Think of the Samoa cookie — that irresistible trio of toasted coconut, sticky caramel and chocolate — and then imagine it baked into a sliceable, shareable pie. That’s exactly what this Samoa Cookie Pie does. It’s not a novelty; it’s the cookie you love, translated into a buttery crust and a gooey, toasty, chocolatey pie that sets up firm enough to slice but still gives you that chewy caramel pull when you bite into it.
I made this pie late one Saturday afternoon when friends were stopping by for coffee. I’d been craving those classic coconut-and-caramel flavors, but wanted something with a little more ceremony than a cookie. The kitchen smelled like toasted coconut within minutes of popping the pie back into the oven — a toasty, almost nutty scent that made everyone wander in from other rooms. The caramel bubbles up around the coconut and chocolate in a way that’s messy and glorious; you’ll see glossy brown beads around the edge when it’s ready. The first slice was slightly warm, the caramel still pliable, but after chilling the texture refined into a slice that held together and still gave you that satisfying chew.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Butter (1/2 cup, melted) – provides richness and structure to the crust; substitute vegan butter or coconut oil for a dairy-free version.
- Egg (1 whole) – binds the crust so it holds when pressed into the pie plate; use a flax egg for vegan baking.
- Light brown sugar (1/2 cup) – adds moisture and a hint of molasses in the crust; coconut sugar can work but will change color and flavor slightly.
- Vanilla extract (1 teaspoon) – deepens flavor and rounds the sweet notes; don’t skip it.
- All-purpose flour (1 1/4 cups) – the base of the crust; use a 1:1 gluten-free blend if needed.
- Salt (1/4 teaspoon) – balances sweetness and brightens flavors.
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips (1 cup) – melts into pockets under the coconut for chocolate richness; use dairy-free chips if avoiding dairy.
- Sweetened coconut (1 1/2 cups) – the star of the Samoa flavor; toast it lightly for the best texture and aroma. You can use sweetened or unsweetened but sweetened gives that classic taste.
- Sweetened condensed milk (1 cup) – gives the filling its caramel-like silkiness; swap for a dairy-free condensed milk for vegan versions.
- Caramel sauce (1/2 cup) – drizzled into and over the filling for chew and shine; homemade or store-bought both work. If you prefer a deeper flavor, use a salted caramel.
- Melted chocolate (3/4 cup) – for finishing drizzle that frames each slice; you can mix in a teaspoon of neutral oil for shine if needed.
If you’d rather make caramel from scratch, use this quick homemade caramels recipe for a fast, buttery topping or swirled filling.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. I always give the oven a good 10 minutes to come up to temperature so the crust starts baking immediately and doesn’t get soggy. Place an oven rack in the middle position.
- Make the crust. In a medium bowl whisk together the melted butter, whole egg, light brown sugar and vanilla until smooth. You’ll notice the mixture looks glossy at first and a little loose; that’s expected. Stir in the flour and salt until everything just comes together. The dough should be slightly tacky but not wet — if it’s very sticky, a tablespoon or two more flour will fix it.
- Press into a 9-inch pie plate. Use the back of a measuring cup to press the crust evenly across the bottom and up the sides. I find pressing with a cup gives a smoother surface than fingers alone. Dock the bottom lightly with a fork if you want extra crispness.
- Par-bake the crust for 10 minutes. This step is crucial to avoid a soggy center. The crust should feel set and be faintly golden at the edges after this short bake.
- Assemble the filling. Remove the par-baked crust from the oven. Sprinkle the semi-sweet chocolate chips evenly over the bottom so they melt into the surface. Top with the sweetened coconut — if you’ve toasted it ahead of time, it will already be golden and fragrant. Drizzle the sweetened condensed milk evenly over the chocolate and coconut. Don’t slather the whole thing; you want an even light coating. Finally, pour the caramel sauce over the top, spreading it gently if needed so it reaches all parts of the pie.
