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Samoa cake balls pack the whole Girl Scout cookie flavor — chocolate, caramel and toasted coconut — into a gluten-free bite. Brownie cake crumbs get bound with caramel icing, dipped in caramel sauce and rolled in coconut, then striped with dark chocolate. Worth every minute of the effort.
Pro Tips
- Chill the formed cake balls at least 30 minutes before dipping; warm ones fall apart the moment they hit the caramel.
- Warm the caramel sauce to a liquid state first, then dip just half of each ball — the half-and-half dip is what gives them the classic Samoa look.
- Press the caramel-coated side into the toasted coconut immediately, while the caramel is still sticky enough to grab every shred.
- For the chocolate stripes, melt the chocolate with the shortening and drizzle from a spoon or a corner-cut bag in quick back-and-forth passes.
- These freeze beautifully — stash a batch and let them sit at room temperature about 20 minutes before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make Samoa cake balls ahead of time?
They're one of the best make-ahead treats around. Refrigerate them for days or freeze for weeks, then thaw 20 minutes at room temperature before serving.
What components do I need to make first?
Half a batch of Red Brownie Cupcakes, a batch of Caramel Icing, and half a cup of Caramel Sauce — mix the cake and icing into the balls, then the sauce does the dipping.
Why do the cake balls fall apart when I dip them?
They weren't firm enough. At least 30 minutes in the fridge or freezer sets the cake-and-icing mixture so it holds together in the warm caramel.
How should I store them?
Layer them in an airtight container with parchment or wax paper between layers, then refrigerate or freeze. The parchment keeps the caramel and chocolate from sticking.
Recipe Card
Ingredients
Method
- 1. Crumble cooled cake into bowl, spoon icing over top of cake bits and mix by hand to incorporate.
- 2.
- Form into balls of cake and gently place on parchment or wax paper to set in refrigerator or freezer for at least 30 minutes to firm.
- 3.
- Warm Caramel Sauce to bring to a liquid state and dip half of the cake ball into caramel sauce.
- 4. Immediately dip sticky caramel–side of cake ball into toasted coconut; set aside to repeat batch.
- 5. Melt chocolate with shortening in double boiler (make your own with a 2-quart pan and a heat-resistant bowl) or microwave, stirring frequently to combine.
- 6.
- Drizzle chocolate in striped pattern on top of coconut shreds.
- 7.
- Place in airtight container in refrigerator or freezer atop candy wrappers, parchment paper, or wax paper.
- Let sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes before serving.
