Healthy homemade Samoas made with only four ingredients: coconut, dates, chocolate chips and coconut oil. They’re also vegan and gluten-free!
I’m excited to share these homemade Samoas. They are created in honor of everyone’s favorite Girl Scout cookie. Okay, so maybe Samoas aren’t everyone’s favorite, but they’re definitely mine!
Thin Mints are a close second over here. If you’re on team Thin Mint, I highly recommend you check out my recipe for healthier Thin Mints too!
I actually already have a recipe for Samoas energy bites, but this version is a bit more simple in terms of the ingredients (just 4) and looks almost exactly like the real deal.
The idea for these babies was actually inspired by Meaghan of Plant & Simple Eats. She brought similar cookies to an Instagram meet up we had awhile back and I knew I wanted to make my own version!
These Samoas couldn’t be easier to make so instead of having to wait for Girl Scout cookie season every year, you can make these year round. YES!
WATCH HOW TO MAKE HEALTHY SAMOAS:
Healthier Homemade Samoas
Traditional Samoas, as much as we love them, are highly processed and made with lots of saturated fats and artificial flavoring.
We’re skipping all of those extra ingredients like white sugar, corn syrup and sweetened condensed milk and making them with just medjool dates, toasted coconut and chocolate chips. I recommend using Lily’s chocolate chips or Hu Kitchen gems for less sugar!
These Samoas aren’t necessarily low calorie or low sugar, but they are made with natural ingredients including natural sugar from the dates and without preservatives. A big win in my book!
The medjool dates add such a nice caramel flavor and these Samoas legit taste like the real deal! Some have even said they taste better than the real deal. Shh…. don’t tell the Girl Scouts.
Ingredients Needed
medjool dates – the medjool dates add such a nice caramel flavor and make these Samoas taste like the real deal! You can buy medjool dates that are already pitted or pit them yourself (it’s super easy). Two brands that I like are Natural Delights and Joolies. You can find Natural Delights in the produce section of most grocery stores (near the bananas) and Joolies are offered on Amazon and Thrive Market.
unsweetened shredded coconut – be sure to grab unsweetened instead of sweetened!
dark chocolate (chips or a chopped bar) – I like to use Lily’s dark chocolate chips to keep this recipe lower in sugar, vegan and dairy-free.
coconut oil – this is used to help make the melted chocolate thinner, which makes it easier to dip the Samoas. The coconut oil also helps harden the chocolate in the freezer. You can skip it, but your melted chocolate will likely be pretty thick. I recommend using refined coconut oil if you don’t want any coconut flavor!
How to Make 4-Ingredient Samoas
Here’s how to make these easy samoas!
Toast coconut – Pre-heat oven to 400°F. Spread the shredded coconut onto a baking sheet for toasting.
Place in oven for 3-5 minutes, until coconut is a light golden brown color.
Warning! Keep any eye on the coconut: Make sure to stay in the kitchen watch the coconut, as it can easily go from toasted to burnt. Alternately, you can toast the coconut in a pan on the stove-top.
Process – Add dates and toasted coconut into the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until mixture is combined and starts to form a ball of dough.
Form cookies – Remove from the food processor, roll 1 Tablespoon size pieces of dough into a ball and then shape into a round cookie. Using a straw or chopstick punch a hole in the middle of the dough. Move the straw or chopstick around a bit to make the hole wider, if needed. At this point you’ll likely need to reshape the cookie a bit.
Chill– Place all cookies on a sheet lined with parchment and transfer to the freezer to harden up a bit.
Melt chocolate – While cookies are in the freezer, add chocolate and coconut oil to a shallow microwave-safe bowl and melt in 20-30 second increments until the chocolate is melted enough to drizzle.
Coat– Grab cookies from the freezer and dip each one in the chocolate to coat the bottom. Place cookies on the parchment and use remaining chocolate to drizzle over top the cookies.
Freeze – Transfer cookies back into the freezer for 10-15 minutes to let the chocolate harden. Once they’ve hardened you’ll be able to easily remove the cookies from the parchment paper.
Enjoy – If you want to enjoy them right away, let them sit out on the counter for a few minutes.
What to Do If Your Dates Are Dry
Fresh Medjool dates are usually soft and give easily when squished. If your dates are older or just seem dry and hard, you may want to soak them before using. Simply place them in a bowl of warm water for 10-15 minutes to soften and rehydrate them. Drain well and pat dry before using.
