Clean No Bake Samoa Cookies
We all need a little cookie in our lives…right?
I don’t know about you but I LOVE I mean absolutely LOVE Girl Scout Samoas. But lets face it, eating a whole box (or two or three) of them will not really do the body any sort of justice. Ok so maybe there will be some brief satisfaction but once the damage is done it’s done. You then have to live with the reality that those cookies are pure evil and forced you to eat them. It’s the only reasonable conclusion I could come up with.
So I went ahead and made Clean No Bake Samoa Cookies for us! Why? Because we are all healthy eating BFF’s right? (Phew, I thought you were just using me for my cookies.) And the other reason is, well um because I too have fallen victim to the girl scouts and I needed to break away and make something we all can enjoy without the guilt and unnecessary added sugars and all that jazz. (You know where I’m going with that.)
There is just something about cookies being homemade. I’m all like “You had me at No bake”. Reaching in to go for seconds I didn’t feel so bad. I know each ingredient in these bad boys and I was literally enjoying every single bite. I get ridiculous. I’m not the type of person who hums when they eat but I was doing an ” OH MY GAWD” with a massive eye roll of pleasure.
They have a walnut and coconut base and for the “caramel” I made date paste. Date paste is made from pitted medjool dates. I soak them usually for a few hours so they get nice and soft but if you are pressed for time just let them sit in boiling water for 15 minutes and they will soften up. You really don’t even have to soak them if you don’t want to but I like a really smooth consistency for date paste. Anyway, it’s super easy to make and it only requires 3 ingredients. Dates, lemon and water. I make this in bulk and keep it in my fridge because I like to use it in other desserts or snacks as a sweetener. Put the date on the jar of when you made the date paste. It lasts about 3 weeks in the fridge in an air tight jar or container.
Just a quick tip on dates. Always cut them open and check the insides for bug eggs or mold. I know, it’s super gross but it happens. I have found this in dates a couple of times. It’s usually in 1 or 2 out of the whole batch. But still just double check.
So you may be wondering ok Jenn but how are these amazing cookies good for you, like, they must be bad. Well ok I can see why you would think that. So let us start with zapping those negative thoughts out of our heads shall we?! Walnuts are like the underdog. No one really knows why they are good for you. They support healthy brain function, help maintain a healthy weight and are super duper high in antioxidants. Antioxidants in which help combat how fast you age by going up against free radicals (damn those free radicals!). Actually the antioxidants walnuts contain have been called “remarkable” by researchers.
I don’t just like to say “Oh eat this, it’s healthy” because most people are like ok what is healthy eating exactly? Could be different for all of us so I like to explain why the things I make are healthy (or healthier) and what you’re are consuming when you eat these foods. I always tell people, we are all different so not every one thing may be for you but take from me what will work for you and incorporate it into your diet or lifestyle. Cookies, in my opinion, are right there on the corner of happy and chocolate. And Chocolate equals love.
I’m not even going to get into dark chocolate because if you know me you know my relationship with it. It literally makes me smile wide and there ain’t no better cure for anything but happiness. Pure chocolate bliss is what these cookies are made with. For realz. 
These Clean No Bake Samoa Cookies are soft, chewy and decadent. They are dipped and drizzled in amazing dark chocolate and are centered with a “caramel” filling. It’s everyone’s favorite cookie.
- [b]The Cookie[/b]
- 2 cups walnuts
- 1 cup shredded coconut
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- pinch of pink himalayan salt
- [b]”Caramel Center” aka Date Paste[/b]
- 1 cup pitted medjool dates (soaked for 2-4 hours)
- 1/2 c water
- juice from one fresh lemon
- 6 ounces of preferred dark chocolate, melted to dip and drizzle
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- For the cookie place all ingredients in a food processor and run until crumbly and sticks together well.
- Roll out dough as best you can and use a 2 to 2 1/2 inch cookie cutter to make uniformed cookies. You can also take tablespoon size dough, roll into a ball and flatten a bit with the palm of your hand.
- Place on lined parchment paper baking sheet and place in the freezer while you melt chocolate and make your caramel filling.
- For the Caramel filling (date paste) place all ingredients in a blender and run until smooth and hardly no pieces of dates are left. You may have some tiny pieces. If you need to add more water for a smoother consistancy add it by the tablespoon so you don’t end up adding too much.
- Remember to cut open dates and check the insides for bug eggs or mold. If you do not want to soak dates for 2-4 hours let them sit in boiling water for 15 minutes.
- You can use the double boiler method, the oven or your microwave to melt down dark chocolate.
- Remove cookies from freezer and fill each center with caramel filling. However much you like. It’s ok to go overboard, it is your cookie after all.
- Once all cookies have caramel filling dip each cookie in chocolate and place back on baking sheet.
- Take remaining melted chocolate and place into a small plastic baggy. Nip a small corner off.
- Drizzle each cookie as shown above.
- Place back in freezer and let set for 20 minutes.
- Serve and Enjoy!
Leave a Comment »