Samoa Brownies
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My Samoa brownies recipe is basically a wonderful and delicious brownie version of the Samoa cookie, where chocolate, caramel, and coconut combine to make this decadent dessert.
What’s your favorite Girl Scout cookie? My favorite, hands down, is the Samoa, which is how these Samoa brownies came about. I just love everything about the Samoa cookie. So a few weeks ago I was playing around with the thought of coming up with a homemade version of the cookie and my mind somehow shifted into brownie mode instead (my stomach was quick to egg on the idea). A little experimentation (along with two pans of brownies going to school with my son) and here we are: Samoa brownie heaven!
Of course, when it comes to being a Samoa expert, I am only one from a consumer standpoint. Despite my best efforts, I never got to be a Girl Scout. I was, a Cub Scout, though!
Now, back to this easy brownie recipe! All we need is 5 ingredients: chocolate fudge brownie mix, evaporated milk, dulce de leche, semi-sweet chocolate chips, and sweetened coconut flakes. A little bit of baking, a little bit of mixing, and a little bit of layering, and your brownies will be ready.
The taste and texture combination of the moist brownie layer, sweet caramel sauce, toasted coconut, and dark chocolate drizzle makes these brownies so deliciously flavorful and decadent. One bite and you’ll be joining me in Samoa brownie heaven!
Recipe Ingredients
- Brownie mix (the size to make a 13×9)
- Evaporated milk
- Dulce de leche
- Chocolate chips
- Sweetened (or unsweetened) flaked coconut
How to Make Samoa Brownies
First, make your brownie batter according to the box directions.
Pour the batter into a 13×9 baking dish and bake for the requested time.
Let them cool in the pan while you continue with the following steps.
To begin with, spread your shredded coconut out on a rimmed baking sheet and place it in a 350-degree oven to toast. This will take about 10 minutes or so and you’ll need to keep an eye on it and stir it a time or two.
If you have the patience of a caffeinated gnat, as I do, you can put it in the oven and put the oven on low broil, stirring very often, and have it done in just a few minutes. Be careful though because it burns really quickly.
While that is going on, place your caramel and 1/4 cup of evaporated milk in a bowl.
Heat this in the microwave at 45-second intervals, stirring in between each, until it is just warm enough to blend together really well.
This is our smooth and creamy caramel after we have thinned it a little bit with the evaporated milk.
Now stir in your coconut until it is all covered in caramel.
Oh, mercy. My mouth is watering just typing that!
Spread this on your cooled brownies.
Melt chocolate chips in the microwave at 45-second intervals, stirring in between each, until smooth.
Allow to cool for a few minutes and then put that in a zipper seal bag.
Cut the tip off and zig zag the across the top of your iced brownies.
Allow the chocolate to set before serving.
Enjoy.
And believe me, it will be love at the first bite of these delicious Samoa brownies!
Storage
- Store brownies in an airtight container in the fridge or at room temperature for up to 4 days. The fridge is preferable to ensure the chocolate topping doesn’t melt.
- You can also freeze the brownies for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature or in the fridge before serving.
Recipe Notes
- Dulce de leche is getting easier and easier to come across. Walmart has it but my Krogers has it right next to the sweetened condensed milk. It is basically sweetened condensed milk that’s been caramelized. If you want to make homemade dulce de leche using condensed milk, here’s my recipe.
- If you’d prefer to use a homemade brownies recipe instead, check out this recipe for the best brownies ever!
- If you want a salted caramel coconut layer, stir a pinch of sea salt into the melted caramel.
Recipe FAQs
How do you serve Samoa brownies?
They taste deliciously decadent and fudgy as is, but for dessert, I can never resist serving them with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Can I use something other than coconut?
Yes, you can either omit the coconut completely or substitute it for different chopped or ground nuts, like slivered almonds, macadamia nuts, pecans, or walnuts.
