Grown Up "Samoas" | Gluten free and Vegan Coconut Caramely Cookies
Think of this recipe as a Girl Scout Samoa that's all-grown-up. It uses gluten free and vegan ingredients to make a soft, cakey, truly addictive cookie that is coated in caramel-y pecans and toasted coconut. It's crunchy on the outside, gooey on the inside and a TOTAL upgrade from your run-of-the-mill girl scout cookie!
Ingredients
For the cookie:
- 100 grams almond flour, finely ground about 1 cup, very densely packed
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1 & 1/2 tbsp melted vegan butter I like Country Crock plant-based butters
- 1 & 1/2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tbsp almond milk or any plant-based milk
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup vegan chocolate chips
For the cookie coating:
- 1/4 cup pecans roughly chopped
- 1/4 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
- 1 tsp coconut oil
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F.
- In a skillet on medium heat, melt the coconut oil and add in the pecan pieces. Toast these in the oil for about 2-4 minutes or until you begin to smell them. Add in the coconut flakes and continue to toast for 1 minute.
- Pour 1 tbsp of maple syrup on top of the pecans and coconut flakes. Stir continuously so that everything is coated. Cook down for about 1 minute and then remove from the heat. The mix should solidify into a granola-like consistency! Put this to the side in a small bowl.
- To make the cookie dough, whisk together the almond flour, baking powder and salt.
- Pour in the maple syrup, melted butter, vanilla extract and almond milk. Stir until a dough forms.
- Add in the chocolate chips and mix well.
- Split the dough into two even sized balls, and coat the balls in the pecan and coconut mixture.
- Place both dough balls on a parchment lined baking sheet. Press them down slightly, they won't spread out much in the oven, so don't forget this step!
- Bake for 17-20 minutes at 350F. Serve warm!