down below. And I’d LOVE to see and share your creation! Take a picture and tag me on Instagram @freshlydafna in your feed or stories and I will share on my account!
Samoa Cookie Pie
A delicious way to enjoy the classic Girl Scout Cookie using simple, real ingredients. A soft cookie base, a layer of dark chocolate, and topped with a caramel-like coconut mixture. And of course, a chocolate drizzle.
paleo-friendly, nut free, refined sugar free
Ingredients
Cookie Ingredients
- 3/4 cup (114 grams) coconut sugar
- 1/4 cup (64 grams) sunflower seed butter* or other thick & creamy nut/seed with 1 ingredient.
- 1/4 cup (61 grams) avocado oil or melted and cooled coconut oil
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1/3 cup (47 grams) cassava flour spooned and leveled
- 1/4 cup (30 grams) tapioca flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
Chocolate Layer
- 3/4 cup (143 grams) dark chocolate chips or chunks*
- 1 1/2 tsp coconut oil
Caramel Coconut Mixture
- 1/4 cup (59 grams) coconut cream solid upper layer from a fresh can of coconut milk
- 1/4 cup (78 grams) maple syrup
- 3/4 tsp coconut oil
- 2 tbsp sunflower seed butter* almond or cashew butter (with 1 ingredient)
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
- dash sea salt
- 1 1/2 cup (135 grams) toasted coconut*
Instructions
Heat oven to 360 degrees (yes, 360) and prepare 8 or 9 inch springform or cake pan (see notes in original post for baking dish options) by greasing sides and bottom with avocado oil or melted coconut oil. If using a springform pan, line bottom with parchment paper.
Make the cookie dough. In the bowl of a stand mixer or a large bowl if mixing by hand, stir together the coconut sugar, sunflower seed butter, avocado oil, and egg together until well combined.
Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl. Add the vanilla and beat on medium-high until the mixture it thick, glossy, and sticks to the sticks of the bowls, about 2 minutes.
Add the dry ingredients and stir on low until the flour is just full incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl once during mixing to ensure ingredients are well distributed.
Pour the cookie dough into the prepared baking dish and use a silicone spatula to spread cookie dough into an ever layer.
Bake the cookie for about 15-16 minutes if using an 8 inch pan, 14-15 minutes if using a 9 inch pan. Cookie is done when the edges and top are golden brown.
Make the chocolate while the cookie cools. In a double boiler or in a heatsafe bowl, using short 5 second bursts, melt the chocolate and coconut oil together and stir well until chocolate is shiny and smooth. Reserve 1/4 cup of melted chocolate to use for the final drizzle.
Pour remaining chocolate over the cookie and, using a silicone spatula, spread it to the edges of the cookie. Gently tilt the pan back and forth to get an even chocolate layer. Store in the freezer to set to the chocolate.
Make the caramel mixture by heating the coconut cream, maple syrup, and coconut oil in a small pot over medium-high heat. Let it bubble and reduce for 5-6 minutes, stirring often, until the mixture is thick, golden, and glossy. Remove from heat, stir in the vanilla and a dash of salt. Mix in the nut/seed butter until well combined (use a whisk if necessary), then stir in the toasted coconut.
Distribute the caramel coconut mixture over the chocolate layer and gently press down using your hands or a spatula so coconut clumps together.
Drizzle reserved chocolate on top of the coconut and return to freezer to set all the layers.
Once everything is firm (about 20-30 minutes), run an offset spatula or a plastic knife between the edge of the cookie pie and the pan to free anything stuck to the pan. Remove the cookie pie from the baking dish by unclasping the springform pan or lifting up using the parchment paper. (See notes on removal in original post if using a cake pan with no parchment paper).
Slice and enjoy!
Recipe Notes
How To Toast Coconut – Spread coconut on a baking sheet, bake at 400 for 3-4 minutes, stir the coconut after 2 minutes. Be sure to watch the coconut closely, it can go from perfectly toasted to burnt, very quickly. Coconut is done when it's just turning golden.
Storage: Store in the fridge or freezer until ready to serve. It is much easier to slice when frozen solid. Store in fridge for up to 5 days. Keep in an airtight container in the freezer to store for longer!
Helpful Kitchen Tools (affiliate links): 9 inch springform pan, 8 inch cake pan, silicone spatula, kitchen scale
Ingredient Notes:
Sunflower Seed Butter – Use any other thick and creamy nut/seed butter you like such as cashew, almond, or peanut butter. Just be sure to choose one that contains only 1 ingredient and has no added sugars or oils. Always stir the nut butter well in the jar before measuring. Do not use compacted paste at the bottom for baking.
For Strictly Paleo – To keep this strictly paleo, use your favorite coconut or maple sugar sweetened chocolate bar chopped into chunks for the chocolate layer and drizzle. Some good options are Hu Simple Dark or Eating Evolved
Nut/Seed Butter in Caramel – I made this several times with both sunflower seed butter and cashew butter. I prefer cashew butter in the caramel as it has a slightly more neutral flavor than sunflower seed butter making for a more caramel-y caramel. I use Artisana cashew butter.
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