Keto & Gluten Free Samoa Cookies (with Video)

Keto and Gluten Free Samoa Cookies

Try these easy to make, keto and gluten free Samoa inspired copycat girl scout cookies! A buttery, flaky cookie, covered in gooey keto caramel and drizzled with sugar free chocolate.

Where my Girl Scout cookie fans at??? Oh that’s right, you’re here because you’re obviously just as smitten with these classic cookies as I am. I am a Samoa addict (case and point this Keto Samoa Bundt Cake recipe) as well as, a Keto Thin Mints addict too.

These cookies are SERIOUSLY legit! I honestly love them better than the real deal and it’s hard to not eat at least a few in one sitting (must.put.them.down.).

Though there are a lot of steps, this recipe actually easy! Check out the full video tutorial I have added and read through the post so you understand which keto friendly ingredients work best with this recipe!

Keto & Gluten Free Samoa Cookies

“School” Supplies:

  • Food Processor
  • Rubber Spatula
  • Parchment Paper
  • Chef’s Knife
  • Baking Sheet
  • Small Pot
  • Whisk
  • Measuring Cups & Spoons
  • Butter Knife

“Class” Notes:

The shortbread dough for this recipe was based off of a keto friendly dough I have enjoyed using for both my Keto Galette and my Keto Pie Crust. The dough comes together in about 5 minutes in the food processor and by adding a little more low  carb sweetener, the base really makes the perfect crispy crunchy shortbread too.

Pro Tip: No food processor? No problem! Freeze your butter and grate it in instead! This helps keep the butter cold, but fine. Use a regular stand mixer or hand mixer with this method

Keto & Gluten Free Samoa Cookies

Once the dough is mixed in the food processor, I dump it out into a log like shape onto some parchment paper. For ease, I wanted to avoid rolling out the dough and cutting out each cookie with a cookie cutter (nobody has time for that).

Instead, roll the dough into a log about 10″ long and twist off the sides to secure the dough. Place the parchment paper wrapped dough into the freezer for 45-50 minutes or until firm to the touch. If you plan on baking later, refrigerate first and then follow the steps for freezing before baking.

Keto & Gluten Free Samoa Cookies

Remove the dough and unroll the parchment paper. All you need is a nice sharp knife and to slice 1/4″ rounds into the log. You should be able to get 30-32 cookies from slicing the dough.

Keto & Gluten Free Samoa Cookies

To get the signature look of a samoa cookie, I used a piping tip to cut out a small circle in the middle of each cookie. This isn’t required for these to come out, but it does make them feel a whole lot more authentic.

Place the cookies onto parchment paper and bake until set. The trick to getting a nice crunchy shortbread cookie for this recipe is to allow them to fully set and cool. This is ideal before adding the caramel topping and chocolate drizzle.

Keto & Gluten Free Samoa Cookies

Speaking of the caramel topping, let’s chat on the best way to make the best keto caramel recipe. The only way to get a real chewy caramel is to use the right low carb sweetener. I have been keto baking for well over a year and have experimented with several products. The only low carb sweetener that will not recrystallize and reset is allulose.

I purchased this brand of allulose off of Amazon. The price point is a bit higher, however I  cannot rave about it enough. I use this for my cocktails when I make keto simple syrup and for my caramel sauce and its perfection.

To make the caramel, I melt butter and lightly brown it in a small pot. Add the heavy cream and allulose and some sea salt. Whisk away until its combined and let it bubble on lower heat for about 10 minutes.

Cookies with keto caramel over them.

For the topping, mix in the unsweetened coconut flakes and fold until it’s fully combined. Let it cool off the heat slightly before spreading onto the cookies.

I used a butter knife to place the topping onto each cookie. Let them sit on a cookie sheet to set before piping over the sugar free chocolate (I used the Lily’s brand).

Let the chocolate set (or don’t..because whose that patient). Then hoard these is a secret place that only you know about so no one else eats them. Enjoy!

Keto & Gluten Free Samoa Cookies

Bon Appeteach,

-L

Keto Gluten Free Samoa Girl Scout Cookies

Keto & Gluten Free Samoa Cookies

Try these easy to make, keto and gluten free samoa inspired copycat girl scout cookies! A buttery, flaky cookie, covered in gooey caramel and drizzled with sugar free chocolate.
4.93 from 27 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Recipes
Cuisine: Dessert
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 11 minutes
Additional Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 6 minutes
Servings: 32
Calories: 139kcal
Author: Bon Appeteach

