Girl Scout Cookies.

Don’t pretend you don’t like them. Almost everybody has a soft spot for at least one of those delicious, seasonal sweet treats.

Coincidentally, several varieties of Girl Scout Cookies are vegan (#bless). Which is honestly such a gift to dairy-free and vegan people. It’s so nice to not miss out on the Girl Scout cookie fun.

Thin Mints: vegan. S’mores cookies: vegan. Peanut butter patties: vegan.

But what’s not? Sadly, samoas (or caramel delites, depending on who you ask). Boo.

Now. I have seen a million line-extensions of Girl Scout cookie products on the shelves that hypothetically I could enjoy. Girl Scout cookie cereals, granola bars, candy bars, even teas – but nothing is quite as satisfying as the cookies themselves.

So when life won’t give me a vegan Caramel DeLite, I will make one myself. Because I am a strong, independent woman and I do not need a mass-bakery to support my inner-cookie-lover. I will get creative and I will succeed. Just watch me.

So here we are: vegan samoas. I played around with two versions. One batch I made used date caramel. The other used this Coconut Milk Caramel. You could also just melt a bunch of these heavenly nuggets and use that instead. You do you. I’m not here to tell you how to live your best samoa life.

Anyways ~ On to the cookies. A little prep work is involved, yes, but I promise it’s worth it. Perfect and impressive and tasty for your next party or Instagram. Or in my case, empty Friday night.

#bless up, Girl Scouts:

Vegan Samoas (Caramel DeLights) with Date Caramel Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes, and at least 20 additional minutes or refrigeration

Servings: 12 cookies Ingredients: Shortbread Cookies: 1/4 cup vegan butter (I like Earth Balance baking sticks)

1/4 cup coconut oil, melted (can sub additional vegan butter)

3/4th cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 1/4 cup whole-wheat pastry flour (can sub additional AP flour)

dash of salt Date Caramel Coconut Layer: 8 ounces pitted dates (roughly 1 cup)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons sunflower seed butter, cashew butter, or coconut oil (optional, adds richness)

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 cups shredded coconut Alternatively, you can sub one batch of this Coconut Milk Caramel

Chocolate: 1 cups dark chocolate chips or chopped chocolate

1 tablespoon coconut oil (optional) Method: P reheat oven to 350F.

I n a large bowl combine softened vegan butter and melted coconut oil. Add sugar and vanilla extract and whisk well. Add flour and fold into dough until just combined. If dough seems dry, add a tablespoon or 2 of water or non-dairy milk. Place dough in refrigerator to set, about 30 minutes.

M eanwhile, soak dates in 1 cup water for at least 10 minutes. Once dates have softened, drain them and place in a food processor. Add sunflower seed butter, vanilla and salt. Pulse until a smooth caramel dough forms; the caramel should be sticky.

T ransfer date caramel to a bowl. Add shredded coconut and mix until coconut is coated in date caramel.

R emove dough from refrigerator. Roll out dough to be about 1/8th inch thick. Use a circle cookie cutter, and/or an inverted drinking glass to cut dough into circles. Use a knife to cut a smaller hole in the middle of each cookie, to resemble a doughnut shape.

P lace cookies onto a parchment paper-lined pan and place in the oven until golden brown, about 18-23 minutes.

R emove cookies from oven and allow to cool.

O nce cookies have cooled, use a spoon or your fingers (fingers are much easier, honestly) to distribute date caramel around cookies. Aim for about 1/4-1/3th inch of date caramel.

O nce cookies have caramel layer, melt chocolate in a microwave safe bowl in the microwave using 30 second increments, and stirring occasionally. This will take 2-4 minutes. Once chocolate is melted, stir in coconut oil.

P ipe chocolate or drizzle it in a zig-zag pattern using a pastry bag, and/or by letting it run off the back of a spoon. Once all cookies have a chocolate drizzle, dip the bottom of each cookie into the remaining chocolate, placing back onto the parchment baking sheet after each dip.

A llow cookies to set in the refrigerator until chocolate has hardened, at least 30 minutes.

Enjoy!

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