- Bake for 25 minutes at 350°F. You’re looking for the filling to become bubbly around the edges and for the center to look set and golden. I often watch through the oven window at the 20-minute mark; the caramel will bead up and a glossy sheen appears when it’s ready. If you see the edges browning too fast, tent the pie with foil and give the center a few extra minutes.
- Rest briefly, then finish with chocolate. Remove the pie and let it sit on the counter for 10 minutes. While it cools, melt additional chocolate (if needed) and lightly drizzle over the top in a decorative pattern. The contrast of shiny dark chocolate against toasted coconut is part of the Samoa charm.
- Chill for at least 4 hours before slicing. This is not a pie you can serve immediately and expect neat slices. The caramel firms as it cools; chilling for 4 hours (or overnight) makes slicing much cleaner and gives the flavors time to meld.
Note: I purposely didn’t tell you to “bake until done.” The easy cue here is the bubbling edges and a mostly set, golden center. If your center still looks very wet after 25 minutes, bake another 3–5 minutes. Over-baking will dry the coconut, though, so watch closely.
Tips for Perfecting Your Pie
I’ve made multiple iterations of this pie to dial in texture and flavor. Here are the lessons I learned and the small tricks that save the recipe:
- Pre-bake the crust. Totally non-negotiable for a non-soggy bottom. Ten minutes is enough to set the structure so the sweets on top don’t soak in.
- Toast the coconut carefully. Coconut goes from golden to burnt in seconds. Toast on a baking sheet at 350°F for 4–6 minutes, stirring every couple of minutes, or do it in a dry skillet on medium heat and stir constantly. You want a light golden color and a nutty smell, not dark brown flakes. Want tips for handling and toasting coconut without drying it out? Our no-bake coconut cookies post has simple techniques that transfer well to this pie.
- Don’t over-saturate with sweetened condensed milk. A light drizzle is enough to give the caramel-like texture. Too much makes the filling runny and slows set-up. If your mixture looks soupy, you’ve likely overdone it — bake a touch longer and chill well.
- Watch the chocolate. If the chocolate chips melt and sink completely, that’s fine — they should create pockets of chocolate. If you prefer streaks instead of pockets, roughly chop the chocolate and sprinkle it on top so it melts differently.
- Use a glass or metal pie plate, not silicone. Glass gives a slightly gentler heat that helps the center set without over-browning the edges; metal runs hotter and can speed up browning.
- Tools that help: an offset spatula for spreading, a small squeeze bottle or spoon for controlled caramel placement, and a serrated knife chilled in the freezer between cuts for cleaner slices.
Creative Serving Ideas
Because this pie is a riff on a cookie, it’s naturally playful — here are ways to present it that make it feel special:
- Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and an extra drizzle of caramel. The cold cream against warm caramel is a classic contrast.
- Finish individual slices with flaked sea salt to highlight the caramel’s sweetness.
- Make individual mini pies or tartlets — same assembly, smaller pans, and shorter bake times — perfect for parties where guests want a single-bite dessert.
- Set up a pie bar: keep the pie whole and let guests add toasted coconut, extra chocolate chips, whipped cream or chopped nuts.
- For an extra chocolate-coconut flair, try borrowing the glaze from our chilled coconut cake with decadent chocolate topping as a finishing drizzle on your Samoa Cookie Pie.
Dietary Modifications
This recipe adapts well if you need gluten-free or vegan versions, but a few swaps are important to keep the texture right.
- Gluten-free: Use a 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose flour blend for the crust. Make sure your baking powder (if you use any in adjusted crust recipes) is certified gluten-free. The rest of the filling is naturally gluten-free if you use chocolate chips labeled gluten-free.
- Vegan: Replace the whole egg with a flax egg (1 tablespoon ground flax + 3 tablespoons water, let sit 5 minutes). Use coconut oil or vegan butter in place of butter. Swap sweetened condensed milk for a dairy-free condensed milk (canned coconut condensed milk works well) and choose dairy-free chocolate and caramel. For a dairy-free chocolate-coconut option, check out our vegan coconut fudge for ideas on coconut oil and dairy-free chocolate swaps you can use in this pie.