How to Store Samoas
If you want to enjoy right away, let your Samoas sit out on the counter for a few minutes. For enjoying later, store in a sealed container in the fridge for up to one week or in the freezer for up to three months… but I bet they’ll be gone before then Ha!
If you make these homemade Samoas be sure to leave a comment and star rating below letting me know how they turned out for you. Your feedback is so helpful for the EBF team and our readers!
Toast coconut: Pre-heat oven to 400°F. Spread the shredded coconut onto a baking sheet for toasting. Place in oven for 3-5 minutes, until coconut is a light golden brown color. Make sure to stay in the kitchen watch the coconut, as it burns really easily. Alternately, you can toast the coconut in a pan on the stove-top.
Process: Add dates and toasted coconut into the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until mixture is combined and starts to form a ball of dough.
Form cookies: Remove from food processor, roll 1 Tablespoon size pieces of dough into a ball and then shape into a round cookie. Using a straw or chopstick punch a hole in the middle of the dough. Move the straw or chopstick around a bit to make the hole wider, if needed. At this point you’ll likely need to reshape the cookie a bit.
Set: Place all cookies on a sheet lined with parchment and transfer to the freezer to harden up a bit.
Melt chocolate: While cookies are in the freezer, add chocolate and coconut oil to a shallow microwave-safe bowl and melt in 20-30 second increments until the chocolate is melted enough to drizzle.
Coat cookies: Grab cookies from the freezer and dip each one in the chocolate to coat the bottom. Place cookies on the parchment and use remaining chocolate to drizzle over top the cookies.
Freeze: Transfer cookies back into the freezer for 10-15 minutes to let the chocolate harden. Once they’ve hardened you’ll be able to easily remove the cookies from the parchment paper.
Enjoy: If you want to enjoy right away, let them sit out on the counter for a few minutes. For enjoying later, store in a sealed container in the fridge for up to one week.
Hard/dry dates: If your dates are hard and dry, I recommend soaking them in warm water for 10-15 minutes to soften. Just drain them well before using.
Coconut oil: This is used to help make the melted chocolate thinner, which makes it easier to dip the Samoas. The coconut oil also helps harden the chocolate in the freezer. You can skip it, but your melted chocolate will likely be pretty thick. I recommend using refined coconut oil if you don’t want any coconut flavor!
Category:Dessert
Method:No Bake
Cuisine:American
Nutrition
Serving Size:1 cookie
Calories:124
Sugar:15g
Sodium:3mg
Fat:6g
Saturated Fat:5g
Unsaturated Fat:0g
Trans Fat:0g
Carbohydrates:20g
Fiber:4g
Protein:1g
Cholesterol:1mg
Keywords: samoas
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I stumbled here through Pinterest and decided to give these a try. They are DELICIOUS! I didn’t think they would be as good as they turned out. I wish I hadn’t ruined them by baking them before coating the chocolate – I thought it might add a bit of chewiness, which it did but not in a good way. I’m glad I saved a few to enjoy without baking. I will not ruin my next batch by doing that and simply follow the recipe as is. Thank you for such a simple yet delicious recipe!
Well I did something stupid. I made this recipe and like EVERYONE else, I found them phenomenal. The stupid part was making & trying these while drinking wine which annihilates any semblance of self-discipline. PSA: Dangerous – consume when sober!
Holy smokes!! These were delicious!!!! I didn’t soak my dates and noticed my “dough” was too dry, however, it worked! Thank you for such a delicious, quick, easy, and most of all healthy recipe! My boyfriend also loved them!
I absolutely love this recipe. Can’t stop raving about it to my loved ones! Thank you so much for this share!
Out of laziness I toasted my coconut in a skillet and it was perfect. I was thankful for the note to keep an eye out because it burns fast! All in all the recipe went perfectly and I will definitely be doing it again!
Thank you for giving us some good information in this post. Very informative and well-written article.
I am sure this article will be of greater use to many readers like me.
These cookies were really good. Even my husband liked them – and he is picky. They were really easy to make and I had all of the ingredients on hand. Thanks for the recipe!