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups Almond Flour
  • 3/4 cup Low Carb Sweetener I like the Lakanto brand
  • 6 tbsp Cold Butter diced into chunks
  • 1 Egg
  • 1 tsp. Vanilla
  • 1 tsp. Baking Powder
  • 1 tsp. Xanthan Gum DO NOT OMIT
  • Topping:
  • 4 tbsp Butter
  • 6 tbsp. Heavy Cream
  • 1/2 cup Allulose based low carb sweetener see notes in the blog post above
  • Pinch of Sea Salt
  • 1 cup Unsweetened Coconut
  • 1/4 cup Melted Sugar Free Chocolate

Instructions

  • In a food processor, combine the almond flour, low carb sweetener, baking powder, and xanthan gum together by pulsing until mixed.
  • Add in the diced cold butter and the vanilla. Pulse again until the mixture is not longer dry but resembles bread crumbs. Then add in the egg and pulse again until the mixture looks like a thick cookie dough.
  • Dump the dough out on a long piece of parchment paper. I use the rubber spatula to create a more rectangular shape to the dough. Roll the dough up into the parchment paper to for a log. Create a log that is 10" long and twist off the sides tightly so that the dough will take the shape of the parchment paper.
  • Place in the freezer for 45-50 minutes or until solid to the touch, If you plan on baking at a later time, keep in the fridge and then place in the freezer prior to the actual bake time.
  • Once solid, remove from the freezer and with a sharp knife, slice 1/4" cookie dough rounds off of the log. You should get 30-32 cookies.
  • Preheat the oven to 350 F. Place parchment paper onto the cookie sheet.
  • To get the signature hole to the samoa, I used the base of a piping tip (for frosting) to cut out a 1/2" size hole. The hole is merely decorative and not necessary, you could omit this step if you don’t have something to make the hole!
  • If the cookie dough seems to have warmed up a bit prior to baking, place the cookie sheets with the dough layed out, back into the freezer for a few minutes to set. This helps keep them solid and to not spread out too much during baking.
  • Bake for 11-13 minutes (my cookies liked the 13 minute mark). They will just get slightly brown right at the edge and will still be soft when you remove them from the oven. You need to let them set and fully cool for them to become crispier like a classic shortbread.
  • While they are cooling, make the caramel. In a pot over medium-low heat, melt the butter. Once the butter is lightly browned, add in the allulose (see blog post for more information about this type of sweetener) and the heavy cream. Whisk until it is all combined and add a pinch of sea salt. Let it cook on low heat for about 5-7 more minutes.
  • Remove from the heat and stir in the unsweetened coconut flakes and let it cool slightly (let it rest for 5-10 minutes).
  • Once the cookies have cooled, spread about 2 tsp of the coconut caramel mixture onto the cookies with a butter knife.
  • In a microwavable safe bowl, melt the chocolate on half power for 30 seconds and stir well. Continue this until it is fully melted. Place in a piping bag (or plastic bag) and snip a small edge off at the bottom. Drizzle the chocolate over the top and allow it to set before serving.
  • Store the cookies in an airtight container.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 139kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 14mg | Sodium: 15mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g

Share Your Thoughts

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




  1. Just made these Samoa cookies and they are amazing! My caramel didn’t get as brown as I would have liked but that was on me. I should have browned it a little longer before adding the allulose and heavy cream. Although the recipe has quite a few steps they came together quickly and were quite simple. Thank you for the wonderful recipe!!

    1. Thank you so much for the feedback! Let the butter brown a little longer on low and then add the rest of the ingredients to get a darker colored caramel. I too think it looks way more complicated that it really is. Glad the recipe worked for you and thanks for following along!

  2. I’m really excited to make these this weekend! We’re having friends over and I want to surprise them with these awesome keto cookies and not tell them they’re sugar free! I think I’m going to coat the bottom of the cookie with chocolate, toast the coconut, then put the coconut on top of the caramel instead of mixed in to make them slightly more authentic. Do you think the toasted coconut will stick to the caramel enough? Anyway, found you through Reddit and thanks for all of your recipes!

    1. Hi Anna! Thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment. You definitely can coat the bottoms, I opted not to because the low carb chocolate adds up in price and carbs, but definitely is great in taste! Be sure to factor in the added chocolate if you track your macros. As for the coconut in the caramel, it is probably possible but I think it may be a bit difficult. I find that the coconut mixed in with the caramel helps make it less runny and easier to apply overall. Give it a try and let me know how it goes. Enjoy!

  3. 3 stars
    No sure what I did wrong, but the all loose was very grainy. I thought I let it boil with the butter long enough but I guess not

    1. Hi,

      Thanks for sharing your experience. Did you use allulose? I have never had this happen to me, but if you stir the caramel sauce too much while it’s cooking, it can break or separate. Additionally, it could have been overcooked or undercooked and separated. Did you try and remake it at all? Feel free to contact me via email; I am happy to chat more (lauren@bonappeteach.com). Thanks!