One of my favorite Girl Scout Cookies are the classic Samoas.
I can polish off a purple box in no time.
From the chocolate-dipped undersides to the chewiness from the coconut, they’re amazing. But they’re not exactly lite. How they’re called Caramel DeLites in some areas is mind-boggling.
Although these bars aren’t as healthy as a cup of steamed broccoli, they’re vegan, gluten-free, no-bake, and made in one bowl without a mixer in under 5 minutes.
And they taste lots like the Samoas Cookies I can gobble up. Full of coconut flavor, lots of chewiness, and enough chocolate to satisfy my cravings.
These days most major grocery stores carry coconut oil in the baking aisle. I’ve tried at least 10 different brands and generally find most to be pretty comparable. For these bars, I used Nutiva Coconut Oil that I picked up from iHerb.com
Code AVE630 at checkout saves you $10 off your order. I love iHerb for everything from probiotics to face cleanser to stevia.
In addition to coconut oil, the bars are made with shredded coconut and quick-cook oats. If you normally buy whole-rolled oats, pulse them in a food processor, and you’ll have quick-cook oats in 10 seconds.
After making a syrupy glue in the microwave with coconut oil and sugars which serves to bind the bars together, stir in the shredded coconut, oats, and press it into a pan.
Brands of coconut oil, shredded coconut, and oats vary widely, so use your judgment if you think your mixture is too wet or too dry and adjust accordingly. Because coconut oil solidifies as it cools, don’t worry if your is fairly wet.
I was going to dip the underside of the bars in chocolate like Samoas cookies have, but I didn’t want the mess.
Plus, in an effort to keep them lighter, swirls rather than a solid wall of chocolate seems like a better call.
The bars are dense but soft, very moist, incredibly chewy, loaded with texture. Between the shredded coconut and oats, your jaw gets a workout.
You’ll be picking little bits and pieces from your teeth for the next few hours. The bars that keep on giving.
They’re satisfying, filling, hearty, and unlike storebought granola bars where you feel like you just ate air and need at least two, one is more than plenty with these.
While they’re sweet, they’re more granola bar than cookie. They’re less sweet than these Samoas Cookie Bars, and are a nice revamp to the No-Bake Coconut Oil Granola Bars I made in early 2010.
They’re perfect for lunch boxes now that school is starting up. And they’re cheaper than buying storebought.
Vegan, gluten-free, easy, no-bake, and a healthier, homemade alternative to Girl Scout cookies or storebought granola bars.
Yes, please.
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No-Bake Samoas Cookie Granola Bars
Ingredients
- ½ cup coconut oil, melted or in liquid state
- ½ cup light corn syrup, light in color – not lite; honey; or brown rice syrup or yacon syrup to keep vegan may be substituted
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup light brown sugar, packed
- 3 cups sweetened shredded coconut
- about 2 1/2 cups quick-cook oats (use Certified Gluten Free Quick Cooking Oats
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- pinch salt, optional and to taste
- ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted for drizzling, optional
Instructions
- Line an 8×8-inch pan with aluminum foil, spray with cooking spray; set aside.
- In a large microwave-safe bowl, combine oil, corn syrup, sugars, and cook on high power for 90 seconds. Stop and stir the mixture.
- Return bowl to microwave and cook for 90 more seconds. Stop and stir the mixture.
- Stir in shredded coconut, oats, cinnamon, vanilla, and optional salt. Note – when adding the shredded coconut and oats, add them slowly, bit by bit, rather than all at once. I found the measurements worked perfectly, but because coconut oil, coconut, and oats vary, add dry ingredients until mixture combines, noting it will be quite wet. It solidifies and firms up as it cools.
- Turn mixture out into prepared pan, packing it down with a spatula.
- Optionally, melt the chocolate in a small, microwave-safe bowl, about 1 minute on high power, or until chocolate can be stirred smooth.
- Even drizzle chocolate over bars. I followed the swirling pattern outlined here.
- Cover pan with foil to prevent frigde smells, and refrigerate until set and firm, about 2 hours. Slice bars into desired shapes. Especially in warmer months, I prefer to store the bars in the fridge rather than at room temperature so the coconut oil stays solid and bars are firmer. They will keep for up to up to 1 month in the fridge, or up to 6 months in the freezer.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Do you like Samoas? Coconut or coconut oil? Favorite homemade granola bar recipe?