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Paleo, vegan, and gluten-free Samoa cookie bars featuring a buttery almond flour shortbread crust, sticky date caramel, toasted coconut, and dark chocolate drizzle.

  • Total Time: 12 minutes prep + 20 minutes cooling + overnight chilling (approx. 8 hours)
  • Yield: 16 bars 1x

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 1/2 cups blanched almond flour (or tigernut flour for nut-free)
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda (optional if no-bake)
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1/4 cup palm shortening (or butter)
  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup
  • 1 cup pitted Medjool dates, softened
  • 1/4 cup coconut cream
  • 1/4 cup sunflower seed butter (or any nut/seed butter)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut, toasted (1/2 cup for caramel, 1/4 cup for topping)
  • 1/2 cup dark chocolate, for drizzling
  • 1 tablespoon coconut oil (optional, to melt chocolate smoothly)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
  2. Make the crust: In a medium bowl, whisk together almond flour, baking soda, and salt until combined.
  3. Add palm shortening and maple syrup. Mix with a fork or spatula, then press with hands to form a smooth dough.
  4. Press dough evenly into an 8″ x 8″ pan lined with parchment paper or foil.
  5. Bake crust for 12 minutes at 350°F. Remove and cool completely (about 20 minutes).
  6. Make the caramel: In a food processor, combine softened dates, coconut cream, sunflower seed butter, and vanilla extract. Pulse until mostly smooth with some texture.
  7. Add 1/2 cup toasted shredded coconut; pulse a few times to blend.
  8. Spread caramel gently over cooled crust, smoothing from center to edges.
  9. Sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup toasted shredded coconut evenly on top and press lightly to adhere.
  10. Chill bars overnight in the refrigerator until caramel firms.
  11. After chilling, lift bars out using parchment or foil edges and cut into 16 squares.
  12. Melt dark chocolate with coconut oil over low heat until smooth.
  13. Let chocolate cool slightly, transfer to a small zip-top bag, snip a tiny hole in the corner, and drizzle chocolate over bars.
  14. Optional: chill bars briefly to set chocolate before serving.

Notes

For a no-bake version, omit baking soda and do not bake the crust; press dough firmly into pan., To toast coconut: spread shredded coconut on baking sheet and bake at 350°F for 3-5 minutes until golden; watch closely to prevent burning., Bars keep fresh up to 2 weeks refrigerated or several months frozen in airtight container., Swap almond flour for tigernut flour to make the crust nut-free., Using foil to line the pan allows easy removal of bars after chilling.

  • Author: mapps6841@gmail.com
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 12 minutes
  • Category: Dessert / Snack
  • Cuisine: American / Paleo / Vegan

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 bar
  • Calories: Approximately 180 calories per bar
  • Fat: 13g per bar
  • Carbohydrates: 15g per bar
  • Protein: 3g per bar