This recipe is inspired by the famous Samoa Girl Scout cookies, which are now called Caramel deLites.
It takes the normal brownies recipe and makes it a million times more decadent by adding caramel and toasted coconut.
It’s super easy to make especially if you use a brownie mix rather than make your own.
They make for great snacks and treats for kids and adults alike.
What You’ll Need
There are various ways to prepare Samoa brownies. The most popular one, and the one we are going to use here, uses a store-bought brownie mix.
In addition to the toasted coconut flakes and melted caramel, we are also going to coat it with melted chocolate for that extra sticky and sweet finish.
Here’s a summary of everything you are going to need.
- A box of brownie mix
- 3½ cups coconut flakes – be precise and use kitchen scales
- ½ cup caramels
- 4 tablespoons milk
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 3 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
Brownie Mix vs. Starting from Scratch
The easiest and quickest way to make these Samoa brownies is using a store-bought brownie mix.
If you are not a fan of pre-mixed ingredients, you can also make the batter from scratch.
Whisk together 2 eggs, 1 tablespoon vanilla extract and half a teaspoon of salt in a bowl. Then add half a teaspoon of baking powder and 2/3 cups cocoa powder.
Slowly add all-purpose flour until you get a smooth batter. It takes about ¾ cup of flour to get a good mix.
Alternative to Caramels
Some recipes replace the caramel candies with caramel-flavoured condensed milk. You can make it yourself at home but the easiest option is to buy a can of La Lechera.
La Lechera results in significantly sweeter and richer brownies.
Preparation and Serving
Toast Coconut
The first step is to toast the coconut. Preheat the oven to 200C and spread coconut flakes on a baking pan lined with aluminium foil.
When the oven is ready toast the coconut for 3 minutes. Do not leave it any longer than this to avoid burning it.
Remove and stir the coconut flakes. You’ll notice that some parts have started turning brown.
Return to oven for an additional 2-3 minutes. If you can still see a lot of white coconut flakes, return to the oven for 1-2 minutes but watch them closely.
Make Brownies
If you’ve made the batter from scratch, pour it into a prepared baking pan and bake in a 180C oven for 25-30 minutes.
If you are using a brownie mix, follow the baking instructions on the package.
Cool the brownies on a wire rack until they have completely set.
Melt Caramel
The easiest way to melt the caramel is in an oven. They melt pretty fast so you need just 2 minutes to have them ready.
Microwave on high for one minute. Remove and stir then return to microwave and heat at 50% power for another minute.
Mix the melted caramel with the toasted coconut flakes and pour onto the cooled brownies.
Leave the topping to cool and set in a fridge for 4-5 hours or overnight.
Top with Melted Chocolate
Melt the chocolate the same way you melted the caramel.
Then pour it over the cooled brownies and let it set before you eat. Some people also prefer adding small chocolate chips on top to give the brownies a nice texture.
Serve the brownies as they are or with milk.
If you won’t eat all the brownies, store them in an airtight container. They’ll be good for up to 3 days.