You might also enjoy these brownie recipes:
One Bowl, No Egg Fudgey Brownies
Ingredients
- 1 box brownie mix of your choice for a 9x13 pan, with ingredients called for on the box
- 2 cups sweet or unsweetened flaked coconut
- 1 12-ounce can dulce de leche
- 1/4 cup evaporated milk
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Prepare brownies in a 9x13 pan according to package directions. Let cool.1 box brownie mix of your choice
- On a large rimmed baking sheet, spread out coconut and place in a 350-degree oven until toasted lightly golden, stirring often (about 10 minutes).2 cups sweet or unsweetened flaked coconut
- While the coconut is toasting, place caramel and evaporated milk in a microwave-safe bowl or small saucepot (if melting on the stovetop). Heat at 45-second intervals, stirring after each, until just soft enough to blend well.1 12-ounce can dulce de leche, 1/4 cup evaporated milk
- Stir toasted coconut into the caramel mixture until well combined. Place dollops of this all over the top of the cooled brownies and then spread to ice.
- Melt the chocolate chips in the microwave the same way you did the caramel. Once fully melted, allow to cool for five minutes before spooning into a large zipper seal bag. Cut just the tip off and make zig zags all over top of coconut mixture. Allow brownies to sit until chocolate is set again and they are completely cool.1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- Cut, serve, and enjoy!
Nutrition
“Find yourself, and be that.”
~Anon
Just wanted you to know you are not the only girl ‘Cub Scout’ I was den leader for my grandson’s troop so my granddaughter was a “Tagalong”. she got to do everything they did and loved it! Good times. WE tried the girl scout thing too, but had as much luck ad you did.
Easy and safe (though not quick) Dulce de Leche method:
Can of condensed milk. (I only use cans with 2 ingredients: milk & sugar)
Place in a crock pot and cover the can with water.
Turn the crock pot on high and place cover.
2 – 8 hrs (2 hrs is really light and still somewhat fluid, 8 hrs is really dark and thick).
*Turn can over every couple hours to reduce crystals, and add hot water if level has dropped.
Turn off crockpot after allotted time and allow water and can to cool.
Remove can, open, and enjoy.
This is delicious but it is never ever ever ever safe to cook an unopened can of sweetened condensed milk. However you can open it and cook it in a double broiler or a low heat stirring constantly (even the microwave) and get the same result pretty quickly. We specifically studied the danger of doing this very thing in college culinary school so I just had to chime in since folks reading this will be doing so on a website I’m responsible for. Don’t take the chance. I promise the burns aren’t worth it for that one time it happens to you, no matter how many times it you get lucky.
I don’t understand the caramel part of the instructions. I bought all the ingredients but nothing is thick like caramel that needs to be thinned with evaporated milk. I have cooling brownies and don’t know what to do!
If you purchased the dulce de leche in a can, it is extremely thick and would have to be thinned to use. Perhaps you purchased a different type of caramel?
You didn’t miss a thing! I’d gotten to do the Cub Scout thing with a close male cousin. When later deciding to become a Girl Scout, had gone to a couple of meetings and reviewed their agenda of activities for the year, and had found the first couple and the year’s agenda so silly and overly girlie, that I hadn’t bothered getting the uniform and never went back. The Cubs were fun, the Girls were a dead bore! Putting a square knot in a triangle of fabric to form an arm sling, had been about as interesting and thrilling as it got.
Hi Christy, I am making these for my bible study on Friday and was wondering if I could use the salted caramel topping instead of the canned dolce de leche? I just have it on hand and was wondering if it would still work the same. Thanks!! Can’t wait to try these
Hey! It will certainly work. The only issue is that it may be a little runnier and the brownies won’t cut as neatly, but taste wise it would be fabulous! I’d look at it and see how thick it looks to you. Also adding the coconut into it will help stiffen it up a bit. I think I want to go to your Bible study! 🙂
Oh Christy, thanks for admitting all you do, lol. Have you ever tried Sweetened Condensed Milk from the freezer, sublime!
Safely make dulce de leche in the can by placing the unopened can of sweetened condensed milk in the Crock-Pot & completely cover the can with water. Process 8-10 hours on low 2 desired color. I put my sweetened condensed milk in small Mason jars & tighten the lid thoroughly to make in the slow cooker. It’s easier to judge the color of the caramel & guarantees some of the sauce makes it to the recipe & not into the stomachs of all the helpers that magically appear when coming is complete! (Wonder where they are when it’s laundry being done?)
These look amazing! I’m so excited to try these and was wondering how much caramel to use? I didn’t see it on the recipe but could be overlooking it 🙂
These were very good! The kids loved them. Thank you for the recipe!
I am so glad to hear they were a hit!!