- Lower sugar: If you’re looking to reduce sugar, choose a dark chocolate with higher cocoa percentage and reduce added caramel slightly; keep in mind the pie will be less sticky and sweeter notes will be muted.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How long should I let the Samoa Cookie Pie set before slicing?Let the pie cool at room temperature for about 10 minutes, then chill it for at least 4 hours (or overnight) so the caramel and chocolate fully set. Chilling makes slicing much cleaner.
- Can I make this pie gluten-free or vegan?Yes. For gluten-free, use a 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose flour blend in the crust. For vegan, replace the egg with a flax egg (1 tbsp ground flax + 3 tbsp water), use coconut oil or vegan butter for the crust, swap sweetened condensed milk for a dairy-free condensed milk (or a homemade coconut condensed milk), and use dairy-free chocolate and vegan caramel.
- What’s the best way to toast the coconut without burning it?Spread the sweetened coconut in an even layer on a baking sheet and toast at 350°F for 4–6 minutes, stirring every 1–2 minutes and watching closely until golden. Alternatively, toast in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3–5 minutes, stirring constantly.
- How should I store leftovers and how long will they keep?Store leftover pie covered in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days. For longer storage, wrap slices tightly in plastic wrap and foil and freeze for up to 1 month. Thaw in the fridge before serving; you can warm slices briefly in a low oven if you prefer them warm.
- My pie center was a bit soggy—how can I avoid that?Make sure you pre-bake the crust for the full 10 minutes, avoid over-saturating with sweetened condensed milk, and bake until the pie is bubbly and the center looks golden and mostly dry (an extra 3–5 minutes can help). Allowing the pie to chill for several hours also prevents sogginess.
Seasonal Variations
This pie is surprisingly adaptable. Here are ways to lean into the seasons while keeping that Samoa spirit:
- Fall: Stir a teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice into the crust and a pinch into the caramel for a pumpkin-caramel twist. Toasted coconut plus warm spice smells like fall in a bite.
- Winter: Add a splash of espresso to the melted chocolate for a mocha layer that pairs beautifully with caramel.
- Spring: Brighten slices with a spoonful of raspberry compote on the side to cut through the richness.
- Summer: Serve chilled with fresh berries and a dollop of whipped cream for contrast. You can even make a chilled no-bake version by letting the crust set in the fridge and skipping the oven bake for the filling—though the toasted coconut flavor shifts slightly.
Conclusion: Why You’ll Love This Pie
This Samoa Cookie Pie is one of those recipes I return to when I want something familiar with a little extra drama. There’s comfort in the flavors you recognize from the cookie — sweet toasted coconut, sticky caramel and chocolate — and joy in how they come together as a shareable pie. It’s forgiving, adaptable for diets, and makes excellent leftovers. Make it for a casual coffee date, for a holiday table that needs a crowd-pleaser, or when you simply want to turn nostalgia into a dessert with a fork. Try it once, tweak the caramel or the level of toast on the coconut to your preference, and you’ll probably find yourself making it again — I know I do.
If you give this pie a try, take note of whether you prefer it slightly warm or fully chilled and adjust the chilling time accordingly. And please come back and tell me what you changed — I love hearing about substitutions and happy accidents that become new favorites.
Samoa Cookie Pie
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- In a medium sized bowl, whisk together melted butter, egg, brown sugar, and vanilla until smooth.
- Mix in flour and salt, stirring until everything is well blended.
- Press into a 9 inch pie plate and bake for 10 minutes.
- Remove from oven and sprinkle chocolate chips evenly over the dough. Top with coconut. Drizzle sweetened condensed milk over the top until everything is lightly coated. Finally pour caramel sauce evenly over the top.
- Return to the oven and bake for 25 minutes until it is bubbly and the center appears golden and dry.
- Remove from the oven and let sit for 10 minutes. Drizzle melted chocolate over the top.
- Let the pie set for at least 4 hours before slicing.