Soft oatmeal cookie bars that capture the irresistible combination of caramel, chocolate, and toasted coconut inspired by Samoa Girl Scout Cookies.
Hi friends, Kelly from Life Made Sweeter here. Today I’m sharing a simple, homemade take on the classic Samoa flavors—chocolate, caramel, and toasted coconut. Rather than buying box after box of the cookies, I wanted a way to enjoy those flavors in a soft, chewy oatmeal bar that’s easy to make and impossible to resist.
These bars start with a soft oatmeal cookie base, are topped with toasted coconut and a smooth caramel layer, and finished with a chocolate-dipped bottom and extra drizzle on top. The result is chewy, rich, and deeply satisfying.
The base is mixed in one bowl—no stand mixer needed—then baked until the edges are just golden. After baking, the bars receive a layer of toasted coconut and caramel, chill to firm, then get dipped in chocolate ganache on the bottom. Once set, a final drizzle of caramel and melted chocolate finishes them off.
Samoa Oatmeal Cookie Bars
Ingredients
Oatmeal Layer:
- ¾ cup (170 g) unsalted butter, melted
- ½ cup (100 g) light brown sugar, gently packed
- 1 Tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup (120 g) all-purpose flour (stir, spoon & level)
- 1 cup (80 g) whole-rolled old fashioned oats
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- pinch of salt
- 1 ¼ cup (150 g) unsweetened shredded coconut, toasted
Caramel Sauce: (or use 1–2 cups of homemade or store-bought caramel)
- 11 ounces (311 g) chewy caramels, unwrapped
- 3 Tablespoons milk or heavy cream
- pinch of salt
Chocolate Ganache:
- 2 cups (340 g) semi-sweet chocolate chips or chopped semi-sweet chocolate
- ⅓ cup (80 ml) heavy cream
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8×8-inch pan with foil and spray with cooking spray.
- In a large microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter (about 90 seconds on high). Whisk in the brown sugar and vanilla until smooth.
- Stir in the flour, oats, baking soda, and salt until combined.
- Spread the mixture evenly in the prepared pan, smoothing the top with a spatula or the back of a spoon.
- Bake 23–26 minutes, or until the edges are lightly browned. Remove from oven.
- To make the caramel sauce: in a microwave-safe bowl, combine caramels, milk (or cream), and a pinch of salt. Microwave 2–4 minutes, stirring every couple minutes, until smooth.
- Sprinkle 1 cup of the toasted coconut evenly over the baked oatmeal layer. Pour the caramel sauce over the coconut, then sprinkle the remaining coconut on top.
- Allow the bars to cool completely before cutting. To speed this up, chill in the freezer for 30–60 minutes.
- To make the chocolate ganache: place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Heat the cream to a simmer, pour over the chocolate, let sit 10 seconds, then stir until smooth. Let cool slightly.
- Line a cookie sheet with parchment. Cut chilled bars into squares. Dip the bottom of each bar into the ganache, place upside down on the parchment, and allow the chocolate to set (chill if desired).
- Once the chocolate is set, turn bars over and drizzle the tops with extra caramel and melted chocolate or ganache using piping bags or zip-top bags with the corner snipped off.
Notes
- You can use homemade or store-bought caramel sauce instead of melting caramels.
- Store bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
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You may also enjoy these sweet treats from Life Made Sweeter:
Coconut Peach Streusel Bars
{No-Bake} Samoa Peanut Butter Cereal Bars
