These Samoa Bars are easy, no-bake vegan desserts made of a shortbread crust and topped with a caramel coconut layer. They are gluten-free, dairy-free, and paleo-friendly.
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.
- Prepare the pan: Line a 9-inch x 6-inch loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving enough overhang on the sides for easy removal.
- Make the shortbread crust: In a medium bowl, combine desiccated coconut, almond flour, maple syrup, and melted coconut oil.
- Mix well with a spatula, then use your hands to press and form a crumbly dough. If it feels too dry, add an extra tablespoon of coconut oil. Press the mixture firmly into the bottom of the prepared pan and freeze for 10 minutes.
- Make the coconut caramel: In a small bowl, whisk together fresh peanut butter, melted coconut oil, maple syrup, and vanilla extract until smooth and combined. Stir in the shredded coconut.
- Spread the caramel layer: Take the pan out of the freezer and evenly spread the coconut caramel over the chilled crust. Press down firmly with a spoon or spatula.
- Freeze again: Return the pan to the freezer for 10 minutes while you melt the chocolate.
- In a heatproof bowl set over simmering water (bain-marie) or in short bursts in the microwave, melt the chocolate and coconut oil together, stirring frequently to prevent burning.
- Drizzle and freeze: Drizzle the melted chocolate over the frozen caramel layer and return the pan to the freezer for 2 minutes to set the chocolate.
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.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can add a tablespoon of protein powder to the caramel layer ingredients and increase the maple syrup a little.
Almond flour is safe to eat raw, so you can only substitute it for another safe flour like oat flour.
More Healthy Bar Recipes
If you love healthy vegan bars, I have other delicious vegan bar recipes to try.
Like This Recipe?
Leave a comment below or head to our Facebook page where I reply to (almost) all comments, our Instagram page for inspiration, or our Pinterest for saving recipes!
Samoa Bars
Ingredients
Shortbread Crust
- 1 cup Desiccated Coconut
- 1 cup Almond Flour
- 3 tablespoons Maple Syrup - or agave syrup or coconut nectar or rice syrup
- ⅓ cup Coconut Oil - melted
Caramel Layer
- ⅓ cup Maple Syrup - or agave syrup or coconut nectar or rice syrup
- 3 tablespoons Coconut Oil - melted
- 1 ¼ cup Shredded Coconut (Unsweetened)
- ½ teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- ½ cup Peanut Butter (Unsalted) - no added sugar, no added oil
Chocolate Drizzle
- 3 oz Dark Chocolate
- 1 teaspoon Coconut Oil
Instructions
- Cover a 9-inch x 6-inch loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving enough paper hanging out on the side of the pan so you can easily remove the bar later. Set aside.
- Add the shortbread crust ingredients to a medium-sized bowl in this order: Desiccated Coconut, almond flour, maple syrup, and melted coconut oil.
- Stir with a spatula first, then squeeze with your hand to make sure all the ingredients come together and stick together. It can be slightly crumbly, but that's ok. If it's very dry, add an extra tablespoon of coconut oil.
- Press the shortbread crumble tightly onto the prepared baking dish.
- Freeze the crust for 10 minutes while you are making the caramel layer.
- In a small bowl, add fresh, runny peanut butter, melted coconut oil, maple syrup, and vanilla. Then, combine the batter with a spatula until it forms thick, smooth caramel.
- Stir in the shredded coconut.
- Remove the baking dish from the freezer and spread the coconut caramel layer evenly on top.
- Press the coconut layer firmly with the back of a spoon or spatula.
- Return to the freezer for 10 minutes while you melt the chocolate.
- Melt the dark chocolate with coconut oil, under 'bain-marie' or in the microwave, by 30 seconds burst, stirring between to prevent the chocolate from burning.
- Drizzle the melted chocolate all over the bar and return to the freezer for 2 minutes to set the chocolate.
- Remove the baking tray from the freezer, pull out the bar from the tray using the piece of parchment paper to lift out the bar.
- Cut into 12 squares and enjoy!
Storage
- Store the bars in an airtight box, in the fridge for up to 2 weeks, or freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost each square individually at room temperature for 1 hour before eating. It can be eaten half frozen.
Hii… can I know what the difference is between shredded coconut and dessicated coconut?
Shredded coconut refers to the thick coconut thread, desiccated is thin
Am I able to use a powdered sweetener, such as monkfruit/erythritol instead of maple syrup in this recipe?
No, in this recipe you need a liquid sweetener or the bar won’t hold. However, brands like Choc Zero have Monk fruit liquid sweeteners that should work in the recipe.
Delicious! Second time making this, I subbed organic rice syrup for maple and sugar free chocolate for the top. I sprinkled on freeze dried raspberries and chopped cashews along with the shredded coconut for decoration…looks gorgeous! Thank you!!
Thank you!! Freeze dried raspberries are such a fantastic idea!
This recipe is wonderful! Loved by all!
Great recipe, thank you! I do think the pan size needs to be adjusted. The crust was too thick for a 9×5 pan, would be perfect in an 8×8 pan. If using 8×8 pan the coconut caramel should be increased to 1.5 times the recipe because the caramel in the recipe is the perfect amount for a 9×5 pan.
I’m a little confused as the recipe states desiccated coconut however the method says to add in shredded coconut. Which is it lol? I’m assuming it’s dedicated coconut f for the base and shredded in the caramel layer.
The recipe use both, desiccated coconut for the base of the bar, and shredded coconut for the caramel filling
My husband and me absolutely love this recipe. It’s perfection!
Thank you!!!
I just made them right now and they are so good! Definitely will make these again!
These were delicious! I’m waiting on another batch to chill right now. My kids also loved these. The combo of peanut butter and coconut is just sooo good.
Thank you so much!
Have you tried adding any protein powder to any of your bar recipes, if so how much?
No, but if you do, the mixture will dry out consequently and won’t hold well together, without changing the ratio of liquid ingredients