I love making no-bake desserts and I’ve built my expertise for years with recipes such as my No-Bake Coconut Cookies, No-Bake Brownies, or No-Bake Healthy Flapjacks. No-bake desserts are not only easier to put together, they are also (generally) a lot healthier because they use fewer and unrefined ingredients. No-bake vegan desserts like these Samoa bars are great for a quick snack or to make a charcuterie board of healthy treats. We love these no-bake bars in my house, so we almost always have a container full of them in the fridge.
What Are Samoa Bars?
These Samoa bars or girl-scout cookie bars are a healthy, raw version of the classic Samoa bars. They are derived from the Samoa cookies that girl scouts sell. It’s a no-bake vegan dessert that is also 100% refined-sugar-free and gluten-free. It’s a crumbly coconut shortbread cookie bar topped with a chewy caramel coconut layer.
Ingredients and Substitutions
Let’s look at them below and at the easy swap ideas if you are missing some ingredients to make this recipe.
Unsweetened Desiccated Coconut – Desiccated coconut is the base ingredient for Samoa bars and gives them a delicious texture and flavor. You need to use unsweetened coconut to make it easier to reach the perfect sweetness. Almond Flour – Almond flour is a great healthy flour, but you can also use oat flour or sesame flour as a nut-free option. If you are concerned about eating raw flour, read my article about the raw flours that are safe to eat. Maple Syrup – You can use any liquid sweetener such as maple syrup, rice malt syrup, or coconut nectar. Coconut Oil – Coconut oil is essential for no-bake desserts as it remains solid in the fridge but melts in your mouth. Unsweetened Shredded Coconut for the filling or coconut chips – toasted is the best! Dark Chocolate Chips – Or a dark chocolate bar cut into chunks. Natural Peanut Butter – You can use any natural butter such as peanut butter, almond butter, tahini, or sunflower seed butter for a nut-free option. These must have only one ingredient, hence no sugar, oil, or thickener.
How To Make Samoa Bars
If you love coconut and caramel, this vegan Samoa bar recipe is for you! You will love the moist shortbread bottom layer with sweet chewy caramel.
Expert Tips for Perfect Samoa Bars
I’ve made these bars dozens of times and I can tell you precisely how to make them perfect:
My best tip is to toast the shredded coconut before you add it to the middle layer! This will enhance the coconut flavor of these bars. To toast shredded coconut, lay a baking tray with parchment paper and spread the unsweetened coconut evenly all over the tray. Make sure the coconut doesn’t overlay to ensure it toasts evenly. Bake the coconut at 320°F (160°C) for 5 to 8 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes until the coconut is golden and fragrant. You can also toast coconut in a frying pan, under medium heat, with no oil added. Stir the coconut and stop cooking when the color is lightly golden brown. For a richer chocolate flavor, use bittersweet chocolate instead of dark chocolate. Let the bars soften slightly at room temperature for a few minutes before serving for easier cutting and a slightly softer texture.
Step-By-Step Video
Storage Instructions
You can store the Vegan Samoa Bars in an airtight box in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. They can also be frozen for up to 3 months. Defrost each square individually at room temperature for 1 hour before eating. They can also be eaten half frozen.
More Healthy Bar Recipes
If you love healthy vegan bars, I have other delicious vegan bar recipes to try.
