Chewy caramel Rice Krispie Treats packed with shortbread cookie pieces, chocolate chips, and toasted coconut. Topped with more chocolate and toasted coconut; self-control is out the window! Girl Scout Cookie lover or not, you’re going to LOVE these Amazing Samoa Rice Krispie Treats.
I’ve had the idea to make Rice Krispie Treats with a Samoa Girl Scout Cookie theme for a while now, and I’m so happy I finally worked them up. I knew I wanted to have the taste of Samoa Cookies but not use actual Samoa Cookies. I wanted for you (and me) to be able to make these any time of the year, not just when you have a stash of Girl Scout Cookies.
Adding the caramel into the marshmallow mixture carries the caramel flavor throughout the entire treat. Breaking up shortbread cookies to mix in with the Rice Krispies and also toasting the coconut instead of leaving it as-is out of the package, really takes these Rice Krispie Treats to a whole new level. I am sooooo excited for you to give Amazing Samoa Rice Krispie Treats a try!
As far as the shortbread cookies go, I found some here in Germany that you may not be able to get where you live…don’t worry…any shortbread cookie will do–Lorna Doone, Pepperidge Farm, the kind in a circle tin you get around Christmas time…or in a pinch I think Keebler Fudge Stripe Cookies would be a great alternative.
The caramel you use can also be slightly different than mine. I would suggest either using Kraft Caramels (the kind that are little squares wrapped in plastic) or a nice thick caramel sauce that is used to top ice cream. Be careful with that. There are caramel sauces that are more of a thinly squeezed type of caramel, and then there are bottles of caramel that have more of a hot fudge consistency. The hot fudge consistency type is the one you are looking for. If you use the packaged caramels, you will need about 20-25 caramels.
Toasting the coconut is a vital part of the recipe to get the true Samoa Girl Scout Cookie flavor. You can do this in the microwave by putting the coconut in a glass microwave-safe dish and heating it in 30-second increments, stirring in between, until it starts to show small specs of lightly browned coconut. At that point, drop to 20-second increments until the coconut has toasted nicely. Don’t go too far. It can go from nicely toasted to burnt pretty quickly. The coconut needs to cool before adding it to the Rice Krispies. You can make it a little in advance, or you can pour it out onto a plate with some parchment paper for it to cool quickly.
Rice Krispie Treats are one of the most delicious treats out there in my opinion. I’m a huge fan and I am so excited to share this blow-your-mind good recipe with you! Here are some of my other favorite Rice Krispie recipes.
Delicious Rice Krispie Recipes
- Crazy Good Caramel Rice Crispies
- Snicker Bar Rice Krispies Treats
- S’mores Rice Krispy Treats
- Chewy Caramel Rice Crispy Treats with Chocolate Chips
- Granola Bar Bites
- Rice Crispy Chicken Thighs
Step by step pictures for how to make Amazing Samoa Rice Krispie Treats
Frequently asked questions for how to make Amazing Samoa Rice Krispie Treats
What type of Caramel Should I use in this recipe?
I suggest using Kraft Caramels (the type that are small squares wrapped in plastic) or a nice thick caramel sauce you would buy to eat on ice cream. Make sure to get one that is in a bottle and has a similar consistency to hot fudge. If you use Kraft Caramels, you will need 20-25. In a pinch, you could make a small batch of homemade caramel. If you choose to do that, I would suggest making a half batch of this Merry Widow Caramel recipe.
I can’t find shortbread cookies. can I use something else?
If you can’t find shortbread cookies, you can try using Keebler Fudge Striped Cookies, vanilla wafers, the cookie parts of Golden Oreos (scrape out the center) or graham crackers would probably even work pretty well. However, to get the authentic taste of a Samoa Girl Scout Cookie, shortbread cookies are the best to use in this recipe.
How do you toast Coconut?
You can toast coconut in your oven or on the stove-top, but I have found the easiest way is to use a microwave. Put the coconut in a glass microwave-safe dish and heat it in 30-second increments, stirring in between, until it starts to show small specs of lightly browned coconut. At that point, drop it to 20-second increments until the coconut has toasted nicely. Don’t go too far. It can go from nicely toasted to burnt pretty quickly.
Can I use Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips instead of Milk Chocolate?
Yes, you can use whatever type of chocolate you prefer. I find the milk chocolate gives the most authentic flavor in this recipe, but semi-sweet would still work awesome!
Are these gluten-free?
Unless you are able to find gluten-free shortbread cookies and gluten-free Rice Krispies, these are not gluten-free.
Can these be made ahead of time?
Yes. In fact, for the chocolate on top of the Rice Krispies to properly set up, these need to be made at least a few hours before you plan to serve them. Making them a day in advance or even two (if you keep them covered once they have set up and completely cooled) will work great.
Recipes for Coconut Lovers
- 1 (10 ounce) package mini-marshmallows
- 8 ounce of a thick caramel sauce or 20-25 individually wrapped Kraft Caramels (unwrapped)
- ¼ cup butter
- 4½ cups Rice Krispies cereal
- 2 cups, shortbread cookie pieces
- 1½ cups toasted coconut, divided (see post for how to toast the coconut)
- 1 (12 ounce) package milk chocolate chips
- Butter a 9x13 glass baking dish and set aside.
- In a large saucepan, combine the butter, marshmallows, and caramel syrup (or Kraft Caramels). Melt over medium-low heat until all ingredients are melted together.
- Remove from heat and pour in the Rice Krispies, cookie pieces, and 1 cup of the toasted coconut. Mix until well combined. Let cool for a minute or two, and then quickly stir in ¾ cup of the chocolate chips and pour into the prepared 9x13 baking dish. Press down with buttered hands.
- Melt the remaining chocolate chips. (You can do this carefully in the microwave or over a double boiler.) I like to add 1 tsp of canola oil to help it melt better.
- Pour melted chocolate over the pressed-down Rice Krispies and spread evenly. Sprinkle the remaining ½ cup of toasted coconut over the melted chocolate.
- Let them cool until the chocolate on top has set up.
- Once they are set, you can cut and enjoy!
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