samoa

Vegan Chocolate, Coconut, Caramel Pancakes (The Samoas)

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Once again when Girl Scout cookie season is in full swing, I am left craving my favorite cookie from days of old.

Although the Girl Scouts do offer some delicious vegan cookie options, none hold a candle in my opinion to the gooey, coconutty, chocolatey, Samoa!

Naturally we needed to think outside the box and get creative, so we took all that goodness and turned it into a pancake!

These perfectly fluffy vegan pancakes are covered in vegan chocolate syrup, caramel sauce, sweet aquafaba whip and toasted coconut. I mean come on!! These things are amazing!

Don’t worry, if you feel guilty eating these for breakfast, just make them for dessert or brunch. These vegan Samoa pancakes are a thing of beauty and really do help take your mind off of the legendary forbidden cookie.

And if you haven’t tried some of the Girl Scouts vegan cookies, give them a whirl, they really are good. I mean, I will never turn down a thin mint!

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour

  • 2 tablespoons white sugar (If vegan, not plant based, make sure the brand you use is in fact vegan, not all white sugars are. I use Florida Crystals)

  • 2 teaspoons baking powder

  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

  • 1 1/4 cup plant based milk

  • 1 tablespoon melted vegan butter

  • 1 cup vegan chocolate chips or chopped dark chocolate, divided in half

  • 2 teaspoons coconut oil, or vegan butter for the chocolate sauce

  • 1/2 cup shredded coconut, toasted

Sweet Aquafaba Whip: (you could also use canned vegan whip cream)

  • liquid from 1 can of chickpeas

  • 3/4 cups sugar

  • 1/3 teaspoon cream of tarter

Easy Vegan No Cook Caramel:

  • 1/2 cup dried dates

  • 1/4 cup canned coconut cream

  • 1/3 cup maple syrup

  • pinch of salt

  • 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS:

  1. For the Sweet Aquafaba whip: Add sugar and chickpea liquid to a microwave safe container. Microwave for thirty seconds at a time, stirring each time until the sugar is dissolved. Add all of the ingredients to a stand mixer and mix for about 10 minutes until stiff peaks form and the whip is glossy. You can also do this in a large bowl with an electric hand mixer. It takes a good bit longer for aquafaba whip cream than it does basic aquafaba because of the sugar. Trust me when I say it’s worth the effort. It is like a marshmallowy/whip creamy perfect cloud of magic. I highly suggest trying a batch. You may never go back to coconut whip cream!

  2. For the Caramel: Add the ingredients for the caramel to a food processor or blender. You may have trouble getting it to process in your blender because it is a small volume of ingredients. If you do not have a food processor, I suggest doubling the ingredients so you have enough volume that your blender will break it down. Let’s be real, I’m sure you can find plenty of ways to use up the extra! Store caramel in the fridge 1 - 2 weeks.

  3. For the Pancakes: Whisk all dry ingredients in a large bowl.

  4. Add in the melted butter, plant based milk, vanilla, and stir well.

  5. Heat a large skillet on medium heat. Add a teaspoon of vegan butter or spray the pan with cooking oil. Using a 1/4 cup measuring cup, scoop out batter into the skillet, 2 or 3 pancakes at time. Sprinkle each pancake with some of the chocolate chips or chopped chocolate. You will only use half of the chocolate for pancakes.

  6. Let pancakes cook until tiny bubbles begin to form and pop, once this happens they are ready to flip. Cook on the other side for another minute or two, until cooked through.

  7. Repeat, adding more butter or oil to the pan as needed, until all batter is used.

  8. Take the other half of the chocolate that you reserved, along with the teaspoons of coconut oil or vegan butter in a microwave safe bowl, and microwave for 30 seconds. Stir well and repeat microwaving at 30 second intervals time until chocolate has melted.

  9. Add coconut to a skillet and heat over medium heat, stirring continuously until the coconut begins to brown. Remove coconut from the pan once it is toasted.

  10. Stack 3 - 4 pancakes on a plate, topping with sweet aquafaba whip and coconut. Drizzle with chocolate sauce and camel to serve.

Serves 3 - 4. but the pancake batter can be easily doubled!

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Vegan Chocolate Caramel and Coconut Smoothie (The Samoa)

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Raise your hand if you have ever had a Samoa Girl Scout cookie. If you have, you probably know what all the hype is about. Gooey Caramel, Chocolate, and toasted coconut perfection. Sadly, Samoas are not one of the Girls Scout’s vegan cookie offering…

Raise your hand if you have ever had a Samoa Girl Scout cookie. If you have, you probably know what all the hype is about. Gooey Caramel, Chocolate, and toasted coconut perfection. Sadly, Samoas are not one of the Girls Scout’s vegan cookie offerings. No worries, Y’all! I think I have just the thing for you! This smoothie is far healthier than a cookie, but taste just as good in my opinion. It has it all!! Chocolate, coconut, and caramel all blended up creamy smooth and so delicious. What it doesn't have is refined sugar, and 100% less guilt than a cookie! Also you can have this for breakfast and not spend your day drowning in regret! WIN WIN WIN! Oh, and the caramel sauce is raw and you will probably find 100 different ways to use it, too! So don’t worry the leftovers, you will thank me later when you are dipping an apple into it ,and again not feeling one ounce of remorse! So blend yourself up a Vegan Samoa Smoothie and walk right past that cookie table those adorable girls have set up in front of your local grocery store, never looking back (OR run back and grab a box of the some of their vegan cookies because after all they are adorable, and its super hard to say no!)

Ingredients:

  • 2 frozen bananas

  • 1/4 cup dark chocolate cocoa powder

  • 1 and 1/2 cups coconut or almond milk

  • 2 cups ice ( you can use less if you don’t like a super thick smoothie)

  • 1/4 cup shredded unsweetened coconut

  • A handful of spinach (I keep a bag in the freezer for shakes and smoothies)

Easy Vegan No Cook Caramel:

  • 1/2 cup dried dates

  • 1/4 cup canned coconut cream

  • 1/3 cup maple syrup

  • pinch of salt

  • 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions:

  1. Peel and freeze 2 bananas. If you do no have a high speed blender like a Vitamix or Ninja, then I suggest slicing the bananas before freezing. A regular blender may have trouble breaking down a whole frozen banana. We normally just toss our bananas that are on the verge of going bad into the freezer so we do not waste them, and so we have them on hand for smoothies and nice cream.

  2. Add the ingredients for the caramel to a food processor or blender. You may have trouble getting it to process in your blender because it is a small volume of ingredients. If you do not have a food processor I suggest doubling the ingredients so you have enough volume that your blender will break it down. Lets be real, I’m sure you can find plenty of ways to use up the extra!! Store caramel in the fridge 1-2 weeks

  3. Toss frozen bananas and remaining shake ingredients into you blender. I have mentioned in other smoothie recipes that I keep bags of mixed greens or spinach in my freezer just for smoothies. It helps make the smoothie nice and cold, and my greens don’t go bad before I can use them! Blend on high until everything is nice and smooth.

  4. To serve, pour smoothies into glasses, top with more shredded coconut (I like to toast mine if I have time) and drizzle with caramel sauce!

makes 2 large smoothies

If you liked this recipe, try these:

Chocolate Peanut Butter Smoothie, The Run-DMC

Orange Creamsicle Smoothie

Sweet Potato Pie Smoothie

Chocolate Coconut Caramel Samoa Pancakes