Can’t stop, won’t stop!! Yum, yum, yum! A lot of people would think I’m crazy, but I use unsweetened chocolate for these and they’re 💯 in my book! And then I don’t have to share😉 I’ll forever and always come back to this cookie recipe!! Thanks girl!
So glad you’ve been loving these, Erica!! I love using Lily’s chocolate which is sugar-free and sweetened with stevia. 🙂 Thanks for the review. I so appreciate it!
These are my favorite snack to have on hand, EVERYONE loves them! I take them to parties and they are always a hit but goes perfectly with my healthy living lifestyle of clean ingredient foods!
These were a mistake to make…because I am now addicted! I finally found the dates and decided to give these a whirl since I was in the mood for coconut. I’m shocked by how good these are. I’ll have to hide them from myself.
These are really good. I have made them several times since I discovered this recipe a few months ago. Highly recommend toasting the coconut – but be careful, the author is right when she says it burns easily! If your mixture is too dry, just add some water and mix it again. I made these in the blender and it worked out just fine.
Made these…one question: how do you stop from eating the whole pan? Seriously one of the most delicious and healthy cookies I have ever eaten. Will absolutely be making these regularly!
I know, it’s hard to not just eat the whole batch in one sitting! I’m so glad you love these though!! Thanks for the review. I so apprecitae it, Christine.
First batch was not good texture wise, I had used date pieces and it was too dry. Soaked them and made another batch and they were perfect. Skipped the hole in the center and just sent with a solid cookie. They are great!
These were my first girl guide replicas that I made. I really enjoyed them. I actually tripled the recipe so that I would have enough for the entire family. The recipe is very easy to work with and alter if increasing the amount. The entire family enjoyed these.
Easy to make! Made a double batch which was the right move. Very good healthy version but something is missing to make it as good or better than the original.
These cookies are amazingly delicious. My 5 year old called them better than ice cream, and I’ve cream is his favorite treat 😊. I have to agree with him; I will be making them again for Easter
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I stumbled here through Pinterest and decided to give these a try. They are DELICIOUS! I didn’t think they would be as good as they turned out. I wish I hadn’t ruined them by baking them before coating the chocolate – I thought it might add a bit of chewiness, which it did but not in a good way. I’m glad I saved a few to enjoy without baking. I will not ruin my next batch by doing that and simply follow the recipe as is. Thank you for such a simple yet delicious recipe!
★★★★★
So glad you enjoyed this recipe, Nivedita! Thanks for the review 🙂
Well I did something stupid. I made this recipe and like EVERYONE else, I found them phenomenal. The stupid part was making & trying these while drinking wine which annihilates any semblance of self-discipline. PSA: Dangerous – consume when sober!
★★★★★
Woo!! I’m so pumped these samoas were a hit, Emily! Thanks for the review. I so appreciate it!!
Holy smokes!! These were delicious!!!! I didn’t soak my dates and noticed my “dough” was too dry, however, it worked! Thank you for such a delicious, quick, easy, and most of all healthy recipe! My boyfriend also loved them!
★★★★★
Woo! This makes me so happy to hear, Adriana! Thanks for the review. I really appreciate it!
Your site has become my favorite recipe site! Thanks for sharing and keep up the good work. P.S, Samoas are my fav too!
Woo! This makes me SO happy to hear! Thanks for the review. It means the world to me!
I absolutely love this recipe. Can’t stop raving about it to my loved ones! Thank you so much for this share!
Out of laziness I toasted my coconut in a skillet and it was perfect. I was thankful for the note to keep an eye out because it burns fast! All in all the recipe went perfectly and I will definitely be doing it again!
★★★★★
Woo!! This makes me so happy to hear, Katie! Thanks for making it and coming back to leave a review. I really appreciate it.
Thank you for giving us some good information in this post. Very informative and well-written article.
I am sure this article will be of greater use to many readers like me.
★★★★★
These cookies were really good. Even my husband liked them – and he is picky. They were really easy to make and I had all of the ingredients on hand. Thanks for the recipe!
★★★★★
So glad these cookies were a hit!! Thanks for the review. I really appreciate it. 🙂
Can’t stop, won’t stop!! Yum, yum, yum! A lot of people would think I’m crazy, but I use unsweetened chocolate for these and they’re 💯 in my book! And then I don’t have to share😉 I’ll forever and always come back to this cookie recipe!! Thanks girl!
