You know what? I have not bought a single box of girl scout cookies this year. I mean, I won’t pretend that no matter how many copy cats I make, I don’t still want to eat an entire sleeve of thin mints, but I have to say I have really been enjoying the flavors I love + the freshly baked at home taste that no cookie in a box can ever duplicate. I have a confession. I might actually like these better than real samoas! Sometimes the real ones are just a tad too sweet (if that’s even possible) for my taste, and I felt like these don’t taste healthy at all, just more natural in flavors. I taste real coconut and dark chocolate and I love that.
My swaps:
- 1/2 recipe
- Pumpkin and light whipped butter for butter (-fat, -saturated fat, -calories, -cholesterol)
- Sugar/Splenda combo for sugar (-sugar, -calories)
- Egg substitute for egg (-fat, -calories, -cholesterol)
- Extra vanilla (+yum)
- Unsweetened coconut (It didn’t specify, but it was hard to find just plain ole coconut. -calories, -sugar)
- Low fat caramel sauce for chewy caramels (-fat, -calories)
- Grain sweetened chocolate chips for regular, and less of them (-calories, -sugar)
Skinnified Somoa Cookie Bars
yield 16 bars
for the cookie layer
- 2 tbs turbinado sugar
- 2 tbs Splenda
- 1/4 cup pumpkin
- 2 tbs light whipped butter, softened
- 2 tbs egg substitute
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cups white whole wheat flour
- dash salt
for the topping
- 1 1/2 cups unsweetened flake coconut, toasted**
- 3/4 cup low fat caramel sauce
- 1/3 cup grain sweetened chocolate chips
- 1-2 tbs unsweetened coconut almond milk (or any milk)
- dash coconut extract (optional)
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350. Grease 8×8 pan with nonstick spray. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat butter, pumpkin, Splenda and sugar together. Beat in vanilla and egg substitute.
- Add salt and flour and mix until combined. Dough will be slightly crumbly and may not all come together.
- Press dough into greased pan, smoothing with a spatula.
- Bake for 20 minutes, then place on wire rack to cool completely.
- Spread caramel sauce on top, followed by coconut flake.
- In a small microwave safe bowl, heat chocolate chips, milk, and coconut extract in increments of 15 seconds, mixing after each increment until melted. Carefully, spread on top of caramel/coconut layer using a spatula.
- Freeze for 2 hours for caramel sauce to set, then transfer to refrigerator, or keep frozen if desired.
**I toasted my own coconut by placing it in a nonstick pan over medium-low heat until golden. Careful to stir constantly and do not burn.
Corrie Anne says
Those are gorgeous!! I definitely want to try them!! Great subs!
Ari says
Thanks girl! 🙂
diana says
OMG you need to stop taking such good pictures. Why not try a recipe and toss in some pictures of say SPINACH or BRUSSEL SPROUTS?! I believe these are much ignored foods and you could easily make them look sexy just like those mouth watering delicious snacks above.
Okay i am going to take a walk down the candy isle now.