Girl Scout Cookies!

Earlier this year, John's niece, Jada, sent us a box of Girl Scout Cookies - Samoas!

I actually never had Samoas. What are Samoas (for people who never bought Girl Scout Cookies in the States)? It is a cookie filled with toasted desiccated coconut and caramel with chocolate covered at the bottom and drizzled on top. From what I understand, this is the Arndt's family most favorite Girl Scout cookie. When we received the parcel from Jada back in July, John was really ecstatic to see the box of Samoas! Unfortunately, all good things comes to an end. The whole box was gone in a week (even though he tried to savor it slowly).

Well, I made a vegan version of it from John's sister, Katie's Christmas gift - Vegan Cookies recipe book by Isa Chanda Moskowitz & Terry Hope Romero. This is a lazy version of it, meaning that the shortbread base is left out, and tasted more like a toasted coconut and brown sugar cookie with chocolate dipped at the bottom and drizzle on top. John loved it so much and couldn't stop munching on them as soon as the cookies were out of the oven. The waiting time to let those cookies cool off and to dip into chocolate and let them harden was too torturing for him. He ended up eating like 5 cookies before they were dipped into the chocolate. Luckily this recipe made about 18 cookies.

Try it out and see if you like it. Enjoy!

Cookies Recipe:

2 cups of unsweetened desiccated coconut

1/3 cup coconut oil

2/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/3 cup nondairy milk

1 tablespoon ground flax seeds

11/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

Chocolate Recipe:

1 cup chocolate chips/chocolate bars

2 tablespoons coconut oil

Steps:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degree Fahrenheit / 180 degree Celsius.

2. Use a large heavy skillet (I used cast iron pan) and toast the desiccated coconut in low heat. Monitor and stir occasionally until they are light golden brown. Don't burn them.

3. In a large mixing bowl, mix the coconut oil, brown sugar, non-dairy milk, flax seeds and vanilla extract until they are all well blended and smooth. Slowly sift in the flour, baking soda, and salt, mix them well to form a thick batter. Fold in the toasted coconut.

4. Scoop out approx. 1 tablespoon of dough 2 inches apart onto the baking sheets. If the dough is too sticky, put it into the fridge to chill for at least 10 minutes. Flatten each cookie with your hand/palm, and make a small hole into each center. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until the edges of the cookies are golden.

5. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer them to wire racks to cool completely. Transfer the cooled cookies onto waxed paper.

6. While cookies are cooling, melt chocolate chips/chocolate bars in a microwave or double boiler, then stir the coconut oil into the melted chocolate. Let them cool for 5 minutes. Dip the cooled cookie bottoms into the chocolate and return to the waxed paper. Now drizzle the remaining chocolate over the cookies.

7. Chill the cookies in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to completely firm up the chocolate. Store the cookies in a loosely covered container in a very cool place.