★★★★★
So glad you’ve been loving these, Erica!! I love using Lily’s chocolate which is sugar-free and sweetened with stevia. 🙂 Thanks for the review. I so appreciate it!
I’ve made these several times, and am obsessed. They are better than the actual girl scout cookie, and super easy and fun to make!!
★★★★★
Woo!! So glad you love these samoas, Kara. Thanks for the review. I so appreciate it!
These are my favorite snack to have on hand, EVERYONE loves them! I take them to parties and they are always a hit but goes perfectly with my healthy living lifestyle of clean ingredient foods!
★★★★★
So glad you love these cookies, Keri. Thanks for the review. I so appreciate it!
These were a mistake to make…because I am now addicted! I finally found the dates and decided to give these a whirl since I was in the mood for coconut. I’m shocked by how good these are. I’ll have to hide them from myself.
★★★★★
Ahh yay! That makes me so happy to hear!! So glad you loved these, Kate. Thanks for the review, I so appreciate it. 🙂
These are really good. I have made them several times since I discovered this recipe a few months ago. Highly recommend toasting the coconut – but be careful, the author is right when she says it burns easily! If your mixture is too dry, just add some water and mix it again. I made these in the blender and it worked out just fine.
★★★★★
So glad you’re loving these samoas, Kenna!! Thanks for the review. I so appreciate it. 🙂
Made these…one question: how do you stop from eating the whole pan? Seriously one of the most delicious and healthy cookies I have ever eaten. Will absolutely be making these regularly!
I know, it’s hard to not just eat the whole batch in one sitting! I’m so glad you love these though!! Thanks for the review. I so apprecitae it, Christine.
Love these! Can I store in the freezer? If so for how long??
★★★★★
Definitely! I love storing them in the freezer. They should last up to 3 months in the freezer. 🙂
First batch was not good texture wise, I had used date pieces and it was too dry. Soaked them and made another batch and they were perfect. Skipped the hole in the center and just sent with a solid cookie. They are great!
★★★★★
I’m glad they ended up turning out for you, Nicole!! Soaking your dates if they seem dry is definitely key.
Easy and delicious! A favorite third trimester snack
★★★★★
So glad you’re loving these samoas, Sheila! Thanks for the review. I appreciate it!
These were my first girl guide replicas that I made. I really enjoyed them. I actually tripled the recipe so that I would have enough for the entire family. The recipe is very easy to work with and alter if increasing the amount. The entire family enjoyed these.
★★★★
Good call tripling the recipe!! 🙂 So glad these were a hit with your family!
Literally so good!! Cannot believe they are so simple because the flavor is incredible. Made these 3 times in 4 days…😋🤩
★★★★★
Ahh yay! That makes me so happy to hear!! So glad you loved these. Thanks for the review, Margaret. I so appreciate it. 🙂
Easy to make! Made a double batch which was the right move. Very good healthy version but something is missing to make it as good or better than the original.
★★★★
Good call on doubling the recipe!! So glad you loved these, Kelsey. Thanks for the review. I so appreciate it!
I love how easy these are to make and they’re delicious! Will definitely be making these again because I can’t stop eating them. Thank you!
★★★★★
So glad you loved these, Ciara! Thanks for the review. I so appreciate it!
These were delicious and so easy to make! I will definitely be making these again! 😋🍫🍪
★★★★★
Yay!! So glad you loved these. Thanks for the review. I so appreciate it!
These are the best! Ive made them 2 or 3 times now. My husband loves them too🙌. Thank you!!
★★★★★
Woo! So glad these are a hit! Thanks for the review, Amy. I so appreciate it!
These cookies are amazzzzing! So tasty and satisfying!
★★★★★
Yay!! So glad you loved these. Thanks for the review, Melissa. I so appreciate it!
These cookies are amazingly delicious. My 5 year old called them better than ice cream, and I’ve cream is his favorite treat 😊. I have to agree with him; I will be making them again for Easter
★★★★★
Ahh yay! That makes me so happy to hear!! So glad these were a hit. Thanks for the review, Ruth. I so appreciate it. 🙂
These were a great hit with the kids. I ended up tripling the recipe so I had enough for everyone’s sweet tooth.
★★★★
Yay! So glad these samoas were a hit! Thanks for the review, Tammy!